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MussouRI IBROTANICAL 
GARDEN BULLETIN 


VOLUME XXXVIII 


1950 


ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI 


PUBLISHED MONTHLY EXCEPT JULY AND AUGUST, 
BY THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES 


SUBSCRIPTION PRICE: $2.50 A YEAR 


Missouri BoTANIG&- 
G@AaRDEN LIBRARY 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL 


GARD 


HN BULL 


ow. 


CONTENTS 


Sixty-first Annual Report of the Director 


Volume XXXVIII January, 1950 


Naa 


Cover: Sleet storm at the Garden. Photograph by Claude Johnston. 


Editorial Office: Missouri Botanical Garden, 2315 Tower Grove Avenue, 
St. Louis 10, Missouri. 

Published monthly except July and August by the Board of Trustees of the 
Missouri Botanical Garden. Subscription price: $2.50 a year, 

Office of publication: 306 E. Simmons Street, Galesburg, Illinois. 

Entered as second-class matter January 26, 1942, at the post-office at Gales- 
burg, Illinois, under the Act of March 3, 1879. 


Please: Do not discard a copy of the Bulletin. If you have no further use for yours 
pass it along to a friend or return it to the Garden. Return postage will 
be guaranteed. 


SOME FACTS ABOUT THE GARDEN 


The Missouri Botanical Garden was opened to the public by Mr. 
Henry Shaw about 1860. From that date until his death in 1889 it 
was maintained under his personal direction. Although popularly 
known as “Shaw’s Garden” the name Missouri Botanical Garden 
was chosen by Mr. Shaw and he definitely indicated that he wished 
it called by that name. The Garden passed at his death into the 
hands of a Board of Trustees, designated in Mr. Shaw’s will, and 
the Board so constituted, exclusive of certain ex-officio members, 
is self-perpetuating. By a further provision of the will the immedi- 
ate direction of the Garden is vested in a Director, appointed by 
the Board. The Garden receives no support from city or state but 
is maintained almost exclusively from the estate left by Henry 
Shaw. Since 1939 many Garden Clubs and interested individuals 
have contributed to a “Friends of the Garden Fund” which is used 
in developing the new Arboretum, located at Gray Summit, Mo. 
The Arboretum (1) serves as a source of plants, trees and shrubs 
for the city Garden; (2) affords areas for gradually establishing 
a pinetum, a wild-flower reservation and various other features 
on a scale not possible in the city; (3) provides greenhouses for 


some 40,000 orchid plants. 


The city Garden comprises 75 acres, where about 12,000 species 
of plants are grown, both out of doors and under glass. It is open 
every day in the year except New Year’s Day and Christmas; week 
days, 8:00 a. m. until 7:00 p. m.; Sundays, 10:00 a. m. until 7:00 


p.m. The greenhouses are closed every day at 5:00 p. m. 


The main entrance to the Garden is at Tower Grove and Flora 
Place, on the Sarah bus line (No. 42). The Tower Grove bus 
(No. 21), direct from downtown, passes within three blocks of the 


main entrance. 


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Cactus and Succulent Display in window of the Boatmen’s National Bank 


Missour1 Botanical 
Garden Bulletin 


Vol. XXXVIII JANUARY, 1950 No. 1 


SIXTY-FIRST ANNUAL REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR 


As is customary in the January issue of the BULLETIN, the Director of 
the Missouri Botanical Garden has the pleasure of presenting to the Board of 
Trustees and Friends of the Garden a report of the chief events and activities 
at the Garden during 1949: 


BOATMEN’s BANK FEATURES THE GARDEN 


During August the windows of the Boatmen’s National Bank Building 
attracted wide attention when the Missouri Botanical Garden was featured. 
Each of the eight windows on the ground floor of the Bank aimed to show a 
special Garden activity which was explained by large printed posters. The 
window devoted to plant research, for instance, contained coal-balls and rocks 
in which plants had been embedded for millions of years, this illustrating the 
work being done by the paleobotanists (fossil botanists) in deciphering the 
story of plants throughout the ages. The same window displayed ears and 
stalks of exotic corn; the classification and origin of corn is another research 
subject at the Garden. A collection of mounted herbarium specimens ex- 
emplified taxonomic research, and a printed poster told the story of the 
herbarium and its uses. 

Another window represented a desert scene, with an oil painting of a 
western desert as a background and the foreground planted with cacti and 
desert plants of which the Garden has a notabie collection. The orchid 
window always attracted a crowd, for here was demonstrated the growing of 
orchid plants from seedlings in flasks to mature plants bearing gorgeous 
flowers. Fresh-blooming plants were delivered to the Boatmen’s Bank 
weekly. 

In the “conservation” window there was a landscape model showing 
water running over miniature hills into valleys, to illustrate the destructive 
effect of falling rain when not controlled by proper conservation practice— 
a matter of investigation at the Garden Arboretum. 

Horticultural research was depicted by two large charts of rose bushes, 
with graphic directions for pruning. The window devoted to Henry Shaw 


(1) 


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MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 


and the Garden contained a portrait of Shaw, the Garden’s founder, painted 
about 1870. The many medals and cups awarded the Garden at expositions 
and flower shows were also shown, as well as a poster giving a short history 
of the Garden. 

The window in the lobby of the Bank building was filled with old herbals 
and rare books from the Garden library, which are representative of those 
consulted by botanists from all over the world. A collection of books by 
members of the Garden staff and examples of the Garden publications were 


exhibited in the window on ‘‘Research.”’ 


THe Ciry GARDEN 
MAINTENANCE 

This year has been uneventful from the standpoint of destructive storms 
such as the tornado on September 1, 1946, which brought devastation in the 
Garden, and the wind storm of December 5, 1948, which wrecked the north 
end of the pergola and also did considerable damage to trees. Continued 
pruning of trees and shrubs the last two years has finally brought the Main 
Garden into shape. In 1949 work was concentrated in the North American 
Tract, where 161 dangerous trees left by the 1946 storm were removed. Two 
hundred trees, including oaks, ginkgos, horse-chestnuts, Chinese pagoda, and 
gums, have been planted in the Main Garden and nursery to replace the loss. 
A total of 291 loads of damaged trees and brush were removed. 

The canker worm, which builds the familiar webs on trees, was evident 
in the Garden but was controlled by using 700 gallons of insecticide in the 
power sprayer. Collecting and removing the leaves in the autumn is a very 
important annual job, since after stacking and shredding they are used the 
following year on the lawns and in potting soil. In addition to the 160 loads 
of leaves from the Garden areas, 100 loads were obtained from the City street 
department. These will yield between 30 and 40 loads of excellent compost. 
Two acres of ground in the North American Tract were plowed and planted 
with cowpeas, and next year this soil, when mixed with the compost, will 
be used for greenhouse work. The plaza between the Main Gate and the 
Palm House was reseeded to blue grass in 1949. 

The main construction work during the year consisted of rebuilding, 
under contract, the north end of the Italian Garden pergola and repairing 
the center and southern portions. The entire area was painted by use 
of the Garden’s power sprayer. In repair of the greenhouses it was neces- 
sary to replace both the angle iron purlins and the angle iron sides which 
brace the support for the ventilators. The total amount of angle iron that 
was cut in varied lengths was 530 feet, 16 feet of 3” x 3” and 80 feet of 
2" x 2” having been purchased new for the Floral Display House, and 434 
feet salvaged from the slate benches in the growing houses which had been 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 3 


Repairing the damage to the pergola in the Italian Garden caused by the windstorm of 
December 1948. 


replaced by more permanent concrete benches. The interior of the Palm 
House from the floor up to and including the tongue and grooved area was 
sprayed with aluminum paint, and the south gable end of the roof was painted 
by hand. All the copper downspouts were replaced. 

The ladies’ rest room and new lavatory at the Main Office and the Power 
Plant window-sash and the interior of the Floral Display House balcony 
from the floor to the gable were repainted by hand. The Citrus House vesti- 
bule, the 47 permanent concrete garden benches, and the galvanized areas 
and pipe guard railings on all houses were repainted by the use of the spraying 
machine. Four growing-houses have been entirely repainted and reglazed. 
New ventilators and new sash bars were replaced where necessary. The total 
amount of glass area repainted amounted to 7,176 square feet. 

Work was continued at various times throughout the year on rebuilding 
the steamlines, particularly in the large conservatories. New 1'4-inch pipe 
replaced amounted to 2,425 feet, and 1,816 feet of old pipe, which was in- 
stalled in the large conservatories in 1912-13, were pressure-tested and the 
ends cut and rethreaded. Couplings, elbows, valves, etc. were all replaced. 
Small roof leaks being evident on the rest rooms and office at the Main 
Gate, the entire roof of the structure was recaulked and retreated with 
asphalt. One hundred new chromium chairs have been placed in the lecture 
room of the Museum to replace the old folding desk chairs which had been 


in use for thirty years. 


4 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 


Contract work, in addition to rebuilding the Italian Garden pergola 
(finished July 14), included new copper downspouts in the Palm House and 
a new asphalt shingle roof on the Assistant Engineer’s residence on Shaw and 
Alfred. 

Mr. Ladislaus Cutak, in charge of the Main Conservatories, and Mr. B. J. 
Mennemeyer, who has charge of the Main Gate, stamped 1,379 labels and 
hand-printed 1,106 during the year. 

The maintenance of the City Garden is under the direction of Mr. G. H. 
Pring, with certain special features, including the two heating plants, under 
the control of Mr. Gerald Ulrici, Business Manager, and Mr. A. H. Vogel, 
Consulting Engineer. 

MAIN CONSERVATORIES AND EXOTIC RANGES 

Routine work necessary to carry on the permanent displays proceeded as 
usual, and various improvements were made in all of the houses. 

In the Cactus House a truckload of sand-humus mixture was added to in- 
crease fertility and porosity of the soil (thus minimizing the danger of over- 
watering). It was necessary to prune heavily the two fine specimens of 
Stinging Nettle Tree (Cuidoscolus oligandrus) because their limbs had reached 
the glass. These trees, raised from Brazilian seed in 1945, have now attained 
a 20-ft. stature. The Stinging Nettle Trees probably are not grown 
under glass anywhere except at the Garden. Our trees bear a profusion of 
burr-like cushions of “poison’’-secreting spines on the light tan trunks, and 
any one merely brushing against them will experience a sensation akin to 
being stung by a swarm of bees. The spines also appear on the branches and 
on both surfaces of the large, five-lobed leaves. 

Epiphyllums raised from cuttings collected in Mexican jungles by Mr. 
Tom MacDougall a few years ago have grown so well that trellises had to be 
provided for them. Trellises were also made for most of the rampant-growing 
cacti, for if given liberty many twining, climbing and creeping cacti become 
a nuisance in a collection. The large cuttings of various Cerei received from 
the Pirtle Cactus Garden of Edinburg, Texas, in 1948, have been rooted suf- 
ficiently to set out in permanent beds. Most of the night-blooming cacti 
again bloomed luxuriantly, proving that well-established plants will flower 
heavily from year to year when not disturbed. An exception is the stubborn 
Torch Cactus, Cereus Jamacaru, which has failed to produce a single flower 
in the last 22 years despite the fact that our plants remain healthy and un- 
disturbed. 

During the annual Autumn Cactus Show of the Henry Shaw Cactus 
Society a group of rare undescribed cacti was placed on exhibition by La 
Quinta—Mexico’s largest cactus establishment. After the show the plants 
were donated to the Garden. 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 5 


After attending the convention of the Cactus and Succulent Society of 
America in Phoenix during July, Ladislaus Cutak made a plant-collecting 
trip in Arizona. Several fine cacti which the Garden collection lacked, two 
4-ft. Saguaros, a 5-ft. Bisnaga, and an unusually large Sweet Potato Cactus 
whose tuber weighed 85 Ibs., were brought back. The Sweet Potato Cactus 
was in flower when collected, but the immature ovaries ripened into bright 
scarlet fruits in the greenhouse in September and continued to be attractive 
during the next four months. 

The Bromelia Balansae hedge had several plants blossoming at one time 
during 1949. This species, commonly called “Heart of Flame” because of 
the brilliantly colored inflorescence which arises from the center of the crown 
of prickly leaves, is probably the showiest member of its group. In the latter 
part of November Agave Sartori sprouted its inflorescence, being the first 
century plant to come into bloom for a number of years. 

In the South African House the tall Fish Poison Plant (Euphorbia 
Tirucalli) and a large clump of Sansevicria cylindrica were removed. Fifty- 
eight feet of border plants were obtained from a massive bed of Sansevieria 
subspicata. Several large cuttings of spurges were rooted and planted in beds 
where height was needed. As usual aloes bloomed profusely and for the 
second straight year a 6-foot Aloe supralaevis bore a bright orange flower 
spike. Another tree aloe (Aloe africana) produced innumerable flowers 
which in the immature stage resemble tiny bananas. 

In the Economic House a truck-load of manure and leaf mold worked 
into the beds resulted in improvement of the plants. The three tallest trees, 
Hura crepitans, Parkia Roxburghii and Elacodendron quadrangulatum, had to 
be pruned heavily. The jasmine vine, Jasminum simplicifolium, for the first 
time was covered with a blanket of white flowers from near ground level to 
the ceiling. It was the heaviest bloomer in the House. The flowering season 
extended for three months in late autumn and early winter, and each morning 
a shovelful of spent flowers was picked from the walk beneath the plant. 
Fifteen horticultural kinds of Hibiscus were received from the Walton Plant 
Farm of Willis, Texas, and grown as pot plants. It is planned to set these 
out in permanent beds. Many economic plants propagated from seed and 
cuttings were planted out at intervals in the beds where room was available. 

In the Palm House 75 horticultural forms of Begonia were planted, with 
the hope that they will add color to the understory. African Violets have 
shown marked improvement and additional plants have been set out. Notable 
palms that have bloomed profusely include the Honduran Affalea Cobune, 
the North African Phoenix dactylifera, the North American Sabal Palmetto, 
the Chinese Livistona chinensis, and the Philippine Arenga Ambong. The 


6 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 


Cohune Palm is one of the most majestic in our collection. Its fronds are of 
enormous length and the large woody spathe surrounds a spadix bearing 
hundreds of flowers that shed copious pollen. 

The trees in the Citrus House that had reached the glass roof received a 
very heavy pruning. The Camoensia maxima vine has formed an extensive 
canopy in the back of both the Aroid and Citrus houses and bore the greatest 
profusion of blooms since becoming established there. The perfume from 
the large white blossoms was wafted even into the Floral Display House 
during late autumn. Ixoras, Clerodendrons and Acalyphas have flowered 
remarkably well in the Aroid House. Several bushes of Clerodendron fallax 
were literally covered with bunches of scarlet bloom, and Acalypha hispida 
produced great masses of long pendent racemes. 

The year was very good for water-lilies. Plants set out in the second 
week of May grew so vigorously that four men were engaged each afternoon 
throughout the summer removing the dead leaves and flowers, weeding the 
pools, etc. The lilies continued to bloom profusely until the first week in 
November. The nine plants of Victoria Cruziana, the famous Platter-Lily of 
the Amazon, in the center pool, were a great attraction to visitors. The huge 
round leaves average about 54 inches in width, and are able to support a 
great weight. A demonstration of the buoyancy of the leaves provided the 
St. Louis Post-Dispatch (Sept. 25, Sunday issue) with an interesting color 
feature, showing two children with a combined weight of 100 pounds stand- 
ing on the leaves. About 1,500 seeds of the Platter-Lily were collected, the 
best harvest in seven years. 

Tours of the Garden, requested by schools, conventions and garden clubs, 
were conducted by Mr. Ladislaus Cutak, in addition to his supervision of the 
Main Conservatories and Exotic Ranges. 

OUTDOOR GARDENS 

From January 18 to 20 shrubs and trees were sheathed in ice. The days 
following the ice storm were clear and cold, and as the sun shone through 
the branches all plants appeared to be studded with innumerable jewels. It 
was the most picturesque winter scene in many a year. Fortunately not 
many branches were broken and only the columnar junipers had to be 
straightened. 

In a year when the eastern states are experiencing a drought, we have had 
more than the average amount of rain. In July, and again in October, heavy 
rains have brought the total precipitation to 43.39 inches, which is 7.45 
inches above normal rainfall to December 15. Plant life always responds 
with good growth when there is ample moisture in the soil, and naturally the 
gardens grew luxuriantly this year. November was somewhat drier but only 
the evergreens and the new lawn in the main plaza had to be watered. This 
late dry period was relieved by good rains on December 11. 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 7 


Early in the year, eight beds in the Rose Garden were remade by removing 
eighteen inches of soil and replacing it with fresh soil and manure. To plant 
these beds and to replace a few varieties in other beds 230 roses were pur- 
chased. Six additional truck-loads of soil were needed to top-dress most of 
the beds where the soil level had sunk below the sod. In May, the entire 
garden was mulched with twenty-one truck-loads of oak-tow. The roses 
were excellent in May and June, and there was another fine display of flowers 
in August and September. 

The iris and peony garden was very good in May, and the mid-season and 
late peonies had an exceptional year because of the cool weather prevailing at 
that time. This garden will gradually be moved to a new location in the 
Economic Garden to make way for a nursery to be operated in connection 
with and adjacent to the experimental greenhouses. Towards that end, eight 
beds of iris were lifted in the autumn and stored in coldframes for spring 
planting. This iris garden, the last of the test gardens established in various 
parts of the country in cooperation with the American Iris Society, has been 
in this location for twenty-two years. Eleven varieties of iris were purchased, 
and 119 rhizomes, representing 50 varieties, were donated by Dr. L. F. 
Randolph, of Ithaca, N. Y., Mr. Clifford W. Benson, of St. Louis, and Robert 
Schreiner, of Salem, Oregon. 

The Main Garden contained a display of tulips in May, and bedding plants 
during the summer months. The point plants of the variegated tapioca 
attracted a great deal of attention. 

The Italian Garden contained a brilliant mass of bedding plants which 
grew well because of the abundant rains. The privet hedge needed frequent 
shearing, and to speed that operation, a second electrical hedge-clipper was 
purchased. After the pergola was rebuilt, the central semi-circular area was 
entirely replanted with columnar and prostrate junipers. Four large Pfitzer 
Junipers were also moved to the Main Gate. 

Narcissi that had been growing in nursery rows for several years were 
lifted and naturalized in an area between the Palm House and the Rose 
Garden. Tulips, hyacinths, and various other bulbs were planted in the 
Linnean, Spring and Main gardens for the 1950 display. 

As in previous years, the outdoor gardens have been under the supervision 


of Mr. Paul A. Kohl. 
FLORAL DISPLAYS 


At the beginning of the year, Garza Supreme chrysanthemums and 
buddleias were added to the poinsettia show. In mid-January, the Christmas 
display was removed to make way for the staging of primroses and cyclamens. 


The annual orchid show was on view from February 6 to 27, at which time 


8 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 


Missourt Botanical Garden display at the Greater St. Louis Flower and Garden Show, 
March 13-20 


Annual Chrysanthemum Show in the Floral Display House, 1949 


MISSOURI! BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 9 


aybrid pitcher plants (Nepenthes) were also shown. Then followed displays 
ot cinerarias, azaleas, genistas and tulips. At the Greater St. Louis Flower 
and Garden Show in the Kiel Auditorium, March 13-20, the Garden staged 
a 750-square-foot bulb garden. In the Easter exhibit, which opened on 
April 10, 300 Croft and Creole lilies were used, supplemented with many 
of the spring-blooming annuals such as schizanthus, marguerites, annual 
chrysanthemums and nasturtiums. On May 14 and 15, the flower house was 
given over to the St. Louis Horticultural Society for its annual Spring Flower 
and Iris Show. 

Flowering and foliage plants were sent to Christ Church Cathedral as 
decoration for the annual flower sermon preached on May 22. In the Floral 
Display House, hydrangeas, delphiniums and salpiglossis were on display until 
early June; and then followed the summer show of agapanthus, begonias, 
fuchsias and caladiums. On October 1 and 2 the Greater St. Louis Dahlia 
Society held its show at the Garden. The Veiled Prophet Queen’s bouquet 
was on view October 6. The Henry Shaw Cactus Society held its show in 
the Floral Display House October 8 and 9. The chrysanthemum show 
opened November 6, and the Christmas display December 11. 

Mr. Paul A. Kohl is in charge of the growing of the material and arrange- 
ment of the floral displays. 


THE ARBORETUM 


Some of the beauty of the Arboretum floral displays is marred during dry 
spells by clouds of dust which follow the heavy traffic of the automobiles 
over the grounds. This also makes driving hazardous, especially during Easter 
sunrise services, when 300 or more cars may arrive within the space of thirty 
minutes. The danger is only somewhat lessened when smaller groups arrive 
in a body to hold an outdoor meeting. During the past several years attempts 
have been made to dust-proof the gravel roads through the use of both 
asphaltic emulsions and tons of calcium chloride; neither method gave de- 
pendable results. During the past summer a standard penetration asphaltic 
pavement was laid at the main gate. About 5,736 gallons of emulsified 
asphalt, 335 tons of crushed stone, and 27 tons of torpedo gravel were re- 
quired. While this closely follows standard specifications for such work, we 
cannot anticipate the failures which may follow freezing and thawing this 
winter. Subgrade drainage problems will certainly arise in some areas and 
appear as “boils” in spring. However, it is believed that this hard road will 
be no more costly than the constant blading and shaping required now and 
that the expense of replacing 50 or more tons of gravel per mile (blown away 
as dust) will be eliminated. A hard-surfaced road would have been im- 


practical a few years ago, since much heavy equipment was on steel wheels. 


10 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 


To-day even farm machinery is rubber-mounted and can be moved anywhere 
over any surface. If successful, hard roads will be extended annually, using 
our own men and equipment as was done in this test. 

A sleet storm struck on January 18 and continued more or less until 
January 29. The damage, which was most severe in the Pinetum, was finally 
cleaned up during the first week in February. 

During the year, after the lake spillway had been graded and planted, 926 
trees and shrubs (many large enough to be balled) were moved from the 
nurseries to permanent locations. The usual irrigating, mulching, and some 
experimental fertilizing were done. A Danheuser Tree Digger, a tractor- 
driven machine with a 24 inch auger, which was purchased during the year, 
has greatly simplified nursery work and has contributed greatly to the survival 
of the plants after planting. When holes are dug by hand it is impossible to 
chop up the clods of raw hard clay; as a result they are thrown back around 
the roots, leaving air pockets which cannot be filled even when water is used. 
The tree digger, with powered auger, leaves a rim of finely pulverized soil 
which is ideal for backfilling after the plant has been set. Some elms were 
removed and other work was done in the rhododendron plantations and in 
several other areas. While this work is time-consuming it becomes extremely 
necessary in some locations, especially those which have an understory of the 
correct species for that location. 

Two fire calls from Hidden Valley required the moving of equipment 
and men to that locality. Neither fire caused much damage, but they would 
have become serious without the proper equipment and adequate man power. 
To facilitate entrance of the fire crews the grader was sent to the Valley to 
construct and re-blade 9/10 miles of road. This, however, is wholly inade- 
quate for the rapid attack necessary when fighting such fires, and it is hoped 
that additional truck trails can be added during the coming year. 

The restoration of quail cover, a project in which technicians of the 
Conservation Commission of Missouri will cooperate, was well under way by 
late summer. In order to learn more about the adaptability and value of 
plants to wild life the seeds of many species of potential quail foods were 
collected and planted in beds. At the same time the ever-increasing deer 
herd is attracting attention from the standpoint of game management. 
Probably the most complete and well-balanced diet in Missouri seems to be 
available at the Arboretum. Here, where there are no restrictions (except 
those we hope to impose to protect special plants), the food habits of deer 
are not exactly like those in areas where there are fewer species of plants. 

The excavating of Pot-Hole Lake, which was begun in June and con- 
tinued whenever time was available throughout the summer, is nearing com- 


pletion. So far it has required digging and hauling of a half million cubic 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 11 


feet of soil. When completed it will demonstrate the feasibility of using 
such small ponds as part of a watershed flood-control program. The lake 
was so named because it is the closest approach to the water holes of the 
great prairies and was dug in one of the largest grassed areas in the Arbo- 
retum. In the vicinity of the lake a special effort will be made to re-establish 
the prairie plants which seemingly occupied that region a century ago. 

The difficulty of making a good seed bed and the wet weather which did 
not permit the cultivating of corn at the proper time reduced yield. The 
wet weather of autumn so delayed the combining of soy beans that the 
anticipated crop was not produced. However, ample quantities of hay and 
silage were put up for cattle feed, and the Aberdeen-Angus herd remains an 
important part of the farming operation. 

Each dump truck was driven about 6,000 miles during the year and 
operated about 3,000 hours. More road grading and maintenance were done 
than in any previous year. Several heavy rains washed the gravel into the 
side ditches, making it necessary to re-blade completely the whole road 
system. Less mowing was done than has been customary, partly because 
cattle have been grazing over a wider area. Another advantage of cattle 
over a mower is that they leave the grass in a better condition. 

A number of large signs, the lettering routed in the treated but unpainted 
boards, were made during the winter and erected in places where some opera- 
tion was taking place to which special attention should be called. It is 
expected that curiosity concerning these signs might also slow those motor- 
ists who read while they drive. The road system was not designed for high- 
speed travel. 

Several scientific visitors spent periods varying from one day to 
three weeks at the Arboretum. Chief among them were Dr. Charles M. 
Rick, of the University of California, who was working on a fellowship 
from the Guggenheim Foundation. The experimental plot, the herbarium, 
and the orchid-breeding laboratory were all in continuous use for at least 
two months, so that the Arboretum functioned effectively as a summer 
biological research center. 

Mr. August P. Beilmann continues to be Manager of the Arboretum. 


Orchid Department at the Arboretum.—Oftspring of some of the English 
hybrids of the Cattleya group which were purchased in 1939 are sources of 
increasing flower production. The Cattleya group, along with Cypripediums, 
Dendrobium, and Phalaenopsis, produced 33,606 individual flowers for the 
year. A total of 21,345 plants has been repotted into either 4-, 5-, or 6-inch 
pots, and 10,000 seedlings have been removed from the three hydroponic 
benches and potted into cither 3-, or 4-inch pots. The number of fully de- 
veloped plants repotted was 26,488. Those of especial value were propagated; 


12 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 


175 community pans were planted from the germinating flasks. To make 
more space, duplicate material has been sent to the Fairchild Tropical Garden 
in Miami and to the University of Missouri for use in research work. 

A new peat-shredding machine has been developed and installed by Mr. 
Lowry, resulting in the preparation of a superior potting medium at a con- 
siderable saving in labor. The old method was to chop the peat into chunks 
whereas the new machine will separate the fibers by kneading the peat. 

Two orchid houses and the small passage-way leading from the Head 
House into the Boiler House have been reglazed, representing 4,840 square 
feet of roof area. These orchid houses were also repainted, and the mullions 
were sealed with the new type aluminum bar caps. 

The station-wagon has made 114 trips between the Arboretum and the 
City Garden during the year, hauling either cut orchids or plants for display 
at the City Garden. The panel truck was used particularly during the 
staging of the orchid show at the City Garden in February. 

Mr. Hans Gubler from Zurich, Switzerland, started work August 17 in 
the orchid laboratory, where he will study methods of germination and the 
effects of colchicine on orchids. 

A worth-while collection of about 1,300 orchid plants and seedlings was 
presented to the Garden by Mr. H. L. Dillon, of Glen Head, Long Island. 

Mr. G. R. Lowry is in charge of the Orchid Department at the Arboretum. 


RESEARCH AND INSTRUCTION 


Dr. Edgar Anderson, Geneticist to the Garden and Engelmann Professor 
in the Henry Shaw School of Botany, has continued his studies of hybridiza- 
tion in wild populations and of the history and classification of the varieties 
of maize. During the year he published one book in each of these fields. 
“Introgressive Hybridization,” a consideration of the dynamics of hybridiza- 
tion, was brought out by Wiley & Sons in their Biological Research Series. 
A little later in the year the same publishers produced a new edition of the 
standard text and reference book on maize, “Corn and Corn Growing.” Dr. 
Anderson was one of three authors who rewrote and revised this fifth edition. 

During the summer, Dr. Anderson carried on experimental work on 
maize genetics in Iowa in collaboration with Dr. William L. Brown of the 
Pioneer Hi-bred Corn Company, and at Gray Summit, where an experimental 
field was maintained with the help of the Arboretum staff and two graduate 
students. 

Dr. Henry N. Andrews, Jr., Paleobotanist to the Garden and Acting Dean 
in the Henry Shaw School of Botany, has continued collecting activities in 
the coal fields of southern Illinois and Kansas. Aided by a grant from the 
American Philosophical Society, considerable quantities of coal-ball petri- 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 13 


factions were collected in southern Illinois during June. In the autumn two 
trips were made in the eastern Oklahoma-Kansas region, resulting in the dis- 
covery of one new locality where large quantities of well-preserved specimens 
were found. This locality presents quite a different aspect from previously 
studied coal-ball floras; in the initial survey of the specimens new plants have 
been recognized and the general assemblage is distinct in itself. 

Dr. Carroll W. Dodge, Mycologist to the Garden and Professor in the 
Henry Shaw School of Botany, has spent much of the time available for 
research in identifying miscellaneous collections sent in by correspondents 
from Quebec, eastern United States, Kansas, Alaska, the West Indies, Central 
America, Panama, Brasil, Hawaiian Islands, and a small collection from 
Heard Island of species previously known only from Kerguelen Island. 
Routine determinations of cultures of fungi, both human and plant patho- 
gens, have been made for correspondents. Dr. Dodge was appointed Visiting 
Professor at the Louisiana State University for the summer session where he 
gave a course in Medical Mycology to about 40 graduate students. The long 
week-ends were utilized in field work in the southern part of Louisiana. The 
study of the collections of the U. S$. Antarctic Service Expeditions (Admiral 
Byrd’s Third and Fourth Expeditions) has been continued. The usual courses 
of instruction at Washington University were given. 

Dr. Jesse M. Greenman, Curator Emeritus of the Herbarium, has con- 
tinued his studies on tropical American Senecios. 

Dr. Gustav A. L. Mehlquist, Research Horticulturist to the Garden and 
Professor of Botany in the Henry Shaw School of Botany, has continued to 
devote the time available for research to investigations on hybridization and 
cytogenetics of certain plants important in horticulture. In addition to the 
teaching in the School of Botany, Dr. Mehlquist has taught the two courses 
in general horticulture and plant propagation offered by the Garden. One 
course is open to students in Occupational Therapy at Washington University 
Medical School and the other to any interested amateur. Unfortunately, 
space in the greenhouses does not permit more than a total of 40 students in 
the two courses. During the past two years, the number of applicants has 
far exceeded this number. 

Dr. Robert W. Schery, Research Associate at the Garden and Assistant 
Professor in the Henry Shaw School of Botany, divided his time during the 
past year between the University and the Garden. At the University he has 
been engaged in teaching elementary botany, economic botany, and plant 
materials, and in preparation of manuscript for an “Economic Botany” book 
and a “Laboratory Outline.” At the Garden his activities included assembling 
materials for the BULLETIN, research on the flora of Panama, studies on the 
Leguminosae, co-editorship with Dr. Robert E. Woodson on the “Flora of 


14 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 


Panama,” and certain public-relations work involving occasional lectures and 
replies to inquiries. He made several trips into the Ozark region, in the 
company of Dr. Steyermark and various students, and spoke at the hearings 
at Newport, Ark., concerning erection of dams on Missouri streams. 

Dr. Rolla M. Tryon, Jr., Assistant Curator of the Herbarium and Asso- 
ciate Professor in the Henry Shaw School of Botany, has helped in sending 
out exchange material and assisted with the organization of certain plant 
groups in the Herbarium. Special attention was given to the genus Quercus. 
From the wealth of historical material the types of species named by Engel- 
mann, DeCandolle, Trelease, and others were identified and labeled. A large 
number of duplicates were withdrawn and set aside for exchange. Research 
investigations included preliminary surveys of the New World species of 
Adiantum and of the erect species of the Selaginella rupestris group. 

Dr. George B. van Schaack, Honorary Curator of Grasses in the Her- 
barium, pursued special investigations of the Andropogoneae and Hordeae 
tribes of the grass family. 

Dr. Robert E. Woodson, Jr., Curator of the Herbarium and Professor 
in the Henry Shaw School of Botany, has been particularly active in the re- 
organization of the herbarium, progress of which is reported elsewhere. He 
also has had charge of three classes and the supervision of graduate students 
in the Henry Shaw School of Botany majoring in taxonomy of seed plants. 
His research activities have been concerned chiefly with the “Flora of 
Panama” and with various topics in the families Asclepiadaceae and Apocy- 
naceae, particularly Aspidosperma, a large genus of forest trees in tropical 
America. 

Degrees.—At the June 1949 commencement, the degree of Doctor ot 
Philosophy was conferred upon the following: Robert W. Baxter, A.B. and 
M.A., Washington University (Paleobotany) ; George A. Llano, A.B., Cornell 
University, M.A., Columbia University (Mycology); Henry A. McQuade, 
A.B., Washington University, M.A., University of Missouri (Cytogenetics) ; 
and Frederick G. Meyer, B.S. and M.S., Washington State College (Tax- 
onomy ). 

The degree of Master of Arts was conferred on Dennison H. Morey, A.B., 
Washington University (Genetics), and David J. Rogers, B.S., University of 
Florida (Taxonomy ). 

Graduates and Fellows: The following graduate students and fellows 
were registered in the Henry Shaw School of Botany in 1949: 

Graduate Assistants (half-time graduate assistants): George F, Freytag, 
A.B., University of Wyoming (Taxonomy); Marilyn Amy Gage, B.S., Penn- 
sylvania College for Women (Genetics); John M. Gillett, B.A., Queen’s 
University, Ontario, Canada (Taxonomy); Marion T. Hall, B.S. and M.S., 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 15 


University of Oklahoma (Taxonomy-Genetics); Hugh H. Iltis, B.S., Uni- 
versity of Tennessee (Taxonomy); Daniel O. McClary, B.S., Southeastern 
State Teachers’ College, Oklahoma (Microbiology) ; Dennison H. Morey, A.B. 
and M.A., Washington University (Cytogenetics) ; Sidney D. Rodenberg, A.B., 
Washington University (Microbiology); David J. Rogers, B.S., University 
of Florida, and M.A., Washington University (Taxonomy); Masashi Yamada, 
A.B., Washington University (Physiology); Milton L. Zucker, A.B., Wash- 
ington University (Physiology). 

Burmese Government State Scholarship: Ko Ko Lay, B.S., University of 
Rangoon, M.A., Washington University (Taxonomy ). 

Henrietta Heerman Scholar: Robert W. Baxter, A.B. and M.A., Washing- 
ton University (Paleobotany); Reino O. Alava, A.B., Turku University, 
Finland (Taxonomy); Jonathan D. Sauer, A.B., University of California 
(Genetics). 

University Fellowship: Richard W. Holm, A.B. and M.A., Washington 
University; Sergius H. Mamay, B.S., University of Akron, M.A., Washington 
University (Paleobotany) ; Frederick G. Meyer, A.B. and M.S., Washington 
State College (Taxonomy). 

Special Research Assistantship at Brookhill Farm: Alfred G. Etter, A.B., 
Washington University (Ecology). 

Jessie R. Barr Fellowship: Alice F. Tryon, B.S., Milwaukee State Teachers’ 
College, M.S., University of Wisconsin; Jean Mitchell, A.B., Washington 
University. 

Special Research Grant from Pioneer Hi-Bred Corn Co.: Donald N. 
Duvick, B.S., University of Illinois (Genetics). 

Independent students: John H. Ayers, A.B., Des Moines University, 
M.A., University of Cincinnati (Mycology); Robert A. Dietz, B.S., Prin- 
cipia College (Ecology); Harrison A. Hoffman, B.S., McKendree College, 
M.S., University of Illinois (Microbiology); Frank L. Mercer, M.S., Uni- 
versity of Michigan, Ph.G., St. Louis College of Pharmacy (Physiology) ; 
Henry A. McQuade, A.B., Washington University, M.A., University of 
Missouri (Cytogenetics). 

Published Articles and Books.— 

Allen, Paul A., Representative in the Tropics: The Durian—A Fascinat- 
ing Tropical Fruit. Mo. Bot. Gard. Bull. 37:185—187; Orchidaceae, third 
and fourth parts, in Woodson and Schery’s “Flora of Panama.” Pt. HI. 
Fasc. 4 and 5. Ann. Mo. Bot. Gard. 36:1—-132, 133-245. 

Anderson, Edgar, Geneticist: Gravel Bars Evolve Their Own Flood Con- 
trol. Mo. Bot. Gard. Bull. 37:54-57; Introgressive Hybridization. 119 pp.; 
with C. R. Stonor: Maize among the Hill Peoples of Assam. Ann. Mo. Bot. 
Gard. 36:355—-404; with Charles M. Rick: On Some Uses of Maize in the 


16 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 


Sierra of Ancash. Ibid. 405-412; with J. J. Newlin and Earl N. Bressman: 
Revision of Wallace and Bressman’s “Corn and Corn Growing.” (5th ed.) 
424 pp. 

Andrews, Henry N., Jr., Paleobotanist: Fossil Tree Ferns of Idaho, 
Archaeology 1:190-195; Nucellangium, A New Genus of Fossil Seeds Pre- 
viously Assigned to Lepidocarpon. Ann. Mo. Bot. Gard. 36:479-505, 

Baxter, Robert W., Henrietta Heerman Scholar in the Henry Shaw School 
of Botany: Some Pteridosperm Stems and Fructifications with Particular 
Reference to the Medullosae. Ann. Mo. Bot. Gard. 36:287—352. 

Beilmann, August P., Manager of the Arboretum: Fifteen Years of 
Erosion Control. Mo. Bot. Gard. Bull. 37:57-63; If Your Soil is Clayey. 
Horticulture 27:136; Nature was Wrong—Man Dams the Rivers and Solves 
Most of his Problems. The Washington Missourian. Oct. 13. p.-1, Sect. Be: 
The Persimmon—A Long-Neglected Fruit. Mo. Bot. Gard. Bull. 37:189-192: 
Planting and Care of Conifers. Ibid. 145-147; The Role of Instruments in 
Tree Physiology and Diagnosis. Arborists’ News 14:67-69; Starved Trees— 
How to Nourish Them Properly. Park Maintenance 24:8-10; Three Ever- 
green Barberries. Garden Path 19':11. (Reprinted from March 1949 Garden 
BULLETIN) ; Tree Feeding. Mo. Bot. Gard. Bull. 37:115-122. (Reprinted 
condensed in Wisc. Hort. 39:324). 

Brenner, Louis G., of the Arboretum staff: Crawfish Flat. Mo, Bot. 
Gard. Bull. 37:195—196; Food for Thought, for Quail. Ibid. 48-53; with 
Robert B. Nevins: Beaver Taste in Trees. Ibid. 110-114. 


Cutak, Ladislaus, in charge of Succulents: Spine Chats. monthly feature 


in the Jour. Cactus & Succ. Soc. Amer.; A Visit to Mexico’s Largest Cactus 
Establishment—La Quinta. Ibid. 21:120-122; A Visit to the Pedregal. Nat. 
Cactus & Succ. Jour. (British) 4:37—38; What is a Succulent? Jour. Cactus 
& Succ. Soc. Amer. 21:10-15. (Reprinted from Sept. 1948 Garden BULLETIN, 
condensed in Wisc. Hort. 39:119). 

Etter, Alfred G., Graduate Student, Henry Shaw School of Botany: The 
Danger of Weed-Killers. The Land 8:177-182; Memoirs of Misuse. Mo. Bot. 
Gard. Bull. 37:34—-40; Wildness, A Succession of Events on Gravois Creek. 
Ibid, 137-143. (Reprinted in The Land 8:319-321). 

Kohl, Paul A., Floriculturist: If This is Your Problem, It can be Licked. 
House Beautiful 91:54-55, 117; Reducing Garden Upkeep. Mo. Bot. Gard. 
Bull. 37:89-107. 

Kuykendall, J. Richard, Student in Horticulture, Washington University: 
Commercial Orchid Culture in the United States—The Development of an 
Industry. Orchid Lore. 2':3-11. (Reprinted from Oct. 1948 Garden BULLE- 
TIN).; with Harold St. John: Revision of the Native Hawaiian Species of 
Gardenia (Rubiaceae). Brittonia 6:43 1-449; with David O, Galey: The Role 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN ils 


of the Korean Hybrids in the Development of the New Hardy Garden 
Chrysanthemums. Mo. Bot. Gard. Bull. 37:161-178; with David O. Galey 
and Robert Gillespie: Some Evergreens for St. Louis Gardens. Ibid. 147-159. 

Lay, Ko Ko, Graduate Student, Henry Shaw School of Botany: A Re- 
vision of the Genus Heliocarpus. Ann. Mo. Bot. Gard. 36:507—541. 

McQuade, Henry A., Graduate Student, Henry Shaw School of Botany: 
The Cytology of Paphiopedilum Maudiae Hort. Ann. Mo. Bot. Gard. 36:433- 
473. 

Mehlquist, Gustav A. L., Research Horticulturist: The Culture of Cypri- 
pediums. Orchid Dig. 13:378-380; Delphiniums. Mo. Bot. Gard. Bull. 
37:93-100; The Formosa Lily. Ibid. 101-103; Modern Cymbidium Hybrids 
—What Makes Them Superior? Cymbidium Soc. News 4:1-12; The Role of 
Genetics in Floriculture. Fl. Exch. 113'4:21, 25, 54-57, and South. Flor. & 
Nurseryman 62:13, 46-49, 99-102; The Significance of Chromosome Num- 
bers in Orchid Breeding. Am. Orchid Soc. Bull. 18:284-293; Why Do 
Chrysanthemums Bloom in the Autumn? Mo. Bot. Gard. Bull. 37:178-184; 
Role of Genetics in Floriculture. Fl. Exch. 113!4:21, 25; with Rauhollah 
Rahmani: Inheritance of Resistance to Rust in the Snapdragon. Proc. Am. 
Soc. Hort. Sci. 52:48 1-486. 

Morey, Dennison H., Jr., Graduate Assistant, Henry Shaw School of 
Botany: How to Make an Aluminum Greenhouse Bench. Flower Grower 
36:670. (Reprinted from June 1948 Garden BULLETIN). 

Mundkur, Balaji D., Graduate Student, Henry Shaw School of Botany: 
Evidence excluding Mutations, Polysomy, and Polyploidy, as Possible Causes 
of Non-Mendelian Segregation in Saccharomyces. Ann. Mo. Bot. Gard. 
36:259-280; Morphology and Cytology of Development of the Sex Organs 
of Phytophthora bimalayensis Dastur. Bot. Gaz. 110:475-486. 

Nevins, Robert B., Student in Botany, Washington University: A Neg- 
lected Ornamental for the St. Louis Area. Mo. Bot. Gard. Bull. 37:109-110; 
with Louis G. Brenner: Beaver Taste in Trees. Ibid. 110-114; with R. W. 
Schery and Jean Mitchell: Laboratory Guide in Elementary Botany for Study 
of the Plant Kingdom. Educational Publ. Dec. 1949. 

Pavcek, Paul L., Associate Professor of Microbiology, Washington Uni- 
versity: The Fermentation Industries. Mo. Bot. Gard. Bull. 37:201—206. 

Pring, George H., Superintendent: Grow Tropical Water-lilies. Horti- 
culture 27:219, 235-236; Historic Daniel Boone Tree Survives. South. Flor. 
& Nurseryman 611':32-33. (Reprinted from Dec. 1948 Garden BULLETIN) ; 
Oncidium Powellii. Gard. Chron. [British] 126:7-8, and Orchid Rev. 
57:159. (Reprinted from April 1937 Garden BULLETIN); Propagation of 
Tropical Water-lilies. Prof. Gard. 1:190-191; Water-lilies. Mo. Bot. Gard. 
Bull. 37:65-88. 


18 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 


Rodenberg, Sidney, Graduate Student, Henry Shaw School of Botany: 
and Masashi Yamada: Wonder Drugs. Mo. Bot. Gard. Bull, 37:206-213. 

Rogers, David, Graduate Student, Henry Shaw School of Botany: Stegno- 
sperma: A New Species and a Generic Commentary. Ann. Mo. Bot. Gard. 
36:475-477. 

Schery, Robert W., Research Associate: A First Record for the Genus 
Qualea (Vochysiaceae) from North America (Panama). Ann. Mo. Bot. 
Gard, 36:285-286; Manicoba and Mangabeira Rubbers. Econ. Bot. 3:240- 
264; Notes about Lower Plants. Mo. Bot. Gard. Bull. 37:214-216; Problems 
Associated with the Procurement of Plant Products from the American 
Tropics. Econ. Bot. 3:413-427; A Prolonged Spring for 1949? Mo. Bot. 
Gard. Bull. 37:104-105; Recent Advances in Wood Technology. Ibid. 122- 
127; Soil Microorganisms, Earthworms, and Man. Ibid. 134 137; Supple- 
mentary Notes [on Durian]. Ibid. 187-189; Watering the Home Lawn. 
Plants and Gardens 4:208-210. (Reprinted from June 1948 Garden BULLE- 
TIN); Winter Adventure with Missouri Springs. Post-Dispatch, Dec. 31, 
1948, and Student Life, Dec. 16, 1949. (Reprinted from Dec. 1948 Garden 
BULLETIN); with Ellen M. Kern: Laboratory Outline for Elementary 
Botany, revised 3rd printing. Educational Publ., Oct. 1949; with R. B. 
Nevins and Jean Mitchell: Laboratory Guide in Elementary Botany for 
Study of the Plant Kingdom. Educational Publ., Dec. 1949. 

Tryon, Alice F., Graduate Student, Henry Shaw School of Botany: 
Spores of the Genus Selaginella in North America, North of Mexico. Ann. 
Mo. Bot. Gard. 36:413-431. 

Tryon, Rolla M., Jr., Assistant Curator of the Herbarium: Some 
Woodsias from the North Shore of Lake Superior. Amer. Fern Jour, 38:158- 
170. 

Woodson, Robert E., Curator of the Herbarium: with David Azumbyja: 
New Apocynaceae of South America. Ann. Mo. Bot. Gard. 36:543-548, 

Yamada, Masashi, Graduate Student, Henry Shaw School of Botany: with 
Sidney Rodenberg: Wonder Drugs. Mo. Bot. Gard. Bull. 37:206-213. 

Scientific and Popular Lectures.— 

Dr. Edgar Anderson: Jan. 4, before Oficina de Estudios Especiales, Mexico 
City, Mexico, “El Pedunculo del Maiz”; Feb. 11, Southern Illinois Normal 
University, Carbondale, genetics seminar, “Hybridization”, and botany 
seminar, “The Classification of Zea Mays”; March 17, botany seminar, Uni- 
versity of Indiana, “Races of Zea Mays”; March 13, Greater St. Louis Flower 
Show, “Herbs”; Rosa alba: April 16, over Station KFUO, May 2 and May 9, 
at the City Art Museum, Sept. 16, Rose Society of Greater St. Louis, and 
Nov. 1, regional meeting of the Federated Garden Clubs. 

Mr. August P. Beilmann: Jan. 7, before the St. Louis Horticultural 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 19 


Society, “Foundation Plantings”; Jan. 11, Franklin Co. chapter of the Con- 
servation Federation of Missouri, “Sedimentation of Reservoir Pools”; Feb. 
17, Midwestern Chapter National Shade Tree Conference, Chicago, “The 
Role of Instruments in Tree Diagnosis”; April 18, Lions Club, Union, Mo., 
and May 7, Big River Protective Association, Ware, Mo., “Flood Control”; 
April 21, Talking Leaves Garden Club, Brentwood, and April 27, Daleth 
Study Club, “Walk through the Wild Flowers”; April 30, Friends-of -the- 
Land seminar at Waynesville, Mo., “Brush Creek as a Flood Control Labora- 
tory’; May 27, Civitan Club, “Trees”; Sept. 7, Rotary Club of Kirkwood, 
“Brush Creek as a Conservation Yardstick.” 

Mr. Ladislaus Cutak: Jan. 9, before Henry Shaw Cactus Society, “Intro- 
ducing the Fascinating Bromeliads’; Feb. 28, Little Gardens Club, “Four 
Seasons in Shaw’s Garden”; March 6, Henry Shaw Cactus Society, “Arizona— 
The Cactus Wonderland”; March 15, Gardeners’ Workshop, St. Louis Flower 
and Garden Show, and March 31, Rock Community Garden Club, at Arnold, 
Mo., “Culture, Care, and Propagation of Cactus”; March 17, the Garden 
Club of St. Charles, Mo., “Cacti and Succulents’; “Mexico in Kodachrome”: 
March 18, Clayton Garden Club, April 19, Business & Professional Women’s 
Club of the Y.W.C.A., May 3, Catholic Women’s Association, June 3, St. 
Louis Horticultural Society, Sept. 12, Men’s Garden Club of Webster Groves, 
and Sept. 22, Women’s Club of Hamilton Ave. Christian Church; May 3, 
Collinsville, Ill, Woman’s Club, “Exploring Mexico’s Wilderness”; May 8, 
Henry Shaw Cactus Society, “The How and Why of Cactus Grafting”; 
July 3, Third Biennial Convention of the Cactus and Succulent Society of 
America, at Phoenix, Arizona, round-table discussions on “Cacti and Succu- 
lents”; Oct. 11, St. Louis-St. Louis County Beekeepers’ Association, “Bee 
Plants in Mexican Deserts”; Nov. 13, Henry Shaw Cactus Society, and Nov. 
20, Webster Groves Nature Society, “Canyon Treks and Desert Trails in the 
Southwest.” 

Mr. Paul A. Kohl: Feb. 23, before Brentwood Garden Club, “Roses’’; 
March 1, Nurserymen’s School, “Succession of Bloom”; March 22, Garden 
Club of St. Louis, “Hemerocallis and Peonies”; March 23, Talking Leaves 
Garden Club, and March 24, Webster Groves Garden Club, Group IV, 
“Roses”; April 1, St. Louis Horticultural Society, “Annuals and Perennials”; 
April 19, Sutton School Parent-Teacher’s Association, Maplewood, “The Mis- 
souri Botanical Garden”; April 27, Mackenzie Park Women’s Club, ‘‘Garden- 
ing’; June 10, Webster Groves Garden Club, Group XII, Oct. 21, Clayton 
Garden Club, and Nov. 10, Concord Garden Club of Sappington, “Roses”’; 
Nov. 11, the Greater St. Louis Dahlia Society, “Chrysanthemums.” 

Dr. Gustav A. L. Mehlquist: Jan. 19, Commercial Flower Growers of 
Chicago, “Carnation Growing”; Jan. 24, Little Gardens Club of Clayton, 


20 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 


“Plant Propagation”; March 28, Orchid Society of Southern California, Los 
Angeles, “Cypripedium Culture”; March 31, Cymbidium Society, Pasadena, 
“Modern Cymbidium Hybrids—What Makes Them Superior?”; April 1, 
horticultural seminar, University of California, Los Angeles, ‘“Polyploidy in 
Orchids”; April 4, San Diego Orchid Society, and April 6, Santa Barbara 
Orchid Society, Calif., ““Chromosome Numbers in Orchids and their Signifi- 
cance in Breeding”; April 15, Better Gardens Club, “Garden Delphiniums”’; 
May 27, Pine Tree Garden Club, “Factors that Influence the Growing of 
Plants”; June 13, convention of Missouri State Florist Association, Excelsior 
Springs, ‘““The Production of New Varieties through Hybridization”; July 
15, Rose Society of Greater St. Louis, “Soils and Fertilizer Problems in Grow- 
ing Roses’; August 1, convention of the American Society of Florists, ‘The 
Application of Genetics to Floriculture’; Sept. 21, Hawbrook Garden Club, 
and Sept. 26, Little Gardens Club of Clayton, “Pruning Shrubs and Trees”; 
Nov. 2, All Jersey Florist Convention, “Tailor-made Plants.” 

Mr. George H. Pring: Jan. 13, before the St. Louis Florists’ Club, Jan. 18, 
Richmond Heights School, Feb. 11, Webster Groves Garden Club, ‘Gardens 
in England”; Feb. 16, Ladue School, ‘Use of Dogwood in Planting”; April 8, 
dedication address at the Webster Park Arbor Day Exercises, April 12, 
Rotary Club of Maplewood, “England after the War’; April 19, Parent 
Teachers’ Assn. Lincoln School, St. Louis County, and April 22, South- 
hampton Presbyterian Church, “English Gardens”; April 28, Alpha Delta 
Chapter of Beta Sigma Phi, Oct. 20, Beta Chapter of Nu Phi Mu, and June 
1, Women’s Assn. of Richmond Heights Presbyterian Church, “Mr. Shaw’s 
Garden”; May 4, Supervisor’s Club of Monsanto Chemical Co., and Nov. 4, 
Fellowship Society, Pilgrim Ev. Lutheran Church, “Four Seasons in the 
Garden”; “Visiting English Gardens”: May 4, Garden Study Club of the 
Tri-City Y.M.C.A., Granite City, IIL, May 9, Parent-Teachers’ Assn., River- 
view Garden District, Baden Station, Oct. 13, Shiloh Valley Garden Club, 
Shiloh, Ill., May 19, West Presbyterian Church, Nov. 1, Woman’s Club, 
Collinsville, Ill., Nov. 14, Men’s Garden Club of Webster Groves, and Dee. 2, 
Webster Groves Garden Club, VII; Dec. 5, Traffic Club of St. Louis, “Mr. 
Shaw’s Garden”; Aug. 9, Belleview Park Improvement Assn., Bel-Nor Grade 
School, “Selecting Trees and Shrubs to Plant in Your Garden”; Sept. 12, 
American Orchid Society Meeting, Cleveland, Ohio, “Mimicry of Orchid 
Flowers”; Oct. 25, Tree Loving Group, “Rare Trees in the Garden.” 


RESEARCH IN HORTICULTURE 


Chrysanthemums.—Selected seedlings from previous years were subjected 
to further greenhouse trials in order to ascertain which seedlings should be 
retained for further studies. 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 21 


Del phinium.—Hybridization between the red-flowered Del phininm cardi- 
nale Hook. and garden forms of D. elatum L. has been continued. During 
the spring and early summer more than 2,000 flowers were hand-pollinated. 
This number of pollinations is the potential equivalent to about 50,000 seeds. 
However, owing to hybrid sterility, only about 5,000 seeds were obtained, 
most of which did not contain embryos. 

In order to increase the number of seedlings from the more important 
plants, the majority of the seeds were embryo-cultured on agar to which the 
necessary nutrients had been added. Although the number resulting by the 
use of this method was not materially greater than with the usual method of 
planting in soil, it has certain advantages. In the process of embryo-culturing 
it was possible to get a better knowledge of the quality of the seeds and 
correlate this information with the plant from which the seed was obtained. 
The fact that more than half of the seeds did not contain embryos gave a 
partial answer as to why germination had been so poor in certain lines in 
previous years. Furthermore, by embryo-culturing it was possible to plant 
practically the entire crop of seeds in a six-cubic-foot refrigerator. As rela- 
tively low temperatures favor germination in Delphinium, it was possible to 
plant the seed earlier than the high outside temperatures would permit. As 
far as time allows, cytological studies are being made on the more important 
lines and hybrids. While some lines are brought to an end through complete 
sterility, a sufficient number possess enough fertility to permit the continu- 
ation of the project, each generation bringing the prospect of a good red- 
flowered perennial delphinium a little closer. 

Another problem of delphinium breeding is also being actively investi- 
gated. D. Belladonna, a widely grown garden hybrid, is thought to have 
originated from a cross between D. elatum and some member of the D. 
cheilanthum-grandiflorum complex. Some hybrids made here between D. 
elatum and D. grandiflorum var. chinense strongly resemble the present-day 
Belladonnas, but are triploid and sterile instead of hexaploid and fertile as are 
most Belladonna types. With the assistance of Miss Amy Gage attempts are 
now being made to double the chromosome number in these hybrids to see if 
fertile strains of the Belladonna type can be developed. 

Dianthus.—The research on inheritance in carnations is being continued. 
Triploid and tetraploid lines are studied both from a genetic and a cyto- 
logical point of view. Certain pure-breeding diploid lines of known genotypes 
are being increased to provide material for further studies on the nature of 
the flower pigments involved. 

Orchids. —Genetic and cytological studies of orchids are being continued. 
During the past year the chromosome numbers and cytological behavior of 


many species and hybrids have been investigated. It is becoming increasingly 


bho 
Ne 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 


clear that polyploidy has been very important in the development and produc- 
tion of many of our most valuable hybrids. There is no question but that 
this information will be of value in planning further developments in orchid 
breeding. 

Research in Horticulture is in charge of Dr. Gustav A. L. Mehlquist. 


THE HERBARIUM 


During the past year 22,500 sheets of dried plants were mounted and 
inserted in the herbarium, bringing the estimated total to 1,575,923 mounted 
specimens. 

Within the same period 22,119 herbarium specimens were accessioned 
for future insertion, of which 1,612 were purchased and 423 obtained as 
gifts. A total of 20,084 specimens was received through exchange with 
other institutions, to which the Garden sent out 24,379 specimens. Par- 
ticularly noteworthy amongst these recent accessions to our herbarium are 
a set of 2,545 specimens collected by Hassler in Paraguay and a wide selec- 
tion of 3,723 plants from various parts of Africa. 

The Garden received requests for the loan of 4,177 herbarium specimens 
from sixteen institutions of the United States and from eight foreign botan- 
ical laboratories. In the same period the Garden borrowed for the use of its 
staff and students a total of 2,430 specimens from seven domestic and seven 
foreign herbaria. 

Maintenance activities in the herbarium have been particularly heavy 
during the past year, since the professional staff has been quite inadequate 
until recently. However, the year 1949 has witnessed a most encouraging 
advance in the mounting and insertion of specimens, in the organization of 
disorderly sections of the herbarium, and in the improvement of exchange 
balances with other botanical establishments. In addition to such activities 
on behalf of our own collections, our herbarium staff has answered hundreds 
of questions concerning plant materials sent to us for examination and 
naming. 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL SURVEY 


During 1949 seven plant species, previously unknown from Missouri, 
were collected. They are Robinia hispida (established in woods) from 
Platte Co., Euphorbia Esula from Chariton Co., Campanula aparinoides from 
Shannon Co., Scirpus Hallii and Eupatorium hyssopifolium from Howell Co., 
Potamogeton epihydrus var. Nuttallii from Reynolds Co., and Callicarpa 
americana from Ozark Co. The last species, a shrub known as Beauty-berry 
or French Mulberry, and greatly admired for its showy clusters of rich purple 
berries, has been previously sought in the state by earlier collectors. In its 


present and only known Missouri station, along the White River in Taney 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 23 


Co., near the Arkansas line, it will be completely exterminated by the im- 
pounding of the waters of the Bull Shoals Dam. Several color forms of 
species, new to the state and to science, were also discovered. 

Special botanical study was devoted to areas that will become inundated 
through dam erection, causing permanent loss of record of the original vege- 
tation. For example, Squirrel Corn (Dicentra canadensis), was found in 
southern Missouri at only one locality, in Taney Co. along White River, and 
it will be destroyed by the Bull Shoals Dam. The same dam will destroy a 
large native stand of Cucumber Tree (Magnolia acuminata) in Ozark Co., 
and many other rare species. 

In early spring, the remarkable endemic Missouri genus, Geocarpon, 
known nowhere else in the world, was re-collected for the second time by its 
original collector, Mr. E. J. Palmer. In restudying this plant, certain morpho- 
logical characters in the flowers, previously overlooked, have been found 
affecting its taxonomic position. 

The following species, known previously in the state from but one 
locality, were collected this year from a new county: Echinodorus tenellus 
from Howell Co. (discovered in St. Louis Co. by Engelmann in 1845 and 
not since found); the yellow form of the columbine (Aguilegia canadensis f. 
flaviflora) from Clay Co. (previously collected from Buchanan Co. in the 
middle of the last century); Juncus balticus var. littoralis from Johnson Co.; 
the black-fruited form of the persimmon from Benton Co.; Thlas pi per- 
foliatum from Taney Co.; and the deep rose-colored form of the flowering 
dogwood (Cornus florida f. rubra). 

Other noteworthy occurrences were the following: finding Corallorrhiza 
Wisteriana in flower March 29, the earliest date yet recorded for a native 
orchid; obtaining the first flowering material in Missouri of the rare shrub, 
Lindera melissacfolinm, to complete the study of this species; discovery of 
numerous ox-bow lakes covered with Lotus (Nelumbo  pentapetala) in 
northern Missouri (Grundy Co.), which will be destroyed by the proposed 
Chillicothe Dam; discovery of a Grama Grass (Bouteloua gracilis) on a 
natural sandy prairie in Clark Co., northeastern Missouri, a species previously 
known in the state only from the loess mounds of northwestern Missouri; 
and finding an area of rich dissected ravines in northern Missouri (Sullivan 
Co.), teeming with numerous ferns, orchids, and other rare plants; here 
abounds Bracken Fern, previously known in the state only from the Ozark 
area. 

The survey is being conducted by Dr. Julian A. Steyermark, Research 
Associate to the Garden and Associate Curator of the Herbarium, Chicago 
Natural History Museum. 


24 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 


THE LIBRARY 

The last year has been spent largely in catching up on routine library 
work—cataloguing, entering the incoming and outgoing books and _period- 
icals, bibliographic and reference work, checking catalogues for wanted items, 
etc. Also, the library collaborated in two important serial lists: the third 
edition of the “Union List of Serials,” and a list of periodicals in the Wash- 
ington University libraries. With only two full-time assistants, time could 
not be found to take part in the latter project without outside help, and a 
librarian was sent from the University who spent two months in listing the 
Garden periodicals. Checking of lists is always constructive in that it 
constitutes more or less of an inventory, keeping the library up to date on 
new publications, on lost or missing volumes, and need for cross references. 

In addition to the help given in reference work to staff-members and 
students in the Garden and the Shaw School of Botany, the library is being 
called on constantly by botanists from other institutions for verification of 
references, transcripts of pages, etc. Frequently reproductions of pages or 
illustrations are desired, and since there is no photostatic equipment in the 
library nor any room for it, one of the librarians must take the books down- 
town for the pages to be reproduced. Books are also loaned outside the 
Garden on the interlibrary loan plan, 206 books having been borrowed by 
outside institutions during the year. 

In June the librarians assisted in assembling the exhibits for several of 
the windows in the Boatmen’s National Bank Building, showing the activities 
of the Missouri Botanical Garden. 

In September Mrs. Eloise Enzinger Fay, who recently graduated from 
Washington University, was employed as an assistant. Having majored in 
botany she was already familiar with the Garden library and was able to 
begin her duties with the minimum of training. With her help many seed 
and nursery catalogues and experiment station bulletins have been catalogued 
and shelved, and a start has been made in making an inventory of the books 
in the folio room. 

Garden Publications.—The work in connection with issuing and sending 
out the Garden publications is done by the library staff. The librarian edits 
and proofreads the manuscripts, indexes the volumes, etc., and one of the 
assistant-librarians tends to the exchanges and sales. The cash receipts during 
the year for all the Garden publications, including reprints, “Flora of 
Missouri,” post-cards of Garden views, etc., were $6,328.00. 

Volume XXXVI of the quarterly ANNALS and volume XXXVII of the 
monthly BULLETIN were issued during the year. The volume of the ANNALS 
contains 554 pages, 41 plates, and 81 text-figures. The February and May 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 25 


numbers constitute the last fascicles of the Orchidaceae family in Woodson 
and Schery’s “Flora of Panama,” and include an Index to the Panamanian 
Orchids. Three doctors’ theses were published in the ANNaLs during the 
year, and one master’s thesis. About half of the ANNALS edition is sent to 
other institutions in exchange for their publications. The foreign shipments 
are sent through the Smithsonian Institution, but at present shipments are 
not being sent to China nor outside the American and British zones in 
Germany. No Russian publications are now being received in exchange, 
but seven institutions are subscribing to the ANNALs and bills are received for 
the few Russian journals sent us. 


The BULLETIN contains 224 pages and numerous illustrations. Two 
feature BULLETINS were published during the year—an entire number on 
“Conservation” and one on “Water-lilies,” the latter containing colored 
plates of some of the Nymphaea hybrids originated by Mr. Pring. The 
greater part of the BULLETINS printed are sent to “Friends of the Garden.” 

Library Accessions—Numerous book catalogues have been carefully 
checked, but very few of our desiderata were advertised. Two collections 
were received as gifts, one from Mr. George E. Kessler of Kansas City, con- 
sisting of 67 books and pamphlets on landscape architecture, and a collection 
of 41 books on botany from the Washington University Medical School. 
Through Dr. Killip and Dr. Walker, of the Smithsonian Institution, the Gar- 
den obtained a very rare and valuable botanical work—a photostatic re- 
production of Wallich’s “Catalogue of Asiatic Plants,” one of the seven 
copies made by Dr. Maxon, of the Smithsonian Institution, from the manu- 
script in the Linnean Society of London. Worthy of mention too are Pallas’ 
“Species Astragalorum,” a large folio work on legumes published in 1800 
and containing numerous colored plates, and Lonicerus’ ““Kreuterbuch,” prob- 
ably the 1573 edition. The latter may be a valuable rarity, but we have no 
definite information as yet. 

In an effort to build up the map collection, the following maps and 
geographical works were purchased during the year: Bohun’s Geographical 
Dictionary (1695); The London Times Survey Atlas of the World; 
Chauchard’s General Map of Germany, Holland, Netherlands, etc. (1800) ; 
Webster’s Geographical Dictionary; Rand-McNally’s Atlas of the World; 
Raisz’s General Cartography; Kitchin’s Universal Atlas (1795); Stanford’s 
London Atlas of Universal Geography; Colton’s Map of Missouri (1859) ; 
and Conway’s Diagram of the State of Missouri (1859). 

Other accessions, in addition to the current works one would expect to 
find in a botanical library, were the following: Galloe’s, Natural History of 
English Lichens, parts I-VII; Hernandez, Historia de los Plantas de Nueva 
Espana, 1942 (a reissue of the sixteenth-century work, published by Univ. 


26 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 


Nac. Mexico Inst. Biol.); Hutchinson’s British Flowering Plants; Indian 
Phytopathology (new serial) ; Journal of New Zealand Institute of Foresters; 
Bulletin Pacific Orchid Society of Hawaii; Sirén’s Gardens of China; Robyn’s 
Flore des Spermatophytes de Pare National Albert II. 

Statistical Information—There have been donated to the library or re- 
ceived in exchange for our publications during the year 606 books valued at 
$2,008.55, and 2,014 pamphlets valued at $353.73. The purchases consisted 
of 173 books bought at a cost of $1,917.34, and 61 pamphlets and parts of 
volumes at a cost of $270.58. Three maps were bought at a cost of $7.10, 
and two were donated. One manuscript and one microfilm roll of the 
Brazilian publication ‘Vellosia” were donated. The library now contains 
59,078 books and 102,002 pamphlets, and 337 manuscripts. The number of 
index cards now totals 1,124,883, of which 5,247 were added during the year, 
860 having been written by Garden employees and 4,473 purchased at a cost 
of $127.78. Eighty-six cards were discarded. There were 155 books bound 
or repaired during the year. 


ANNUAL BEQUESTS 


The Annual Flower Sermon “On the goodness of God as shown in the 
growth of flowers, fruits, and other products of the vegetable kingdom,” 
provided for in the will of Henry Shaw, was preached at Christ Church 
Cathedral, on Sunday, May 22, by the Rev. Charles W. Gilkey, until his 
retirement Dean of the Chapel at the University of Chicago. 

The Gardeners’ Banquet Fund was used to provide turkeys for the em- 
ployees at Christmas. 

ATTENDANCE FOR 1949 


(Not including visitors to Arboretum) 


Week-days 


Sundays 


PAU RLY eos ci ote lis be igSdag acess sctecvesecesssyneseaghtedecdea sch !otetesdaeSatasagsércaeees 1,854 2,619 
MORE U AN Yoo ce: Soca o cess sede chen 2G 28a c2db cfs avazucsetcetecteet ghoul ccssaat ok 8,970 8,094 
1 0 o) » ee ne a ca Ce 4,692 4,499 
V5) 9 | Cera renee ea ee 11,703 11,314 
DVDs ccce ccctte dca sap sitar ss ts deen secede do: Jeacet ess veiescsa coop otee soot! ses -aesad¥ nes 15,973 12,208 
AVIV ooo coches soc esses cde ce sevente Pea tosect se vedeeSeaepntcas sac eees abcd. 11,552 6,002 
TE aca scsi sn hanes tse yiiens eset coats tes eeoacetin actnactednsuece cet 12,064 7,163 
24 5-40 | SS ae a ne 12,251 4,499 
September... ceo 15,972 12,208 
October..._... eofesk Fase se5aesiguesseceee<ssrcuadeousedecses beets se,$2ssserecacesateate 11,554 12,109 
NOV OID Koss g secon. 9 3 os tad cotetiee cnee cdo ctodenstyseces ea ettatesne aes, 12,360 17,289 
DeGeribe rn. «2.0.2 cccssce2sicecasas doe davdssescecdasevdeecdscdevisieccocsslissienescccus 4,754 3,754 
123,699 102,258 

123,699 

Total..... 225,927 


Respectfully submitted, 


GeorGE T. Moore, Director. 


THE MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN 


BOARD OF TRUSTEES 


Richard J, Lockwood 2222-5 oe President 
Doge) Fe at acters eects dle ia eee NICER PeROeOE 


Birene  Pettut scp tee : Second Vice-President 
L. Ray Carter John S. Lehmann 
Dudley French George T. Moore 
Henry Hitchcock A. Wessel Shapleigh 


Ethan A. H. Shepley 


EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS 


Arthur H. Compton __.....--..----..-----—-- __ Chancellor, Washington University 
Joseph M.. Darst_....-.-----———--_--_—-------------— Mayor of the City of St. Louis 
William P. Gruner__....- meyide President, St. Louis Academy of Science 
William Scarlett. _____ Bishop of the Diocese of Missouri 
Herbert O. Winterer _ President, Board of Education of St. Louis 
Gerald Ulrici —_..... tp hn Ss sence ted accra eee eee OS 
STAFF 
George T. Moore..........----------------------------------—----- 4a eres Director 
Rlermann von schvren kes: 2 sat hee Pathologist 
Jesse M. Greenman_.__-.--.---------------------- Curator Emeritus of Herbarium 
Carroll W. Dodge....---...-----------—-----—---—----——--—-—---- Mycologist 
Bacar Anderton «2. 2 se Geneticist 
Robert E. Woodson, Jr. puaniceio a adnnivse ea aalan __Curator of Herbarium 
Henry N. Andrews.......------------------------—---- nn Paleobotanist 
Robert W. Schery.... Research Associate 
rei As Lys Whe ly gt i sieve se Research Horticulturist 
OES OR) ig (:)) a a rere _... Assistant Curator of Herbarium 
George B. Van Schaack.- Honorary Curator of Grasses 
Julian A. Steyermark____-----.---- poset lect _...Honorary Research Associate 
Nell C. Horner Librarian and Editor 
rey FeO) Fs (=) ee ae eee en a eee semen EE Business Manager 
George H. Pring--_.... Se Superintendent 
Paul A. Kohl__--..... _ Floriculturist 
Ladislaus Cutak__.-. coun In charge of Succulents 
Agoust P. Beihmann 22 Manager of the Arboretum, Gray Summit 
GR Lowry cae scicmeeectiocnes rem TOwer 


Paul H. Allen... a ash nee LEARN REN eee Tropical Plant Collector 


PUBLICATIONS FOR SALE AT THE 
MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN 


SPRING FLORA OF MISSOURI. 
By Julian A. Steyermark. Price $1.50; a special price to schools 
and garden clubs—$1.00 a copy if 10 or more copies are sent to 
one address. Add 15 cents per copy to remittance to cover 


postage. 


ANNALS OF THE MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN. 
Published in February, May, September, and November. Sub- 
scription price, $10 per year. 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN. 
Published monthly except July and August. Subscription price, 
$2.50 per year. 


A TOUR OF THE MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN. 
A guide for Garden visitors. Price 25 cents. 


HENRY SHAW. 
A Biography. Price 25 cents. 


POST-CARDS. 
Garden Views. Price 25 cents for set of 8. 
Garden Water-lilies. Price 25 cents for set of 8. 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL 


GARD 


HN BU 


aL 


4 UN 


Pitcher-plants at the Garden 


Volume XXAVIII 


CONTENTS 


A Little-known Pepper from 


Latin America 


Notes 


February, 1950 


Number 2 


Cover: Water being poured from a full-grown pitcher of Nepenthes dyeriana. 
Photograph by Ladislaus Cutak. 


Editorial Office: Missouri Botanical Garden, 2315 Tower Grove Avenue, 
St. Louis 10, Missouri. 

Published monthly except July and August by the Board of Trustees of the 
Missouri Botanical Garden. Subscription price: $2.50 a year. 

Office of publication: 306 E. Simmons Street, Galesburg, Illinois. 


Entered as second-class matter January 26, 1942, at the post-office at Gales- 
burg, Illinois, under the Act of March 3, 1879. 


Please: Do not discard a copy of the Bulletin. If you have no further use for yours 
pass it along to a friend or return it to the Garden. Return postage will 
be guaranteed. 


Missour1 Botanical 
Garden Bulletin 


Vol. XXXVIII FEBRUARY, 1950 No. 2 


NEPENTHES AT THE GARDEN 
GEORGE H. PRING 


One of the most curious groups in the plant kingdom are the Nepenthes 
or Pitcher-plants, and the Garden is credited with possessing the outstanding 
collection of such plants anywhere. The writer was convinced of this fact 
when visiting Europe in 1948. The nucleus of the Garden collection was 
about a dozen plants received in 1918 as a bequest from the late Mr. D. S. 
Brown, of Kirkwood, Mo. Through hybridization of these clones we now 


have over a hundred specimens, many of which are new types. 


Nepenthes chelsoni, the seed parent that led to the 
development of the clones described in this article. 


Private collections of hothouse plants, particularly in England, have for 
years featured Nepenthes as a curious insect-eating plant. In fact, no col- 
lection of plant curiosities was complete without them. The Royal Botanic 
Gardens at Kew, England, has always maintained a special Nepenthes House. 


(27) 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 


: ih 
akg, HR 


ti 


a 


A NATIONAL FLOWER SHOW 


GARDEN’S EXHIBIT OF NEPENTHES AT 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 29 


Nepenthes dominii, the male parent of the new Garden 


hybrid clones. 


The continued bombing of London, during World War H, and subsequent 
lack of coal, experienced help, etc., have resulted in the loss of many of their 
best collections; hence, it is very fortunate that the Garden has been able to 
maintain these unusual plants. 

The flowers of the pitcher-plants are not conspicuous either in color or 
size. It is the leaves that make the plant such a curiosity. The prolonged 
midrib of the leaf is spirally twisted and expanded at the end into an append- 
age termed a pitcher. Most Nepenthes are climbers and support themselves 
by this midrib which acts as a tendril before the pitchers develop. The 
pitchers vary greatly in shape and size, sometimes even on the same plants, 
and may be either green, yellow, reddish, or purplish in color. The rim is 
thickened and corrugated and serves not only to strengthen and keep the 
mouth of the pitcher distended but also secretes a nectar. It may even 


develop into a funnel-shaped tube projecting into the pitcher to prevent the 


30 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 


escape of the imprisoned insects. On the outside of the pitcher, from the 
rim to the base, there is usually a ridge bordered with long hairs or bristles. 
Before the pitcher is fully developed the lid to the mouth is closed, but later 
it is permanently open and serves as an umbrella to keep out the rain. It is 
not true, as is sometimes stated, that the lid closes when an insect enters the 
pitcher. 

The interior of the pitcher is covered with numerous glands which secrete 
a fluid comparable to the gastric juice of the stomach. The nectar on the 
under-side of the lid and on the corrugated rim entices the insects to enter 


the pitcher. There they are drowned in the liquid which partly digests them. 


BREEDING NEPENTHES 

The breeding of new Nepenthes has been the work mainly of European 
hybridists. Possibly the earliest was Dominy of Veitch & Sons, of London, 
who first attempted to develop new forms about 1860. He was followed by 
Court, Tivey, Lindsay and Gautier in Europe. Very little has been done in 
this country, although Siebrecht & Sons, nurserymen of New Rochelle, N. Y., 
introduced two or three types. 

Since Nepenthes are dioecious (unisexual, with male and female flowers on 
separate plants), it becomes necessary for the breeder to have duplicate parent 
plants, such as the Garden has in its collection. When plants are grown for 
their pitchers annual pruning is necessary to obtain new growth. This 
occurs at the expense of flowering. When they are grown for breeding they 
are allowed to assume their normal climbing habit and to produce flowering 


spikes. Intercrossing demands patience of the hybridist, who must wait for 


a: F 


Director Greorce T. Moort Lr. R. Braprorp PRING 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 31 


Sr. Louts Dr. D. C. Fairpurn 


male and female plants to be in bloom at the same time. Observations in our 
collection for a number of years show that male flower spikes are definitely 
more frequent. 

The first pollinations of pitcher-plants at the Garden were made by the 
writer in 1943 at which time both male and female plants were in flower. 
Readers are referred to the November Garden BULLETIN (Vol. 31, 1943), in 
which a discussion of the propagation, culture, and other details was pub- 
lished. Between forty and fifty young seedlings were grown from seeds of 
the original crosses and at the present time have progressed sufficiently to 
develop their normal pitchers. The following clonal hybrids raised at the 
Garden have been selected and described according to the lineage shown in 


the following chart. 


NM. X HOOKERIANA X N.X DOMINI NRAFFLESIANA X ?NGRALIL/S 


i ! 


NV. X CHELSON// N.X OO/F/N/ 
Te “ 
DIRECTOR GEORGE 7. MOORE KATHERINE /700RE 
LIEUT. 2. BRADFORD PRING SOSEPH CUTAK 
DR.EDGAR ANDERSON HENRY SHAW 
92.0.0. FAIRBURN S7LOUIS 


GERALD UYLRIC/ NELL HORNER 


32 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 


RED PITCHER TYPES 

Director Georcre T. Moorr.—Pitchers subcylindric, 5 inches long, 2 
inches broad at base, 1'% inches above, purplish-red with green marmora- 
tions; pitcher wings prominent, *4 inch broad, same color and markings as 
the pitchers, marginal spines purple; rim prominently purple-lined, darker 
toward lid; lid green-spotted. Leaves 16-18 inches long from the base of 
the blade to the extended pitchers, blade 2—2'/2 inches wide. 

Lieut. R. BRADFORD PrinGc.—Resembles its parent N. chelsoni in being 
very strong-growing. Pitchers pear-shaped, 6-7 inches long, 2—2'2 inches 
broad in the basal portion, 1'2—2 inches above, reddish-purple at first, show- 
ing green marmorations with age; pitcher wings prominent, with long purple 
hairs of the same shade as the pitchers; rim very dark reddish-purple; lid 
reddish-purple with darker spots on the under-side. Leaves to extended 
pitchers 20-24 inches long, blade 243-3 inches broad; petiole 10-12 inches 
long. 

KATHERINE Moore.—Pitcher without the typical neck, shaped somewhat 
like a short barrel, 3'% inches high, lower half 2 inches in diameter, upper 
114 inches, blood-red spotted green, rim reddish with irregular darker 
stripes, lid purple-red, greenish toward the margin, pitcher wings prominent 
with marginal spine-like hairs /%4 inch long. Leaves to extended pitcher 16 


inches long, 334 inches wide, midvein of blade purple. 
§ 4 pure 


KATHERINE Moort 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 33 


Sr. Louis.—Pitchers pear-shaped, dark blood-red when young, lighter in 
age, sparsely green-mottled, 4 inches long, 2 inches wide at base, 2'/2 inches 
wide above; pitcher wings prominent, green, mottled reddish-purple, 4-1 
inch broad; marginal spines prominent; rim deep purplish-red toward lid; 
lid green-spotted and splashed with purple. Leaves 18—22 inches long, blades 


2—3 inches wide. 


GERALD ULRICI 


GREEN PITCHER TYPES 
Dr. Epocar ANDERSON.—Pitchers cylindric, with long neck, 5-6 inches 
long, 1'2—2 inches wide at base, 11/2 inches above, light green flushed with 
pink; pitcher wings prominent at base, practically spineless, lids and rim 


green. Leaves to extended pitcher 18—20 inches long, blade 3—4 inches wide. 


Dr. D. C. Farrpurn.—Pitcher subcylindric, 4—5 inches long, 1% inches 
in diameter, ridged above the middle, pale green flushed with pinkish toward 


the top; pitcher wings narrow, margins practically spineless, rim red, green 


34 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 


HENRY SHAW 


toward the lid; lid green with slightly colored veins. Leaves to extended 


pitcher 20—22 inches long, width of blade 3-3! inches. 


GERALD ULRicI.— Vigorous-growing plant. Pitchers large, 6 inches high, 
3 inches wide at the swollen base; neck 3 inches high, 134 inches wide, pale 
green with reddish veins; pitcher wings prominent, '2 inch wide, greenish in 
the lower portion, pinkish toward the rim, marginal hairs ' inch long; lid 
suberect, spotted red below, above with red veins, terminating in a green spur 
4 inch long; rim pea-green and corrugated. Leaves leathery, extending 
24-28 inches in length, blade 3 
inches wide, 16-17 inches long; 
petiole 10-12 inches long. Stem 


mottled purple. 


JOSEPH CuTAk.—Pitchers some- 
what egg-shaped, narrowed toward 
apex, green, including rim and 
lid; pitcher wings prominent, 12 
inch wide, with marginal spines 
4 inch long. Leaves to extended 


pitchers 22-26 inches long, blade 


2-3 inches broad, very dark green, 


new growth purplish. 


JosePH CUTAK 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 35 


Dr. EpGar ANDERSON NeLtt Horner 


HENRY SHAW.—Pitchers somewhat pear-shaped, bulbose up to ridge and 
gradually tapering towards rim, 412-5 inches long, basal portion up to 21/2 
inches in diameter, 2 inches in diameter above ridge, light green irregularly 
spotted with purple-red; pitcher wings marked like the pitcher, marginal 
hairs short; rim green, with purple stripes; lid green, with minute purple 
spots on the medial arched veins on the under-side, top purple-veined. Leaves 
13-15 inches long from the base to the pitcher, width of blade 214-24 
inches. 

Nett Horner.—Pitcher egg-shaped to pear-shaped, without the prom- 
‘nent neck, 4 inches or more high, lower half 2 inches in diameter, pale 
green flushed with pink, veins conspicuously pinkish toward the neck; pitcher 
wings |/ inch wide, with prominent reddish marginal hairs; lid never erect, 
purple-spotted on the under-side and flushed with purple on the upper, with 
a prominent green spur; rim green and corrugated. Leaves to extended pitcher 
14-16 inches long; blade 3 inches broad, irregularly denticulate on the 


margins; petiole 2-3 inches long. 


In the southern and western Ozarks the Winged Elm (Ulmus alata) is a 
common tree in thickets and rocky places. As its name indicates, it may 
have thin ridges of grayish cork running along the twigs. When these wings 
are highly developed (as in some saplings) they lend a bizarre air to the 
branches. One or two branches brought into the house during the winter 
make effective decorations just by themselves. They might well be used as 
the basis of “line arrangement” by those who practice this art. 


36 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 


CAPSICUM PUBESCENS, A LITTLE-KNOWN PUNGENT PEPPER 
FROM LATIN AMERICA 


CHARLES M. RICK* 


To the traveller in the Andes one of the pleasant surprises is the strange 
array of indigenous food plants. While recently studying the cultivated and 
wild tomatoes of Peru and Ecuador, the writer had the opportunity of ob- 
serving certain of these plants that may be unfamiliar to the visitor, yet very 
important to the welfare of the natives. One of these is Capsicum pubescens 
R. & P., which is known as the rocoto or Ilata in the Andes and as chile 
manzana, chile cuadro caldo, and other names in Guatemala. 

This pungent pepper (hereafter referred to as the rocoto) is cultivated 
at higher elevations in the Americas from Mexico to Peru, where it is often 
grown simultaneously with other cultivated pepper species. Like maize, 
sweet-potato, pepino, and certain other crop plants of the Andes, it is ap- 
parently known only in cultivation. Possibly man is responsible for the 
absence of its wild counterpart; land in the Andean region is so valuable for 
agriculture that perhaps the only sites in which the wild form would grow 
have been occupied by man and his cultigens. Even if some of the wild 
type had persisted, they might have hybridized with the improved forms to 
such an extent that they would have lost many of their original features and 
become difficult to distinguish from the cultivated forms. 

Yacovleff and Herrera’, quoting evidence from the writings of colonial 
historians, include the rocoto among plants that were used by the ancient 
civilizations of the Andes. Peppers of some types must have been known 
because they are abundantly represented in the prehistoric ceramics and 
fabrics, but to say with certainty that any of these figures represent rocofos 
is difficult for two reasons: (1) the representations of peppers are highly 
stylized; and (2) even if accurately represented, they might not be dis- 
tinguished from other cultivated peppers because fruits of certain shapes 


and colors are common to several species. 


Characteristics of the fruit-—The rocoto varies to the greatest extent in 
the size, shape, and color of its fruits. Many different fruit types were seen 
by the writer in both markets and gardens in Peru and Ecuador. Some idea 
of the range of variation in form of fruits is given in figs. 1-3. They vary 
from ones that are three times as long as broad to others that are 1! times 


as broad as long. Elongate forms in Peru have a more or less well-defined 


* Fellow, John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation and Visiting Investigator at the 
Missouri Botanical Garden, 1949; on sabbatical leave from. the University of California, 
Davis, California. 

'Yacovleff, E., and Herrera, F. L. El mundo vegetal de los antiguos peruanos. Rev, Mus. 
Nac. [Lima, Peru] 3:242—322. 1934. 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 37 


Fig. 1. Fruits of 9 types of rocoto. Arequipa, Peru. Upper row, left to right: 

(1 and 2) red, 2 cells; (3) orange-red, 4 cells (note depressed stylar end); (4) yellow, 
2-3 cells; (5) yellow, 2 cells. Lower row, left to right: (6) dirty yellow overlaid 
2 cells—About 


brown, 3 cells; (7) red, 3 cells; (8) orange, 3 cells; (9) yellow, 2 


4 nat. size. 


Fig. 2. Fruits of 10 types of rocoto. Cuzco, Peru. Upper row, left to right: 
(1) red, 2 cells; (2) red, 3 cells; (3) red, 2 cells; (4) chocolate-brown, 2 cells; 
(5 and 6) yellow, 2-3 cells. Lower row, left to right: (7 and 8) red, 3-4 cells (note 
seeds and thickness of flesh); (9) dirty yellow overlaid brown, 2—3 cells; (10) dirty 


yellow overlaid brown, 2 cells; (11) red, 3 cells—About 12 nat. size. 


38 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 


Fig. 3. Fruits of three types of rocoto. Ambato, Ecuador. Left to right: 
(1-3) golden-yellow, 2 cells; (4-5) red, 2-3 cells (note depressed stylar end), 
—About 34 nat. size. 


neck (figs. 1 & 2), which was not seen in any rocotos from Ecuador (fig. 3). 
The stylar end (opposite to the stem end) is always depressed in the shorter 
forms (fig. 1), less frequently so in the longer forms. The fruits have from 
two to four cells, the number tending to be greater in the broader forms and 
fewer in the more elongate ones. There is also variation in the roughness of 
the outer surface of the fruit and in the shape of the calyx. In respect to all 
of these characteristics, at least fourteen different fruit shapes can be recog- 
nized. 

The fruits are even as variable in their colors as in their forms. The fol- 
lowing seven distinct colors were seen: red, orange-red, orange, two intensi- 
ties of yellow, chocolate-brown, and dirty yellow overlaid with brown. On 
two occasions a variety was mentioned that is supposed to maintain a green 
color at maturity, but of the fruits supposedly of this type that were given 
to the writer, all eventually turned to either a red or yellow during storage. 
Many of the color variants pass through a black phase before finally assuming 
their characteristic mature pigmentation. Many different, but by no means 
all the possible, combinations of colors and shapes were found. Although all 
combinations might be obtained by appropriate breeding methods, probably 
many of them do not exist because certain colors such as the browns and 
orange and certain forms such as the small spherical and greatly elongated 


ones are relatively uncommon. 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 39 


Although these various fruit types may be distinguished by local names, 
the writer is not aware of a general use of varietal names in the sense that we 
apply names to our domestic varieties of vegetables. Plantings are character- 
ized by great variation from plant to plant in form and color of fruits. A 
uniform race was seen on only one occasion. Many of the fruits shown in 
figs. 1-3 represent only single plants. In certain plantings it was possible to 
distinguish the fruits from each plant, for, although the fruits from different 
plants differ greatly, those from the same plant are remarkably uniform. One 
can also distinguish with reasonable accuracy the fruits from different plants 
as they are displayed in small heaps of mixed type in the markets. This great 
variability from plant to plant must mean that the rocofos of Peru and 
Ecuador, like so many other cultivated plants of those countries, are very 


heterozygous (i.e., they do not breed true). 


Characteristics of the plant—As much as the rocoto varies in fruit 
characters, it is remarkably constant in the features of its stems, leaves, 
flowers, and seeds. Plants that differ greatly in the form and color of their 
mature fruits exhibit essentially the same characteristics in other parts of the 
plant. The following characters are the most important for identifying this 
species: hairs that abundantly cover the leaves and stems (fig. 4), dark 
purplish, partly hooded flowers (fig. 4), pronounced folding between petals, 


9 
( 


Fig. 4. Branch of 3-year-old rocoto plant showing flowers and single fruit. Arrow 
points to part of stem where hairiness is evident. About two-fifths natural size. 


40 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 


and large seeds that are either black or dark brown and have wavy edges 
(fig. 2). As pointed out by Heiser and Smith’, although these character- 
istics May occur singly in other cultivated and wild peppers, they serve to 
distinguish the species when considered in combination. The rocoto closely 
resembles our familiar cultivated species in the habit of plant, the arrange- 
ment of leaves and flowers, and many other characteristics. 

Heiser and Smith were unable to hybridize the rocoto with other culti- 
vated peppers. Observations of the writer would also suggest that they do not 
interbreed, for when grown close to each other in Peruvian gardens, as they 
now are and doubtless have been for centuries, they maintain their character 
differences. No plant or fruit that in any way suggested hybridization of 
the two species was ever seen by the writer or mentioned to him by the many 


people consulted. 


Distribution and cultivation—The rocoto is peculiarly adapted to the 
6,000-10,000 ft. altitude zone on both western and eastern slopes of the 
Andes. At lower altitudes in Peru the plant will survive and produce a few 
fruits, but scarcely any seeds. Above this belt low temperatures probably 
restrict growth. When tested at Davis, California, and elsewhere in the 
United States, it has not performed well. 

The growth requirements of the rocoto are not well understood. The 
climatic conditions at Arequipa, Peru, where it is very well adapted, are re- 
markably constant throughout the year. The number of daylight hours per 
day is probably not greater than 13 nor less than 11. Winters are slightly 
colder than summers, and daily variations of from 55—65° to 80—-90° F. are 
the rule. According to Heiser and Smith the rocoto may produce flowers 
only when day-lengths, like those throughout the year in the central and 
northern Andes, are between 11 and 13 hours. Accordingly, it could not be 
expected to perform as a summer vegetable in the United States, because the 
days are too long to permit flowering. It is more difficult to explain its 
failure to grow on the coast of Peru, where day-lengths cannot possibly be 
responsible because they are the same as those of the Sierra of the same lati- 
tude. Higher mean temperatures or the presence of diseases that do not 
exist at higher altitudes might account for the difference in behavior. 

Fruits of the rocoto are durable and readily withstand shipping, and, 
despite the cultivation in a restricted zone, they are transported in large 
quantities to markets on the coast and in the higher Andes. The plant bears 
fruits continuously from January to July in the vicinity of Arequipa (alti- 
tude 7,400 ft.). It is said to bear throughout the year at lower elevations. 


“Heiser, Charles B., Jr., and Smith, P. G. Observations on another species of cultivated 
pepper, Capsicum pubescens R. & P. Proc. Amer. Soc. Hort. Sci. 52:331-335, 1948, 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 41 


Fig. 5. Plant of rocoto (lower foreground), Hacienda of Sr. Carlos Nunez 
near Arequipa, Peru, March 25, 1949. 


In Peru and Ecuador the rocofo is grown as a long-lived perennial. 
Although plants will bear fruit in less than one year from the time of seed- 
ing, older plants yield more. Since the plant is as susceptible to frosts as our 
more familiar garden peppers, this fact would further restrict its usefulness 
in the United States. Plantings are usually maintained for four to five years, 
and one plant shown to the writer in Yungay, Peru, was said to be over 
fifteen years old. Such longevity is probably not unique to this species; other 
cultivated peppers are often grown as perennials in the tropics. 

The rocoto plant resembles our familiar peppers in general appearance in 
the first year of cultivation, but older specimens may grow as high as five 


feet. Occasionally plants were seen supported by poles and by sticks woven 


42 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 


among the branches (fig. 5). Usually rocoto is grown as an incidental plant 
along the borders of the garden, where it will not interfere with the cultiva- 
tion of annual or biennial crops. Here it will often be seen growing in the 
partial shade of fruit trees, which does not seem to affect its growth ad- 
versely. It thrives equally well in full sunlight. 


Uses.—In the mid-altitudes of the Peruvian Andes, the rocoto is highly 
esteemed and is used to the same extent as other peppers. For hot peppers 
their flesh is unusually thick—'¥ to 344 inch (fig. 2). They are nearly 
always harvested when mature. Even if picked before the final color has 
developed, they are allowed to reach full size. 

In the opinion of the writer, they are intermediate between the least and 
the most pungent peppers. As in hot varieties of Capsicum frutescens, the 
pungency is limited to the seeds, placenta, and membrane lining the inner 
wall of the fruit. When the placenta and seeds are removed in preparation 
for stuffing the fruit, the pungency is intentionally or unintentionally re- 
duced. Aside from the pungency, the fruits have their own distinctive, 
though indescribable, aroma. 

The fruits are used either fresh or cooked. As fresh vegetables, the 
whole fruits are often served separately as a garnish, leaving to the discretion 
of the individual the amount he cares to add to his soup or stew. As a cooked 
vegetable the rocoto is usually stuffed with meat preparations in a manner 
similar to our use of the large sweet peppers. 

The rocoto is of doubtful value in the United States, either for cultiva- 
tion in its present state or as a source of desired characteristics for breeding 
purposes. In most areas the growing season is too short or the day-length 
unfavorable for flowering, and in areas where the season is long enough the 
cross-incompatibility with other cultivated peppers precludes the transfer to 


them of any desired qualities that it might possess. 


NOTES 


Mr. Paul H. Allen, Tropical Collector to the Garden, spent a week at the 
Garden during January, going over his collections of plants. 

Recent visitors to the Garden include: Dr. Ralph O. Erickson, Professor 
of Genetics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia; Dr. William L. Brown, 
Geneticist, Pioneer Hi-Bred Corn Co., Johnston, Iowa; Mr. Robert A. Evers, 
of the Illinois Natural History Survey, Urbana; Dr. Carl O. Sauer, Professor 
of Geography, University of California, Berkeley; Dr. Bruno Reitmann, Medi- 
cal Mycologist, of Bahia, Brazil; Mr. J. I. Rodale, author of books on soils 
and organic gardening; Mr. Edward Hummel, of Hummel’s Exotic Gardens, 
Pasadena, Calif.; Mr. Robert A. Vines, Director Museum of Natural History, 


Houston, Texas. 


THE MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN 


Richard |. Lockwood: 22277 o-+ 


Daniel K. Catlin 

Eugene Pettus 
L. Ray Carter 
Dudley French 
Henry Hitchcock 


Arthur H. Compton 
Joseph M. Darst 


R. Harris Cobb.....------------------ 


BOARD OF TRUSTEES 


__.... President 


John S. Lehmann 

George T. Moore 

A. Wessel Shapleigh 
Ethan A. H. Shepley 


EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS 

Chancellor, Washington University 
Sones Mayor of the City of St. Louis 
President, St. Louis Academy of Science 


Bishop of the Diocese of Missouri 


William Scarlett 
H. M. Stolar_ 


Gerald Ulrici 


George T. Moore 
Hermann von Schrenk 


Jesse M. Greenman____---------------- 


Carroll W. Dodge... 


Acting President, Board of Education of St. Louis 


_____...... Secretary 


_.........Mycologist 
Geneticist 


Edgar Anderson 
Robert E. Woodson, Jr 


_.... Curator of Herbarium 
Paleobotanist 


Henry N. Andrews 
Robert W. Schery 
Gustav A. L. Mehlquist 
Rolla M. Tryon 


George B. Van Schaack. 


Julian A. Steyermark 


Research Associate 
oe OE OS ae ST Research Horticulturist 
Assistant Curator of Herbarium 
_.... Honorary Curator of Grasses 
Honorary Research Associate 
Librarian and Editor 


Nell C. Horner____. 


Gerald Ulrici 
George H. Pring- 


Business Manager 


Superintendent 


Paul A. Kohl. 


Floriculturist 


Ladislaus Cutak 


In charge of Succulents 


Kenneth A. Smith 
August P. Beilmann 
G. R. Lowry 


SOME FACTS ABOUT THE GARDEN 


The Missouri Botanical Garden was opened to the public by Mr. 
Henry Shaw about 1860. From that date until his death in 1889 it 
was maintained under his personal direction. Although popularly 
known as “Shaw’s Garden” the name Missouri Botanical Garden 
was chosen by Mr. Shaw and he definitely indicated that he wished 
it called by that name. The Garden passed at his death into the 
hands of a Board of Trustees, designated in Mr. Shaw’s will, and 
the Board so constituted, exclusive of certain ex-officio members, 
is self-perpetuating. By a further provision of the will the immedi- 
ate direction of the Garden is vested in a Director, appointed by 
the Board. The Garden receives no support from city or state but 
is maintained almost exclusively from the estate left by Henry 
Shaw. Since 1939 many Garden Clubs and interested individuals 
have contributed to a “Friends of the Garden Fund” which is used 
in developing the new Arboretum, located at Gray Summit, Mo. 
The Arboretum (1) serves as a source of plants, trees and shrubs 
for the city Garden; (2) affords areas for gradually establishing 
a pinetum, a wild-flower reservation and various other features 
on a scale not possible in the city; (3) provides greenhouses for 


some 40,000 orchid plants. 


The city Garden comprises 75 acres, where about 12,000 species 
of plants are grown, both out of doors and under glass. It is open 
every day in the year except New Year’s Day and Christmas; week 
days, 8:00 a. m. until 7:00 p. m.; Sundays, 10:00 a. m. until 7:00 
p.m. The greenhouses are closed every day at 5:00 p. m. 

The main entrance to the Garden is at Tower Grove and Flora 
Place, on the Sarah bus line (No. 42). The Tower Grove bus 
(No. 21), direct from downtown, passes within three blocks of the 


main entrance. 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL 
GARDEN BULLETIN 


CONTENTS 


“Henry Shaw’—Graduating Program of the John Scullin School 
Chronological History of the Garden Missouri Towns with Plant Names 


Notes 


Volume XXXVIII March, 1950 Number 3 


Cover: Henry Shaw at the age of thirty-five. From an oil painting in the Garden 


collection. 


Editorial Othce: Missouri Botanical Garden, 2315 Tower Grove Avenue, 
St. Louis 10, Missouri. 

Published monthly except July and August by the Board of Trustees of the 
Missouri Botanical Garden. Subscription price: $2.50 a year. 

Office of publication: 306 E. Simmons Street, Galesburg, Illinois. 

Entered as second-class matter January 26, 1942, at the post-office at Gales- 
burg, Illinois, under the Act of March 3, 1879. 


Please: Do not discard a copy of the Bulletin. If you have no further use for yours 
pass it along to a friend or return it to the Garden. Return postage will 


be guaranteed. 


SOME FACTS ABOUT THE GARDEN 


The Missouri Botanical Garden was opened to the public by Mr. 
Henry Shaw about 1860. From that date until his death in 1889 it 
was maintained under his personal direction. Although popularly 
known as ‘“Shaw’s Garden” the name Missouri Botanical Garden 
was chosen by Mr. Shaw and he definitely indicated that he wished 
it called by that name. The Garden passed at his death into the 
hands of a Board of Trustees, designated in Mr. Shaw’s will, and 
the Board so constituted, exclusive of certain ex-officio members, 
is self-perpetuating. By a further provision of the will the immedi- 
ate direction of the Garden is vested in a Director, appointed by 
the Board. The Garden receives no support from city or state but 
is maintained almost exclusively from the estate left by Henry 
Shaw. Since 1939 many Garden Clubs and interested individuals 
have contributed to a “Friends of the Garden Fund” which is used 
in developing the new Arboretum, located at Gray Summit, Mo. 
The Arboretum (1) serves as a source of plants, trees and shrubs 
for the city Garden; (2) affords areas for gradually establishing 
a pinetum, a wild-flower reservation and various other features 
on a scale not possible in the city; (3) provides greenhouses for 


some 40,000 orchid plants. 


The city Garden comprises 75 acres, where about 12,000 species 
of plants are grown, both out of doors and under glass. It is open 
every day in the year except New Year’s Day and Christmas; week 
days, 8:00 a. m. until 7:00 p. m.; Sundays, 10:00 a. m. until 7:00 


p.m. The greenhouses are closed every day at 5:00 p. m. 


The main entrance to the Garden is at Tower Grove and Flora 
Place, on the Sarah bus line (No. 42). The Tower Grove bus 
(No. 21), direct from downtown, passes within three blocks of the 


main entrance. 


Curtain used at the graduating exercises of the John Scullin School, showing structures and markers 


connected with the life of Henry Shaw. 


Muissour1 Botanical 
Garden Bulletin 


Vol. XXXVIII MARCH, 1950 No. 3 


AN HISTORICAL SKETCH CELEBRATING THE SESQUI- 
CENTENNIAL OF THE BIRTH OF HENRY SHAW 


In 1941 Miss Stella Michel, teacher of the eighth grade at the John 
Scullin School in St. Louis, favored the BULLETIN with the papers given at 
her June 1941 graduation program on “Historic Trees of Missouri.” The 
painstaking research necessary to produce this program was appreciated by 
BULLETIN readers. The year 1950, being the sesquicentennial of the birth 
of Henry Shaw, Miss Michel has taken this noted St. Louisan as the subject 
of the January graduating exercises. The series of historical sketches was 
compiled with such thoroughness and is of so great locai interest that the 
BULLETIN is glad to devote a portion of this issue to the papers as they were 
read by the pupils at their graduating ceremony on January 25. 


ADDRESS OF WELCOME 


In behalf of my schoolmates of this class of January, 1950, I bid you a 
hearty welcome to our exercises this morning. We are glad to see so many 
of our friends and loved ones present, and to know that you are interested 
in our welfare and progress. We trust that you will enjoy our program, the 
theme of which is “Henry Shaw.” 

On the curtain before you [see frontispiece] are pictured certain build- 
ings, monuments, markers, and columns intimately connected with the life 
and work of Mr. Shaw: the dates, 1800 and 1950, remind us that July 24th 
of this year will mark the sesquicentennial of his birth; one of the courthouse 
columns at the north gate of Tower Grove Park; the riverfront marker at 
the site of Henry Shaw’s early hardware store; the statue of Alexander von 
Humboldt at the eastern end of the park’s mall—a work of art honoring 
the intellect, courage, and industry of this philosopher and scientific ex- 
plorer; a tablet establishing ownership to one of Mr. Shaw’s numerous realty 
holdings; one of the famous lions at the east entrance; the stone work re- 
moved from the ruins of the old Lindell Hotel fire to be used in adorning the 


(43) 


44 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 


north bank of Tower Grove’s pond; reproductions of three of the bronze 
insets on the Humboldt monument’s pedestal; and Mr. Shaw’s former city 
residence. 

On the frieze to your right is a quotation very aptly describing Henry 
Shaw’s gift to the public of the Shakespeare, Humboldt, and Columbus 
monuments. On these friezes and the bulletin board to your right are photo- 
graphs and photostats obtained through the courtesy of the Library of 
Congress, the Missouri Historical Society, the Superintendent of Tower Grove 
Park, and our own Mr. Sprunk. There is an old United Railways car-display 
sign advertising the night-illumination of the lily-ponds. 

We trust that as we iow go forth into fields of higher education we may 
acquire a good measure of that educational equipment which enabled Henry 
Shaw to educate himself during a long and busy life, and that we may strive 
to emulate his qualities of thrift, prudence, and integrity.—Marilyn White. 


HENRY SHAW 


Henry Shaw, founder of the Missouri Botanical Garden, was born at 
Sheffield, England, July 24, 1800, the eldest of the four children of Sarah 
Hoole and Joseph Shaw, both natives of Leicester. His father was a manu- 
facturer of grates and fire-irons. Henry’s primary education was obtained 
at Thorne, a village not far from his native town. Between the ages of 10 
and 16, he attended Mill Hill School near London where he acquired a 
knowledge of the classics, French, Latin, Greek, and received excellent train- 
ing in mathematics. 

Emigrating to Canada with his father in 1818, he was sent to New 
Orleans to learn the cotton business, but he remained less than a year. On 
May 3, 1819, he arrived at the small and remote French Trading Post called 
St. Louis, and soon set up a small hardware and cutlery business. Social life 
had little attraction for him, but he read widely and applied himself. dili- 
gently to his work. By the time Mr. Shaw was 40, he had accumulated what 
he regarded as a fortune and retired. 

Most of the next ten years he spent in travel, visiting England, Europe, 
Constantinople and Egypt, improving his knowledge of languages, and be- 
coming, though his tastes remained sober, a thoroughly cosmopolitan gentle- 
man. It was on his last trip to London early in 1851 that the idea of having 
a Botanic Garden of his own dawned upon him. 

He had a great interest in plants, and with advice from outstanding 
botanists, both here and abroad, he established a garden in St. Louis that was 
in reality a scientific institution for the study of plants. After 1851, he 
scarcely left the city, but devoted his time to the development of his garden 
and to the planning and planting of Tower Grove Park. He built up the 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 45 


nucleus of one of the best botanical libraries, as well as one of the largest 
herbariums, in the United States, and provided in his will for the maintenance 
of a scientific staff which was to conduct investigations in botany proper, 
in vegetable physiology, the diseases of plants, and the study of the forms of 
vegetable life. He also endowed what has come to be known as the Henry 
Shaw School of Botany of Washington University. 

Mr. Shaw never married. He died August 25, 1889, and was laid to 
rest in the Garden in a place he had chosen. 

During his lifetime, the institution he founded was the only one of its 
kind in the United States, and, since his death, Shaw’s Garden has continued 
to be one of the important botanical gardens of the world, while Tower 
Grove Park remains one of the most charming pleasure grounds to be found 


in any city of this country or of Europe.—Betty Walls. 
HENRY SHAW’S HARDWARE STORE 


On the west side of First Street just north of Market stands a shield- 
shaped metal marker erected by the Young Men’s Division of the St. Louis 
Chamber of Commerce which designates the site of the early hardware store 
of Henry Shaw. On the second floor of the building here, shortly after 
May 1819, he rented a room in which he cooked, slept, and ate, and from 
which he sold the small stock of cutlery he had purchased in Sheffield, 
England, with money advanced by his uncle. 

From this humble beginning, Mr. Shaw became one of the busiest mer- 
chants, importers, and outfitters in the Middle West. In addition to such 
items of frontier hardware as scalping knives, iron kettles, beaver traps, and 
ax heads, he dealt in textiles and china. He traded with the Indians for 
buffalo tongues which were regarded as quite a delicacy, raw hides, bears’ 
tallow, and other wilderness products the red man could supply. His business 
became a factor in the early western trade of the United States, and was the 
foundation of his extensive estate represented today in Tower Grove Park 
and the world-famous Missouri Botanical Garden. 

In a St. Louis directory of this period, the following are listed as some of 
his First Street neighbors: Ricketson & Holt, dry goods merchants; J. C. 
Essex, stationer and bookbinder; L. A. Benoist & Co., Exchange Banking 
House; Jaccard & Recordon, jewelers and watch makers; Tontine Restau- 
rant; Widow Chouteau; General William Clark; Edgar & Forsythe, saddlery- 
ware merchants; Charless & Blow, druggists. 

After retiring from the hardware business, Henry Shaw boarded at the 
Planters’ House Hotel in which he owned shares of stock, and by 1854, was 
living in his City House on the southwest corner of Seventh and Locust 
Streets.—Eleanor McAdams. 


46 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 


HENRY SHAW’S CITY HOME 


When Henry Shaw returned from Europe in December, 1851, his town 
house was under construction on the southwest corner of what is now 
Seventh and Locust. Here, where the iron balconies on the north side looked 
out from his bedroom onto Locust Street, he spent the greater part of each 
year for the rest of his life. 

His will, drawn up in 1885, contained the provision that his City resi- 
dence, being built of good and durable materials but unsuitable to its locality, 
should be carefully taken down and rebuilt on Tower Grove Avenue on a 
site convenient to the Botanical Garden. He bequeathed the sum of $10,000 
to the Board of Trustees for this removal and rebuilding. 

In 1890, shortly after Mr. Shaw’s death, this rather distinguished-looking 
home was dismantled and put up brick by brick at 2315 Tower Grove for 
office use. The southern wing which was added later doubles the size of the 
original house and contains the Library, the Herbarium, and space for stu- 
dents. The entire structure is now known as the Administration Building. 

The ground on which the Shaw Town House once stood is now occupied 
by the Locust Building Corporation whose address is 315 North Seventh. 
It fronts 902% feet on Seventh Street and extends 127%. feet along Locust. 
To most of us it is known as Katz’ Drug Store. 

A marker, consisting of a painting depicting the site as it appeared when 
Henry Shaw occupied it and a brief historic text enclosed in a bronze 
weather-proof frame, was erected at the entrance to this building by the 
Young Men’s Division of the St. Louis Chamber of Commerce. However, 


it has not been maintained by the occupants.—Robert Richardson. 
MR. SHAW’S GARDEN 


The institution popularly called “Shaw’s Garden” was founded by Henry 
Shaw in 1858 and, while virtually a private country estate, was opened to 
visitors on certain days in the year 1860. From that time until his death in 
1889, Mr. Shaw maintained close personal supervision. The name, “Missouri 


’ 


Botanical Garden,” was selected by him and he definitely indicated that he 
wished that to be its official designation. 

According to a provision of Mr. Shaw’s will, the Garden passed into the 
hands of a self-perpetuating Board of Trustees. The Chancellor of Wash- 
ington University, the Mayor of the City of St. Louis, the President of the 
St. Louis Academy of Science, the Bishop of the Episcopal Church of the 
Diocese of Missouri, and the President of the St. Louis Board of Education 


were to be ex-officio members. 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 47 


The City Garden which comprises 75 acres where about 12,000 species 
of plants are grown both out of doors and under glass, is hidden away from 
the outside world by sturdy old-fashioned limestone walls, so high that the 
passer-by catches only tantalizing glimpses of tree-tops or of vines which 
spill down over the gray-white rocks. Within are Mr. Shaw’s “Old Resi- 
dence,” ‘Tower Grove,” which was built as a country house in 1849; a 
Rose Garden; the Linnean House and Garden; a Palm House; Tropical Lily 
Pools; a Floral Display House; an Italian Garden; a Plant Curiosities House; 
an Iris Garden; a Desert House; an Experimental Greenhouse; a Museum; 
and a shady grove surrounding Mr. Shaw’s Mausoleum. 

At Gray Summit, about 40 miles west of the Garden on Highway 66, a 
new Arboretum has been developed because of the smoke problem in St. 
Louis. Here, on a 1,625-acre tract in which a colorful example of typical 
Ozark landscape is being preserved, more than 500 species of wild flowers, 
shrubs, and trees are cultivated. 

Up until 1939, when diminished income forced its abandonment, Shaw’s 
Garden maintained an orchid-growing station at Balboa, Panama Canal Zone. 
Today its collection of 25,000 orchid plants includes varieties seen nowhere 
else, and its orchid exhibit is the largest and most complete in the world. 

The Missouri Botanical Garden receives no support from city or state 
but is maintained almost exclusively from the income of the estate left by 
its founder with the stipulation that the grounds always remain free to the 


public.—Helen McChesney. 
TOWER GROVE PARK 


Exactly when the idea of creating what is now Tower Grove Park first 
came to Henry Shaw is unknown, but it was doubtless suggested by what he 
had seen in Europe. It took active shape when his garden was firmly estab- 
lished and seemed to need some such supplementary accompaniment. The 
first steps were taken in 1866, but the enterprise did not assume definite 
form until the following year. 

Between Grand Avenue and the Old Spanish Road that for many years 
had been known as the King’s Highway, and adjoining the Garden on the 
south, Mr. Shaw owned a parcel of ground rolling in surface and admirably 
adapted for ornamental improvement. He determined to submit to the 
Mayor a proposition to donate this tract comprising nearly 300 acres to the 
City of St. Louis for use as a “driving park,” provided public funds were 
furnished for its maintenance. This was a donation equal in value to about 
$300,000. 

Since the city limits at this time had been established along a line 660 
feet west of Grand Avenue, the territory offered would extend about a mile 


48 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 


and a half into the county. It was, therefore, necessary that the acceptance 
of the land and the creation and improvement of the park should be author- 
ized by the state legislature. A special act for this purpose which was passed 
during the winter session was approved March 9, 1867. On October 20, 
1868, the Mayor and Mr. Shaw jointly signed the deed of gift, and, from 
that date, Tower Grove Park may be said to have had a legal existence. 

The exclusive control and management were vested in a Board of Com- 
missioners to consist of between five and seven persons, to be selected by 
Mr. Shaw, and of this Board he was made a member during his lifetime. 

The shape of Tower Grove Park is that of an oblong, with the length 
many times greater than the width. Since the land was originally a rolling 
prairie of rich loamy soil, without springs, ponds, or other distinctive features 
of a picturesque character, there was nothing unique about the tract except 
prairie grass and clover. The surface originally embraced no woodland; 
therefore, all the trees and shrubs had to be planted. In this work, the ut- 
most care was taken: each tree was set in a dug space 5 feet wide and 3 feet 
deep, staked and tied, and every possible measure adopted to insure health 
and quick growth. In all, nearly 20,000 trees were planted in lines, groups, 
and singly. 

Within three years from the commencement of the work of improvement, 
Tower Grove Park was ready for public use—a remarkably short period when 
it is remembered that at the beginning the land was almost bare and treeless, 


without lawn, attention to soil, or proper drainage. 


Carolyn Mohrman. 
THE EAST GATE 


The principal entrance to Tower Grove Park is situated at the east end 
and fronts on Grand Avenue. Its construction in 1870-71 was a difficult 
and expensive piece of work as a considerable amount of filling-in had to be 
done in order to effect a satisfactory grade. The stone-work of the piers 
and walls was executed in a most careful and artistic manner, with a view 
to permanence and beauty. The design was controlled by a desire to com- 
bine grace and freedom in the outline; to render the structure impressive and 
appropriate to the park scenes beyond it, without employing any other 
architectural features than graceful columns set at intervals, adorned by 
artistic “bronzes,” connected by an airy lace-work in iron, flowing in 
curving lines. 

Two of the 30-foot gray limestone pillars resting upon bases of red 
granite blocks are surmounted by metallic figures of winged griffins and 
two bear couchant lions. These are works of art of decided merit which 
were designed and executed in Berlin. They are made of zinc which is much 
less expensive than bronze, but when kept painted is almost as indestructible. 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 49 


The lions, one of which is sleeping and the other watchful, are particu- 
larly worthy of notice since they are replicas of Antonio Canova’s well- 
known recumbent figures which are set on either side of the monument of 
Pope Clement XIII in the Church of St. Peter at Rome. They appear as 
guardians at the doorway of the elaborate tomb and lie with their heads on 
their paws. The facial expression of the sleeping lion very strongly suggests 
weeping; hence, this figure is known as the celebrated “Weeping Lion” of 
Canova, the Italian sculptor. 

The secretary of the Caproni Galleries in Boston which for over a century 
have been leaders in the reproduction of sculpture from the world’s master- 
pieces informs us that plaster copies of these “Two Lions” by Canova are 
still requested by art schools and colleges. Through the Photoduplication 
Service of the Library of Congress, we were able to obtain copies of the 
Clement XIII Monument and of a detail showing the so-called “Weeping 
Lion.”—Audrey Faerber. 


THE NORTH GATE 


In its general design, the North Gate at Tower Grove and Magnolia is 
somewhat similar to the main entrance on Grand Avenue, but the columns 
are not so massive and there is less metallic ornamentation. It is a combina- 
tion of old architectural elements with newer materials and embraces a 
gateway for vehicles and two for pedestrians. 

On either side of the central gate and at the termination of the curving 
wall and railing on the street line, rising from a cut limestone pedestal, is a 
round shaft, colored like red marble or granite, supporting a square stone cap 
of two steps on which is a ball of limestone, light gray in color, elevated 
nearly 30 feet. These smooth round pillars formerly assisted in supporting 
the balcony of the Old Courthouse. In 1874, when some structural changes 
were made in the rotunda, four of the interior columns were removed. In 
accordance with a request of Henry Shaw, they were transferred to Tower 
Grove Park to be utilized in the ornamentation of this North Gateway, and 
there they still stand.—Olan Hea pe. 


THE HUMBOLDT MONUMENT (Part I) 


Although Henry Shaw is rightly regarded as one of the greatest bene- 
factors of the city of his adoption, this idea is based primarily, if not entirely, 
upon his founding of the Missouri Botanical Garden and his gift to St. Louis 
of Tower Grove Park. Still another aspect of his generosity and desire to 
give pleasure to his fellow townsmen, which is not so generally recognized, 
was his effort to provide objects of art, in the form of statues and busts, 
which were worthy of the men they commemorated. 


50 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 


As early as 1878, he presented to the city two bronze statues which at 
that time were among the most noteworthy pieces of this character in the 
United States. These gifts were followed by others, until, at the time of his 
death, eleven years later, he had made available to the public another bronze 
statue, three marble statues, and nine marble busts, all executed in the best 
artistic manner of the period. 

The statue of Alexander yon Humboldt which is pictured on our curtain 
stands in Tower Grove Park 857 feet east of and facing the Shakespeare 
monument. It is the work of Ferdinand Miller of Munich, Germany, and 
cost $5,000 delivered in St. Louis, not including the pedestal or the setting 
up. It rests upon a foundation of Missouri red granite designed by George 
I. Barnett, a St. Louis architect. 

The base rises in three steps to a height of about three feet, while the 
pedestal of polished granite is 8 feet high. Into three of its sides bronze 
relief medallions are set.—Vasso Katinas. 


(Part ID) 


On the south side is a landscape view of Mount Chimborazo, a volcano 
in Ecuador, inseparably associated with the life and works of Humboldt 
because he described it and was the first to gain its towering snow-capped 
summit. 

On the east side there is an excellent likeness of Mr. Shaw, and underneath 
it the inscription: “In honor of the most accomplished traveler of this or 
any other age. Erected by Henry Shaw, 1878.” On the north side, the 
relief depicts a view in the Valley of the Amazon which is an eloquent sug- 
gestion of travel in tropical lands. On the front is the name, Alexander 
von Humboldt, cut in large plain letters. 

The figure stands about 11 feet high, and represents von Humboldt in 
the prime of early manhood, dressed in the traveling costume of the period. 
He leans against the trunk of a tree over which his cloak is thrown. The 
hands are loosely clasped in front, the right one holding a partially opened 
map. The head is uncovered and slightly bowed. 

The niece of Humboldt, after seeing this statue of her uncle before it 
was shipped from Munich, wrote Mr. Shaw thanking him for the high honor 
conferred upon her family, and said Europe had done nothing comparable to 
it for the great naturalist. 

At the unveiling ceremony on November 24, 1878, it was said of von 
Humboldt: “The whole world was his home, and he knew no nationality 
but mankind. He was a friend of free institutions. Nature was his God, 


Science his religion.”—Robert Schneider. 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 


ie ee 


Statue 


of Alexander von Humboldt presented by Henry Shaw to Tower Grove Park 


=| 


52 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 


“HL. S.” 


That Henry Shaw knew the value of money is evidenced by the fact that 
he retired from active business at the age of 39, content with what now looks 
like the quite moderate fortune of $250,000. He felt he had enough and 
intended to enjoy it. That his estate fifty years later embraced two million 
dollars worth of real estate is proof that he was an astute investor and a 
business man of high order. 

Exclusive of the Missouri Botanical Garden, Tower Grove Park, Tyler 
Place, and the private street known as Shaw Place, much of his property was 
in the downtown business area. The various lots faced on Main Street, 
Second, Fourth, Sixth, Seventh, Poplar, Plum, Market, Washington, St. 
Charles, Olive, and Lafayette. Some were improved with store buildings or 
warehouses, others with tenements or dwellings. 

How many of these structures were erected by Mr. Shaw himself is un- 
known, but for at least two of them the proof of ownership is unmistakable. 
Just a few inches below the second-story window-sill at the northeast corner 
of Seventh and St. Charles a stone tablet about twenty inches long and five 
inches high is set in the brick wall. It bears the initials, ““H.S.,” and the 
date “1880.” This property, recently remodeled, is still owned by the Board 
of Trustees of the Garden and is under 20-year lease to the Richman Brothers 
Clothing Company. 

The building at 508-510 Washington Avenue which houses part of the 
Woolworth 5 and 10¢ Store has another such marker set in between the 
second-floor windows. This is a stone panel about 8 feet high and 2% feet 
wide. Cut in the tablet at about the center are the date, “1883,” and Mr. 
Shaw’s initials. 

That Henry Shaw possessed unusual natural business ability and pro- 
ceeded as systematically with his commercial affairs as with the development 
of his Garden and Park, no one can deny.—Marvin McAdams. 


THE RUIN 


Covering the block now occupied by Stix, Baer and Fuller, also known 
as the Grand Leader, the seven-story Lindell Hotel which was opened to the 
public on Oct. 19, 1863, was rated the finest west of New York. It housed 
the Board of Trade and the Y.M.C.A. Here on Sept. 8, 1866, President 
Andrew Johnson, General Ulysses §. Grant, Admiral David Farragut, and 
General Winfield S$. Hancock were entertained. 

During the night of March 30, 1867, fire was discovered on an upper 
floor of the 530-room hostelry. Prompt sounding of the alarm enabled every 
occupant to escape, but efforts of firemen to stop the conflagration were 
fruitless. By morning the $2,000,000 structure was nothing but a shell. 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 53 


From the ruins of this first Lindell Hotel, a number of stone blocks were 
selected to be used in forming a rockery on the north bank and a fountain 
base in the pond at Tower Grove Park. The effects of water under high 
pressure and fire had made these pieces of Joliet limestone look as though 
they had been cut centuries before. 

In 1873, these large stones, including some broken columns, were laid 
together in an artistic arrangement to resemble a ruined facade having an 
irregular but graceful outline. This ruin is the feature that more than any- 
thing else stamps the name “Victorian” upon Tower Grove. All the author- 
ities on landscape design during the mid-nineteenth century thought that 
one of the most delightful features for a public park on a private estate was 
a bit of “architectural antiquity” preferably situated where a reflection of 
it could be seen in a smooth sheet of water. Although this pond is not large 
enough to permit boating, it affords an ideal spot for the youngsters of the 
area who have toy boats to sail—Joan Grassmuck. 


CHRONOLOGICAL HISTORY OF THE EARLY DAYS OF 
SHAW’S GARDEN 


1800—Henry Shaw born on July 24. 

1820—Henry Shaw visited what is now “Shaw’s Garden” for the first time. 
It was called “La Prairie de la Barriére 4 Denoyer’” from Louis Den- 
oyer, who kept the gate of the fence by which the commons of the 
old village of St. Louis was surrounded. No trees growing on the 
land then except “three venerable cottonwoods.” 

1839—Shaw retired—see ‘Life of Shaw” BULLETIN. 

1840—Land for ‘“Shaw’s Garden” was acquired by purchase from Thomas 
Jefferson Payne. Payne had laid it out as a race-track, the center of 
which was in a grove of trees. Shaw built his house near this grove, 
and, because it had a tower, he called his property ‘““Tower Grove.” 
Price of property not given. 

1849—Mansion at Tower Grove completed. 

1851—Idea of Garden born while Shaw visited estate at Chatsworth, Eng- 
land. 

1855—Plan of Missouri Botanical Garden (Henry Shaw, himself, wished it 
called that) had been determined on, drains constructed, and wall 
commenced. 

1856—1857—Engelmann purchased books and Bernhardi herbarium in Europe. 
His influence and the encouragement of Sir William Hooker, then 
Director of Royal Botanic Gardens, at Kew, England, decided Shaw 
to build a library and museum building. 


54 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 


1857—Shaw writes in his diary that ‘‘the Garden has been trenched over 2 
feet deep (cost $1,000.00) and in fine order for planting anything— 
2 large tanks, 10,000 gals.—2 wells . . . Drains and tanks cost 
$2,000.00. Am now building the walls of stone and brick ... two 
sides cost $6,000.00 . .. I intend to have everything substantial and 
elegant . . . I shall commence the ornamental planting next spring.” 

1858—Stone wall on the west side and brick wall coped with stone on north 
sides finished at a cost of $8,000.00. Plant houses and rosarium, also 
entrance lodge, commenced. Old gateway completed in 1858 from 
a design of George I. Barnett’s. 

1860—Museum and library building completed at a cost of $25,000. First 
curator (August Fendler) of Garden and Museum appointed. Arbo- 
retum and Fruticetum started, “comprising all the trees that grow in 
this climate and locality.”” Trees mostly planted in rows, and many 
measured each year to get the rate of growth. Unfortunately, many 
of them were destroyed by the tornado of 1896. 

1868-69—The plants having outgrown the original greenhouses, a palm 
house with additional wings for “moist and temperate house” built. 
“The learned Agassiz was here,” writes Shaw, “and was much pleased 
with our Garden... The Garden was visited by increased numbers the 
past summer. I think not less than 40 to 50 thousand. I do wish 
we had something more interesting and instructive for the inspection 
of such multitudes.” 

1870’s—Orchids began to demand attention, the Garden collection having 
been started by a gift from Mrs. Henry T. Blow of the orchids col- 
lected by her in Brazil. 

1882—Linnean House (so called from the bust of Linnaeus over the door- 
way) completed, the only greenhouse built by Shaw still extant. 

1885—Engelmann died, and Shaw, wishing to commemorate his memory, 
consulted Prof. Asa Gray about founding the Henry Shaw School of 
Botany, and establishing the Engelmann professorship of botany at 
Washington University. Engelmann’s valuable herbarium and library 
were given to the Garden. Dr. William Trelease appointed first En- 
gelmann Professor in the Shaw School of Botany. 

1889—Henry Shaw died on August 25. By his will all his property, except 
some personal bequests, was left to a board of trustees to administer 
the Missouri Botanical Garden. 

1890—Dr. Trelease made first Director of the Garden. School for Gardening 
established at the Missouri Botanical Garden. 

N.C.H. 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 55 


PLANT NAMES FOUND IN MISSOURI TOWNS! 
JULIAN A. STEYERMARK 
The origin of some names of Missouri towns is still obscure and a matter 
for future investigation, but most of them have been traced now to their 
sources. Apparently, the more primitive the people the closer is their rela- 
tionship to the animal and plant life surrounding them. According to Eaton 
(Mo. Hist. Rev., vol. 10, p. 197): 


“The aborigines always used descriptive names for topographic features . 
every place name had a significant meaning. They were not arbitrary names. It 
remained for the later, more cultivated and mixed races to give arbitrary names, or 
to transplant them from some other tongues or some other land. The original tribe 
of Indians living in Missouri has a name for all prominent topographic features of 
the country. 


“The history of Missouri may be very well traced in its place names. First come 
the Indian names, usually of some stream or topographic feature, then the French, 
who were the first explorers, trappers and traders or ‘voyageurs’ as they were called, 
afterward, a few Spanish, followed by the American, mixed with the foreign element 
of Irish and German. 

“Of the one hundred and fourteen counties in the State of Missouri ninety-nine 
have personal, two have state names, four Indian names, while the remaining nine are 
derived from geographical features.” 

In this connection it is interesting to note the number of places which 
have commemorated either the common or scientific name of a plant or 
something associated with a plant. The oak and cedar were called upon 
most frequently, and pine, ‘apple, walnut, rose, maple, linden, elm, osage 
orange, sycamore, holly, wheat, and ash were popular in the order given. 

The following localities, although bearing names of plants or names 
seemingly related to botany, were actually not derived from botanical sources: 
Yarrow, in Adair County, was named for a river in Scotland; Mayflower, in 
Barry County, commemorated the vessel that brought over the Pilgrim 
Fathers; Spruce, in Bates County, named for Spruce Township; Ashland, in 
Boone County, for the home of Henry Clay in Kentucky; Linneus, in Linn 
County, was not given in honor of the great botanist, but for Senator Lewis 
F. Linn, for whom the county was also named, this gentleman apparently 
preferring that name to Linnyille, the name first suggested; and Houstonia 
(botanical name for Bluets or Innocence), in Pettis County, was named for 
Gen. Thomas F. Houston, who lived in the vicinity. 

The following list, arranged alphabetically by counties, includes those 
names associated with plants or plant life. 


1The writer is greatly indebted for aid in preparing this paper to various sources, especially 
to Mr. Floyd C. Shoemaker, Secretary of the State Historical Society of Missouri; Mrs. J. A. 
Merva, Acting Secretary of the Poplar Bluff Chamber of Commerce; Mr. Louis W. Reps, 
Springfield Chamber of Commerce; and Mrs. Martha Dykstra, Kirksville Chamber of Com- 
merce; and to the following published works: Eaton, David W. How Missouri counties, 
towns and streams were named. Mo. Hist. Rev. vol. 10, pp. 197-213, 263-287. 1915-16; 
vol. 11, pp. 164-200, 330-347. 1916-17; vol. 13:57-74. 1918-19; Ramsay, Read, and 
Leach. Introduction to a survey of Missouri place-names. Univ. Mo. Studies, vol. 9, pp. 
1-124 (especially pp. 36-37 and 103). 1934. 


56 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 


CouUNTY Prace NAME ORIGIN OF NAME 
Atchison Linden For Linn (or Linden) trees originally growing there. 
Tarkio Named for the river on which it is situated. Tarkio is 
an Indian word meaning “walnut” or ‘‘a stream where 
walnuts grow.” 
Barry Wheaton 
Bates Mulberry 
Benton Poplar 
Bollinger Greenbrier Named for the well-known vine (Smilax). 
Buchanan Rushville Named for the dense growth of rushes near by (probably 
Scirpus). 
Willow Brook Named for a willow-bordered stream near by. 
Butler Poplar Bluff Site formerly covered with immense yellow poplar or 
tulip trees”. 
‘Ash Hill The origin of this... group of very recent place-names 


has been solved for us by the discovery of their 
creator, Mr. William N. Barron®, of Poplar Bluff, who 
writes: “The tree names were all adopted between 
1905 and 1915. The reason botanical names were 
selected was because, after planning townsites and es- 
tablishing villages, we didn’t want the government to 
insist on changing the names selected on account of 
duplication.” Of these names, Fagus, Nyssa, Platanus, 
and Quercus may still be found on maps. 

Celtis Celtis, he states, is the botanical name for hackberry, 
which belongs to the elm family. It is a common tree 
in Southeast Missouri, and the timber is used indis- 
criminately with elm, 

Fagus Fagus (beech) is found generally in groups of three or 
four, sometimes singly. Mr. Barron does not know 
whether there were any beech trees in the immediate 
vicinity of the town of Fagus, although it does occur 
in this section. 


2“The first act of the County Court in 1829 was to appoint commissioners to select a 
county seat for Butler County, and they, with the consent of the court, selected what is 
now Poplar Bluff as the capitol of Butler County. It was then a howling wilderness covered 
with a heavy growth of immense poplar or tulip trees, many of which were six feet in 
diameter, hence the name Poplar Bluff was selected for the community which was nearly 
in the center of the county.”—(Deems’ History of Butler County, quoted in letter of 
November 29, 1948, from Mrs. J. A. Merva, Poplar Bluff Chamber of Commerce.) 


%Ramsay, Reed and Leech (Univ. Mo. Studies, vol. 9, pp. 36-38) stated: “Mr. Barron 
- + + Was secretary and attorney for the Butler County Railroad from 1907 to 1925, and was 
the vice-president and general manager from 1908 to 1925... . During his administration, 
Mr. Barron has purchased and had charge of 175,000 acres of land through which the rail- 
road was built, and which supplied the mill that converted the gums and elms into barrel 
staves and heading. Mr. Barron is also a member of the board of supervisors of the Inter- 
River Drainage District, which reclaimed the land from overflow. He is besides a large 
stock-holder in and an attorney for the Liberty National Life Insurance Company. So he 
has every right to supply Butler County with as many appropriate place-names as he 
pleases.” 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 57 


CouNTY PraceE NAME ORIGIN OF NAME 

Butler Hicoria Hicoria! is the botanical name for the hickories, which 
are abundant in the section. Shell Bark Hickory is 
Hicoria ovata and the big Shell Bark is Hicoria 
laciniosa. 

Ilex Ilex is holly, but holly does not occur in bottomlands of 
this section. 

Nyssa There are two Nyssas—sylvatica and aquatica. The 
former is Black Gum, the latter Tupelo. 

Quercus Quercus is the botanical name for the oaks. There are 
12 or 13 different species, but all are Quercus. 

Ulmus Ulmus (Elm) is very common, and there are several 
species. 

Platanus Mr. Barron adds: ‘“‘Hicoria, Ulmus, Nyssa, and Quercus 
were selected by Mr. Charles Langlotz and myself .. . 
Another name of a little sawmill settlement and switch 
on the railroad, located about two miles north of 
Fagus, of course, in Missouri, is called Platanus, which 
is the book name for sycamore.” 

Callaway Cedar City Named for the cedar trees which were abundant on the 
bank and bluffs. 

Shamrock Mr. Eaton attributes the name to the national emblem 
of the Irish, while, according to Mr. James P. Cov- 
ington (quoted by Eaton), the town was named for 
a big rock near the place where the first postoffice 
was located. 

Camden Linn Creek Named for the creek on which it was situated. The 
creek was named for the many Linn (Linden) trees 
that originally grew on its banks. 

Cape Girardeau | Appleton 

Daisy 

Oak Ridge 

Carroll Sugartree 

Cass Lonetree 

Cedar Arnica The county was named for its principal stream. The 

Cedar Springs stream was named for the cedar trees which are plenti- 
ful on its bluffs. 

Christian Linden 

Clay Maple Park 

Linden Named for the Linn trees originally growing there. 

Cooper Cotton 

Lone Elm 

Crawford Cherry Valley 

Oakhill 

Dade Cedarville 


* Actually, Carya is the accepted name for hickory.—J.A.S. 


58 


CouNTY 


Dallas 


Douglas 


Dunklin 


Franklin 


Gasconade 


Gentry 


Greene 


Henry 


Hickory 


Howell 


Iron 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 


Prace Name 


ORIGIN oF Namt 


Cloverdale 
Olive 

Pumpkin Center 
Red Top 
Dogwood 


Cottonplant 


Hollywood 


Rushcreek 
W hiteoak 


Cedar Fork 
Clover Bottom 


Oak Hill 
Rosebud 


Alanthus Grove 


Ash Grove 
Bois d’Arc 


Palmetto 


Walnut Grove 


Piper 


Roseland 


Wheatland 


Pomona 


Willow Springs 


Pippin 
Viburnum 


Named because cotton is a staple product and cotton gins 
are jocated here. 

Named for the holly tree. 

Named for rush-covered banks of creek on which it is 
located (probably Equisetum). 

Named for the oak species, Quercus alba, 


Although I have not been able to verify it, it would 
appear that the name was based on the Tree-of- 
heaven (Ailanthus altissima). 


Named from a grove of ash timber lying near by. 

“Named from the Osage Orange, much used at one time 
as a hedge. In 1844, Mr. Goodwin put out a long 
hedge on his place and as he had just been appointed 
postmaster, it suggested the name. When the _post- 
office was moved to its present site, the name was 
retained.” (Eaton, Mo. Hist., Rev., vol. 9). 

Mr. Louis W. Reps, of the Springfield Chamber of Com- 
merce, in a letter of November 27, 1948, writes: 
“From an official of the Frisco Railroad, we learned 
that, at the time when they were selecting a name for 
this stop on the railroad, a man from Florida sug- 
gested the name of Palmetto [Sabal] honoring the 
trees of Florida. The decision was left to Mr. Will 
Tribolet, a merchant who made a trip to Florida, and 
after seeing the Palmetto Trees, they decided on that 
name.” 


Named for the productive wheat fields surrounding the 
town. 


‘Named for the goddess of fruits, being situated in a 
| fruit country. 
ee because the spring was originally surrounded by 


this kind of tree. 


From the apple of that name. 
Named by a physician for the medicinal plant Viburnum 


(Black Haw).” 


°A letter received November 17, 1948, from Mr. Clifford Parmer, Secretary of the Arcadia 
Valley Chamber of Commerce, gives the following information: 


“About 1900, the Shgo 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 59 


CouNTY Prace NAME ORIGIN OF NAME 
Jackson Lone Jack From the fact that a lone Black Jack Oak stood on the 
original site. 
Oak Grove Laid out in 1878 in an oak grove. 
Jasper Maple Grove 
Jefferson Cedar Hill 
Johnson Elm 
Magnolia | 
Postoak {Named for the Postoak (Quercus stellata). 
Rose Hill 
| 
Knox Fabius and According to Eaton: “Name derived from the Spanish 
Fabius River word ‘faba’, a pea or bean, and the river so named 
because on its banks originally grew wild peas which 
were good early pasture for the horses of the ex- 
| plorers.””® 
| Hedge City From the fence of Osage Orange commonly called hedge. 
Locust Hill 
Laclede Hazel Green Probably named for the Hazelnut (Corylus). 
Oakland 
Lawrence Orange 
Red Oak 
Livingston | Avalon Named for the town of “Avallon” in France. It is a 
Celtic word meaning ‘apple tree.” The town is note- 
worthy also as being the birthplace of the American 
botanist, Paul C. Standley. 
McDonald | Pineville So named from the pine lands near by; it was the seat 
of the “pine war.” 
Marion Oakwood 
Mississippi Buckeye Named for the Ohio Buckeye (Aesculus glabra). 
Montgomery Bellflower From the variety of apple of that name. 
Ozark Locust 
Sycamore 
Pemiscot Cottonwood Point 


Furnace Company acquired vast amounts of timber land, either by ownership or lease, all 
situated in the west end of Iron County. What is now Viburnum was located fairly well 
in the central part of these lands, and a practicing physician, Dr. J. C. Mincher, thought 
it well to establish a town. He submitted three names—Lone Pine, Viburnum, and the third 
we have been unable to ascertain. Inasmuch as the Doctor was partial to Viburnum, because 
of the medical qualities of the Black Haw, this name was chosen. This was about 1902 
or 1903. During operation of the Sligo Furnace Company in cutting timber, the town was 
fairly lively, but at present consists of a postoffice and store, with eight or ten dwellings. 
The Doctor has been dead for several years but his widow survives him and lives at 
Viburnum.” 

®It is not certain just what kind of wild pea is indicated here. It may be either Apios, 
Amphicarpa, or Strophostyles; it is too far north of the known range of Phaseolus poly- 
stachyus. 


60 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 
CouNTY Pract NAME OricGIN OF NAME 
Phelps Blooming Rose 
Polk Violet 
Putnam Mapleton 
Ray Crab Orchard 
Ripley Acorn 
Pine 


St. Charles 


St. Louis 


Shannon 


Shelby 


Stoddard 


Taney 


Wright 


Black Walnut 
Cedar Pyramid 


Maplewood 
Oakland 

Old Orchard 
Pinelawn 
Pinewood 


Royal Oak 
Birch Creek 


Birch Tree 


Cedar Grove 


Pinegrove 


Cherry Box 
Oak Dale 


Acorn Ridge 
Bloomfield 


Charteroak 


Cedar Creek 
Cedar Valley 
Pine Top 
Walnut Shade 


Cedar Gap 


From a promontory which stands out at a distance of 
12-15 feet in front of a great cliff in the bottom, and 
for many years had a cedar tree growing on its top. 


From an apple orchard that occupied the original site. 


From the birch trees (Betula nigra) that grew along its 
bank. 

Named from a small grove of birch trees (the only ones 
for miles around) that stood near the site of the first 
postoffice, about two miles down Birch Creek from its 
present site. 


Named from the many fine oaks along a dale near by. 


Named because at the time the land was platted it was 
covered with flowers. 


NOTES 


Recent visitors to the Garden include Dr. Emilio Willems, of the Uni- 
versity of Sao Paulo, Brazil, and Visiting Professor Dept. Sociology and 
Anthropology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tenn.; Mr. Jan de Graaff, 
Head of Oregon Bulb Farms, Sandy, Oregon; Mr. Henry Allen Moe, Director 
General, Guggenheim Memorial Foundation; Mr. John O. Taylor, of the 
Botanical Gardens, Christchurch, New Zealand; Mr. William G. Hassler, of 
the Nashville Children’s Museum, Nashville, Tenn. 


THE MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN 


Richard J. Lockwood 
Daniel K. Catlin 


Eugene Pettus.__________...-- 


L. Ray Carter 
Dudley French 
Henry Hitchcock 


Arthur H. Compton 
Joseph M. Darst 
R. Harris Cobb. 
William Scarlett. 


BOARD OF TRUSTEES 


President 
Vice-President 
Second Vice-President 

John S. Lehmann 

George T. Moore 

A. Wessel Shapleigh 
Ethan A. H. Shepley 


EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS 

Chancellor, Washington University 
Pesan cans Mayor of the City of St. Louis 
President, St. Louis Academy of Science 


Ss Bishop of the Diocese of Missouri 


William Schumacher 


_ President, Board of Education of St. Louis 


Gerald Ulrici -...........---.-----------------------------—-----—-- _..... secretary 
STAFF 
George T. Moore_.-.-...-.----—-----------------—-—------- nnn ___ Director 
Hermann von Schrenk.._.-...--------—----------—------------------------—-------------- Pathologist 
Jesse M. Greenman _...Curator Emeritus of Herbarium 
Carroll W. Dodge___-.....------—-—----————-----——-- ~~ = nnn Mycologist 
Edgar Anderson __.--.-—------———----——---------—-w-0 Geneticist 
Robert E. Woodson, Jr. --------------------ee-eenee Curator of Herbarium 
Henry N. Andrews...------------- _Paleobotanist 
Robert W. Schery---------- sc abichsdiessaub a Gelneanciohdetincascsaea els Wate Research Associate 
Gustav A. L. Mehlquist_..__........-_____--....._- Research Horticulturist 
Rolla M. Tryon ee ___ Assistant Curator of Herbarium 
George B. Van Schaack.............------.-------.-- Honorary Curator of Grasses 
Julian A. Steyermark____...----------------------------------- Honorary Research Associate 
Nell <o Homer... Librarian and Editor 
oP ONE ie Ue ae aie ncnnMcnrmemicrs | 07 Cee. TTY os 
George H. Pring..-..--...------------------------------------ = Superintendent 
er OE ie 2, | ee ence ene cnnnen nnn Gene emEanASeensee 9 Floriculturist 
Ladislaus Cutak_...._. In charge of Succulents 


Kenneth A. Smith ~ 


August P. Beilmann 


G. R. Lowry = : 
Paul H. Allen —.....— 


a ee ee ee _ Engineer 
__...Manager of the Arboretum, Gray Summit 
In charge of Orchids 
_.....Tropical Plant Collector 


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MISSOURI BOTANICAL 
GARDEN BULLETIN 


CONTENTS 
Wild Orchids of Missouri Orchids in the Home 
Wild Orchids at the Garden Yellow in the Early Spring 
A New Foliage Plant Report on Spring 1950 
Notes 


Volume XXXVIII April, 1950 Number 4 


Cover: Cypripedium reginae, a native Missouri orchid. Photograph by Cora Steyermark. 


Editorial Office: Missouri Botanical Garden, 2315 Tower Grove Avenue, 
St. Louis 10, Missouri. 

Published monthly except July and August by the Board of Trustees of the 
Missouri Botanical Garden. Subscription price: $2.50 a year. 

Othce of publication: 306 E. Simmons Street, Galesburg, Illinois. 


Entered as second-class matter January 26, 1942, at the post-office at Gales- 
burg, Ilinois, under the Act of March 3, 1879. 


Please: Do not discard a copy of the Bulletin. If you have no further use for yours 
pass it along to a friend or return it to the Garden. Return postage will 
be guaranteed. 


Missouri Botanical 
Garden Bulletin 


Vol. XXXVIII APRIL, 1950 No. 4 


WILD ORCHIDS OF MISSOURI 
JULIAN A. STEYERMARK 


When orchids are mentioned in connection with Missouri, most people 
think immediately of the exotic plants growing in greenhouses at the Missouri 
Botanical Garden. Yet the wild orchids found throughout Missouri are both 
varied and interesting. Altogether thirty-two different kinds have been 
found, and one of them, the Showy Lady’s Slipper (Cypripedium reginae) is 
among the most beautiful of all wild flowers in the United States. 

Practically none of Missouri’s wild orchids are very common, but the 
following eight species are very rare, being found in but one county: the 
Green Wood Orchid (Habenaria clavellata), Large Whorled Isotria (Isotria 
verticillata), Isotria medeoloides, Helleborine (Epipactis latifolia), Rose 
Pogonia (Pogonia ophioglossoides), Downy Rattlesnake Plantain (Good yera 
pubescens), Yellow Coral-root (Corallorrhiza trifida var. verna), and Loesel’s 
Twayblade (Liparis Loeselii). Of these, the Downy Rattlesnake Plantain 
was first discovered in Missouri in 1928; Loesel’s Twayblade in 1936; and 
just last year the Rose Pogonia was discovered by Mr. Bill Bauer. With addi- 
tional exploration, other species may possibly be added to Missouri’s list. 
Only three of these species known from but one county have ever been re- 
collected since their discovery. Isotria medcoloides (1. affinis), described as 
a new species in 1867, is one of the rarest orchids in the United States. Its 
sole Missouri record is based upon a collection made in 1898 by Mr. Colton 
Russell, near Glen Allen, Bollinger County, and preserved in the Herbarium 
of the Missouri Botanical Garden. The writer has twice visited the area in 
hope of re-discovering this species, each time without success. It is said to 
be partial to level ground in rich, deciduous forest not subject to inundation. 

One of the smallest and most inconspicuous of the wild Missouri orchids 
is the Adder’s-mouth (Malaxis unifolia). Rising just a few inches above the 
surface of the ground and with a single pale green clasping leaf surmounted 
by a slender column of tiny green flowers, it blends so well with the sur- 


rounding dense foliage and underbrush that it is with difficulty singled out. 


(61) 


62 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 


The showiest of the wild orchids in Missouri belong to the Lady Slipper 
clan (Cypripedium). There are four different species in Missouri, of which 
Cypripedium reginae (Showy Lady’s Slipper) is undoubtedly the most beauti- 
ful. It is very rare and mostly found in the southern Ozark region, growing 
on shaded limestone bluffs where the water seeps out during the year. In the 
northern states it usually inhabits tamarack or white cedar swamps or swales 


in sand dunes. Unlike the other Lady’s Slippers in Missouri which show a 


marked preference for acid soils, the Showy Lady’s Slipper prefers limey to 


Showy Lady’s Slipper (Cypripedium Showy Lady’s Slipper growing wild in 
reginae) on limestone bluff in Howell Ozark County. 
County. 


neutral situations. It also blooms somewhat later than the others, starting 
about the middle or end of May and continuing throughout the first two 
weeks in June. In the northern states it blooms about a month later than 
this. Usually the Yellow Lady’s Slipper (Cypripedium Calceolus var. parvi- 
florum) comes into flower in Missouri as early as the last part of April. The 
Small White Lady’s Slipper (Cypripedium candidum), a very rare species in 
the state, flowers at about the same time, sometimes a week or two later. 


Many Missourians who think of the Ozarks as a haven for wild flowers 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 63 


will be surprised to learn that the Yellow Lady’s Slipper is much more com- 
mon and abundant in the northern half of the state. The writer has seen 
hill slopes in various parts of northern Missouri covered with hundreds of 
beautiful blossoms of this species, while in the Ozarks they are at best found 
scattered here and there. Similarly, the Showy Orchis (Orchis spectabilis) 
and Large Twayblade (Liparis lilifolia) seem to occur in greater concentra- 
tion in northern Missouri. Here fifty or more plants of these species may be 
encountered in a favored locality as compared with only one to a few in 
the Ozarks. 

Although in the tropics a number of species of orchids may be found in 
bloom at different times of the year, probably the majority of them come 
into bloom during the dry season, especially at its beginning or end. Our 
native Missouri orchids also have their special blooming season. The latter 
part of March starts off the orchid parade in Missouri with the Coral-root 
(Corallorrhiza Wisteriana). In April comes the Showy Orchis (Orchis 
spectabilis) and Yellow Lady’s Slipper (Cypripedium Calceolus var. parvi- 
florum). One of the Ladies’ Tresses, the rare Spiranthes lucida, may be found 
during May and the first part of June in moist places such as near small spring- 
fed streams and on rocky ledges near water. In July the slender columns of 
small, white hooded blossoms of the Downy Rattlesnake Plantain (Good yera 
pubescens) become evident, but only where the La Motte sandstone outcrops 
in Ste. Genevieve County. In that same month there suddenly springs into 
bloom the lovely rose-colored flowers of the recently discovered Rose Pogonia 
(Pogonia ophioglossoides), lurking practically hidden in one swampy meadow 
in Reynolds County. The hot summer months may find the Crested Coral- 
root (Hevalectris spicata) in bloom in rich woodlands and cedar banks. This 
orchid, like other so-called Coral-root orchids (Corallorrhiza), is saprophytic 
and destitute of any green coloring. All other Missouri orchids have one or 
more green leaves at some stage of their growing period. The Adam-and-Eve 
orchid (Aplectrum hyemale) is the most remarkable, however, for in late 
autumn it sends up a solitary, ribbed, dark green, Aspidistra-like leaf that 
remains evergreen throughout the winter. The flowers appear in May and 
June, and may or may not be accompanied by the leaf. Most frequently the 
leaf has already died down to the ground by the time the flower stalk appears. 

The Ladies’ Tresses clan (Spiranthes) accounts for most of the autumn 
orchid display in Missouri. As late as November members of this genus may 
be in evidence. The smallest of the group, Little Ladies’ Tresses (Spiranthes 
Grayi [S. Beckii]), has a solitary, elongated tuberous root and a spiral row 
of small white flowers, while the Slender Ladies’ Tresses (S. gracilis) has 
usually a pair of tuberous roots and somewhat larger flowers. Both grow 


commonly in dry, acid, thin soils on open oak-hickory ridges and flat upland 


64 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 


Yellow Lady’s Slipper 
(Cypripedium Calceolus var. pubescens) 


expanses of forest. The Nodding Ladies’ Tresses (S. cernua), one of the 
commonest of Missouri orchids, is similar to the two preceding, but has much 
larger and showier, several-ranked spikes of white flowers, and a cluster of 
several, elongated, tuberous roots. Instead of the woodland habitat of the 
other Spiranthes, it chooses open sunny places, either in prairies, meadows, or 
rocky glades. It is very commonly encountered on limestone “barrens.” 
These autumnal Ladies’ Tresses send up their flowering stalks mostly unac- 
companied by leaves. The leaves may be seen as rosettes earlier in the year 
during the wet spring months, but later on wither and die to the ground. 
After a short resting season, the solitary erect flower spike suddenly appears 
above the ground. Another late-autumn orchid is the delicate Nodding Log 
Orchis (Pogonia trianthophora). Yt usually is found in rich bottom woods 
and often is associated with decaying logs. Its delicate tuberous root anchors 
the slender stem loosely just beneath the surface of the ground, near rotting 


logs and leaves, usually where decaying humus and fungous growth abound. 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 65 


WILD ORCHIDS ON GARDEN GROUNDS 
LOUIS G. BRENNER 


Most people know that the main body of the Garden orchid collection is 
housed in the greenhouses at the Arboretum, but few realize that in the 
forest preserve of the Arboretum and nearby meadow, and also on the rich 
loessal hills of Hidden Valley, several interesting species of native orchids may 
be found. Among these are the Crested Coral-root (Hewalectris spicata) 
growing in the Red Cedar Brakes in August, Nodding Ladies’ Tresses 
(Spiranthes cernua) found on the glades in September to late October, and 
Slender Ladies’ Tresses (Spiranthes gracilis) abundant in the upland meadows 
in the late summer and early autumn. At Hidden Valley, near St. Albans, 
Mo., the Coral-root Orchid (Corallorrhiza wisteriana) is found in spring in 
considerable numbers. The Small Yellow Lady’s Slipper (Cypripedium Calce- 
olus var. parviflorum), introduced into the forest preserve of the Arboretum 
in 1940, is established and has been blooming for the past several springs. It is 
hoped that with the reconstruction of a rich, deep, forest mold, and the matur- 
ing of the forest trees, more species of native orchids might be successfully 
introduced to make our Garden grounds the center for the most comprehensive 
collection of native orchids as well as for an already-famous collection of 


exotic species and hybrids. 


ORCHIDS IN THE HOME 
GUSTAV A. L. MEHLQUIST 


Since the middle of the last century orchids have been the aristocrats of 
the greenhouse and conservatory. This is readily understandable as the exotic 
beauty of these tropical and subtropical plants has no counterpart among the 
plants found in the temperate zones. 

Naturally the question is often asked whether orchids can be grown in 
the home. The question is not one that can be answered yes or no without 
qualification, for home conditions vary considerably especially with regard 
to temperature and humidity. In general, it may be said that the average 
home is kept too warm at night and that the relative humidity is too low 
during the winter season. Orchids coming as they do from many different 
climatic regions naturally vary as to their requirements with respect to heat, 
humidity, and many other things but generally those requiring the highest 
night temperatures (around 60-65" or even 70° F.) also require the highest 
humidity and conversely those that can get along with a relatively low 
humidity require also a relatively low night temperature (50-60). In 
other words, those that could get along with the relatively high tempera- 
tures maintained in most thermostatically controlled homes require more 


66 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 


humidity than is likely to prevail and those that are adapted to lower 
humidity require lower night temperatures than are ordinarily maintained. 
However, many homes today have humidity control as well as temperature 
control and when it is realized that a humidity higher than that of the 
average home during the winter gives a sensation of greater comfort to 
human beings as well as providing better conditions for house plants, humid- 
ity control in the home will be more generally appreciated. In the mean- 
time, any one contemplating growing orchids in his home will have to choose 
his plants with care and do what he can toward providing suitable conditions. 
Judging from the ingenuity, skill, and perseverence displayed in raising such 
plants as African Violets (Saintpaulia) and many kinds of Begonia, there is 
little reason to doubt that a determined amateur gardener with a green 
thumb could grow certain orchids in his home should he so desire. 


Many would-be orchid growers are perplexed about what to grow the 
plants in, the assumption being that all orchids are parasitic and therefore 
must have special composts. Actually orchids are not parasitic, but most of 
the tropical genera are epiphytic (from epi, meaning upon, and phyte, 
plant); that is, they attach themselves to the bark of suitable tree species, 
and with part of their root system in the bark and the rest of it hanging free 
in the air they eke out a meager existence by living on the minerals available 
in the bark or those brought down by tropical rain. When orchids were 
first introduced to horticulture, attempts were made to grow them on pieces 
of logs with bark attached or in clumps of fern roots fastened to a piece of 
wood that could be suspended from the roof of the greenhouse. However, it 
was soon found that the plants could be grown as well and more conveniently 
in pots. After trying a great number of materials it was found that the 
majority of the epiphytic orchids could be grown well in a mixture consisting 
largely of fern roots. ‘Today orchids are usually grown in so-called osmunda 
fiber, which is simply the roots of the Osmunda fern which is to be found in 
swampy areas of the eastern United States. A little sphagnum moss is often 
added, and for the terrestrial orchids (growing on the ground) often a little 
turfy loam and leaf mold, but the osmunda fiber is the main ingredient. One 
reason for the widespread success with osmunda fiber is undoubtedly the fact 
that with proper watering it retains a favorable acidity level in the pots 
(most orchids are acid-loving plants) while it slowly decays. During the 
process of decay it provides the necessary nutrients at a rate suitable to a 
diversity of orchids. 

During the war and the years immediately after, many attempts were 
made to grow orchids in other media than osmunda fiber which had become 
both scarce and high-priced. Now that it is again available, though some- 
what expensive, many growers have gone back to it while others prefer to 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 67 


use some of the “newer” materials. These materials range from such inor- 
ganics as cinders, haydite, gravel, or granite chips to organics such as leaf 
mold, peat moss, sphagnum moss, and tanner’s bark. Probably not all of 
these materials have been used by any one grower, since the selection of suit- 
able potting compost depends not only on the kind of orchid to be grown but 
also on whether nutrient solutions are to be used in order to speed up the 
growth. 

Nutrient solutions are required when the plants are grown in the non- 
organic media but are often also beneficial when the organic media are used. 
In general, it can be said that members of the Cattleya group (Cattleya, 
Brassavola, Epidendrum, and Laelia) have been grown as well in inorganic 
materials whereas members of the Cymbidium and Cypripedium groups have 
not yet been very successfully grown in any inorganic medium. Since the 
latter groups are the ones that have lent themselves best to other organic 
materials than osmunda fiber, this circumstance has proved no particular hard- 
ship. Most orchids that are commonly seen in collections are acid-loving 
plants, and require a compost that is rather on the acid side. Although it is 
possible to regulate the acidity by means of several chemicals it is usually 
better to use a compost of the proper acidity and to use chemicals only to 
supplement the nutrient value of the compost. Ordinarily, an acidity level 
of pH 5-6 or even 6.5 will suit most orchids (pH 7 being neutral). Good 
quality osmunda fiber usually is quite acid, testing from pH 4 to 5.5. Peat 
moss, sphagnum moss, and oak or beech leaf mold usually run from about 
pH 4.5 to 6. Tanner’s bark and similar materials sometimes available may 
run from pH 5 all the way to pH 7. The figures are those of the standard 
pH scale universally used today in measuring acidity. 

In using osmudine it is absolutely necessary to learn the proper technique 
of potting so that a uniformly firm pack be obtained throughout the pot, 
otherwise the osmudine will retain too much water and decompose too 
quickly. As this potting technique requires experience and strong hands 
many amateurs favor composts that are easier to handle. Now this is the 
point at which all semblance of agreement among growers breaks down. 
However, good results may be obtained with so many variations in propor- 
tions and kinds of materials that I shall merely list those mixtures that I have 
found useful and not make any claim whatever that they could not be 
improved upon. 

As already stated, members of the Cattleya group can be grown to per- 
fection in purely inorganic materials. So much has been written on this 
subject and the technique is so well covered in the references listed at the 
end of this article that it will not be further discussed here except to point 
out that work done in various parts of this country indicates that the 


68 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 


PAPHIOPEDILUM GAUDIANUM 
An interesting hybrid of HarrissiANUM parentage 
(P. HarristaNnum X P. Curtisi‘) 


nutrient solutions need not be nearly as strong as was formerly thought. 
Excellent results have been obtained by using solutions of about 149 the 
concentrations recommended for other plants. The orchid is a slow growing 
plant at best and cannot be made to grow as rapidly as tomatoes and carna- 
tions. The same is true when nutrient solutions are used to supplement the 
nutrients in the various organic composts used for Cymbidiums and Paphio- 
pedilums (Cypripediums). With these genera a very weak nutrient solution 
applied occasionally when the plants are in active root growth is usually bene- 
ficial but stronger solutions often produce severe injury. 

In growing the true epiphytic genera such as Cattleya, Brassavola, Epi- 
dendrum, Laelia, and Phalaenopsis, splendid results have been obtained with 
chopped osmunda fiber and 1% granite chips or non-calcareous gravel. The 


MISSOURI BCTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 69 


Left, CymMBipi1umM PUMANDER (P. pumilum X Luis SANDER); 
right, C. MINUET (C. insigne X pumilum). 


weight of the gravel causes the mixture to pack itself, and all that is neces- 
sary is to get it around the roots evenly. The nutrient solution (140 
standard strength) is then applied weekly or every two weeks when the roots 
of the plants are active. The osmunda fiber should be moistened before it is 
chopped, then run over a 14-inch mesh screen. All that goes through should 
be discarded or used for something else. 

Cymbidiums do very well in a mixture of equal parts of chopped osmunda 
fiber, oak leaf mold, and oak shavings or tanner’s bark. Being semi-terrestrial 
a small amount of bone-meal or well-rotted manure is beneficial. The os- 
munda fiber should not be chopped too finely and need not be screened. As 
this mixture is rather spongy it should be packed firmly around the roots. 
Paphiopedilums do well in a mixture of coarse oak leaf mold, and osmunda, 


with a little sphagnum moss added. If oak leaf mold is not available, a 


70 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 


mixture of >4 or 45 shredded osmunda and the rest sphagnum moss will do. 
The osmunda in this case should not be chopped but shredded or pulled apart 
—a job which can readily be done after the fiber has been moistened and 
allowed to lay overnight. Separating dry osmunda is not only hard on the 
hands but produces a very irritating dust. 

Most tropical orchids require partial shade. It is very difficult to state 
just how much, for this is dependent in part on the temperature and in part 
on the relative humidity. In general, it may be said that all the orchids 
mentioned so far require somewhat more light than do flowering Saintpaulias 
and foliage Begonias. Anyone with some aptitude for plant growing soon 
learns to recognize the gradual yellowing of the foliage that is due to too 
strong light, and will change the conditions before any real damage is done. 


Night Day | 
: temperature | temperature | Remarks 
Brassavola glauca 60° 65—80° 
nodosa 60° 65—-80° 
Cattleya Bowringiana 60° 65—-80° 
Mosstae 60° 65—80° 
Skinneri 60° 65—80° 
Trianaei 60° 65—-80° 
Cymbidium Pauwrisu 50-55° 65-80° | 
MADELEINE )  50-55° 65-80° | | Hybrids 
BurTerriy 50-55° | 65-80° | 
Any hybrid involving the — | 
species erythrostylum and \ 55-60 ° 65—-80° 
pumilum has good possibilities | 
Epidendrum O’Brienianum 60° 65-80° | Will take 
radicans 60° 65—-80° § almost full sun 
Laelia anceps 55-60° 65-80° 
Primary hybrids between Laelia and | 60° 65-80° 
Cattleya are good possibilities Sy | 
| 
Paphiopedilum barbatum | 60° 65-80° 
callosum 60° 65-80° 
Lawrenceanum 60° 65-80° 
All hybrids between these 60° 65-80° 
HarristaNUM 55-60 ° 65—80° Hybrid— 
many types 
in this class 
insigne 50-55° 65-70° 
Hybrids between insigne | 
and Spicerianum and t 55-60° 65-80° 
villosum J 
a | ‘ Require about 
Phalenopsis Shilleriana 60-65 65-80° | a ack shed 
: ; e 
hybrids 60-65 ° 65-80° J , 
as Saintpaulia 


“The names indicated in italics are species; those in caps are hybrids. 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 71 


Ordinarily, orchids suffer more severe damage from too much light than from 
too little, although too little may keep the plants from blooming regularly. 

The water requirements of orchids vary so much with the species, the 
potting mixture, and the conditions under which the plants are grown that 
no definite schedule can be suggested. Frequent overhead syringing with 
lukewarm water, especially in the firing season, and occasional heavy watering 
of the compost is usually the answer to this question. As with other plants, 
the grower has to learn the individual requirements of the species he is 
interested in. 

Since it is dangerous, or at least impractical, to use in the home the newer 
powerful insecticides now widely used in greenhouses to control scale, mealy 
bugs, thrips, and red spider mite, every precaution should be taken to secure 
plants that are free from these insects. If, nevertheless, insects do appear, 
sponging the affected parts with lukewarm water to which a small amount of 
nicotine sulphate and soap has been added will usually get rid of them. 

As has already been said, it is a most difficult task to make definite recom- 
mendations as to genera and species of orchids that will grow in the home. 
Above is a list of species that are among the easiest to grow and reasonably 
well adapted to house culture. Eventually the orchid enthusiast will realize 
how many more species and hybrids can be grown in a small greenhouse built 
for this purpose. Inexpensive models that can be attached to the home or 
built separately are now advertised in most gardening magazines. The list of 
orchids is strictly for beginners, but all of these species and hybrids are worth 
growing. For descriptions see the following references: 

1. Logan, H. B., and Lloyd C. Casper. Orchids are Easy to Grow. Ziff-Davis Publ. Co., 
Chicago. 
Northen, Rebecca T. Home Orchid Growing. Van Nostrand Co., New York. 


Watkins, J. V. ABC of Orchid Growing. Ziff-Davis Publ. Co., Chicago. 
White, E. A. American Orchid Culture. A. T. De La Mare Publ. Co. 


wh 
[merino | 


THE YELLOW IN THE EARLY SPRING LANDSCAPE 
JULIAN A. STEYERMARK 


The Missouri countryside during late March or early April looks more or 
less barren and still suggestive of a bleak winter. But here and there, break- 
ing the black monotony of leafless branches, there stand out striking patches 
of yellow which become more predominant as one travels south from St. 
Louis. Long before the rose-pink of the Redbud or the conspicuous white 
of the Flowering Dogwood appear, the yellow-flowering shrubs and trees are 
putting on their own special show. Unfortunately, most people miss this 
beautiful display of yellow because the usually blustery, rainy, or otherwise 
unsettled weather during late March is not conducive to outings. 

Six yellow-flowered native shrubs or trees and one cultivated shrub may 


72 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 


be seen in bloom at this time. They are: Goldenbell (Forsythia spp.), Sassa- 
fras (Sassafras albidum), Swamp Privet (Foresticra acuminata), Leatherwood 
(Dirca palustris), Fragrant Sumac (Rhus aromatica), and the Spicebushes 
(Lindera Benzoin and L. melissacfolium). Each has a distinctive appearance 
and can be readily recognized even from a comfortable seat behind the driving 
wheel. Not only does the yellow color differ in shade and intensity, but the 
position and abundance of the color masses and the size of the plant are 
characteristic. 

Curiously enough, the autumn-flowering Witch Hazel (Hamamelis 
virginiana), also possesses the pale yellow color of these early spring-flowering 
species. Its flowers may be seen in the forest of the southeastern Ozarks 
hanging on to the bare branches between the middle of September until 
January, well after the forest leaves have been shed. 

Forsythia.—The Goldenbell or Forsythia can be recognized easily from a 
distance by its large lemon-yellow or butter-yellow flowers, more or less 
uniformly abundant upon all the branches. Since it is a cultivated shrub, it 
is usually found around houses or near human habitation. 

Sassafras.—Sassafras being a tree is in general much taller than any of the 
other species mentioned. Its loose clusters of medium-sized pale yellow or 
greenish-yellow flowers at the tips of short upright twigs serve to distinguish it. 

Swamp Privet.—The Swamp Privet is common in swampy ground or 
along river banks in the southeastern lowlands and the southern Ozarks. It 
has small, tight, button-like clusters of mustard-yellow or greenish-yellow 
flowers uniformly set along the branches. The flower clusters are more 
abundant and more uniformly arranged than in any of the other species. 

Leatherwood.—The Leatherwood has the smallest proportion of flowers 
of any of the shrubs listed. This is due to the slow-growing, rather sparsely 
branching habit of the plant. The species inhabits rich valley bottoms or 
slopes along streams or forested bluffs. 

Fragrant Sumac.—The lemon-yellow color of the Fragrant Sumac is 
similar to that of the two kinds of Spicebush. However, the flowers are less 
abundant and are arranged in small oblong heads that stand up and away 
from the branches. The Fragrant Sumac is usually found in dry open woods, 
thickets, or rocky slopes. 

Spicebush.—Only one of the Spicebushes (Lindera Benzoin) is commonly 
encountered. The other (Lindera melissaefolium), a more southern species 
and known to occur in only a limited section of the swampy region of Ripley 
County south of Naylor, is of much lower stature, with more slender twigs 
and fewer branches. 

The following key is offered for field identification of the yellow-flowered 
ligneous spring species discussed above: 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 73 


A. Individual flowers large and bell-shaped, bright rich yellow; 
cultivated shrub near human habitation.................-..------------++--+- Goldenbell 
(Forsythia spp.) 
AA. Individual flowers small, pale yellow, lemon-yellow, or greenish- 
yellow; wild shrubs or trees. 
B. Trees; flowers greenish-yellow, in loose clusters at the tips 
of short upright twigs; glades, thickets, fence-rows, fields, 
and woodland, mostly in dry sterile soils................0.0-------------. Sassafras 
(Sassafras albidum ) 
BB. Mainly shrubs; flowers pale yellow, lemon-yellow, or mustard- 
yellow, in small compact clusters or suspended from the 
branches. 
C. Flowers tubular, in scattered few-flowered clusters hang- 
ing from the sides of straggly, sparsely branched, zigzag 
twigs; rich wooded valleys and rocky wooded slopes.......... Leatherwood 
(Dirca palustris ) 
CC. Flowers like small stars, in button-like to oblong masses 
arising directly from the twigs. 
D. Flowers in few oblong head-like masses terminating the 
twigs; dry open woods, thickets, and rocky open slopes.. Fragrant Sumac 
(Rhus aromatica) 
DD. Flowers in small rounded clusters appearing to sprout 
directly from the twigs, but not erect. 
E. Branches and flower clusters in opposite pairs; fork- 
ing of branches regular, giving symmetrical, rounded 
appearance to shrub; southeastern Missouri swamps, 
river bottoms of Mississippi, St. Francis, White and 
other southwestern Missouri rivers..............------------020+ Swamp Privet 
(Foresticra acuminata) 
EE. Branches and flower clusters alternately arranged; 
branching irregular. 
F. Commonly encountered; large shrub 5-14 feet tall; 
conspicuous branching...............-2..--------------e-eseeeeeeeeee Spicebush 
(Lindera Benzoin) 
FF. Known only from swamps south of Naylor, Ripley 
County; low shrub, 2-6 feet tall; branching sparse.. Spicebush 
(Lindera melissaefolia) 


QUINTENNIAL REPORT ON SPRING 
ROBERT W. SCHERY 

Since the recent war it has been my pleasure to observe the advent of 
spring in St. Louis as expressed in the flowering of outdoor plants at the 
Garden. Each year in April a few pages of the BULLETIN have been devoted 
to this “annual report” on springtime, now in its fifth successive year. 

As the records accumulate (see chart) it becomes apparent how unusually 
early was the spring of 1946. Once flowering started that year it continued 
with scarcely a break and was full-fledged before the middle of March. No 
wonder that botanists from the East and North attending the science meet- 
ings in St. Louis in March of that year were amazed at the beauty and pre- 
cociousness of a St. Louis spring. Evidently, on the basis of subsequent 
record, St. Louisans may well have been amazed too, for not since has a spring 
even approached 1946. 


FIVE-YEAR RECORD OF SPRING FLOWERING DATES 


bl 


First flowering 1950 flowering dates 
compared with 
Plant Z ; ; / 
ate spring early spring 
| 1950 | 1949 | 1948 1947 1946 | 1947)" | (1946)* 
| | | 
Snowdrop (Galanthus nivalis) | Jan. 23 | Feb. 13 Mar. 2 | Feb. 27 +35 
Crocus, early yellow (Crocus sp.) | Jan., late | Feb, 13 | Mar. 2 | 
Silver maple (Acer saccharinum ) Jan., late Feb. 21 | Feb. 28 | Mar. 24 Feb. 11 +52 | +12 
Chickweed (Stellaria media) Feb. 20 Mar. 23 Mar. 24 | Apr. 1 Mar. 5 +39 | +13 
Crocus, large blue (Crocus sp.) Feb. 28 | Mar. 4 Mar. 17) | | 
Cornelian cherry (Cornus Mas) | Feb. 28 | Mar. 5 Mar. 17. | Mar. 18 Feb. 28 +18 0 
Fragrant Honeysuckle 
(Lonicera fragrantissima) | Feb. 28 Mar. 7 | Mar. 18 | Mar. 24 Feb. 28 +24 0 
Elms (Ulmus spp.) | Mar. 7 Mar. 5 | Mar. 17 Mar. 24 Feb. 18 +17 —17 
Hazel, European (Corylus avellana) Mar. 7 | Mar. 5 Feb. 29. | Mar. 24 +17 
Goldenbell (Forsythia spp.) Mar. 7 | Mar. 7 Mar. 21 Apr. 2 | Mar. 4 +26 — 3 
Daffodils (Narcissus spp.) Mar. 17 Mar. 21 Mar. 21 | Apr. 2 +16 
Japanese Andromeda (Pieris japonica) Mar. 18 | Mar. 22 | Mar. 22 | Apr. 1 Mar. 18 +14 0 
Periwinkle (Vinca minor) Mar. 23 | Mar. 24 | | 
Glory-of-the-snow (Chionodoxa spp.) Mar. 23 | Mar. 26 
Spice Bush (Lindera Benzoin) | Mar. 26 | Mar. 25 | 
Grape Hyacinth (Muscari sp.) Mar. 27 Mar. 29 Apr. 3 
Magnolia, Star (Magnolia stellata) Mar. 27 Mar. 27 | Mar. 24 Apr. 7 Mar. 5 +11 —22 
Magnolia, Saucer (Magnolia Soulangeana) Mar. 28 Mar. 29 | Mar. 24 Apr. 7 Mar. 5 +10 | —23 
Plum (Prunus spp.) Mar. 28 Mar. 31 Apr. 1 | Apr. 7 | Mar. 4 +10 —24 
Shepherd’s Purse (Capsella bursapastoris) Mar. 28 Mar. 29 Mar. 22. | | | 
Sumac, aromatic (Rhus aromatica) Mar. 31 Mar. 28 | Mar. 22 | Apr. 7 Mar. 21 + 7 | —10 
Oreg. Grape-holly (Mahonia aquifolium) Mar. 31 Mar. 31 
Henbit (Lamium amplexicaule ) Mar. 31 | Mar. 31 
Cottonwood (Populus deltoides) Apr. 6 Mar. 30 Mar. 26 Apr. 7 | Mar. 21 + 1 —16 
Boxelder (Acer Negundo) Apr. 6 Mar. 31 Mar. 26 Apr. 7 | Mar. 8 + 1 —29 


NLLATIONG NACTYVO TVOINV.LO@ TYAOSSIW 


*Plus sign indicates days earlier; minus sign days later, 


| First flowering 1950 flowering dates 
compared with 
Plant ; ; 
ate spring early spring 
1950 1949 1948 1947 1946 Abana (1946) 
| | 
Purple crabapple (Malus purpurea) | Apr. 9 
Wintergreen barberry (Berberis julianae) Apr. 10 
Ash (Fraxinus sp.) | Apr. 11 Apr. 6 Apr. 3 Apr. 7 Mar. 18 — 4 —24 
Norway maple (Acer platanoides) Apr. 11 Apr. 6 Apr. 3 Apr. 7 Mar. 24 — 4 —18 
Sassafras (Sassafras albidum ) | Apr. 11 Apr. 5 Apr. 6 Apr. 21 Mar. 18 +10 —24 
Gooseberry (Ribes aureum) Apr. 7 Apr. 7 Apr. 21 
Redbud (Cercis canadensis) Apr. 8 Apr. 6 Apr. 25 Mar. 6 
Japanese barberry (Berberis thunbergii) _ Apr. 13 Apr. 14 
Viburnum (Viburnum Carlesii) | Apr. 13 Apr. 13 
Lilac, common (Syringa vulgaris) | Apr. 13 | Apr. 7 Apr. 27 Mar. 26 
Hawthorn (Crataegus sp.) | Apr. 15 | Apr. 15 May 1 | 
Swamp privet (Forestiera acuminata ) | | Apr. 16 Apr. 18 Apr. 29 
Storax (Sfyrax sp.) | Apr. 18 Apr. 18 May 4 Mar. 27 
Willow (Salix nigra) | | Apr. 18 | Apr. 18 Apr. 29 Apr. 5 
Buckeye (Aesculus sp.) | Apr. 18 Apr. 15 Apr. 27 Mar. 27 
European birch (Betula pendula) Apr. 18 | Apr. 9 Apr. 20 
Pea-shrub (Caragana arborescens ) Apr. 20 Apr. 13 
Xanthoceras (Xanthoceras sorbifolia) Apr. 21 | Apr. 13 
Hackberry (Celtis occidentalis) | Apr. 22 | Apr. 30 Mar. 24 
Silverbell (Halesia carolina) | Apr. 22. | Apr. 18 May 3 | Mar. 30 | 
Oaks, various (Quercus sp.) | | Apr. 22 Apr. 10 | Apr. 27 Tees. yo) coe | | 
Paper mulberry (Broussonettia papyrifera) | Apr. 25 Apr. 25 | May 3 | 
Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua) Apr. 25 | Apr. 19 May 2 Mar. 30 
Fleabane (Erigeron sp.) Apr. 26 | Apr. 20 May 4 | Apr. 20 | 
Mulberry (Morus sp.) Apr. 26 Apr. 18 May 1 Apr. 2 
Bluegrass, Kentucky (Poa pratensis) Apr. 26 Apr. 20 Apr. 28 Apr. 
Locust, Kelsey (Robinia kelseyi) Apr. 30 Apr. 27 May 13 | Apr. 15 


NLLATING NACUVYD TVOINV.LOG TXAOSSIN 


GZ 


76 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 


Spring in 1950, following one of St. Louis’ mildest winters, started even 
earlier than in 1946. Snowdrops (they even had their picture in the paper 
for precociousness), early Crocus, and maples started flowering sporadically 
toward the end of January. But some of the most miserable weather of the 
winter, in February and March, then held flowering in check until all hope 
of matching 1946 was gone. Instead spring 1950 has started the new half- 
century in a rather “usual” fashion, more or less matching in flowering times 
the springs of 1949 and 1948, and in April delayed to about the 1947 pace. 

Brief warm spells in late February and March 6-7 brought a number of 
early plants into bloom, but in general blooming was very sporadic until the 
unusually warm weather of March 25-28. It was then that magnolias began 
to pop, forsythia reached full glory, daffodils bloomed in profusion, and the 
leaves of shrubs began to appear. Thus, to most folk botanical springtime 
probably blustered into St. Louis the last week of March, accompanied by 
abundant sunshine and the foreboding smell of dust once again rising from 
our Great Plains. 

For readers who wish to compare flowering time of selected spring- 
blooming plants for the last 5 years, the chart listing dates is given. As in 
charts of previous years, flowering time has been interpreted to be full expan- 
sion and opening of the perianth, or, in those flowers lacking petals, the ap- 
pearance of mature pollen. For comparison with our earliest (1946) and 
latest (1947) springs of the last 5 years, the two columns to the right list 
number of days difference in flowering time. 


A NEW FOLIAGE PLANT FROM PANAMA 
(GUZMANIA MUSAICA var. ZEBRINA) 
LADISLAUS CUTAK 


On September 23, 1946, a shipment of eleven young specimens of a highly 
ornamental bromel arrived at the Garden from Panama, which had been col- 
lected by Mr. Paul H. Allen, Tropical Plant Collector for the Missouri 
Botanical Garden. The plants bore a striking resemblance to the rare Vriesia 
splendens, popularly dubbed “convict plant” because of the conspicuous 
stripes on its leaves. While the stripes of Vriesia splendens are definitely 
solid, those of the Panamanian plant are composed of more or less distinct 
lines. Moreover, Vriesia splendens is native to French and British Guiana 
and supposedly is not widely distributed even in those two South American 
countries. 

The only other plant known to the writer which exhibits this peculiar 
pencilling is Guzmania musaica. Since that species occurs in several localities 
in Panama, it was readily assumed that Allen’s plants might be related to it. 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 


Guzmania musaica (left) and its variety zebrina (right), showing the distinguish- 


ing character of the leaf stripes. 


N 


N 


78 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 


Some Thecophyllums are also very densely marked with faint wavy trans- 
verse lines but our plants had more of the characteristics of Guzmania. 

Last December, two of Allen’s plants bloomed. Cursory examination of 
the floral spike showed the Guzmania musaica affinity but the foliage was 
obviously different. A search of the literature revealed no identical plant, and 
after consultation with Dr. Lyman B. Smith, the foremost monographer of 
the Bromeliaceae today, it was decided to name this bizarre variety in order 
to distinguish it from the species. 

Guzmania musaica was discovered by Gustavus Wallis in New Granada, 
now known as the Republic of Colombia. This botanical explorer stated in 
Gardeners’ Chronicle, November 21, 1874, that he found this plant in 
December, 1867, and sent it to Linden in 1868. Linden at that time was 
chief editor of the French journal L’IIlustration Horticole, and a recognized 
authority on Bromeliaceae. With his co-worker, André, he described the 
plant as Tillandsia musaica in 1873 without seeing the flowers. In the next 
few years the plant was transferred into three or four other genera, including 
Billbergia, Caraguata, Massangea and Vriesia. Finally, in 1896, Mez placed 
it in Guzmania where it has rightfully remained. 

Wallis again visited the same region in 1873 and remarked about having 
seen the plants bearing many fruits. A woodcut of the plant was first pub- 
lished in Bull’s catalogue, and later this illustration was used in Gardeners’ 
Chronicle and other horticultural magazines of the 1870’s. Albert Bruch- 
miiller, of Ocafia, Colombia, also collected Guzmania musaica and sent dried 
flowers, along with a sketch, to Mr. Bull. Report of its first flowering in 
Europe was in April, 1875, at which time William Bull exhibited it before 
the Royal Horticultural Society. 

Guzmania musaica apparently develops a certain degree of variation, as 
Bruchmiller notes that some of them are light green and darkly variegated 
while others are of a brownish color. When looking at a typical Guzmania 
musaica and comparing it with Allen’s plant one can readily recognize that 
the latter is quite distinct and would be much preferred by the plant con- 
noisseur because of the prominent zebra-like markings. The illustrations 
clearly show this difference. The writer considers that the varietal name 
zebrina aptly describes Allen’s remarkable plant. 

GUZMANIA Musaica (Linden & André) Mez. var. zebrina Cutak, var. 
nov. 

Speciei similis sed laminis foliorum valde et late fasciaris.—Similar to the 
species but with the blades of the leaves strongly and broadly banded. 

Type in the Missouri Botanical Garden Herbarium. Collected on trees, 
north face of Cerro Pajita hills north of El Valle de Anton, Coclé Province, 
Panama, 3400 ft. alt., Sept. 1946, Paul H. Allen 3777. 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 79 


Plant 8 inches high and 16 inches broad (largest one examined), acaulescent. Leaves 
12 or more in a spreading rosette, 8 inches or more long, marked on both sides with copious 
fine irregular vermiform transverse lines congested into prominent bands, those above Dark 
Dull Yellow-Green* on a Parrot Green (pale green) background, those below purplish to 
Taupe Brown on a bright green to purplish green ground. Sheaths short and indistinct, 
blades ligulate, broadly acute or rounded, apiculate, about 11-24% inches wide, margins 
slightly rolled back. Scape erect, shorter than the leaves, 8 inches long, pale greenish tinged 
with pink, covered with closely clasping, broadly elliptic, acuminate, Indian Lake (bright 
rose) bract-leaves. Flowers 11 or more, aggregated into a subglobose capitulum, each sub- 
tended by a large bright scarlet-rose, broadly obovate, coriaceous bract about half as long as 
the sepals and enfolding the base of the flower. Flowers subsessile, 11% inches long. Sepals 
114 inches or more long, oblong to lanceolate, obtuse, cucullate, highly connate, coriaceous, 
glabrous, Ochraceous-Orange to Daphne Pink at the tips. Petals white, oblong, highly con- 
nate, shorter than the sepals. Stamens inserted in a single row at the throat of the corolla- 
tube, shorter than the petals. Filaments linear, about 'g inch long. Anthers about 14 inch 
long. Ovary ovoid. Style elongated, % inch long; stigmas 3, oblong, not spirally twisted. 


The new variety responds well to greenhouse culture and can be easily 
grown even on a windowsill if planted in a mixture of porous leaf mold and 
sand or orchid peat. Water must be kept in the leaf-cups and therefore a 
daily spray is desirable, especially where artificial heat is used. The plant 
may burn if subjected to intense sun and so is recommended for shady loca- 
tions. This highly ornamental foliage plant is bound to become a great 
favorite although it will be some time before it becomes available in the trade. 


*Color terms used are those of Ridgway’s “Color standards and color nomenclature.’ 


NOTES 


The first number of Vol. 37 of the ANNALS OF THE MissouRI BOTANICAL 
GarbEN, being Pt. 2 of Fasc. [V of Woodson and Schery’s Flora of Panama 
(‘‘Piperaceae of Panama” by T. G. Yuncker), was issued during March. 


Recent visitors to the Garden include: Mr. E. L. Little, of the Forest 
Service, U. S. Dept. Agr.; Mr. Haskell Venard, of the Fuller County Botani- 
cal Garden, Atlanta, Ga.; Dr. A. J. Sharp, of the University of Tennessee, 
Knoxville; Dr. O. J. Sauer, of the Department of Geography, University of 
California, Berkeley; Dr. William L. Brown, of the Pioneer Hi-Bred Corn 
Co., Johnston, Jowa. 


A party from the Garden consisting of the following taxonomists drove 
to Florida on a plant-collecting trip during the Easter holidays: Dr. Rolla 
M. Tryon, Mrs. Tryon, Dr. George van Schaack, Mr. David J. Rogers, Mr. 
George J. Freytag, Mr. Reno Alava, Mr. John Gillette, Mr. Robert Nevins. 


SOME FACTS ABOUT THE GARDEN 


The Missouri Botanical Garden was opened to the public by Mr. 
Henry Shaw about 1860. From that date until his death in 1889 it 
was maintained under his personal direction. Although popularly 
known as “Shaw’s Garden” the name Missouri Botanical Garden 
was chosen by Mr. Shaw and he definitely indicated that he wished 
it called by that name. The Garden passed at his death into the 
hands of a Board of Trustees, designated in Mr. Shaw’s will, and 
the Board so constituted, exclusive of certain ex-officio members, 
is self-perpetuating. By a further provision of the will the immedi- 
ate direction of the Garden is vested in a Director, appointed by 
the Board. The Garden receives no support from city or state but 
is maintained almost exclusively from the estate left by Henry 
Shaw. Since 1939 many Garden Clubs and interested individuals 
have contributed to a ‘Friends of the Garden Fund” which is used 
in developing the new Arboretum, located at Gray Summit, Mo. 
The Arboretum (1) serves as a source of plants, trees and shrubs 
for the city Garden; (2) affords areas for gradually establishing 
a pinetum, a wild-flower reservation and various other features 
on a scale not possible in the city; (3) provides greenhouses for 


some 40,000 orchid plants, 


The city Garden comprises 75 acres, where about 12,000 species 
of plants are grown, both out of doors and under glass. It is open 
every day in the year except New Year’s Day and Christmas; week 
days, 8:00 a. m. until 7:00 p. m.; Sundays, 10:00 a. m. until 7:00 


p.m. The greenhouses are closed every day at 5:00 p. m. 


The main entrance to the Garden is at Tower Grove and Flora 
Place, on the Sarah bus line (No. 42). The Tower Grove bus 
(No. 21), direct from downtown, passes within three blocks of the 


main entrance. 


THE MISSOURI 


BOARD 


Richard J. Lockwood ____.......---—------------------------ ee 
Daniel K. Catlin .----------.------- 
Bugene -Pettuss 2 =. Ee eat Pe 


L. Ray Carter 
Dudley French 
Henry Hitchcock 
Ethan 


BOTANICAL GARDEN 


OF TRUSTEES 


President 
EE Se ER St Vice-President 
Second Vice-President 
John S. Lehmann 
George T. Moore 
A. Wessel Shapleigh 
A. H. Shepley 


EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS 


Afthur H.. Compton... 


_ Chancellor, Washington University 


Joseph M. Darst__.....--------.----------—-—----------- _Mayor of the City of St. Louis 
Re eer ig Oe ie ee President, St. Louis Academy of Science 
Vira bal ett Sei ee Bishop of the Diocese of Missouri 
William Schumacher. President, Board of Education of St. Louis 
ahh Cid a acc ccc Secretary 
STAFF 
George T. Moore__..—-.-------------------—---------- nnn Director 
Pevaann: von. Sehteuk «ee _ Pathologist 
Jesse M. Greenman__.--------------------------------- sees Emeritus sat Herbarium 
Carroll W. Dodge. le Se aes ee Mycologist 
Edgar Anderson ——.-________-_+--. eres __ Geneticist 
Robert E. Woodson, Jr.------------------— Bh Meg ee een ise af Herbarium 
Henry N. Andrews_---------------- rer e Paleobotanist 
Robert W. Scnery Research Associate 
Gustav A. L. Mehlquist__--..._---.---—-_---—------ __Research Horticulturist 
Rallies 2 Olsen = Assistant Curator of Herbarium 
George B. Van Schaack. _ Honorary Curator of Grasses 
Julian A. Steyermark.__....-----.-----—------------------ Honorary Research Associate 
Nell C. Horner-_.. Librarian and Editor 
eral (leit! ee a Business Manager 
George H. Pring_.----.-----------------—---—---------—--—- Superintendent 
Paul A. Kohl Floriculturist 


Ladislaus Cutak____ 


In charge of Succulents 


Kenneth A. Smith ...------------—— 


IEE ET) © Bagby Si «eee ee wn a Peres 


Fa at nena ee nee ___ Engineer 
Manager of dics ‘Ackeaeane Gray Summit 
eae! In charge of Orchids 

Tropical Plant Collector 


PUBLICATIONS FOR SALE AT THE 
MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN 


SPRING FLORA OF MISSOURI. 
By Julian A. Steyermark. Price $1.50; a special price to schools 
and garden clubs—$1.00 a copy if 10 or more copies are sent to 
one address. Add 15 cents per copy to remittance to cover 


postage. 


ANNALS OF THE MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN. 
Published in February, May, September, and November. Sub- 
scription price, $10 per year. 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN. 
Published monthly except July and August. Subscription price, 
$2.50 per year. 


A TOUR OF THE MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN. 
A guide for Garden visitors. Price 25 cents. 


HENRY SHAW. 
A Biography. Price 25 cents. 


POST-CARDS. 
Garden Views. Price 25 cents for set of 8. 
Garden Water-lilies. Price 25 cents for set of 8. 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL 
GARDEN BULLETIN 


CONTENTS 


SPECIAL NUMBER HERB SOCIETY OF AMERICA 
Designing the Herb Garden Pokeweed 


Pot-pourri Sweet-scented Geraniums 


Volume XXXVIII May, 1950 Number 0 


Cover: Love-in-a-Mist, or Devil-in-the-Bush. From an old herbal. 


Editorial Office: Missouri Botanical Garden, 2315 Tower Grove Avenue, 
St. Louis 10, Missouri. 

Published monthly except July and August by the Board of Trustees of the 
Missouri Botanical Garden. Subscription price: $2.50 a year. 

Office of publication: 306 E. Simmons Street, Galesburg, Illinois. 

Entered as second-class matter January 26, 1942, at the post-office at Gales- 
burg, Illinois, under the Act of March 3, 1879. 


Please: Do not discard a copy of the Bulletin. If you have no further use for yours 
pass it along to a friend or return it to the Garden. Return postage will 
be guaranteed. 


THE HERB SOCIETY OF AMERICA 


It is now nearly twenty years since a group of enthusiastic and able gardeners in the 
Bosten area began to meet with one another to learn about the history, and the growing, and 
the uses of herbs. Gradually the group grew in number, acquired a formal name, the Herb 
Society of America, and now has various units throughout the United States. The annual 
meeting this year is being held in St. Louis from May 23rd to 25th, and this special number 
of the BuLvetin has been prepared by the St. Louis Unit, under the direction of its chair- 
man, Miss Edith Mason. 

What is an herb? The word has various uses, and these have varied with the years. 
The Herb Society, when once it was pressed for a definition, ruled officially that herbs are 
plants, grown for their savour, for their fragrance, or for their healing qualities. Something 
of this same idea was incorporated by Mrs, Bratenahl when she prepared the official seal with 
its motto “For use and for delight.” 


Flower Pots 


Cold 


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7 Brick. Terrace 


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16 Z ‘- ‘ wets i n aieny 
eh bead 


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A NOTE ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATIONS 


The garden plan above was drawn by Miss Edith Mason to accompany 
her discussion of herb gardens. The illustration of a pokeweed with Mr. 
Sauer’s article is from an old drawing by William Bartram. All the rest of 
the illustrations, including the one on the front cover, are from Lonicerus, 
one of the books in the Garden’s collection of ancient horticultural and 
botanical writings. This sixteenth-century volume on Natural History was 
published by the author’s father-in-law, Christian Egenolph, an astute busi- 
ness man who pirated the illustrations of more critical herbalists so shame- 
lessly that his books made up in variety what they lacked in accuracy and 


enjoyed a very wide circulation. 


Missour1 Botanical 
Garden Bulletin 


Vol SAX VI MAY, 1950 No. 5 


DESIGNING THE HERB GARDEN 
EDITH S. MASON 


The basic principles of design are the same for the Herb Garden as other 
phases of landscape designing. There should be an interesting background, 
pleasing proportion of the beds, and paths to the unit as a whole, and gen- 
erally some point of interest, a bench, bird bath, or a bee hive. 

The type of garden depends greatly on the owner’s interest. If cooking 
and salad herbs are the chief interest then the practical rectangular garden, 
with a central path and beds on each side lends itself to the easiest cultivation. 
Even this simple design can become a most delightful garden with the use 
of fencing or espalier fruit trees as a background and the beds edged with 
low hedges or fruit trees. 

If one is more interested in the fragrant herbs the garden can be treated 
more as a perennial border, but because the garden is not dependent on mass 
effect of colour for its beauty, the fragrant Herb Garden is generally small 
in size. The design of this little garden may be formal, becoming if desired 
as intricate in pattern as the famous Knot Gardens of the 17th century. In 
these gardens not only plants were used but coal, crushed bricks and pebbles 
to add colour and interest to the design. The garden may be a single winding 
path depending for its beauty on the variance of the plant material, its dif- 
ference in colour, texture and growth habits. 

Whatever the design there is no pleasure equal to walking in the Herb 
Garden and smelling the crushed leaves of an aromatic herb under foot or to 


crush a few such leaves in one’s hand. 


If you have Heavenly Blue morning-glories, snip a few of them in bud 
in the evening and place in small vases in your bedrooms where they can be 
seen on awakening. They open during the night and their clear fresh color 
helps start the day off right. 


(81) 


82 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 


The proper way to transplant a tree. From an old wood-cut. Like most of the other 
illustrations in this number of the BULLETIN, these charming little wood-cuts are reproduced 
from Lonicerus’s treatise on “the Natural History of Plants.’’ Only a real scholar, however, 
could tell us the exact origin of these pictures which give us such fascinating glimpses of 
gardening in the 16th century. These particular cuts were borrowed very widely, and in 
the library of the Missouri Botanical Garden there are at least three old books in which they 
have been used. 


POKEWEED, AN OLD AMERICAN HERB 


JONATHAN D. SAUER 
Graduate Fellow in the Henry Shaw School of Botany of Washington University 
at the Missouri Botanical Garden 

Over almost the entire eastern half of the United States, poke (Phytolacca 
americana L., formerly often called P. decandra L.) is a familiar weed. It 
grows in little scattered colonies around fallen trees in the woods, on shifting 
stream banks, on the edges of fields and gardens, and in other places where 
nature or man has recently scarred the mantle of vegetation. Unlike many 
weeds, poke is no immigrant, but a native of the eastern United States, where 
it is the solitary representative of a widespread tropical group. Isolated from 
its close relatives, the species is conspicuous in our native flora by its lush 
tropical aspect, bright red stems, and heavy clusters of shiny berries. 

Such an exotic-looking plant, constantly moving into places where men 


had cleared, dug, or burned, must have attracted human attention since very 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 83 


ancient times. A little experimenting with the plants would immediately 
show that they had several intriguing properties which man could apply to 
his own purposes. We can guess that the lore and uses of pokeweed, so wide- 
spread among recent Indian tribes, originated far back in prehistory. Pre- 
sumably the early European colonists learned many of the uses of poke, as 
they did its name, from the Indians. The story of the utilization of the plant 
cannot be traced very far back with any certainty; even in recent times 
there are only scattered fragments of information. We will here examine 
the dim outlines of the story which can be reconstructed from the available 


records. 


POKE IN MEDICINE 


The property of poke which has most fascinated man is its dramatic drug 
effect. Mere handling of the plant sometimes causes skin irritation, but the 
strongest reactions can be obtained by internal dosage. When raw, all parts 
of the plant have drug properties, but the root is the most potent. Recently 
25 occupants on six floors of a laboratory building in which pokeroot was 
being milled were unhappily affected by inhaling root particles floating in 
the air; some were sick in bed for days. Effects on human beings of injec- 
tions or oral administration of extracts are reported to include sharp pains in 
many parts of the body, violent headache, general stiffness and soreness, pale- 
ness, feeble pulse, feeling of weakness and dizziness, chills, profuse perspiration 
and salivation, cramps, nausea, coughing, violent vomiting and purging, 
internal bleeding, dulled vision, terrible feeling of suffocation, drowsiness, 
stupor, and sometimes death. A plant which produces such satisfactory re- 
actions has naturally not been neglected by primitive or civilized medicine 
men. 

For over 150 years, doctors and chemists have been experimenting with 
extracts of poke berries, leaves, and roots in an effort to learn their physio- 
logical effects and chemical nature. One of the earliest investigations was 
carried out by Benjamin Shultz, a candidate for the degree of Doctor of 
Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania in 1795. He administered a 
series of poke extracts to a “middle-sized dog,” which kept the unfortunate 
animal in a state of violent illness for several weeks, but cured him of a bad 
case of mange. Many later workers have obtained strong toxic symptoms in 
laboratory tests with poke extracts on mammals, amphibia, fish, and even 
other plants. The chemical nature of the compounds present and the reason 
for their drug effects remain something of a mystery to the present day. 


The most recent investigators suggest that the plant produces two or more 


84 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 


unidentified compounds active in animal physiology: one which acts as a 
depressant on the central nervous system, paralyzing heart and respiration, 
and another which acts as a powerful irritant of the entire digestive tract. 
Lack of understanding of its drug effect has not discouraged men from using 
the plant for what ailed them. 

Reports of medicinal use of poke by the Indians can be found in some of 
the earliest discussions of the plant. Shultz had heard that the Cherokees 
used powdered pokeroot for venereal diseases. About the same time, John 
Pope saw the Creeks collect green pokeberries, squeeze out the juice, and 
coagulate it in the sun as medicine for skin diseases. Later, while among the 
Kansas Indians in the 1830’s, J. K. Townsend saw the chiefs smoke a mixture 
of tobacco and dried poke leaves. Among modern Indians pokeroot prepara- 
tions are known to be used for skin ailments, bruises, or as a purgative by 
the Oneidas of Ontario, the Senecas of New York, the Rappahannocks of 
Virginia, the Cherokees of North Carolina, and the Osage of Oklahoma. The 
berries are fermented for a wine to cure rheumatism, not only by the Rap- 
pabannocks and Cherokees, but also by the Nanticokes of Delaware and the 
Pamunkey of Virginia. 

Non-Indian Americans enthusiastically took over and elaborated Indian 
ideas of the curative values of poke. In 1650 Parkinson wrote that the 
colonists of New England and Virginia had made it a familiar purgative. 
The treatise by Shultz gives a revealing picture of the wonderful cures at- 
tributed to the plant by leading medical men of the 18th century. In the 
19th century, various infusions and ointments of the root and berries con- 
tinued to be used as home remedies and prescribed by highly respectable 
physicians for syphilis, cancer, ulcers, hemorrhoids, diphtheria, tonsillitis, 
rabies, convulsions, conjunctivitis, tumors, rheumatism, obesity, as a purga- 
tive and emetic, for corns, ringworm, scabies, 7-year itch, and skin diseases 
in general. Veterinarians were equally enthusiastic about its value for animal 
ailments. 

The list of ailments for which poke was invoked gradually dwindled, but 
some uses have been very persistent. Even after 1900, the U. S. Department 
of Agriculture was advising farmers that gathering poke berries and roots 
was a profitable sideline; they could be sold to drug companies at a few cents 
a pound. The berries and root remained official in the U. S$. Pharmacopoeia 
until 1900. They are still listed in the National Formulary and various 
dispensatories as an emetic and purgative, but are not often prescribed by 
physicians today. Occasional use in folk medicine continues, as well as in 


proprietary reducing compounds sold by various commercial drug companies 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 


LN 


Te 
SG, tollacca derandra  Liun: 


An old drawing of the pokeweed by William Bartram. (From Schultz’s 
Dissertion on Phytolacca decandra. 1795), 


85 


86 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 


in the United States. There is a small demand for both berries and roots, 
which are gathered commercially in several midwestern and southeastern 
states. 

POKE AS FOOD 


The tender young shoots and leaves of poke, like countless other plants, 
can be eaten as a cooked vegetable. To be safe they should be boiled thorough- 
ly in a couple of changes of water. Apparently the toxic content of the 
young shoots is much less than of older stems and roots, which are believed 
to be dangerous even when cooked. Poke greens are generally regarded as 
excellent food by all who have tried them. My wife and I sampled them at 
first with no enthusiasm and some suspicion and were surprised by their mild 
and delicious taste. 

Cooked poke greens are probably quite generally used by the Indians, al- 
though there are specific records only for a few groups, such as the Pequots 
and Mohegans of Connecticut, and the Iroquois of New York. Among both 
whites and negroes, use of poke greens in the spring is an old and widespread 
custom. About 1750, Peter Kalm noted that poke greens were common food 
among the Swedes and English of Pennsylvania. In 1918, W. P. C. Barton 
found them abundant in the Philadelphia markets. Today this usage is 
general, particularly among country people, almost any place that the plant 
grows, all the way from New England to Florida, and west to Michigan and 
Texas. Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings gives a local Florida recipe for poke 
greens in her cookbook. Every spring small quantities are sold commercially 
in St. Louis for a few cents a bunch. Market gardeners regularly bring in 
greens cut from wild plants or volunteers tolerated along the fringes of their 
gardens. Dr. E. R. Spencer tells me that around Tulsa, Oklahoma, poke is 
sometimes sowed for greens, which are not only eaten freshly cooked, but 
also home-canned. 

The juicy berries are an obvious food possibility, but when raw they have 
an objectionable bitter taste and are probably dangerous if eaten in any 
quantity. Even the flesh of birds which have fed on pokeberries is reported 
to be toxic to humans. When cooked, the berries are palatable and apparently 
harmless, since they have been widely used for pies. C. C. Deam knew an 
Indiana hotel-keeper who used to gather and can the berries, to be mixed with 
elderberries in pies. 

POKE AS DYE 

The berries are also an obvious source of dye. The abundant anthocyanin 

is easily extracted in water and makes a gaudy red or purple pigment, which 


can be used for coloring food and beverages or for staining a variety of ob- 
jects. The color lasts indefinitely if the object stained is not washed. How- 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 87 


ever, it is unsatisfactory as a textile dye because the color changes and fades 
on washing. From about 1800 down to the present many persons have tried 
unsuccessfully to develop a process for fixing the color in textiles. 

In 1640, Parkinson noted that the eastern Indians used pokeberries for 
painting their own skins and dyeing their basketry. The northeastern Indians 
continued to make much use of pokeberry stains until recent times. Dr. F. 
G. Speck, Mrs. Eva Butler, and Dr. William N. Fenton found this practice 
widespread among both the eastern Algonquian peoples and the Iroquois 
nations. Pokeberries are still used by one Iroquois nation, the Senecas, as 
body paint and stain for baskets and lacrosse sticks. A detailed account of 
basket dyeing among another Iroquois group is given in the following 
extract from some unpublished notes of Melvin R. Gilmore, made available 
to me by Dr. Fenton and Dr. Volney Jones. These notes record an interview 
with Albert Schanandoah on the Onandaga Reservation near Syracuse, New 
York, in 1927. 


“Pokeberry dye was used in coloring decorative designs on the borders of baskets. 

The color was applied by means of stamps cut out of potatoes. For this process, the 

pokeberries were dried, finely pulverized, and mixed with a little water in the deeper 

concavity of a mussel shell. A feather was used to dip into this pigment and spread 

it evenly on the broad shallow part of the shell. Then the stamp cut from a potato 

was applied to the spread pigment and the color transferred to the baskets.” 
Presumably some native tuber was used for the stamp before the introduction 
of the potato. Gilmore also reported that the Oto and Pawnee of Oklahoma 
used pokeberries to stain their horses and ornaments. 

The pigment has been found less useful by modern Americans than by the 
Indians. In the 18th century, country people in Pennsylvania used the 
berries to dye cloth, in spite of the poor results. In colonial times and later, 
especially during the Civil War, pokeberry juice served both Yankees and 
Southerners as an ink substitute. The only modern uses reported for the pig- 
ment in this country are such trivial things as coloring cake frostings. 

The berry pigment has been much more exploited in Europe than here. 
The poke plant was introduced into the Mediterranean area, probably about 
1650, and became highly appreciated for the effectiveness of the berries in 
improving the color of low-grade wines and liquors. Poke has been exten- 
sively cultivated for this purpose, especially in Portugal, Spain, France, and 
Italy, since the 17th century. Because of its toxic effect, Louis XVI and 
other 18th century monarchs tried to stop this practice and eradicate the 
plant, but it had become well established and the use still continues. The 
occasional poke plants found in the wine area of California may have been 
brought from the Mediterranean together with the grape, rather than directly 


from the native home of the species in the eastern states. 


88 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 


Principal Sources: 

Barton, W. P. C.: Vegetable materia medica of the U. S. Philadelphia, 1818. 

Benson, A. B.: Peter Kalm’s travels in North America. New York, 1937. 

Bigelow, J.: American medical botany. Boston, 1817. 

Carr, L. G.: Native drinks of the southeast and their values. Proc. Delaware Co. (Penna.) 
Inst. Sci. 107:31-40. 1947. 

Deam, C. C.: Flora of Indiana. Indianapolis, 1940. 

Frankforter, G. B., and F. Ramaley: The root of Phytolacca decandra. Amer. Jour. Pharm. 
69:281-290. 1897. 

Goldstein, § W., et al.: A chemical and pharmacological study of Phytolacca americana. 
Amer. Pharm. Assn. Jour. 26:306-312. 1937. 

Jack, L. D., and C. Rogers: A phytochemical and pharmacological study of the berries of 
Phytolacca americana. Amer. Pharm. Assn. Jour. 31:81-84. 1942. 

Macht, D. I.: A pharmacological study of Phytolacca. Amer. Pharm. Assn. Jour. 36:594—-599, 
1937. 

Millspaugh, C. F.: Medicinal plants. Philadelphia, 1892. 

Parkinson, John: Theatrum botanicum. London, 1640. 

Pope, John: A tour through the southern and western territories of the United States. Rich- 
mond, 1792. 

Rawlings, Marjorie Kinnan: Cross Creek cookery. New York, 1942. 

Shulez, Benjamin: An inaugural botanico-medical dissertation on the Phytolacca decandra of 
Linnaeus. Philadelphia, 1795. 

Townsend, J. K.: Narrative of a journey across the Rocky Mountains. 1839. 

Wood, G. B., and F. Bache: The dispensatory of the U.S.A. Philadelphia, 1854. 

Wood, H. C., et al.: The dispensatory of the U.S.A. Philadelphia, 1937. 

Youngken, H. W.: Textbook of pharmacognosy. Philadelphia, 1943. 


Personal communications containing original observations from the following: C. C. 
Albers, Univ.. of Texas; W. A. Anderson, Univ. of Iowa; W. W. Bell, Crude Drug Division 
of S. B. Penick & Co.; Eva Butler, Groton, Conn.; William N. Fenton, Bureau of American 
Ethnology, Smithson. Inst.; John M. Fogg, Univ. of Pennsylvania; Rogers McVaugh, Univ. 
of Michigan; Aaron J. Sharp, Univ. of Tennessee; Lloyd H. Shinners, Southern Methodist 
Univ.; E. R. Spencer, McKendree College; B. C. Tharp, Univ. of Texas; C. A. Weatherby, 
Harvard Univ. 


Gardening in the early 16th century 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 89 


SWEET-SCENTED GERANIUMS 
NORA AUSTIN ROEDER 


God gave us memories that we may have the fragrant joy of rose or lemon 
geraniums even when our gardens are faded. Of course, we may be more 
realistic and grow them in pots on the window sill. Many a visitor leaves 
the greenhouses with a leaf of sweet-smelling geranium carefully treasured 
in purse or pocket, to rub between the fingers hours later and recall pleasant 
memories. 

The odor of the bruised leaf gives the clue to the variety. Today there 
are some 75 distinct varieties, grouped by their pleasant fragrances into six 
classifications: rose, lemon, fruit, mint, spice, and pungent. In the first 
group, we find the old-fashioned rose geranium, a favorite of grandmother’s 
day, often used in apple jelly. To this group also belongs Snowflake, a favorite 
of mine for its foliage of green streaked with white. Outstanding among 
the lemon geraniums is the tiny crispum or finger-bowl geranium. Among 
the fruit-scented geraniums, we find such lovelies as orange, lime, apple, and 
gooseberry with its tiny white and green gooseberry-like leaves. The filbert, 
walnut, and other nut-scented geraniums belong to this group. In the mint 
group, the handsome peppermint geranium (Pelargonium tomentosum) has 
large downy leaves and a refreshing mint fragrance. The spice-scented 
varieties include the nutmeg geranium with its round, flat silky leaves. 
Among the pungent-scented ones, we find such interesting foliage types as 
the pheasant’s foot and crowsfoot, with finely cut foliage resembling the 
birds’ footprints in the snow. Many handsome and strong-growing varieties 
are to be found in this class. 

These sweet geraniums are easy to grow, are adaptable for garden or pot 
culture. They may be grown in window boxes or in urns or tubs. Tubs 
planted with sweet geraniums are excellent on either side of the entrance 
where everyone who enters may pinch a leaf for fragrance. These geraniums 
not only give you fragrances and interesting foliage texture and color con- 
trasts, but some of them have attractive flowers all summer long. Others are 
grown for their foliage and fragrance alone. 

The attractive fragrant leaves may be used in making nosegays for lunch- 
eon guests or to take to the sick in hospitals where they counteract the smells 
of medicine and where they induce pleasant memories and drowsiness. The 
nosegays may be made of sweet geranium alone or a frill may be made of the 
geranium leaves and the center made of flowers. What could be more de- 
lightful than a nosegay of heliotrope surrounded by rose geranium? Another 
pleasing combination might be a nosegay of tiny pink rosebud geraniums at 
the center, surrounded by heliotrope florets and a frill of sweet geranium 
leaves. We might remember the blind who cannot enjoy the color and tex- 
ture of flowers but who can enjoy the pungent scent of the pelargoniums. 


90 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 


Sweet basil, dried in the shade, makes an unusually effective sachet. The 
odor is spicy, sweet but not too sweet, and garments stored with a basil sachet 


have a delicate, faintly oriental aroma. 


POT-POURRI 
MARY E. BAER 


Of the many uses made of rose petals, none is more universally appreciated 
than that of fragrant, colorful pot-pourri. In the Elizabethan days it was 
used for scenting the linens, and sweet bags were tucked into the chests and 
drawers. Many of us to-day go back to the pleasant summer ritual of gath- 
ering the petals of flowers and aromatic leaves for our own preferred recipes 
of making pot-pourri. 

There are two ways of preserving the flowers: one is the dry, and the 
other is the moist method. Both require chip-dry petals. They must be 
gathered on a warm dry day, when freshly opened, without any moisture 
clinging to them. After gathering, scatter the petals loosely (not one on 
top of another) on a large window-screen (supported at the ends) in order 
that an under-current and over-current of air will insure faster drying, al- 
ways in the shade, preferably in a warm dark attic, or basement. Toss over 
the petals ever so often, and after a few days, they will be chip-dry. Store 
in air-tight tins or jars. 

The Dry or Colorful Pot-Pourri.—To one gallon of chip-dry blossoms, 
add one heaping tablespoon of powdered fixative. Orris (powdered) is ex- 
cellent. To the fixative add one tablespoon mixed powdered spices, generally 
cloves, allspice, and nutmeg. To this powder mixture, enough essential oil 
to form a loose lumpy mixture may be added for fragrance. Put this in with 
the petals, and after several weeks the fragrance will have set. 

Essential oils may be purchased from one of the large distributors or from 
Mary Chess Inc., 654 Madison Ave., New York City. It comes in the fol- 
lowing: Rose, Garden Bouquet, and Persian Garden. 

Moist Pot-Pourri.—Moist pot-pourri was formerly called by the prettier 
name of scent jar. The flowers, instead of being bright and colorful and 
having an essence of scented oils, are more or less pickled. It is made in 
large earthen-ware crocks. To about two pounds of petals (chip-dry) add 
one-half pound of coarse salt and a handful of table salt. Place the petals in 
the crock in one-half inch layers, with a covering of salt over each. Place a 
lid on top, covered by a weight, and leave it for a week, at the end of which 
take out the mixture, shake off the loose salt and allow the air to dry out the 
petals. Return petals to the jar, add spices (about three ounces, powdered 
or broken bits) to each one pound of petals. Store air-tight for six weeks. 
At the end of this time, essential oils may be added if desired. 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 91 


FIXATIVES 
Materials to absorb and retain the fragrance of the essential oils, which 
are so volatile-—These fall into two groups. The least expensive and most 


often used are of vegetable nature, the other of animal. 


Vegetable Nature.— 

1. Orris Root—root of the Florentine Iris, used either powdered or in root 
form. 

2. Calamus—root of the Sweet Flag, Acorus Calamus. 

3. Benzoin—a hard finely ground resin from the Benzoin Tree (Sfyrax 
Benzoin). 

4. Storax—a balsam, finely ground, obtained from the Liguidambar orientalis 


tree. 


Animal Nature.— 

1. Castoreum—bitter, brown or orange substance, strong odor, found in the 
sac of the beaver. 

2. Civet—yellow-brown, consistency of butter, musky odor, found in sac 
of the civet cat. 

3. Ambergris—ash-gray, white, yellow or black wax-like substance, found 
in alimentary canal of sperm whale. 

4. Musk—dark reddish-brown, found in sac of musk deer. Obtained under 
two headings, the tonquin, by far the best and most often used, or the 


kabardin or Russian. 


Sachets from the 16th century. 


After Lonicerus. 


92 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 


A pomander of the 16th century. (It was filled with 
spices and sweet-smelling herbs and carried or worn to fend 
off dangerous or unpleasant vapours.) From an old herbal. 


The following recipes may be of interest to you in making your own rose- 
jar, Or pot-pourri. 

Eleanour Sinclair Rohde’s Pot-Pourri.—To a large basin of dried sweet- 
scented rose petals allow a handful of dried lavender flowers, rosemary, thyme, 
lemon balm, sweet marjoram, southernwood, sweet basil, clove pinks, sweet- 
briar leaves, wild thyme, garden thyme, hyssop, Philadelphus flowers, orange 
flowers, mint, sweet-scented geranium leaves, verbena, a few bruised cloves, 
the dried and powdered rind of a lemon or orange, a teaspoon of allspice, half 
an ounce of cinnamon and a good pinch of sandalwood. 

Gather and dry the flowers and leaves all through the season, adding any 
others according to one’s fancy but keeping the proportions of a basin of rose 
petals to a large handful of all the other ingredients put together. Store in 
a jar with a lid, but the jar need not be air-tight. 

Dry Pot-Pourri (a delicate soft-scented fragrance ).—In equal proportions, 
take dried petals of roses, clove pinks, lavender, and aromatic leaves of lemon 
verbena, rosemary, marjoram, sweet basil and a bit of mint. Add a few 
powdered cloves crushed seeds of anise and coriander, and a little musk and 
orris root. 

Breath of Mary’s Garden.—Prepare rose petals according to moist mixture 
recipe, in crock with salt. Let stand ten days. Remove, shake out salt and 
allow to dry. Incorporate with following mixture: 

I 


Pound in a mortar: '4 ounce mace, % ounce allspice, % ounce cloves, 


¥2 ounce cinnamon, 1 tablespoon nutmeg, 1 ounce orris root, V4 pound 
lavender flowers. 

Mix together: 10 drops essential oil rose geranium, 10 drops orange 
flower, 10 drops oil melissa. 

Fill rose jar with alternate mixture of flower stock and spice mixture, as 
you proceed add a few drops of the essential oils. Age for four weeks. Re- 
freshing, indefinable, spicy, and unlike any other perfume! You will be 


delighted with your accomplishments. 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 


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From an old wood-cut widely used by Lonicerus and others. 


94 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 


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A sixteenth century walled garden. From an old wood-cut. 


FRENCH TARRAGON 
NORA AUSTIN ROEDER 


True French tarragon—the epicure’s delight—does not set seed and must 
be grown from cuttings or divisions. Top cuttings about three inches long 
are cut with a sharp knife and easily rooted in a medium of half sand and 
half vermiculite. Another method is the lifting of field-grown plants, the 
dirt shaken from the roots, and the roots cut into small pieces and planted 
in a flat of half sand and half vermiculite until tiny shoots begin to grow. 
The young plants, as a result of either method, should then be planted in a 
good humus-laden soil to which some lime rubble or ground limestone has 
been added. A “must” for tarragon is that the soil be well drained so that 
water does not stand around the plant roots. 

Young potted tarragon plants will establish themselves in the garden 
much more quickly than older field-grown plants. Plants in your garden 
should be taken up and divided every four years to give the plants new vigor. 

Incidentally, any tarragon seed you buy will be the Russian variety, 


stronger and unpleasant in odor and taste. 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 95 


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Workman carrying stakes into a garden. From an 
old wood-cut. 


From the New York unit comes this interesting item contributed by Mrs. 
Helen Morgenthau Fox. On a plateau about ten miles north of Bennington 
in Vermont, where people have lived and cultivated their gardens for over 
200 years, one August day it was surprising to find a great many herbs 
growing wild. There was a whole meadow of pot marjoram, clumps of 
Inula, scattered stalks of agrimony, and oddly enough, Campanula Rapunculus 
not rapunculoides, and Pycnanthemum muticum. There was also butterfly 
weed, wild parsnip, and large vines of Rubus odoratus and wild grape. Besides 
the herbs, there were blooming that day Spiraea (meadow sweet), Potentilla, 
the shrubby form, and Blackeyed Susans. Seeing so many of the escaped 
herbs it would seem as if a housewife long ago had brought the seeds with 
her from Europe or from the coast and that the plants had seeded themselves 
along the roadsides and gone on merrily propagating and increasing as the 


years went by. 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 


96 


35 


. 


corum T O M v_S8_ Secundus, 


F RAGAR 


Erdebeertraut. 


@ Fragariam Pentaphylli {peciem, uidein 


prio< 
quefol1y, foz 


huius Tomi Ap 
ufdem indicabit, 


tale 
iva 


reitem Tomo, in defcriprione Quin 


lio.2 31, & fequen.Rurfusin 
pendice, quod planius ludex ei 


> 


Wood-cut of the strawberry plant from Brunfels’ Herbal, 1532. 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 97 


A ROSE FOR THE HERB GARDEN 
EDGAR ANDERSON 


No rose is more in place in the herb garden than Rosa alba, the pale pink 
or white rose of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. One sees it in the 
background of many Florentine paintings, frequently trained arbor-wise 
into a sheltering semi-circle for little gardens of simples. It is so old and 
plain that it has long since vanished from all but the most recherché of 
catalogues yet it is such a sturdy dooryard rose that one frequently sights 
husky specimens blooming freely in farmyards or even in old gardens now in 
the tenement district. Its petals, if carefully dried, make the daintiest of 


sachets, and the canes are so strong one can even train it as a standard. 


Spiced tomatoes—delicate and distinctive. One small can of tomatoes, 
one-half teaspoon of mace. Salt and pepper to taste. Heat and serve. 


Grow your own salads while the snow is on the ground. Winter Cress, 
sprouted on a wet sponge, or in a tray with damp cheese-cloth, will be ready 
to start using in a week and can be grown in a kitchen window if it is kept 
damp. It can be used any time after it has greened up. It is delicious in 
little sandwiches, or added to lettuce and other greens for a more distinctive 


tossed salad. 


How to use wild cherries, an old family recipe: 

Hillside Cherry Bounce.—One pint of wild cherries dropped into a gallon 
of good whiskey or brandy. Steep one month, stirring occasionally, then 
strain juice. For every gallon of juice take 5 lbs. white sugar and 1 quart of 
water. Boil and skim. Cook until almost candy, stir and add to whiskey 


while hor. Let stand six weeks before using, shaking frequently. 


For a late summer reception or tea there is nothing to compare with the 
brilliant fruits of Rosa rugosa. These are larger and jucier than most other 
rose-hips. Gather as many as you can, scoop out the seeds, and fill them with 
cream-cheese or cottage cheese to which a little chopped rosemary has 
been added. They are as beautiful as they are delicious. If you have lemon 
thyme, it makes an attractive green background for the orange-red of the 


rose-hips, or serve as a salad with your favorite French dressing. 


98 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 


MY HERB GARDEN 
ALICE HUSCH 

During the repeated days of heavy rains last fall, when I stood on 
the open porch high above the garden the sweet scents rose above the rain and 
mingled with it. And that day I had a sudden inspiration. The herb garden 
is just outside of my small greenhouse. How nice it would be if I could 
glass over the entire garden and keep my herbs growing all winter! Of 
course I couldn’t, but I could easily glass over one of the parsley beds and 
that way have fresh green parsley for my kitchen during the cold dark 
months ahead. We did that very thing. We placed wooden sides all around 
one of the isolated beds and covered it with window glass. By watering only 
when necessary and airing as often as possible, we had parsley that was a joy 


all winter—beautiful to look at, delicious to taste, and wonderful to smell. 


¥ 


The double yellow buttercup, 
From Lonicerus. 


THE MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN 


Richard J. Lockwood .... 
jE ry rol OM Olea, Pe, Meek ao pe mee 
One 7A eS (, Se ee See ee 


L. Ray Carter 
Dudley French 
Henry Hitchcock 


Arthur H. Compton 


Joseph M. Darst....... .--- 
R. Harris Cobb ee 


William Scarlett 
William Schumacher _ 


Gerald Ulrici 


George T. Moore..-_-.----------------------—-------------- ener 
Hermann von Schrenk 
Jesse M. Greenman -__--.. eeseeececeae 
Cacrall WW: Dod 6 .2ccic ce cceeee 


Edgar Anderson 
Robert E. Woodson, Jr. 


BOARD OF TRUSTEES 


_. President 
_...... Vice-President 
_... Second Vice-President 
John S. Lehmann 
George T. Moore 
A. Wessel Shapleigh 
Ethan A. H. Shepley 


EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS 
Chancellor, Washington University 
a Mayor of the City of St. Louis 
_ President, St. Louis Academy of Science 
ae Bishop of the Diocese of Missouri 
President, Board of Education of St. Louis 


Secretary 


__...... Director 
Pathologist 
_. .. Curator Emeritus of Herbarium 
__.......Mycologist 
Geneticist 
__.... Curator of Herbarium 
Paleobotanist 


Henry N. Andrews .......-------------------------- ene 
Robert W. Schery 2 Research Associate 
Crt Pex Li, hei legate esearsetee eee Research Horticulturist 
Rolla M. Tryon —- ---- -—-—- _ Assistant Curator of Herbarium 
ence th. Val. SONIA Reese _.. Honorary Curator of Grasses 
Julian A, Steyermark_................-_-..----Honorary Research Associate 


Nell C. Horner__. 


__........_ Librarian and Editor 


Gerald’ Wlrici\ <2. 2.22. ket See 


George H. Pring ------.---..----.---- -------------------e---ene ee 
Paul A. IO nat oo a, ge es 


Ladislaus Cutak___. 


Business Manager 
_..... Superintendent 
__..... Floriculturist 


In charge of Succulents 


Kenneth A. Smith. 
August P. Beilmann 


G. R. Lowry 


Paul H. Allen 2 Le 


agers sue as bese Engineer 
__.. Manager of the Arboretum, Gray Summit 
_In charge of Orchids 

eaaeraos Tropical Plant Collector 


SOME FACTS ABOUT THE GARDEN 


The Missouri Botanical Garden was opened to the public by Mr. 
Henry Shaw. about 1860. From that date until his death in 1889 it 
was maintained under his personal direction. Although popularly 
known as “Shaw’s Garden” the name Missouri Botanical Garden 
was chosen by Mr. Shaw and he definitely indicated that he wished 
‘it called by that name. The Garden passed at his death into the 
hands of a Board of Trustees, designated in Mr. Shaw’s will, and 
the Board so constituted, exclusive of certain ex-officio members, 
is self-perpetuating. By a further provision of the will the immedi- 
ate direction of the Garden is vested in a Director, appointed by 
the Board. The Garden receives no support from city or state but 
is maintained almost exclusively from the estate left by Henry 
Shaw. Since 1939 many Garden Clubs and interested individuals 
have contributed to a “Friends of the Garden Fund” which is used 
in developing the new Arboretum, located at Gray Summit, Mo. 
The Arboretum (1) serves as a source of plants, trees and shrubs 
for the city Garden; (2) affords areas for gradually establishing 
a pinetum, a wild-flower reservation and various other features 
on a scale not possible in the city; (3) provides greenhouses for 


some 40,000 orchid plants. 


The city Garden comprises 75 acres, where about 12,000 species 
of plants are grown, both out of doors and under glass. It is open 
every day in the year except New Year’s Day and Christmas; week 
days, 8:00 a. m. until 7:00 p. m.; Sundays, 10:00 a. m. until 7:00 


p.m. The greenhouses are closed every day at 5:00 p. m. 


The main entrance to the Garden is at Tower Grove and Flora 
Place, on the Sarah bus line (No. 42). The Tower Grove bus 
(No. 21), direct from downtown, passes within three blocks of the 


main entrance. 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL 


GAIRD 


HIN BU 


A 


4 UN 


Ground Covers 
The Horse-chestnut 


Mowing the Lawn 


Volume XXXVIII 


CONTENTS 


Euonymus 


The Oak Wilt 


Vegetable Growing a la Maya 


Notes 


June, 1950 


Number 6 


Cover: English Ivy and Euvonymus fortune? (right background) in Mausoleum grounds 
at Garden. Photograph by Paul A. Kohl. 


Editorial Office: Missouri Botanical Garden, 2315 Tower Grove Avenue, 
St. Louis 10, Missouri. 

Published monthly except July and August by the Board of Trustees of the 
Missouri Botanical Garden. Subscription price: $2.50 a year. 

Office of publication: 306 E. Simmons Street, Galesburg, Illinois. 

Entered as second-class matter January 26, 1942, at the post-office at Gales- 
burg, Illinois, under the Act of March 3, 1879. 


Please: Do not discard a copy of the Bulletin. If you have no further use for yours 
pass it along to a friend or return it to the Garden. Return postage will 
be guaranteed. 


Missouri Botanical 
Garden Bulletin 


Vol. XXXVIII JUNE, 1950 No. 6 


DRESS UP YOUR GARDEN WITH GROUND COVERS 
PAUL A. KOHL 

Shrub borders look neat and require less upkeep when a living mulch 
hides the bare soil. Almost every garden has an area where it is difficult to 
grow flowering plants or even maintain a lawn because of insufficient light 
or the proximity of buildings and fences. What can be done to improve the 
appearance of these areas? The answer is to use ground covers. Now what 
are the qualifications of a good ground-cover plant? Hardiness is one; a 
good year-round appearance is another; plants that spread rapidly are most 
desirable; and freedom from disease and insect troubles must also be con- 
sidered. 

One objection to the use of ground covers is that they are expensive when 
many plaints are needed. That is true, but it is possible to reduce the cost 


when a definite propagating and planting program is maintained. It takes 


Junipers and English Ivy 


(99) 


100 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 


English Ivy in Mausoleum grounds at Garden 


time to establish a tight cover but with close planting this can be accom- 
plished by the second year, and thereafter maintenance is reduced to the few 
operations of keeping the edges trimmed, feeding once a year, watering in 
drought periods and pulling the few weeds as they appear. One could com- 


pile a lengthy list of ground-cover plants, but when each is checked for the 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 101 


four basic qualities of being evergreen, hardy, free from insects and diseases, 
and having the ability to spread, the list shrinks to just four plants: English 
Ivy, Trailing Vinca, Euonymus fortunei var. colorata, and Pachysandra sp. 

English Ivy (Hedera helix) is one of the very best ground-cover plants. 
A number of strains are available, var. baltica being a good one. In the 
Garden BULLETIN for March, 1945, mention was made of the two Balkan 
ivies, “Bulgaria” and “Rumania”, for St. Louis gardens. These are excep- 
eae desirable strains. 

Another excellent ground cover is Vinca minor, commonly called Run- 
ning Myrtle or periwinkle. The variety “Bowles” has larger leaves and 


larger, darker blue flowers than the common variety. 


hi 
ON Ne Ain ane 


English Ivy and Berberis julianae 


The third spreading plant is Enonymus fortunci var. colorata, the Purple- 
leaf Wintercreeper Euonymus. There are other varieties of Euonymus which 
can be used, but var. colorata is preferred because of its autumn coloring. 
If Euonymus scale is prevalent in a locality and cannot be successfully con- 
trolled by spraying, it would be better not to use this ground cover and 
limit the choice of plants to either English Ivy, Vinca minor, or Pachysandra. 

A plant that has been much used in gardens, particularly in shady places, 
is Pachysandra. It is a fine ground cover and the only reasons for not using 
it more often is that it takes longer to form a thick mat and that one hesi- 


tates to walk on it because of its upright growth. 


102 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 


Ney 
ee ae 
sae ae it 6 — ate! . od 


Pachysandra terminalis in Mausoleum grounds at Garden 


Before one plants a ground cover, questions come to mind as to the num- 
ber of plants required, the best time for planting, amount of care needed 
until the plants are established, and the cost. The price of Pachysandra and 
Vinca will average about twenty-five cents a plant, and Euonymus and ivy 
about sixty cents. The thing to do to cut costs is to grow a few dozen to 


several hundred plants and later extend the planting by means of cuttings 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 103 


and divisions. A foot apart each way is a good average spacing distance for 
any of the plants mentioned. 

Cuttings may be made in early spring before growth commences and 
again in early July when the new sprouts are firm. They are not difficult to 
make; just cut strands of Euonymus, ivy or Vinca into pieces three to four 


inches long, then dip the cuttings in a hormone powder and insert them in 


Enonymus fortunei as a ground cover in Mausoleum grounds 


rows in boxes of sand. Shielded from the sun, watered once a day or just 
enough to keep the sand damp, the cuttings will be rooted in about four 
weeks. If time permits, they may be potted into 2'/2-inch pots and kept in 
a cold-frame until needed, or they may be left in the boxes of sand for a 
month or more, and then planted directly where they are to grow providing 
the soil is damp or it is possible to water. Except that Pachysandra cuttings 
are made from the tips of the shoots, they are treated in the same manner as 
the other cuttings. Euonymus, ivy, and Vinca produce roots at many joints 
as they spread. These runners can be lifted when the soil is moist, cut into 
pieces, and planted. This may be done in early spring and again in September 
and October. 

Weeds will be troublesome until a ground cover has grown together, but 
the weed problem can be reduced considerably if plants are set out in the 
autumn and lightly mulched with leaves or straw in November to protect 
them the first winter. Another advantage of planting in the autumn is that 


104 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDE! 


' BULLETIN 


A lowered street level left these trees exposed 


English Ivy improved the appearance of one group 


MISSOURL BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 105 


they will cover an area faster the following year than those planted in the 
spring. Never mulch ground-cover plants with a thick layer of leaves, for if 
light and air are excluded, the plants will die. 

After a ground-cover planting has filled in, it needs very little attention. 
Every year or two it is a good practice to broadcast an organic or chemical 
fertilizer over the planting. To prevent any “burning’’, flush the fertilizer 
from the leaves with the hose. English Ivy is free from faults except that 
some leaves are browned by the winter’s sun in zero weather, when there is 
no snow. Vinca is equally as good. Occasionally a few strands turn brown, 


but this condition seems to be associated with heat and dry weather. Euony- 


; 


Vinca minor var. ‘Bowles’ 


mus becomes infested with scale in some places, and to control it the planting 
must be thoroughly sprayed in early spring with an oil spray, such as Volck. 
A second spraying in June, when the temperature is below 80°, is advisable, 
and nicotine should be added to the ‘Volck.” Seldom is it necessary to 
water ground covers unless a drought period lasts so long that the plants 
show signs of wilting. 

The benefits of ground covers are many. How much more pleasing is a 
shrub planting or shaded area with a neat, even covering of ivy or Vinca 
compared to bare or weedy soil! These two plants remain a rich, deep green 
throughout the year and then in spring the fresh leaves gradually hide the old 


ones of the previous years. Ivy generally does not flower, but Vinca is stud- 


106 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 


ded with myriads of blue flowers at the time the daffodils bloom. In October, 
Euonymus fortunei colorata changes from green to a warm, red-purple tone 
which is so much a part of the autumn scene. Pachysandra remains green 
all the year, and though it does have white flowers they are too small to be 
noticed. 


THE HORSE-CHESTNUT AS AN ORNAMENTAL TREE 
ROBERT W. SCHERY 


Although the stately European horse-chestnut, Aesculus bippocastanum, 
has been widely planted throughout the world as an ornamental shade and 
park tree, it remains comparatively little used in the St. Louis area. Perhaps 
this neglect results from unfamiliarity with the species, for certainly few 
arborescents, native or exotic, can equal it as a specimen tree. 

One of the outstanding features of A. hippocastanum is its compact, 
symmetrical growth. Both in and out of leaf it gives the impression of 
having been meticulously pruned to an almost perfectly ovoid outline. The 
illustrations on page 107 show such specimens at the Garden, with the 
compact rounded crown Rehder associates with the wmbraculifera variety. 
Other types include those with a more narrowly pyramidal shape, those with 
pendulous branches, and a number of named varieties based on leaflet shape 
or color and upon doubleness of flowers. 

A second striking feature of the European horse-chestnut is its large, 
beautiful flower panicle, in good years borne terminally upon almost every 
branch. I can recall no year when A. /ippocastanum has flowered to better 
advantage than 1950 (page 108). As is characteristic of most species of 
the genus Aesculus (buckeyes), the flower cluster is carried through the 
winter already partially formed in the large, resinous terminal buds. Soon 
after the buds open, late April in St. Louis, the flower cluster rapidly expands 
to form a colorful spray often ten inches tall. When the flowers first open 
they are white tinged with yellow towards the base of the petals, but as they 
mature the yellowish blotches become pink or red. These delicately tinted 
flowers bearing graceful arching stamens provide an attractive display either 
viewed close-up or from a distance. 

The leaves of the European horse-chestnut, like those of our native buck- 
eyes, are distinctive in being palmately compound, that is, the leaflets are 
arranged from a central point like the fingers on the hand. The leaflets are 
seven in number, the larger ones to the front, all of them delicately toothed 
along the edges. These large leaves, arising from four sides of the coarse 
branch, effectively catch the sunlight, so the tree provides a very deep shade. 


Such shade may hinder lawn grasses or ground covers, but is very welcome 


107 


BULLETIN 


GARDEN 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL 


et 


Ss 


Horse-chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum ) 


Bird’s-eye view of horse-chestnut 


108 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 


in the heat of St. Louis during July or August. The large, coarse and rather 
striking leaves make this tree an eye-catcher, and therefore more suitable as 
a specimen tree than for background or grouping. Lower branches are sel- 
dom shaded out but persist almost indefinitely, so that there is little natural 
pruning and scarcely any need for manual pruning. In fact, the tendency 
for A. hippocastanum to maintain its low, sweeping branches commonly 
prevents walking beneath the tree without some of its limbs being removed. 
The species is moderately slow-growing, and ordinarily suitable for the small 
place. Yet venerable trees are reported to attain heights of 100 feet and 
trunk diameters of nearly 5 feet. 

The attractions of the horse-chestnut are not limited to flower and 
foliage. Few are the boys who aren’t fascinated by the large, shiny, maroon 
seeds that appear 1—3 in the spiny husks in autumn—or few the men of the 
Midwest to whom the sight of buckeyes does not evoke nostalgic memories. 
Even the spiny husks offer interest, before the first autumn tang brings their 
rupture and discharge of the seeds. Buckeyes are apparently favorites, too, 
with the squirrels, for young plants seem to spring up everywhere from 
seeding by this familiar rodent. In Great Britain the deer in the parks are 


reported to relish the horse-chestnut seeds. 


Flowering branch of Aesculus hippocastanum 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 109 


Aesculus hippocastanum has been used as a parent in crosses with A. pavia, 
to produce another attractive and widely planted tree, & A. carnea. This 
hybrid has flesh-colored flowers and the fruit husks are less spiny than those 
of A. hippocastanum. As with A. bippocastanum, several horticultural vari- 
eties have been selected. 

Reportedly, the European horse-chestnut first reached western Europe in 
1576, when seeds were sent from Constantinople to the Austrian botanist 
Clusius. The species spread almost at once to France and England, where 
it became well known and widely planted in the seventeenth century. Yet 
for two centuries its exact place of origin remained a mystery, being regarded 
as most probably India, but even North America. During the late nine- 
teenth century its original home was established by the finding of undoubted- 
ly wild trees in the Balkan area—in the mountains of Albania and northern 
Greece. Thus we can thank an unknown benefactor of some four centuries 
past for horticultural introduction of a tree that has much to recommend it 


for modern planting in the St. Louis area. 


EUON YMUS 
A. P. BEILMANN 

Probably no group of ornamentals is so widely used as the winterberries 
of the genus Euonymus!. Included are plants suitable only as ground covers 
(see p. 103), some mimicing climbers and able to grow up a wall, and still 
others which are trees. The plants in this genus can be grown as ornamentals 
either for their persistent foliage or for their fruits. The fruits are strongly 
colored, pink, orange, red, and brown, becoming conspicuous as the leaves 
fall. The evergreen or semi-evergreen types are more attractive, but they 
usually produce few fruits. A greater number of the species, however, are 
small deciduous trees noted for their brilliantly colored fruit. The trees 
range in size from the modest native Wahoo (E. afropurpurea) to the Win- 
terberry Euonymus (E. bungeana), which may reach a height of 25 feet 
with a trunk diameter of 16 inches. The fruits of the Euonymus being 
much sought after by birds, plants of this genus are good for naturalizing 
in fence-rows and wind-breaks. 

Although there are no true climbers in the genus, the evergreen varieties 
of E. fortunci do manage to reach a height of 25 feet while clinging to 
buildings and tree trunks with special rootlets. As climbers they are very 
effective but require some shearing to keep them close to a wall; otherwise 
they are in danger of destruction during an ice storm. There are a number 
of varieties of this species of which colorata, radicans, carrierci, and vegeta 
are more frequently seen. These are also the hardiest of all the winter 


~ TAlternately spelled Evonymus. 


110 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 


Euonymus alata 


creepers. The last two produce many fruits and will climb if supported, 
while the first two are generally sterile but are better climbers. Enonymus 
fortunei also includes two good ground covers (vars. minima and colorata), 
the Baby and Purpleleaf Wintercreepers. All these varieties can stand full 
sun but do about as well in partial shade. The creeping and climbing types 
require a good soil to make the necessary rapid growth. 

All the shrubby evergreen types are outstanding. The Spreading Euony- 
mus (E. kiautschovica, or E. patens of some authors)is one of the best. It is 
almost completely evergreen, holding its foliage until a late spring frost. It 
flowers abundantly in August but the fruits are not very ornamental. It can 
be used as a formal hedge, a sheared specimen plant, or it might be left to 
grow unattended in the shrub border. The Japanese Euonymus (E. japonica) 
is only partially hardy. It may be injured severely in some winters, but it 
could be grown if pruned to the ground each year. 

Among the tree forms is the Winterberry (E. bungeana), which forms a 
wide spreading tree of dense foliage and is noted for its heavy production of 
fruit. The European Burning Bush (E. europaea) is a much smaller tree 
but equally spectacular in fruit and is a very valuable ornamental for the 


small home grounds or in the larger border plantings. The most interesting 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 111 


Euonymus bungeana 


form for stunning autumn coloration is the Yeddo Euonymus (F. yedoensis ) . 
This is hardly more than a shrub with the single tree trunk reaching no more 
than twelve feet. The leaves usually turn red on the upper surface and a 
brilliant yellow on the lower for a short period before they are shed. The 
Winged Euonymus (E. alata) is a good ornamental of shrub-like habit with 
leaves turning a brilliant crimson in the autumn, In winter the broadly 
winged branches are very evident. This species can be used in a formal 
hedge or it might be left alone and grown as a specimen with the lowermost 
branches touching the ground. The European Burning Bush (E. europaea) 
has a number of varieties including one with purple leaves which can be 
mistaken for our native Wahoo (E. atropurpurea). 

Quite a number of other varieties and species might be added to this list. 
Most of them, except for the variegated types, are not often encountered in 
private gardens. There are small-leaved forms of the Japanese and variegated 
leaf or golden- and silver-margined forms of some other species. Only two, 
however, merit mention: the Broadleaved Burning Bush (E. latifolia) with 
great shiny leaves and bright red-orange and white fruits; and E przewalskii 


which has dark purple flowers remaining open for a long time, but with 


112 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 


FY 


~ wrt? 


Euony mus hiautschot Mcd 


more modestly colored pink and orange fruits. Almost any of these have 
their use in the garden. The genus is closely related to the Bittersweet 
(Celastrus), and the fruits are very similar except for the unusual color 


combinations. 


A SECOND LOOK AT AN UNMOWED LAWN 
ROBERT W. SCHERY 


Little more than two years ago a Garden BULLETIN! contained some 
notes on the advantages—and, yes, disadvantages—of not mowing the home 
lawn. Another season of the same experiment (1948), followed by one of 
mowing at 2'/2 inches in height (1949), presented few conclusions” not re- 
ported in the above-mentioned article, but it may interest readers to know 
the present status of the members of that miniature community of plant 
species, the lawn, after a second and third season of such unorthodox han- 
dling. Here is a report on these members: 

'The Lawn—To Mow or Not to Mow. Mo. Bot. Gard. Bull. March, 1948. 
“In the previous article we perhaps underestimated the appeal to neighbors. 


male tribe was heard wistfully to wonder if it wouldn’t be wise to give his lawn the un- 
mowed treatment—in the fond (but futile) hope that perhaps his superior officer in’ the 


One of the 


household might agree. 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 113 


Biue-crass (Poa pratensis), Pillar of Society.—Prospering, without any 
water other than rainfall and with only modest winter fertilizing. As is well 
known, blue-grass is active during autumn and spring, takes a “vacation” 
during hot summer, lying browned and semi-dormant. Lack of mowing 
favored blue-grass over the later-growing crab-grass; by the time the annual 
crab-grass gets really going in the hot weather of late May blue-grass is tall 
enough and dense enough to smother most of it. Yet robust clumps of blue- 
grass also smothered adjoining small plants of the the same species, so that 
the lawn area developed a clumped or mounded appearance in autumn and 
early spring until luxuriant growth once again became manifest. 


Cras-crass (Digitaria spp.), Member Out of Favor.—Not doing at all 
well, simply because blue-grass usurped his space early and completely. The 
few plants of crab-grass that did get through the mat of unmowed blue- 
grass were yanked by hand before seeding. Crab-grass, being an annual, no 
seeds means no plants. Two years of non-mowing, with a good blue-grass 
stand present, practically eliminated crab-grass, and a third year of high 
mowing has seen no significant recurrence. 

CHIcKWEED (Sfellaria media), No. 1 Villain, but losing some ground.— 
Chickweed grows too early in spring to be smothered by blue-grass, and has 
set seed before the lawn is even luxuriant. In 1950 chickweed was in flower 
as early as February 20. Moreover, occasional heavy treatment with 2-4-D 
has been only mildly inhibitive to chickweed. Other users, perhaps purchas- 
ing better chemical forms or better brands of 2-4-D, report more luck, but 
not perfect control. The only certain solution seems to be hand-pulling of 
chickweed before even outdoor weather tempts us into enjoying our spring 
fever on the turf. 

DANDELION (Taraxacum sp.) and PLaNntatn (Plantago spp.), Ex- 
villains. —These hardy fellows have been easy victims of 2-4-D, and give 
blue-grass little or no competition. 

Crover (Trifolium repens), The Steady Worker.—Clover has about held 
its own in spite of occasional 2-4-D and lack of mowing. We like clover in 
the lawn, but for those who don’t perhaps 2-4-D persistently applied would 
be the answer. The seasonal ups-and-downs in the “‘life of white clover” 
roughly parallel those of its Old World compatriot, blue-grass. 

MISCELLANEOUS Grasses (rye, Lolium spp.; redtop, Agrostis alba; fox- 
tail, Setaria sp.; targrass, Triodia flava; orchard-grass, Dactylis glomerata; 
etc.), The Hangers-on.—Most of these grasses come a slight bit later than 
blue-grass, and are somewhat handicapped by the unmowed blue-grass. Yet 
remnants still remain in isolated spots midst blue-grass turf and there offer 
a disruptive pattern to the lawn. 


114 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 


March 30, 1948—Lawn mowed to 213 inches 


DISCUSSION 

After two years of not mowing, my lawn-mower was remade to cut at 
2'2 inches and used weekly. In two years once abundant crab-grass had 
been reduced to the point of elimination, but the lawn was still mowed high 
to keep a heavy blue-grass carpet and thereby prevent a crab-grass come- 
back. However, no mowing at all makes blue-grass overly clumpy, and 
even a succeeding year of lawn community life at a somewhat lower level, 
namely 2'> inches, has failed to fill in intermittent bare spaces. 

While on the subject of the lawn community one might be reminded that 
the giant members, the trees, may have their say-so about community mem- 
bership. Have you ever noticed in autumn and spring, when blue-grass 
spruces to his best but crab-grass is literally out in the cold, that the greenest 
(and sometimes the only green) spots are near trees, especially to the north 
of them where their shadow falls much of the day during the heat of sum- 
mer? Crab-grass can’t stand such a shielding from the glory of the sun, 
while blue-grass apparently is very appreciative of the lowered soil tempera- 
tures afforded by light shade. Hence high-crowned trees that allow ample 
light but not full sun become an ally of any one who seeks to establish Mr. 
Blue-grass as the preeminent member of St. Louis lawn society—at least in 
competition with crab-grass. 


June is the month of the fragrant Linden or Basswood, species of which 
are common in the northern hardwood forests of both Eurasia and North 
America. An unusual feature is the elongate leaf-like bract from which the 
flower cluster arises. At first glance it might be taken for part of the foliage, 
although its slender shape is quite different from that of the leaves. 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 115 


THE OAK WILT 
A. P. BEILMANN 


Oak Wilt, a new threat to our shade and forest trees, coming on the heels 
of two sezious diseases of our elms, has aroused far more interest and concern 
than is usually manifested by such arboricultural and forestry problems. 
The disease is caused by a fungus (Chalara quercina) which may attack and 
kill all species of oaks. The areas most seriously troubled are in southern 
Minnesota and Wisconsin and northeastern Iowa. However, the Oak Wilt is 
now becoming more widespread, and it has been known from St. Louis 
County for about seven years. The Red Oaks seem to be especially suscep- 
tible, often dying in the course of one summer. The White Oaks are far 
more resistant and several years may elapse before death occurs. 

The fungus is believed to overwinter in the White Oaks, but no carrier 
has been discovered which would account for the slow spread in some 
localities and the many miles intervening between affected areas. Squirrels 
have been blamed for spreading the fungus spores, and certainly root graft- 
ing, common enough in forests, would account for a local re-infection. 
Ordinarily, the pathologist suspects that it is an insect that carries the disease 
from tree to tree and establishing new infections miles away, but so far no 
insect vectors have been discovered for Oak Wilt. 

In many respects Oak Wilt resembles Dutch Elm Disease. Both fungi 
produce many small spores which can spread through the tree very rapidly, 
and both produce toxins which cause very rapid wilting. At least the fungus 
in pure culture produces a material which causes the symptoms of the disease. 

Efforts to control Oak Wilt have so far been unsuccessful. The only 
measure that has checked local spread has been the quick removal of all in- 
fected trees. Pruning wilted branches may prove of some value in White 
Oaks, since several years may elapse before they die. However, even the 
most drastic pruning cannot check the spread of the toxins in the Red Oaks, 
and they often die in a few weeks. The chemical treatment of the soil, such 
as has been worked out for Dutch Elm Disease, may possibly prove of some 
value for important shade-tree oaks. The oaks, though, are unlike the elms 
in their acceptance of trunk injections and differ quite as much in their 
absorption and distribution of soil chemicals. 

At the moment we can do little more than remove infected trees as 
quickly as possible although this will not necessarily stop the disease. A 
neighboring White or Bur Oak may harbor the fungus and re-infection may 
occur during the following year. There is some comfort in the thought 
that only one of the several serious threats to our forests and shade trees has 
destroyed all trees of a certain species. While the Chestnut Blight has caused 
the death of nearly all American Chestnuts, neither the Dutch Elm Disease 


116 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 


nor Phloem Necrosis has succeeded in destroying all the elms. It is quite pos- 
sible that this new disease will not kill all oaks, and it may prove to be an 
arboricultural rather than a forest problem. This new threat again em- 
phasizes the need to grow many species so that a single disease cannot kill 


all the trees on our streets and around our homes. 


x 
A LA MAYA 
ROBERT W. SCHERY 


Have recent years seen a cycle completed, and the radical fringe of the 
agricultural world taking its cue from a race whose glory is dead some score 
of centuries? Have some, in effect, turned to a mechanized mil pa! agri- 
culture for the small place (just as some will tolerate no “chemical” fertilizer 
in the garden)? Faulkner, of ‘“Plowman’s Folly” fame, says a system of 
this design works and is most wise. Authors are legion who advocate grow- 
ing, though not planting, through mulch. And my _ vegetable patch, 
ordinarily lost in a wilderness of weeds, was once planted by milpa of a sort. 

The whole “experiment” started because of an old strawberry bed. The 
soon-to-be dry and hot season of 1946 had, unfortunately, been chosen as a 
time to renovate the bed. The soil was moderately fertilized and thoroughly 
turned-over, but the strawberry settings didn’t get by Old Man July. To 
try to control weeds in the bed thinly populated with strawberries, a mulch 
of hay from an adjacent mowed meadow was spread over the bare soil space 
and between the few remaining strawberry plants. This mulch, blended as 
the season progressed with a scattering of weeds, remained in sifu all the 
late summer and autumn of °47, and through the winter of °47-'48. 

The scene shifts to spring of 1948. With all the enthusiasm that spring 
engenders, we had ordered seeds and planted the various vegetables amenable 
to starting under glass. But fine early spring weather prior to customary 
outdoor seeding dates suddenly changed to rain, cold, and gloom about the 
time to put in early seeds and plantlets. Garden soils, except in most favor- 
able situations, could not be worked. Onions, cauliflower, and other vege- 
tables started under glass were fast becoming oversize and flat-bound. No 
outdoor seed-bed of the traditional pulverized soil type could be readied for 
peas, spinach, chard and other early crops. 
~ Readers will recall that milpa was the Mayan system of agriculture in Central America 
and southern Mexico during the first ten or twelve centuries A.D. It consisted of clearing 
land (in the Mayan empire almost entirely tropical forest) through killing as much of the 
vegetation as was possible with the primitive tools available, and burning the area over in 
the dry season. Holes were poked into the soil with milpa sticks, and a few seeds inserted. 
Beans and maize were typically grown until infestation with grasses and weeds prevented 


further growth. The impenetrable herbaceous cover, along with exhaustion of the soil, made 
necessary abandonment of cultivated ground and clearing of new after only a few years. 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 117 


A tour of desperation led to last-year’s strawberry bed. There one would 
walk over the springy grass (and some weed) mulch. And there an explora- 
tory prod beneath the heavy mulch revealed a cool, crumbly soil amenable to 
milpa planting. Evidently the mulch had sponged the heavy rains, en- 
couraged the soil organisms, and supplied a chaff of organic debris atop the 
topsoil which was physically helpful even though a grass mulch shows little 
decay in eight months. 

The hint was sufficient. A milpa stick was fashioned. Holes were 
jabbed and pea seeds inserted (a corn seeder would have saved labor), and 
later beans, greens and onion scedlings were planted by the same system. The 
milpa holes were sealed by a blow from the heel of the hand as the digging 
stick was removed. For this small garden planting was completed in a few 
hours, directly through the mulch, or with seedlings by dibber planting 
where a row in the mulch had been raked open. Certainly no more than 
half the time was consumed that would have been needed for the traditional 
spading, raking, pulverizing, seeding, tamping, and perhaps watering, usually 
considered indispensable to the setting-out of the spring garden. Faulkner 
(author of “Plowman’s Folly”), you may remember, found the same to be 
true on a larger scale in his Ohio try at planting on this principle, when soils 
were too wet for traditional seed-bed preparation. His “mil pa stick,” as I 
recall, was a large spiked roller, tractor drawn. 

The “proof of the pudding” were the results achieved in my garden. Peas, 
greens and onions came up well and thrived with little weed competition. 
Beans were less successful, probably because of the cold rather than because 
of the system practiced. Certainly greens were to be had from my mulched 
plot long before any could be grown in the usual manner. The quantity of 
pea plants grown proportional to number of seeds planted was perhaps poor, 
but this is likely attributable to the imperfect “mil pa stick” (nothing more 
than a marking dowel found near the garden) giving uneven and uncertain 
depth at seed planting, an imperfection easily remedied by placing a collar 
the desired distance above the point of the stick. 

All in all, the system this year appeared successful, taking advantage, 
of course, of the fortuitous presence of the mulch. It did permit outdoor 
planting and seeding when such was scarcely feasible by any other method. 
It seemed to carry to maturity as high a proportion of plants as would have 
a cultivated plot, and certainly much sooner with early varieties than would 
have been possible the 48 season with cultivation (as already mentioned, a 
vital consideration in the St. Louis area). Yet where weeds are a great 
problem their cortrol might be more difficult without tillage, and adequate 
mulch material might not be available. Aside from this, there seems no 
reason why mulch-milpa might not work for the small garden almost any 


year. 


118 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 


NOTES 


The second number of Vol. 37 of the ANNALS OF THE MissourI BOTANI- 
CAL GARDEN, consisting of the second fascicle of Part V of Woodson’s and 
Schery’s “Flora of Panama,” was issued during the month. 

The delegates of the International Association of Official Seed Analysts, 
touring this country as guests of the American Seed Trade Association, vis- 
ited St. Louis, May 17-19. On May 18 they visited the Garden and were 
conducted through the grounds and buildings by Dr. Anderson and Mr. 
Pring. Those attending were from England, Ireland, Sweden, Denmark, 
Germany, Netherlands, France, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, Yugoslavia, Egypt, 
Philippines. 

Students in the Henry Shaw School of Botany who received their doctor’s 
degree at the commencement at Washington University June 6, were: Alfred 
G. Etter, Richard W. Holm, Ko Ko Lay, Sergius H. Mamay, Frank L. 
Mercer, Jonathan D. Sauer, Carl B. Umanzio. Those receiving the Master of 
Arts degree were: Hugh H. Iltis, Marilyn Amy Gage, George Freytag, 
Sidney D. Rodenberg, and Robert A. Dietz. 

The members of the Herb Society of America, which convened in St. 
Louis, May 23—25, were guests of the Garden at the Arboretum on May 24; 
and on May 25 they held their meeting in the Museum Building at the 
Garden. After the meeting a group of out-of-town members consulted 
some of the rare books in the Garden library. 

Dr. G. A. L. Mehlquist, Research Horticulturist to the Garden, will be 
the official delegate from the Missouri Botanical Garden to the Seventh 
International Botanical Congress, to be held in Stockholm, Sweden, July 
12-20. Later he will participate in excursions relating to genetics and plant 
breeding in southern Sweden, and will visit botanical gardens in Sweden and 
Denmark. Other members of the Garden or School of Botany attending the 
Congress are Dr. Henry N. Andrews, Paleobotanist to the Garden, and Dr. 
Sergius Mamay, Guggenheim Fellow. 

Of those receiving their doctor’s degree in June, Dr. Holm has accepted 
an appointment as Instructor in Biological Sciences at Stanford University, 
Stanford, California; Dr. Lay will be Lecturer in Botany at the University 
of Rangoon, Burma; Dr. Mamay has been awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship 
to study at the University of Cambridge, England; Dr. Etter has been ap- 
pointed Consulting Biologist to the Water Resources Policy Commission, 
Washington, D. C.; Dr. Mercer will continue as Assistant Professor of 
Botany and Pharmacognosy at the St. Louis College of Pharmacy; and Dr. 
Umanzio will resume the chairmanship of the department of Bacteri- 
ology and Public Health, Kirksville College of Osteopathy and Surgery, 
Kirksville, Mo. 


THE MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN 


BOARD OF TRUSTEES 


Richard J. Lockwood -_......--—------------------------—-n- President 
Teta CR ee ee Vice-President 
Beene Peveue: 22 ee Second Vice-President 

L. Ray Carter John S. Lehmann 

Dudley French George T. Moore 

Henry Hitchcock A. Wessel Shapleigh 


Ethan A. H. Shepley 


EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS 


Arthut: H. Compton... Chancellor, Washington University 
Joseph M. Darst--_.-------------------------—------------ Mayor of the City of St. Louis 
Re Harris Gobbe eee President, St. Louis Academy of Science 
b/g) [TeV ar Bis ott ¢ (4 eee nae ne he eS een Bishop of the Diocese of Missouri 
William Schumacher... President, Board of Education of St. Louis 
Gerald Ulrici —-.---..- 6 a Piaieassks ahaa aes oc eg sco PUOEOEALY 
STAFF 
George T. Moore.....--...---------------------------- eae eee renin se Director 
Hermann von Schrenk...._...------------------------------------—---- — Pathologist 
Jesse M. Greenman_..- eee es Curator Emeritus of Herbarium 
Carroll W. Dodge_..__.-------------—--------—--------------- ___Mycologist 
Edear Anderson ——______________—__-_—- Geneticist 
8 RRS UE 2s or a | eee mone nrer as Ee | a Herbarium 
Henry N. Andrews_—_______-_-_-—___-—_ Paleobotanist 
Robert W. Schery-..---—------------------------------=--- Research Associate 
Gustav A. L. Mehlquist-_..-.-..-------------------------------------—- Research Horticulturist 
Rolla M. Tryon__-.-.. ------ Fees esrnisaitdeste _ Assistant Curator of Herbarium 
George B. Van Siieac Bes nae Honorary Curator of Grasses 
Julian A. Steyermark Honorary Research Associate 
Nell C. Horner. ae = Librarian and Editor 
Gerald Ulrici __.....-------------------—---------——------ Business Manager 
George H. Pring-_____--__----____-------- Superintendent 
Paul A. Kohl _... Floriculturist 
Ladislaus Cutak____-------------------— a In charge of Succulents 
Kenneth A. Smith... eee : Pee cart _ Engineer 
Ausuat: P.. Bellmatn Neeson ae the eae Gray Summit 
COE Ee 5 4 ee eon cere ee eeneer cee In charge of Orchids 


Paul H. Allen... —_-_ —_.___- __-__--.-— Tropical Plant Collector 


SOME FACTS ABOUT THE GARDEN 


The Missouri Botanical Garden was opened to the public by Mr. 
Henry Shaw about 1860. From that date until his death in 1889 it 
was maintained under his personal direction. Although popularly 
known as “Shaw’s Garden” the name Missouri Botanical Garden 
was chosen by Mr. Shaw and he definitely indicated that he wished 
it called by that name. The Garden passed at his death into the 
hands of a Board of Trustees, designated in Mr. Shaw’s will, and 
the Board so constituted, exclusive of certain ex-officio members, 
is self-perpetuating. By a further provision of the will the immedi- 
ate direction of the Garden is vested in a Director, appointed by 
the Board. The Garden receives no support from city or state but 
is maintained almost exclusively from the estate left by Henry 
Shaw. Since 1939 many Garden Clubs and interested individuals 
have contributed to a “Friends of the Garden Fund” which is used 
in developing the new Arboretum, located at Gray Summit, Mo. 
The Arboretum (1) serves as a source of plants, trees and shrubs 
for the city Garden; (2) affords areas for gradually establishing 
a pinetum, a wild-flower reservation and various other features 
on a scale not possible in the city; (3) provides greenhouses for 
some 50,000 orchid plants. 

The city Garden comprises 75 acres, where about 12,000 species 
of plants are grown, both out of doors and under glass. It is open 
every day in the year except New Year’s Day and Christmas; week 
days, 8:00 a. m. until 7:00 p. m.; Sundays, 10:00 a. m. until 7:00 
p.m. The greenhouses are closed every day at 5:00 p. m. 

The main entrance to the Garden is at Tower Grove and Flora 
Place, on the Sarah bus line (No. 42). The Tower Grove bus 
(No. 21), direct from downtown, passes within three blocks of the 


main entrance. 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL 


GARDEN BULL 


CIN 


CONTENTS 


Ornamental Fruits for Fruit Growing for the 


Autumn and Winter Home Orchard 


Notes 


Volume XX XVIII September, 1950 


Number t 


Cover: Main Garden from the roof of the Palm House. Photograph by 
Ladislaus Cutak. 


Editorial Office: Missouri Botanical Garden, 2315 Tower Grove Avenue, 
St. Louis 10, Missouri. 

Published monthly except July and August by the Board of Trustees of the 
Missouri Botanical Garden. Subscription price: $2.50 a year. 

Office of publication: 306 E. Simmons Street, Galesburg, Illinois. 

Entered as second-class matter January 26, 1942, at the post-office at Gales- 
burg, Illinois, under the Act of March 3, 1879. 


Please: Do not discard a copy of the Bulletin. If you have no further use for yours 
pass it along to a friend or return it to the Garden. Return postage will 
be guaranteed. 


Missour1 Botanical 
Garden Bulletin 


Vol. XXXVIII SEPTEMBER, 1950 Na:.-7 


ORNAMENTAL FRUITS FOR AUTUMN AND WINTER 
ROBERT W. SCHERY 


Widespread attention is ordinarily given to selection of evergreen shrubs 
and trees for the winter landscape. In St. Louis this in itself is a formidable 
task, for we are in a climatic zone where deciduous plants naturally pre- 
dominate and where few broad-leaved evergreens do well when brought in 
from different zones. We find winter greenness in the omnipresent junipers 
(such as Pfitzer’s Juniper, Juniperus chinensis pfitzeriana), Arborvitae 
(species of Thuja and Chamaccyparis, usually short-lived and unsatisfactory 
in St. Louis), smaller pines (viz. Pinus mugo), yews (several excellent 
species and varieties of Taxus, somewhat expensive and difficult to establish) , 
hemlock (the genus Tsuga, useful on northern exposures but tending to 
become too large), and a few other conifers including the Blue and Norway 
spruces. Among the limited number of broad-leaf evergreens available are: 
Mahonia aquifolium, the Oregon Holly Grape (one of the best, but tending 
to winter-burn in full exposure); various barberries (viz. Berberis julianae, 
the Wintergreen Barberry; B. verruculosa, the Warty Barberry, etc.) ; several 
hollies (such as the well-known American holly, Ilex opaca, and I. crenata 
and I. glabra); members of the Azalea family, which, however, usually 
demand special cultural care (viz. Japanese Andromeda, Pieris japonica; 
Rhododendron; Mountain Laurel, Kalmia latifolia); boxwood, varieties of 
Buxus (somewhat difficult to establish and expensive) ; Magnolia grandiflora 
(tends to winter-kill or scald); and for a portion of the winter a few kinds 
of Viburnum, Evonymus, Cotoneaster, and Abelia grandiflora. 

With such a limited selection of evergreen shrubs for winter landscaping 
it is a wonder that more attention is not paid to other features of winter 
attractiveness in shrubs. For example, winter outline of a deciduous shrub 
(i.e., whether it presents a pleasing or interesting pattern against a wall or 
a background of snow, or whether it is a mere “brush pile” best seen at a 
distance), color of its bark, and size and arrangement of buds, all offer 
further basis for selection. Yet, after gross habit, winter greenness, and 


(119) 


120 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 


autumn leaf coloration, colorful fruit is perhaps the outstanding source of 
ornamentation about the home in autumn and winter. In many shrubs and 
trees fruits are more colorful and enduring than are the flowers and should 
rate equal, if not greater, consideration. Not only do winter fruits offer 
spots of color in an otherwise dreary landscape, but they also may be useful 
as bird and wildlife food. In the subsequent paragraphs will be discussed 
some of the more useful shrubs from the winter “berry” standpoint and their 
value in the St. Louis landscape. Many additions could doubtless be made, 
but I have intentionally not included the many colorful fruits that seldom 
last into autumn. The following plants, listed alphabetically according to 
the name of the genus, is thus mostly confined to those bearing fruits which 
may be in evidence in October or later. 

Aronia (Chokeberry).—This genus of the rose family contains several 
species useful in distant screens, background plantings, or borders. Among 
them are the red chokeberry (A. arbutifolia and its var. brilliantissima) and 
the black chokeberry (A. melanocarpa), shrubs of moderate height or small 
trees. As a rule, these do better in more northerly climates and cannot be 
highly recommended for St. Louis. Among other difficulties they are subject 
to fire blight, as are many members of the rose family. In selected strains, 
however, they may yield attractive red fruits (A. arbutifolia) or bluish black 
ones (A. melanocarpa) in October. Foliage during the growing season is 
rather coarse and blends poorly with other shrubs but colors nicely in 
autumn. The small white or pinkish flowers offer no special inducement 
for planting. 

Berberis (Barberry ).—Several barberries offer strikingly colorful winter 
fruit. The familiar, easily grown hedge and border plant, B. thunbergii 
(Japanese Barberry) is not only one of the most common but one of the 
best, especially in selected variety. Erect, purple-leaved, and other forms 
can be had. Good autumn coloration, pleasing foliage, adaptability and 
hardiness combine with the excellent winter berry characteristic to make 
this species highly recommended. Its only drawback is its nearly universal 
use, so that home-owners largely take it for granted. It is free of wheat rust 
fungus, and the fruit furnishes good bird food. More distinctive are the 
Chinese B. circumserrata, with single or few-clustered yeliowish-red fruits; 
B. gilgiana (Autumn Wildfire), with deep red fruit; B. koreana (Korean 
Barberry), with persistent red fruits sought by birds; B. vernac; B. wilsonice; 
and the European barberry, B. vulgaris, which, however, is susceptible to 
wheat rust disease. 

Callicarpa (Beauty-Berry).—This member of the verbena family offers 
at least two Asiatic species, C. japonica and C. dichotoma, not to mention 


the native C. americana. They are susceptible to winter die-back and have 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 121 


little to recommend them except their abundant clusters of purplish berries 
borne in early autumn. 

Calycanthus.—C., florida and C. fertilis may ordinarily not produce seed. 
However, there is a “strain” at the Arboretum that seems to fruit regularly 
and the thick, pear-shaped pods are quite interesting. 

Celastrus (Bittersweet).—Everyone knows the native bittersweet, C. 
scandens. This vigorous, sprawling, shrubby vine is coarse and unattractive 
during the growing season but need not take a back seat to any plant when 
it comes to striking winter fruits. The capsules split open in the dryness of 


September and display the brilliant orange-red aril of the seed through 


r = j = 


." 


American Bittersweet (Celastrus scandens) before opening of capsules 


autumn and much of winter. Sometimes flowers are unisexual, so that in 
purchasing bittersweet plants one should be certain to get female or bisexual 
specimens. 

Celtis (Dwarf Hackberry) .—Some strains of Celtis pumila seem to fruit 
especially well at the Arboretum. The berries are blue-black and are ex- 
cellent bird food. 

Cephalanthus (Button-bush).—C. occidentalis has round seed heads, like 
those of the sycamore, which persist throughout the winter. It is a native 
of our river banks, and a good plant for low, wet ground and sunny ex- 
posures. 

Cornus (Dogwood) .—Although the many fine dogwood species are best 
known for their flowers, a few hold rather attractive cherry-like fruits into 


122 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 


autumn. In good years the Cornelian Cherry (C. mas) may bear abundant 
purplish berries, while the Gray Dogwood (C. racemosa) may keep its clusters 
of white berries borne on pink stalks into October. C. florida (Flowering 
Dogwood) and C. kousa (Chinese Dogwood) have reddish fruit. These and 
other dogwoods are best used as accent plants or in hedge-rows, and are often 
distinctive for the high coloration of their twigs. 


Cotoneaster.—A number of the cotoneasters, members of the rose family, 
can be recommended on the basis of excellent habit, good foliage, and autumn 
fruit, although they are poor in flowers, hard to transplant, require sun, and 
are frequently susceptible to fire blight, winter-kill, or other ailments.  C. 
ad pressa, with its rich show of red fruits, makes an excellent low accent 
plant; C. dielsiana is said to make good game cover; the fine-foliaged C. 
horizontalis may serve a variety of purposes from ground cover to specimen 
plant, and is one of the best of the cotoneasters. C. apiculata and C. divari- 
cata are much like C. horizontalis, and C. zabelii is another of the spreading 
species but with more orangish fruits. C. rosea, C. multiflora, and C. salici- 
folia are taller species that bear good winter berries. Fruits of all cotoneasters 
seldom remain bright beyond November. The plants should be prominently 
placed where they can be viewed at close range. 

Crataegus (Hawthorn).—Hawthorns, also members of the rose family, 
are generally small trees noted both for flowers and colorful red fruit. It is 


difficult to delimit species in this complex genus, but two of the best species 


Hawthorn (Crataegus) 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 125 


are sold under the names of C. phaenopyrum (Washington Thorn) and C. 
crus-galli (Cockspur Thorn). The very abundant, small red fruits of the 
Washington Thorn remain on the tree most of the winter. The Cockspur 
Thorn is lower and more spreading, perhaps a bit more picturesque as a 
specimen tree but with less abundant fruit. Many other hawthorns have 
colorful fruit and show up splendidly as accent plants in borders. For the 
small yard hawthorns are usually too large to be used to best advantage. 
They are relatively hardy, but, like many other members of the rose family, 
may fall prey to fire blight. 


Elaeagnus (Russian Olive).—Most species of Elaeagnus are noted for 
their bright silvery leaves and twigs, but a few bear salmon or red fruits into 
October. The Asiatic E. umbellata and the doubtfully winter-hardy E. 
pungens and E, multiflora are most noted in this respect. Russian Olives are 
small trees, doing best in full sun and requiring considerable space. 


Evonymus (Spindle Tree or Wahoo).—The genus Evonymus is in the 
bittersweet family, and species typically bear red or orange arillate seeds 
similar to those of the well-known bittersweet. Some species are prostrate 
or vine-like (E. fortunei in variety), others attractive shrubs (E. kiaut- 
schovica, E. alata, E. yedoensis), and a few are trees (the native E. atro- 
purpurea and E. americana, the Asiatic E. bungeana, and the European E. 
europaea). The shrubby species and E. europaea and E. atropurpurea can 
be recommended for their autumn fruit display. They are also desirable on 
other counts, transplanting well, having fine autumn leaf coloration, and 
showing interesting winter outline (especially Winged Wahoo, E. alata, with 
four corky ridges down the twigs). Most species are best used for accent 
or specimen display. Several are readily attacked by scale. 


Grewia.—Grewia is so little known as not even to be mentioned in most 
landscape books. G. biloba is a coarse, sprawling shrub of the basswood family 
(Tiliaceae), with inconspicuous summer flowers but curious (although dull) 
4-lobed orange-red autumn fruits that are quite attractive. 


Hamamelis (Witch-hazel). —Witch-hazel has little to recommend it as 
more than an occasional or background shrub, although the slender-petaled, 
spidery flowers of H. vernalis or the Chinese H. mollis may be found open on 
any warm day from mid-winter to early spring. H. virginiana flowers in 
autumn. All species bear large, dull, woody capsules perhaps of mild interest 
through the winter in that they remain on the plant for about a year. 

Ilex (Holly).—Probably only the Spindle Trees (Evonymus), the Bar- 
berries (Berberis), Hawthorns (Crataegus) and Viburnums offer as much in 
attractive winter fruit as do the hollies. American Holly (I. opaca), the 


source of the common Christmas green, is best known. This evergreen tree, 


124 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 


American Holly (Ilex opaca) 


native to the southeastern United States, is one of the finest of all orna- 
mentals. Equally or more colorful in fruit, but shedding the leaves in win- 
ter, are the Winterberry (1. verticillata), Deciduous Holly or Possum Haw 
(I. decidua), and similar species. Several other attractive species are southern 
and doubtfully hardy in St. Louis, while the useful Japanese Holly, I. crenata, 
has a black fruit not of value for autumn coloration. In this genus, as with 
bittersweet, a purchaser of plants should be certain of getting trees with 
female flowers, for often they are unisexual. Hollies are sometimes difficult 
to transplant, but require little care once established. 

Juniperus (Juniper or “Cedar”).—The smoky-blue cones of juniper 
“berries” of the native J. virginiana and of a number of the spreading species 
such as J. scopulorum, J. communis, and J. horizontalis are very attractive 
through autumn and winter. In selecting these evergreens for winter fruit 
care must be taken to insure that plants bear female cones. 

Ligustrum (Privet).—Privets, members of the olive family, are best 
known as exceptionally hardy and adaptable hedges or fine foliage shrubs. 


They will also hold the blue-black fruits into early winter, and may be mildly 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 125 


Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana) 


ornamental in this respect. Regel’s Privet, L. obtusifolium regelianum, is 
perhaps the most satisfactory. Privets are among the most easily grown 
shrubs. 

Lindera (Spicebush).—The aromatic Lindera benzoin, a member of the 
laurel or sassafras family, bears red fruits for a brief time in early autumn. 
It is a coarse shrub of limited usefulness except for naturalistic plantings. 

Lonicera (Honeysuckle).—Many of the bush honeysuckles bear attrac- 
tive, colored berries (viz. L. fatarica) but only a few last into October. 
Latest fruiting is the Amur Honeysuckle, L. maackii var. podocarpa, whose 
dark red berries ripen in September and usually persist into October. Of 
course, too, the various honeysuckles have much to recommend them for 
shrub borders and flower beds. 


Lycium (Matrimony Vine).—Both the Chinese Matrimony Vine, L. 
chinense, and the common European species, L. halimifolium, produce at- 
tractive red-orange fruits, like small chili peppers, that remain on the shrub 
well into autumn. A vigorous, spreading “weedy” plant without especial 
ornamental value other than fruit, the Matrimony Vine has fallen into dis- 
favor in modern times; yet it is worthy of resurrection for rough land and 
distant plantings where it will help hold soil and serve as cover for small 


game. 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 


6 


~ 


. 


trained ona trellis In the Linnean 


(Pyracantha coccinea lalandii) 


Laland Firethorn 


Garden 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 127 


Magnolia.—Almost any of the small tree magnolias bear “cobs” of red- 
berried fruits in autumn that are very striking for some weeks until becoming 
dull or the seeds drop. The evergreen M. grandiflora is doubtfully winter- 
hardy in St. Louis, but many of the deciduous species such as M. virginiana, 
M. tripetala, M. macrophylla, and M. fraseri can be recommended for attrac- 
tive fruits and are not over-planted as is the Saucer Magnolia, M. soulangeana. 
Magnolias are generally difficult to transplant, but once established require 
little care. Most of them are somewhat too large and coarse-leaved for the 
small place. 

Malus (Apple and Crab-apple).—There are many excellent ornamental 
crab-apples, although the great majority of species are sought not for fruit 
but for their charming fragrant blossoms, their graceful habit, and blending 
value as a small lawn or border tree. All will thrive where orchard apples 
will, and are subject to the same ills and necessities of care. M. arnoldiana 
and M. toringoides bear yellow-red fruits; M. bupebensis small purplish ones; 
M. sargentii long-persisting cherry-like pomes; and varieties and hybrids of 
M. baccata apples in shades of red, into September and October. 

Nandina (Heavenly Bamboo).—N. domestica, a relative of the bar- 
berries, bears attractive, edible, purplish-red fruits in autumn. It is winter- 
hardy only with special care in the St. Louis area. 


Photinia (Christmas Berry).—P. villosa, a member of the rose family, 
is a small tree similar to the hawthorns, with which it has at times been 
classified. The species is best used for accent in borders, the attractive fruits 


ripening in late summer and often persisting into winter. 


Ptelea (Wafer Ash, or Potato-Chip Tree).—Ptelea trifoliata has been 
known to hold its fruit until well past January. The seeds could be colored 
and used in decoration. 

Pyracantha (Firethorn).—The Laland Firethorn, P. coccinea lalandii, 
has the reputation of being one of the finest small trees noted for ornamental 
fruit. The fruit is showy and is often held throughout the winter. Un- 
fortunately, it has proven difficult to grow in St. Louis, succumbing to fire 
blight and other ills. It is closely related to the hawthorns and may be 
similarly handled. The species is adaptable to espalier training, and one such 
specimen can be seen as an attractive wall or trellis plant in the northwest 
corner of the Linnean Garden. 


Rhamnus (Buckthorn).—R. caroliniana (Indian Cherry) bears fruit 
which persists until midwinter. It is a native plant with no especial 
“troubles” and should be used more often in our gardens. R. cathartica, too 
tree-like to be of much use in a shrub planting, bears blackish fruit in Sep- 
tember that may sometimes last into October. R. davurica is a picturesque 


128 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 


Common Buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica) 


irregular-branching bush that bears shiny black fruit persisting into autumn 
and winter. 

Rhus (Sumac).—This genus includes several vigorous, coarse, compound- 
leaved species spreading readily by root “suckers.” Their greatest orna- 
mental value lies in their brilliant autumn coloration and terminal clusters 
of small reddish fruits often lasting well into winter. Smooth Sumac (R. 
glabra), Staghorn Sumac (R. typhina), and Shining Sumac (R. copallina), 
usually available in cut-leaf variety, are among the outstanding taller types. 
R. aromatica is a smaller trifoliolate species. All are readily grown in this 
area, 

Rosa (Roses).—The many types of roses are too well known to need 
much comment. A number of the shrub or trailing types bear reddish hips 
that remain well into winter and afford excellent cover and food for small 
game. Native species such as the Prairie Rose, R. setigera, can be highly 
recommended in this respect. In recent years widespread attention has been 
given by sportsman’s organizations and conservation groups to the planting 
of the Japanese R. multiflora. Cne of the earliest plantings of this species in 
the state was at the Arboretum grounds. R. rugosa and R. blanda are other 
cultivated species unusually colorful in fruit. 

Sambucus (Elderberry).—The elderberries, members of the honeysuckle 
family, are colorful in fruit but coarse and mostly unattractive otherwise. 


The voluminous purplish berries fall quickly, seldom lasting through October, 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 129 


but are momentarily colorful and useful for encouraging wild life. The 
Red-berried Elder (S$. racemosa) is an European introduction, while the more 
familiar American S. canadensis, abundant in the wild in Missouri, is known 
as the source of elderberry wine. 

Sorbus (Mountain Ash).—S. americana and the very similar European 
S. aucuparia are among the finest of small trees for colorful, clustered fruit, 
but, like certain other members of the rose family, are attacked by fire 
blight and other ills in the St. Louis area. 

Staphylea (Bladder-nuts).—S. frifolia has little to recommend it as an 
ornamental, although the inflated, 3-lobed brownish capsule affords mod- 
erate interest in the autumn. The European S. pinnata and S. colchica are 
doubtfully winter-hardy here. 

Sym phoricar pos (Coralberry and Snowberry).—The Coralberry (S. or- 
biculatus), also known as Indian Currant, Buckbrush, Snapberry, and Tur- 


Snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus) 


130 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 


Viburnum molle 


High-bush Cranberry (Viburnum opulus) 


keyberry, is a tough small-shrub weed of roadsides, common throughout 
Missouri. It is of great value for holding soil, tying-in large shrub groups 
to the lawn, and also for supplying food for small game. The clusters of 


hairy reddish fruits are usually conspicuous throughout the winter. S$. albus, 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 13d 


the Snowberry, is a familiar cultivated species that bears white fruits 
through autumn. It is a rather untidy shrub and has little to recommend it 
other than hardiness and the attractive fruit. S. chenaultii is a more desir- 
able hybrid between the Coralberry and a Mexican species. 

Symplocos (Sapphire Berry).—S. paniculata is a large, well-shaped shrub 
with bright blue berries maturing in September. These are generally quickly 
consumed by birds. Flowers are often unisexual, so that care should be 
taken to procure fruiting plants. 

Taxus (Yew).—Like the junipers, the yews are evergreen conifers, and 
by far the most important gymnosperm from the standpoint of autumn 
coloration. “Cones” consist of naked ovules in which the outer integument 
becomes fleshy and bright red. Yews are normally expensive and offer some 
difficulty in establishment, but can be very highly recommended. The Eng- 
lish Yew (T. baccata in many varieties) sometimes winter-kills, but the 
Japanese Yew (varieties of T'. cuspidata), T. canadensis, and T. media (a 
hybrid between baccata and cuspidata) are winter-hardy in this area. 

Viburnum (Snowball, High-bush Cranberry, etc.).—Viburnum, of the 
honeysuckle family, is one of the best all-around genera in cultivation. A 
number of species bear very ornamental fruit clusters, several holding fruits 
into autumn. Bearing red fruits are the Linden Viburnum (V. dilatatum), 
High-bush Cranberry (V. opulus), Tea Viburnum (V. sefigerum), and 
Siebold’s Viburnum (V. sieboldii). Having late yellow fruits is V. opulus 
xanthocarpum. With blue or black fruits are Withe-rod (V. cassinoides), 
Nannyberry (V. lentago), Black Haw (V. prunifolium), Arrow-wood (V. 
dentatum), and V. molle. All are large border shrubs, generally easily grown. 
Some have an objectionable odor. Many additional species of value could be 
listed, but the above are among the later fruit-bearing sorts. 


LARGE TREES 

Few trees offer much in the way of ornamental fruits for winter. The 
Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua) bears large, orbicular, spine-studded 
capsules that frequently hang on the tree through winter. These may make 
quaint Christmas ornaments when gilded. Similar but less distinctive are 
the ‘monkey balls” of the Sycamores (Platanus), common as street trees 
in St. Louis. Some of the leguminous trees retain their pods into winter. 
The long thin legumes of the Honey Locust (Gleditsia triacanthos) and the 
large thick pods of the Kentucky Coffee Tree (Gymnocladus dioicus) hang 
grotesquely from the branches through most of the winter. 

Persimmons (Diospyros) are one of the best-known fleshy autumn fruits. 
A tree well-filled with these edible frosty blue berries is not unattractive 
ornamentally. Certain strains retain their persimmons through most of the 
winter. Similar to persimmons are the dark blue berries of Sassafras (Sassa- 


132 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 


fras albidum), sometimes borne abundantly into October on the female 
trees. The Osage-Orange or Hedge-Apple (Maclura pomifera) bears fleshy 
green fruits, larger than a baseball, that are of interest chiefly to small boys. 

The long, slender lady’s cigar capsules of the Catalpa are more grotesque 
than ornamental, but do contribute variety to the arborescent winter out- 
line. Ashes (Fraxinus) and boxelder (Acer negundo) may retain their 
winged, “maple squirt” type fruit into winter, although these are hardly 
ornamental. The fruits and shiny seeds of some of the Horse-chestnuts or 
Buckeyes (Aesculus) may hang on beyond fall of the leaves. A. hippo- 
castanum bears an unusually intriguing spiny capsule. Tulip Tree (Lirio- 
dendron tulipifera) may hold its dehisced clusters through the winter, but 
again these are of negligible ornamental value. Equally inconsequential from 
the ornamental standpoint are acorns of oaks, chestnut and beech capsules, 
walnut, butternut and hickory drupes, alder “cones” ete., although all these 
may be of considerable local interest or value to wildlife. 


FRUIT GROWING FOR THE HOME ORCHARD 
AUGUST P. BEILMANN 


It seems that the city dweller has a strong affection for the soil and in 
time a great many realize their ambition to live on some small acreage where 
they can harvest their own fruits and vegetables. Since most vegetables are 
annuals it is possible for the gardener to accumulate sufficient experience in 
growing them in a short while. Fruit growing is quite another matter. It 
begins with the proper selection of varieties, and little can be done to correct 
a serious mistake in that regard. Of course, a clear picture of a proper 
orchard site should be acquired before the land is purchased, but often the 
new owner is confronted with the problem of growing what he can, no 
matter how ill-favored the site may be. 

It is seldom possible to grow many kinds of fruits, but the orchardist 
might begin with apples, then try peaches, with cherries, pears, plums, and 
apricots following in that order. Exactly what will grow on any particular 
piece of ground with the innumerable conditions to be found within fifty 
miles of St. Louis is rather hard to determine. Generally, the kind of fruit 
trees which have done well in that neighborhood would be recommended. 
An area that is almost without the stone fruits is not likely to grow them 
successfully, Similarly an area famous for peach production will probably 
grow peaches far better than pears. On the whole, the apples are easier to 
grow than the stone fruits, although they may prove quite a disappointment 
for the embryo orchardist who hopes to grow enough for canning, home use, 
and distribution to friends. He might select his varieties from the following 
list: 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 133 


APPLES: 

1. Golden Delicious.—For those who want an apple of many uses, early 
and dependable bearing, good size, and easy growth, this apple is one of the 
best. It is greenish-golden when ripe in late summer. 

2. Yellow Transparent—This small green apple can be picked before 
the Fourth of July. It does not have the keeping quality of the summer or 
fall apples, but it is especially good for the home orchard since it ripens when 
none but storage apples are available. It is hardy and a general-purpose 
fruit and reaches its peak as a cooking apple. 

3. Grimes Golden.—This is a late yellow-green apple which has an ex- 
cellent flavor when well grown, and perfectly suitable as a dessert apple. 
However, for the small orchard, it may be unsatisfactory since the tree is 
seriously attacked by collar rot and the cedar apple rust. 

4. Rhode Island Greening.—Another greenish-yellow winter apple most 
valuable for cooking, especially in pies. 


5. Banana.—This variety is most satisfactory in the home orchard, 


having a distinctive flavor and an interesting color. 


6. Red Delicious—This is a late summer and fall apple and of major 
importance in commercial plantings. A great many forms are available and 
almost any of them reach top quality in a Missouri summer. They do not 
bear as young as some varieties, and the household may become discouraged 
waiting for the tree to come into fruit. 

7. Duchess.—This old variety can be obtained in improved forms. It 
has one advantage for the home orchard in that the tree is rather small. It 
is an excellent cooking apple of the summer season. 

8. Cortland.—This development of the McIntosh type is probably best 
suited for the North. A few of these may be used in the home orchard by 
those who remember and like the old McIntosh. 

9. York Imperial—The newer forms of this variety have better color 
than the old ones and therefore are more attractive. It is a good Middle 
Western apple and can be used in almost any fashion. 

The list of better red apples might be continued indefinitely. Some are 
excellent producers but distinctly lacking in quality when grown in this 
region. The old stand-bys such as Winesap, Ben Davis, Baldwin, Jonathan, 
and Rome Beauty have a place only when ample room is available. Willow 
Twig, too, may be included for its heavy crop, but it lacks the quality the 
home-owner requires. 

If the home grounds are large, the standard commercial tree will be satis- 


factory, but there are varieties grafted on dwarfing stock for smaller grounds. 


134 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 


Although these dwarf plants are expensive and not quite as dependable as 
the standard tree, they come into fruit very early, and are easy to spray and 
prune and are not too tall for easy harvesting. 

Apples are more difficult to care for than most other crops. They have 
their usual quota of enemies in the form of insects and diseases which must 
be controlled in order to obtain good fruit. Spraying is therefore a major 
operation, but the newer insecticides and fungicides have lightened this job 
somewhat. Normally, the codling moth is the most serious pest in apple- 
growing regions. The mites and leaf-rollers may be important at times. 
The use of D.D.T. and Parathion plus some arsenate of lead will give the 
home orchardist adequate control over these pests. As new materials are 
developed, the information about them and a suggested schedule is made 
available regularly through the state horticultural societies and the state 
and government fruit stations. Membership in these societies will keep the 
grower abreast of the times and aid in producing the high quality fruits he 
has a right to hope for. 

Apple trees are normally very long-lived, but with the constant intro- 
duction of new and better varieties there seems to be no reason for develop- 
ing an orchard with the thought that it will remain productive for a hundred 
years. It is probably better to think of apple varieties as desirable for about 
twenty-five years. So long as fertility of the soil is maintained apples will 
do well on almost any site except on a south or west exposure when planted 
in a shallow soil that is quickly saturated during a rain and which dries out 
just as rapidly. Most varieties of apples are winter-hardy in this area, but 
those developed for the northern states are not as satisfactory as other 
varieties. 

Young apple trees should be purchased only from a reputable nursery - 
man, and it is not necessary to buy the biggest trees that are available— 
sometimes the small ones will catch up and even outgrow a larger and older 
tree. Most standard forms of apples require about forty feet of space in 
which to mature. The dwarf forms require only half of that, but less space 
might be given to either kind of tree in the home orchard. Another method 
of utilizing the entire area is to interplant the permanent apple trees with 
the shorter-lived peach. At the end of fifteen years the peach will have 
reached maturity and will need to be replaced and the apple tree will have 
grown so large that it requires the full forty feet to mature. 

PEACHES: 

Growing peaches in Missouri is much more of a gamble than growing 
apples. The home orchard can, however, grow a number of varieties matur- 
ing from very early until late, but ordinarily “real” peaches are thought of 
as those approaching the Elberta in size, taste, and attractiveness. The 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 135 


peach has certain peculiar requirements as to site and exposure which are not 
quite so important to the apple. Peaches must not be grown where there is 
a lack of air drainage. Cold-air pockets favor late frosts which always 
injure the flowers. 

Peaches are subject to a number of diseases and insect pests. One of the 
most disheartening experiences for the home orchardist is to discover brown 
rot which shows up just about harvest time. Peaches so infected will 
collapse over night when picked ripe and stored in a warm room in anticipa- 
tion of freezing and canning. Brown rot is controlled by sulphur sprays. 
An insect which has always been a serious pest, particularly to the home 
orchardist, is the peach tree borer which can successfully be controlled by 
18 a 

Peaches have certain specific pruning requirements which set them apart 
from the other fruit trees. Peach trees are normally cut back very severely, 
but the more leaves the tree has the greater the chance of a crop. Through 
the use of greater quantities of nitrogenous fertilizer applied annually it is 
possible to prune less and allow the trees to grow to greater size. Com- 
mercial plantings have usually been considered as short lived, with the ex- 
pectation that two or three crops in fifteen years will yield a profit. This is 
hardly the kind of program that would interest a home orchardist who wants 
a variety of dessert peach which will produce almost every year. The 
standard, of course, is Elberta and its many varieties and hybrids. These, 
along with J. H. Hale, are nearly all mid-season peaches. There are a few 
earlier varieties of which Red Bird and Alton are among the best known. 
Most of the early peaches are clingstones, which may be objectionable for 
certain home uses. The good late peaches are October Krummel and Heath 
Cling. To round out a complete harvest calendar the home grower might 
add a number of other varieties to those listed above. 


CHERRIES: 

Extremely fine varieties of both the cherry and the plum are available 
on the market in the proper season. Unfortunately, neither of these fruits 
are much at home in the Middle West. Both require a very fertile soil, and 
the varieties which are hardy in the region about St. Louis may have far less 
quality than those grown in other areas. However, they are much more 
dependable in bearing habit than the peaches, but require a good deal more 
labor at harvest time. Cherries vary considerably in color; yellow, white, 
red, and almost black varieties can be obtained. There are three major 
classes of the fruits—the sweet, the duke, and the sour. These are Old 
World plants, and generally little difficulty is experienced in growing 


a small sour cherry in this region, but the better varieties of the duke and 


136 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 


yellow sweet cherries are increasingly difficult. One of the best early sweet 
cherries for this region is the Seneca; then Lambert might be used, with 
Gold for a later crop. 


PLUMS: 


The plums are famous for their high fertility requirements. It is perhaps 
noteworthy that most of the home orchard plums have succeeded in the 
chicken yard. Excellent varieties are available for Middle Western planting, 
but even the best can not compare with the marvelous fruits shipped from 
the West. However, the home orchardist, looking forward to a crop of 
fruit from his own trees, can find satisfactory varieties for this locality. 
Freshly picked fruit may well compensate for the smaller size and somewhat 
reduced quality. There are several major classifications of plums and these 
vary considerably in taste. The first are the Damsons which are small firm 
plums of many colors, being borne in clusters. Next are the Gages of higher 
quality, and the third includes the red, the blue, and the purple varieties, 
some of which yield the “prune” of commerce. Normally, the home-owner 
need not bother about the pruning problem. Each variety has a more or 
less characteristic growth and little pruning is required. Like the cherry, 
the plum industry is largely confined to a particular section of the country. 
Omaha, Green Gage, and Gold Plums are among the best mid-season types. 
The Damsons and the Wild Goose are among the best in the late plums. 
PEARS: 

In the Middle West we can’t hope to grow the marvelous pears which 
occasionally find their way to our tables from the Northwest. However, 
certain varieties can be grown with a greater degree of dependability than 
almost any other tree fruit. Unfortunately, the Kiefer, which is grown so 
extensively, has caused many people to believe that pears are hardly worth 


growing 


g- Perhaps the second most common variety is the Bartlett, which 
again is somewhat inferior in quality although it is a standard commercial 
variety. To this list might be added the Lincoln, which is better in quality; 
the Seckel, which ripens in late summer; and Gorham which is rated as a 
“late” Bartlett. 

Pears require but little pruning and not very much fertilizer. Their 
spraying requirements are not as critical as most other fruits, but they have 
one bacterial disease called fire blight which may destroy a small tree in a 
few weeks. This disease, more than any other difficulty, has limited pear- 
growing to certain parts of the country. 

Many home orchardists will feel lost without a few nectarines, apricots, 
and crab-apples. These fruits will prove successful under certain exacting 
conditions, but, on the whole, they should be planted only after considerable 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 137 


experience has been gained in the growing of tree fruits. There are varieties 
of apricots reported to stand twenty below zero, and nectarines of equal 
hardiness are reported available. However, winter hardiness is not the only 
basis for judging fruit trees. Types of crab-apples developed from American 
species are so seriously injured by cedar apple rust that only the most exact- 
ing spray will keep them alive. However, if the orchard is in an area free 
of Red Cedars any one of the commercial crab-apples might be perfectly 


satisfactory. 


NOTES 


Mr. George H. Pring, Superintendent of the Garden, attended the meet- 
ing of the trustees of the American Orchid Society, at Ithaca, N. Y., Sep- 
tember 5-6. 


Mr. Caristoph B. Schuecking, Landrat des Kreis (Chief County Cfficer), 
Lauterbach, on a tour to study agriculture and local government under the 
auspices of the U. S. Occupation Forces, spent a day at the Arboretum, 
observing the farming, forestry, and cattle. 


Dr. Edgar Anderson, Dr. Henry N. Andrews, Dr. Robert W. Schery, 
Dr. Rolla M. Tryon, Dr. George Van Schaack, and Dr. Robert E. Woodson, 
of the Garden staff, and Mr. Hugh Iltis, Mr. David J. Rogers, and Mrs. Rolla 
Tryon, graduate students at the Garden, attended the conference of biological 
secieties, under the sponsorship of the Institute of Biological Sciences, held at 
Columbus, Ohio, September 11-14. 


Dr. Edgar Anderson, Geneticist to the Garden, has received a grant from 
the John Simon Guggenheim Foundation to assist his researches into the 
origin and development of cultivated plants in the New World. Part of the 
grant will be used to operate an experimental plot at the Escuela Agricola 
Panamericana, Tegucigalpa, Honduras. Mr. George Freytag, a former grad- 
uate student at the Garden, will spend the academic year 1950-1951 assisting 


Dr. Andersen at the Escuela Agricola Panamericana. 


Dr. Carroll W. Dodge, Mycologist to the Garden, gave a course in medi- 
cal mycology at the Instituto de Microbiologia of the Universidad de Santiago, 
Chile, from June 18 to July 28. While in Chile he was made an honorary 
member of the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Medicine of the National 
University of Chile, and of the Sociedad Chilena de Dermato-Sifilogia, 
During August and September he visited various scientists and _ scientific 


institutions in Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, Peru, and Costa Rica. 


138 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 


Visitors to the Garden library and herbarium during the past several 
months were the following: Miss Elizabeth Berlin, of Mexico City; Mr. W. 
N. Brandt, of the Western Cartridge Co., Alton, IIl.; Rev. Robert R. Brinker, 
O.F.M., of Quincy College, Quincy, Ill; Dr. John N. Couch, of the Uni- 
versity of North Carolina, Chapel Hill; Dr. Hugh C. Cutler, of the Chicago 
Museum of Natural Sciences; Mr. R. A. Evers, of the Illinois Natural History 
Survey, Springfield; Dr. David H. Fairburn, of the McKee Jungle Gardens, 
Vero Beach, Fla.; Mr. John J. Finan, graduate student in history of science 
at Harvard University; The Gillespie Community School, Gillespie, IIL; 
Dr. D. J. Glover, of the University of Liverpool, England; Dr. George B. 
Happ, of Principia College, Elsah, Ill.; Dr. Charles B. Heiser, of the Uni- 
versity of Indiana, Bloomington, and a group of his advanced students in 
botany; Mr. Norland Henderson, graduate student, University of Indiana; 
Dr. Margaret Kaiser, of Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, accom- 
panied by a group of students in botany; Dr. Anna H. Koffler, of the Uni- 
versity of Kansas City, Mo.; Mr. G. Edward Nicholson, of the Food Supply 
Division, Institute of Inter-American Affairs, Lima, Peru, who spent several 
weeks consulting the Garden library and herbarium; Dr. S$. L. Ransom, of 
the University of Durham, Newcastle-on-Tyne, England; Dr. Jonathan 
Sauer, of the University of Wisconsin, Madison; Dr. Russell J. Seibert, of 
the Los Angeles State and County Arboretum, Arcadia, Calif.; Dr. Lloyd 
H. Shinners, of Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas; Dr. J. N. 
Prem Singh, of the Lalbach Botanic Gardens, Bangalore, India; Mr. Oliver 
Tucker, of the Tucker Nurseries, Columbus, Ohio; Mrs. Richard Walker 
(Helen Bramsch), of the University of Washington, Seattle; Dr. Eula 
Whitehouse, of Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas. 


This time of year, when those who force bulbs for winter bloom are 
getting in their supplies, is a good time to bring up again the special merits 
of FeBruary Govp, the early yellow trumpet daffodil. It is usually listed 
in catalogues among rock-garden narcissci or with the cyclamineus hybrids, 
where it technically belongs. Actually it forces more easily than any other 
daffodil, almost as easily as the paper-white narcissi. The flowers are not as 
large as those of the ubiquitous KING ALrRep and they are not quite so 
super-yellow. They last better, they force much more readily in the earlier 
part of the winter, and they are small enough so that twice as many can be 
planted in a small pot, giving an abundance of bloom that more than makes 


up for the smaller size of the individual flowers. 


THE MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN 


Richard J. Lockwood _. 


Daniel K. Catlin 

Eugene Pettus 
L. Ray Carter 
Dudley French 
Henry Hitchcock 


Arthur H. Compton —.. 


BOARD OF TRUSTEES 


John S. Lehmann 

George T. Moore 

A. Wessel Shapleigh 
Ethan A. H. Shepley 


EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS 
Chancellor, Washington University 
Mayor of the City of St. Louis 


Joseph M. Darst._.-----------------------------------------— 
R. Harris Cobb--...-.----—---- President, St. Louis Academy of Science 
BATE Ly rel td (-| 4 en RR eR en Bishop of the Diocese of Missouri 
William Schumacher President, Board of Education of St. Louis 
Gerald Ulrici Secretary 
STAFF 
George T. Moore....---—--——-----—---—--- $$$ __Director 
Hermann von Schrenk__....----——--—---——--------—_--—--——---—--- Pathologist 
Jesse M. Greenman _ PEE ee ere eee aeane ees Curator Emeritus of Herbarium 
Carroll W. Dodge________-—__-___-____- Mycologist 
Edgar Anderson —--—----------—--—----—--- Geneticist 
Robert E. Woodson, Jr._------------------------------------ _..... Curator of Herbarium 
Henry N. Andrews —-_—______$___- Paleobotanist 
Robert W. Schery.------------------------------ Research Associate 


Gustav A. L. Mehl quist— 


Rolla M. Tryon. ---- 


George B. Van Schaack 
Julian A. Steyermark 
Nell C. Horner____-----—--- 


Gerald Ulrici 


ees reer Research Horticulturist 
_ Assistant Curator of Herbarium 
_. Honorary Curator of Grasses 
Honorary Research Associate 


Librarian and Editor 


Business Manager 


George H. Pring—-___---—_--—___—-------____------- Superintendent 
Paul A. Kohl.....____-____-___-___-__-—_-------____——- Floriculturist 
Bad iiitie Cu td In charge of Succulents 


Kenneth A. Smith —--- 


August P, Beilmann 
Ga Re Lowry 2.0.22. 
Paul H. Allen --~ 


ene eer are ; a Engineer 


Manager of the Arboretum, Gray Summit 
__In charge of Orchids 
Tropical Plant Collector 


SOME FACTS ABOUT THE GARDEN 


The Missouri Botanical Garden was opened to the public by Mr. 
Henry Shaw about 1860. From that date until his death in 1889 it 
was maintained under his personal direction. Although popularly 
known as “Shaw’s Garden” the name Missouri Botanical Garden 
was chosen by Mr. Shaw and he definitely indicated that he wished 
it called by that name. The Garden passed at his death into the 
hands of a Board of Trustees, designated in Mr. Shaw’s will, and 
the Board so constituted, exclusive of certain ex-officio members, 
is self-perpetuating. By a further provision of the will the immedi- 
ate direction of the Garden is vested in a Director, appointed by 
the Board. The Garden receives no support from city or state but 
is maintained almost exclusively from the estate left by Henry 
Shaw. Since 1939 many Garden Clubs and interested individuals 
have contributed to a “Friends of the Garden Fund” which is used 
in developing the new Arboretum, located at Gray Summit, Mo. 
The Arboretum (1) serves as a source of plants, trees and shrubs 
for the city Garden; (2) affords areas for gradually establishing 
a pinetum, a wild-flower reservation and various other features 
on a scale not possible in the city; (3) provides greenhouses for 
some 50,000 orchid plants. 

The city Garden comprises 75 acres, where about 12,000 species 
of plants are grown, both out of doors and under glass. It is open 
every day in the year except New Year’s Day and Christmas; week 
days, 8:00 a. m. until 7:00 p. m.; Sundays, 10:00 a. m. until 7:00 


p.m. The greenhouses are closed every day at 5:00 p. m. 
The main entrance to the Garden is at Tower Grove and Flora 


Place, on the Sarah bus line (No. 42). The Tower Grove bus 


(No. 21), direct from downtown, passes within three blocks of the 


main entrance. 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL 
GARDEN BULLETIN 


CONTENTS 
Autumn Coloration in Missour! The Nut Trees 
Scarlet Oak in Missouri The Bull Bay Magnolia in St. Louis 
Notes 


Volume XX XVIII October, 1950 Number 8 


Cover: Linnean House Garden in the summer. Photograph by Robert W. Schery. 


tditurnal Othce: Missouri Botanical Garden, 2315 Tower Grove Avenue, 
st. Louis 10, Missouri. 

Vublished monthly except July and August by the Board of Trustees of the 
\lissouri Botanical Garden. Subscription price: $2.50 a year. 

Othcee of publication: 306 E. Simmons Street, Galesburg, Illinois. 

tutered as second-class matter January 26, 1942, at the post-office at Gales- 
burg, Illinois, under the Act of March 3, 1879. 


Please: Do not discard a copy of the Bulletin. If you have no further use for yours 
pass it along to a friend or return it to the Garden. Return postage will 


he guaranteed. 


Missour1 Botanical 
Garden Bulletin 


Vol. XXXVIII OCTOBER, 1950 No. 8 


AUTUMN COLORATION IN MISSOURI 
ROBERT W. SCHERY 

The question as to why leaves color in autumn has long been of interest 
to botanical science, but remains to this day a problem not completely under- 
stood. Apparently a multitude of interacting factors are involved, including 
cooling weather, shortening days, physiologic condition of the plant, sequence 
of rainy or overcast vs. clear, dry spells, and a number of others. The sum 
total of these changing conditions causes the plant to behave in a character- 
istic way, whereby the usually predominating green pigment becomes less 
abundant permitting other pigments to show through, while additional color 
pigments may also be developed. To better understand this sequence of 
events let us briefly consider the kinds of pigmentation found in a tree leaf. 

The Greens.—The ubiquitous greenness of foliage is due to complex pig- 
ment molecules called chlorophylls that occur in shades from bluish-green 
to yellowish-green. While the chemical formula of chlorophyll has been 
deciphered, its exact mode of formation and its breakdown or destruction 
remain poorly understood. For one thing, light is necessary for its forma- 
tion, but too intense light or ultraviolet rays seem to destroy the pigment 
(or inhibit the mechanism whereby it is made?) faster than the plant can 
replenish it. It may be that the crisp, clear days of autumn are partly instru- 
mental in reducing the quantity of chlorophyll at a time when the physiolog- 
ical activities of the leaf are slowed down by coolness or other factors to a 
pace incapable of replenishing chlorophyll loss. This would account for the 
gradually disappearing green in autumn color. The chlorophylls occur in 
minute bodies in the leaf cells, called plastids; they are not free in the plant 
“Juices” or sap. They are, of course, the means whereby the green vegetable 
world harnesses the energy of sunlight for the building of foods (photo- 
synthesis), and thus constitute almost the sole means for sustaining life on 
our planet. 


The Yellows and Oranges—Normally associated with chlorophylls in 


(139) 


140 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 


greater or lesser quantities and various combinations, but masked by the 
more intense greens, are complex yellowish pigments (flavones) and orangish 
pigments (carotinoids). Again their exact function is obscure, but there is 
evidence that they aid in photosynthesis and are useful as vitamin precursors 
or vitamin-like enzymes. Carotin, for example, responsible for the orange 
color in carrots, is readily transformed into vitamin A. In autumn, as the 
green chlorophylls disappear, the carotinoids and flavones, apparently not so 
easily destroyed, show through and give to the hardwood forest its delightful 
brightness of gold and orange. Carotinoids occur with chlorophyll in the 
plastids, while flavones are like the anthocyanins (next paragraph) in that 
they are soluble in the cell sap. 

The Reds and Purples.—A totally different group of pigments not found 
in the plastids but soluble in the cell sap are the reddish or purplish antho- 
cyanins. Again the function of anthocyanins is not definitely known, but 
they may serve as a “shield” for the chlorophyll against too intense sunlight. 
They are also associated with cooler temperatures and high sugar concentra- 
tion in the cells, characteristically develop best in alpine plants or under 
autumn conditions or in plants exposed to intense sun. It was formerly 
thought that high sugar concentration developed in the leaves in autumn 
because of intense photosynthesis in the bright sun, while conduction of the 
sugar away from the leaf to stem and root was at least partially prevented 
by development of a corky ‘‘abscission layer” of cells at the base of the leaf 
stalk. This has recently been shown to be generally untrue, although there 
is little doubt that with cooler weather, for one cause or another, conduction 
and transportation within the plant are slowed down. This could account for 
more ready accumulation of sugars in the leaf cells. Plants generally build up 
a higher concentration of soluble materials in living cells as winter ap- 
proaches, a sort of “anti-freeze” precaution for coming cold months. In any 
event, under autumn conditions anthocyanins seem to form readily, and in 
the absence of the more susceptible (to autumn conditions) chlorophylls 
show through as the brilliant reds and dark purples of sumac and oak. 

The Browns.—All deciduous leaves turn brown when the cells are dead 
or dying and the other pigments have disappeared, usually after a heavy 
frost. Partially dead tissues may lend darker tones to autumn leaves and 
blend with the other types of coloring above mentioned to produce some of 
the beautiful bronzes that contribute to the autumn glory of Missouri wood- 
lands. 

Only among deciduous trees (ie. not evergreens) do the leaves change 
color in autumn, and Missouri is among the elite in our country in that she 
occupies a portion of the deciduous hardwood forest belt, a belt constituting 
only about 30 per cent of the forest land of the nation. Missouri autumns 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 141 


perhaps lack the brilliance of those in favored spots of New England, for our 
forests have considerably less hard or sugar maples, one of the gorgeous trees 
of the autumn landscape. However, we find compensation in a sassafras that 
the North knows but little, and can glory on a bright day in the darker reds 
of the native oaks. 

Below are listed, more or less in the order of their value, some of the more 
common Missouri trees which are outstanding in autumn coloration. It must 
be realized that the same species may not color exactly the same or in the 
same sequence in different years or locations. In fact, parts of the same 
tree may vary in color; it is not uncommon to see most of a hard maple 
golden-yellow with one section or large branch bright reddish-orange, or one 
leaf of a sassafras part yellow and part orange. Many trees are first yellow 
then later orange or red as anthocyanins develop. The autumn panorama, 
then, is seldom of identical hue on any two successive days or succeeding 
years. 


EARLY-COLORING TYPES 


SuMacs (Rhus spp.) —The various sumacs offer the first bright autumn 
coloration, a brilliant red. These are more shrubs than trees, and are ordi- 
narily in color by late September. They are outstanding in front of a green 
background or a different-coloring plant such as sassafras. Smooth Sumac 
(R. glabra) and Fragrant Sumac (R. aromatica) are probably most com- 
monly seen, and in cultivation the Staghorn Sumac (R. fyphina). 

Sassafras (S. albidum).—On a par with sumac and almost as early to 
color is sassafras. Leaves first turn a bright yellow then change to brilliant 
orange or reddish-orange. This is an outstanding autumn tree but one com- 
monly neglected for planting about the small place. 

BLack Tupeto (Nyssa sylvatica) —This tree is found scatteringly in 
southern Missouri, where it early contributes spots of bright red foliage 
amidst a predominating green canopy of oak. By the time other trees color, 
the leaves of Black Tupelo are gone, but its early blaze of glory is worthy 
of admiration. 

VIRGINIA CREEPER (Parthenocissus quinquefolia).—This early-coloring 
native vine is conspicuous for its bright red foliage which is striking against 
the usually still-green tops of trees through which it is apt to climb. Were 
this vine a bit more frequent it would rate with sumacs and sassafras as an 
important contributor to our autumn coloration. 

Tuup-tree (Liriodendron tulipifera) —Uncommon in the wild in Mis- 
souri but frequently planted about the city, this large tree is of only modest 
autumn-color value. In fact, the very early shedding of its yellow leaves 
is considered one of its more objectionable features. 


142 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 


Docwoops (Cornus spp.).—Most dogwoods attain a dark red or purple 
coloration rather early. However, as the colors are usually rather dull and 
the trees inconspicuous in the under-story, they do not contribute greatly 


to autumn coloration. 
LATER-COLORING TYPES 


MapLtes (Acer spp.).—Hard and Red Maples (A. saccharum, A. rubrum, 
and a few other species) rank with sumac and sassafras in brilliance of 
autumn display, and because of their larger size probably rate No. 1 among 
autumn coloring plants. They turn a bright gold to brilliant orange rather 
soon and hold their fine color for some days. Soft Maple (A. saccharinum) 
is a dull yellow and of little consequence in autumn coloration. 

Hickortrs (Carya spp.).—Such characteristic woodland species as the 
Shagbark Hickory (C. ovata) turn an attractive but not brilliant yellow 
before the oaks, about the time the maples change. They rate well as 
autumn-colorers and are fairly frequent. 

Oaks (Quercus spp.) —Oaks generally are among the last trees to color. 
They turn a rather dark, often brownish-red which appears brilliant against 
a rising or setting sun for at least a few days. Because of their frequency 
in the Missouri landscape they rate as mainstays in autumn coloration, al- 
though individually they are probably not as attractive as maples, sumacs, 
or sassafras. One interesting feature is the tendency of some of the leaves 
or tips of leaves to turn a rather bright red while the greater part is still 
green. Among the better-coloring local oaks are the Scarlet Oak (Q. 
coccinea, south of St. Louis), Pin Oak (Q. palustris, frequently planted), 
Red Oak (Q. shumardii in var.), Northern Red Oak (Q. borealis in var.), 
White Oak (Q. alba), and other related species. 

SWEET-GUM (Liquidambar styraciflua).—Sweet-gum is another tree that 
provides a dark red tone to the late autumn scene. The tree is rare in the 
wild except in the extreme southeastern part of the state, but is familiar to 
almost everyone as a lawn tree. Preliminary yellowing of the star-shaped 
leaves offers nothing outstanding, but the purplish-reds that follow, although 
not glossy-bright, present a very attractive coloration enhanced by the 
pendent spiny fruits and grayish-ridged bark of the twigs. 

AsHes (Fraxinus spp.).—Various ashes, particularly the Green Ash (F. 
pennsylvanica lanceolata), contribute a moderately bright yellow to our 
autumn landscape, much like the yellow of the hickories. Ashes are usually 
not so frequent in the wild as are hickories, but they are perhaps more com- 
monly planted as lawn trees. The yellow of the pinnate ash leaf appears to 
best advantage in the sun, seen against a bright blue sky studded with 
billowy white cumulus clouds. 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 143 


SycaMorE (Platanus occidentalis). —The rather dull yellow of sycamore 
foliage is not in itself especially attractive, but against the very white bark 
of the younger branches it forms a combination of unusual interest. Syca- 
mores are most abundant along water-courses, where their unusual bark 
offers ornamentation throughout the winter. 

WALNUT AND BUTTERNUT (Juglans nigra and J. cinerea).—These species, 
only moderately frequent, present rather dull yellow and brownish-yellow 
colors in autumn. They only serve to supplement the more conspicuous 
color of other species. 

Wittows (Salix spp.), Poprars (Populus spp.), BrrcHes (Betula spp.), 
Erms (Ulmus spp.), HackpBerries (Celtis spp.), MULBERRIES (Morus spp.), 
WILD CHERRY (Prunus serotina), BLAcK Locust (Robinia pseudo-acacia), 
Honey Locust (Gleditsia triacanthos), Buckeye (Aesculus glabra), TREE- 
oF-HEAVEN (Ailanthus altissima), Basswoop (Tilia spp.), PERSIMMON 
(Diospyros virginiana), and CataLpa (Catalpa spp.).—These trees are gen- 
erally of little autumn interest. The foliage of all turns a rather dull yellow 
usually quickly browning, or it falls. Locally some may be of importance 
[as are a number of species not listed—viz., Hawthorns (Crataegus spp.), 
Shadbush (Amelanchier), etc.], but, by and large, the attractiveness of our 
autumn landscape hinges not upon these but upon the species mentioned in 
the preceding paragraphs. The Aspen Poplar (Populus tremuloides) offers 
a spectacular golden among coniferous trees in northern or mountainous 
regions, but unfortunately does not occur in Missouri. 


SCARLET OAK IN MISSOURI 
JULIAN A. STEYERMARK 


Among the most brilliantly colored trees in the Missouri forests in the 
autumn are the oaks, and one of the reddest oaks to be found in the state is 
the Scarlet Oak (Quercus coccinea). Only the Sour Gum or Tupelo (Nyssa 
sylvatica) and the Red Maple (Acer rubrum) rival it for intensity and 
brilliance of the red coloring. The Sour Gum starts turning to deep reds 
and scarlets late in summer and has lost most of its leaves by middle to late 
autumn; while it is in late autumn, from the middle of October to the first 
of November, that the Scarlet Oak is the most spectacular. It starts turning 
slowly. When the flowering dogwood, ash, maple, hickory, sassafras, and 
haws are flaunting their gaudy colors, the Scarlet Oak is mostly green with 
only a suggestion of the gorgeous red that is to follow. Then, when the 
colors of the other woody species have begun to fade and the leaves have 
begun to fall from the Sour Gum, hickory, walnut, butternut, and persim- 
mon, the Scarlet Oak bursts forth with the deepest red imaginable. 


144 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 


The Scarlet Oak is one of the stateliest species of the Black Oak group. 
In Missouri it occurs in acid soils associated with sandstone, chert, or granite 
rocks, on narrow ridges, ravine slopes, and upland woods, often bordering 


headwaters of tributaries. It is usually found associated with other oaks, 


i walt is 


Scarlet Oak (Quercus coccinea) 


particularly White Oak, Northern Red Oak, Black Oak, various hickories, 
and often Southern Yellow Pine. At one time it was thought to be very 
rare in the state. However, with more detailed exploration of the Ozark 
forests, it has been found in the various southeastern Ozark counties, bor- 
dered on the north by Ste. Genevieve, St. Francois, Washington, and Craw- 
ford counties, on the west by Dent, Texas, Douglas, and Howell counties, 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 145 


and on the south and southeast by Scott, Bollinger, Wayne, Butler, Dunklin, 
Ripley, and Oregon counties. Its southwesternmost stations are in the sand- 
stone hills of eastern Douglas County following the drainage of Indian Creek, 
northeast and south of Topaz. 

In mature trees the trunk bark of the Scarlet Oak is similar to that of 
the Northern Red Oak (Quercus borealis var. maxima), with large sections 
of light gray or gray-brown smooth surfaces broken by darker shallow 
vertical grooves. The conspicuous acorn cup is strongly convex on the bot- 
tom, covers about half of the nut, and is composed of glossy, closely set, 
rather than loose, scales, which are glabrous or nearly so. The winter buds are 
glabrous in the lower half and pubescent in the upper; they are smaller and 
much less pubescent than in the Black Oak and more pubescent than in the 
Northern Red Oak or Shumard or Schneck Oak. The leaves are grass-green 
on both sides, much thinner than in the Black or Shumard Oaks, as deeply 
cut as the Pin, Jack, or Shumard Oaks, but more deeply cut than either the 
Black or Northern Red Oaks. The upper leaf surface is not lustrous as in 
the Black or Shumard Oaks. The axillary tufts of hair on the lower leaf 
surface, so conspicuous in Shumard and Black Oaks, are mostly lacking or 
inconspicuous in the Scarlet Oak. 

The Scarlet Oak is fairly widely distributed in the eastern United States 
from Maine to North Carolina, where it is common in the Great Smoky 
and Blue Ridge mountains, and reaches its southwestern limits in south- 
western Missouri and adjacent Arkansas. It has been previously confused 
with the Jack or Hill Oak (Q. ellipsoidalis) in the Driftless Area of northern 
Illinois, southern Wisconsin, southern Minnesota, northeastern Iowa, and one 
county in northernmost Missouri. Some northern Indiana material previously 
considered to be Q. coccinea is now believed to be Q. ellipsoidalis. 


THE NUT TREES 
AUGUST P. BEILMANN 


A quick glance along the shelves of any large food store will show how 
important nuts have become in our modern diet. Not many years ago only 
country folks had nut meats after the winter season, and city children knew 
them only as holiday confections. Of course, peanuts had a longer season 
(one could find them even during the summer at picnics), but the shelled 
meats of walnuts, pecans, almonds, and hazelnuts were available for only a 
short while after harvest. Chestnuts, of course, could be obtained from 
vendors in many large cities, but the chestnut blight, which has destroyed 
the mature trees, has now completely removed them from the scene. The 


food value of most nuts is high, and the many ways in which they are pre- 


146 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 


pared and preserved for year-round marketing have made them an article 
used for culinary purposes almost daily. 

In 1890 the pomologist Van Deman circularized the nut-growers and the 
information thus obtained appeared in a publication of the U. $. Department 
of Agriculture, entitled “Nut Growing in the United States.”” There it was 
pointed out that the growing of nut-bearing trees had been confined to very 
narrow limits in both area and varieties, which might be due to the impres- 
sion that “the man who plants nut trees does so for his successors rather 
than for himself.” It seems strange that young men seldom plant a nut 
orchard, and that the most enthusiastic nut growers are always older men 
who may or may not have the twenty-five years to wait for the first crop. 

Hazelnuts are the only nuts in this area which grow on a fence-row 
shrub, walnuts, pecans, and hickory nuts all being produced on mature trees. 
Walnuts, hickories, pecans, hazelnuts and the hybrid-chestnuts have proven 
hardy here and capable of producing an annual crop. The walnut is cer- 
tainly the most dependable, and many good varieties can be obtained from 
the nurseries. 

About fifteen years ago a nut orchard was planted on a sandy bench along 
Brush Creek in the Arboretum. Since fashions in walnut varieties change 
rather slowly (a quarter century being required to determine the value of 
any selection or hybrid), two old standard varieties were used—THOMAs 
and SraBLeR. However, twenty more might be added to the list if a new 
planting were contemplated. Later a few of the newer varieties were budded 
on seedlings. Great emphasis was placed on pecans, and the eight following 
varieties were used: WARWICK, KENTUCKY, MCALLISTER, BUSSERON, Major, 
GREEN River, Posry, and Butrertck. These varieties have justified their 
selection in so far as vigorous growth and winter hardiness are concerned, 
but the amount of nuts produced is unknown since the squirrels normally 
harvest the entire crop. A few trees of Jujube were added to this planting, 
and these have done well enough to produce some fruit. Some hybrid chest- 
nuts were planted near this grove and have produced sizeable quantities of 
fruit. 

The cultural requirements of any nut tree are rather exacting. Walnuts 
are quite generally distributed on the better soils over eastern Missouri. To 
grow well, a walnut must have a very fertile soil of sufficient depth to hold 
ample moisture. They will not grow on a hot, dry hillside, nor on locations 
where erosion has been serious. If they are to be grown as an orchard tree 
they should be spaced at least forty feet apart. Even then the branches will 
touch at the end of twenty years, and maintenance as well as harvesting 
may become something of a problem. 

The hickories can be found in almost every wood-lot in the state. The 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 147 


nuts of a great many species are hardly worth gathering, but often certain 
specimens have something of a local reputation as producers of good nuts. 
Only a limited amount of work has been done with the hickories. Although 
twelve varieties of Shagbark Hickories were known in 1895, all of these 
were from the northern states where lack of winter hardiness precludes the 
planting of pecans. 

The pecan, of course, has been the subject of more investigation and ex- 
perimentation than any other nut tree. The industry was very well estab- 
lished as early as 1895, when orchards of 400 acres were in existence along 
the Texas coast. Some very large native pecans can be found in the flood- 
plains of the Missouri and Mississippi rivers considerably west and north of 
St. Louis. Often the nuts of these wild trees are gathered and sold locally. 
A great many of them are of good quality but lack the size and the cracking 
quality of the thin-shelled pecans of the South. Pecans will not do well on 
a thin soil, nor one lacking in fertility or moisture. They will grow in the 
black gumbo along the big rivers and the black cotton land in the South. 

The hazelnuts or filberts are almost limited to the several native species, 
but modern agriculture has almost eliminated them from our fence rows. 
This is the only nut tree which could be grown in a small garden. Most of 
the breeding or selecting for new varieties involves the European Hazelnut, 
but it appears nearly impossible to find some of the better European varieties. 
Since the plant normally grows in a fence row, where the build-up of humus 
reaches a peak, it follows that it can not be expected to grow well unless 
considerable depth of good, well-drained soil is available. Many of the named 
European varieties have been tried at the Arboretum. Little is known about 
the nuts since the squirrels begin harvesting long before the fruit matures. 

Since the loss of the American Chestnut a great deal of work has been 
done to find disease-resistant strains and to import other species with the 
expectation of producing superior highly resistant hybrids. While many of 
the selections and hybrids have proven satisfactory, none have the quality of 
the American Chestnut. The Chinese Chestnut has been widely planted 
and usually begins to bear fruit when fifteen years old. At this time it still 
resembles a shrub rather than a tree, and if widely spaced, as would be done 
in orchard planting, the plants require considerable pruning to force them 
into tree-like growth. The chestnut has one advantage not enjoyed by any 
other nut—the burs are so spiny that they are free from squirrel attack. 
Considerable interest was shown in the chestnut as indicated by the seventeen 
varieties known in 1895. However, the chestnut blight had become well 
established in the South at that time and interest in the crop declined. 

There are a few other trees whose fruit might be included in a list of nut 
trees. The Maidenhair Tree (Gingko) produces a large fruit in a very ill- 


148 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 


smelling, fleshy cover, but these have not been used except in the Orient. 
The Jujube has grown well and produced some fruit, but this, too, is a fruit 
used only in the Orient. Several plants of pistachio have proven winter- 
hardy but have never fruited. Commercial supplies of this usually come 
from the Mediterranean region. 

Planting and care-—A number of northern nurseries can furnish varieties 
of nut trees. Ordinarily the planter can expect considerable mortality when 
setting out these young trees. Even though seedling walnuts and hickories 
may be found in almost every part of the contemplated orchard, it does not 
follow that a named variety will transplant readily. Sometimes three or 
more seeds are planted in a group with the hope that one will succeed and 
grow into a tree. Seeds gathered locally can be planted in this manner with 
the expectation of budding a named variety into the top during the third 
year. This practice has been successfully carried out by Mr. John Howe, of 
Pacific, and it has also been extensively used at the Arboretum. Mr. Howe 
has budded some very large walnuts, working from a twenty-foot ladder. 
Even this method is not fool-proof where there are many field mice or 
squirrels. Sometimes the individual seeds are planted in place in tin cans 
with a hole through the top and the bottom removed so that both stem and 
root can emerge before either mice or squirrels find the nut. Unfortunately, 
these elaborate precautions are not enough to establish seedlings in a neighbor- 
hood with a high rodent-population. 

After the trees are several years old they must be given periodic care. 
Some pruning will be needed to avoid the formation of a forked trunk. 
Fertilization and mulching will be of great help during the first years and 
a vital necessity when the trees reach bearing age. Spraying must be done 
throughout the life of the tree to protect the foliage in youth and the crop 
in later years. In eastern Missouri the nut trees are not attacked by as many 
insects or diseases. The walnut datana is the most troublesome, but this 
caterpillar can be readily controlled through the use of arsenicals, Twig 
girdlers prove a nuisance in some years, and because of the difficulty of reach- 
ing the larvae with sprays it may be necessary to change the cultural prac- 
tices. Of course, all the maturing fruit have special insect enemies, but 
these can be controlled through spraying and further cultural practices. 
Leaf rusts and a host of other fungi may attack the trees in the orchard as 
well as the related species in the near-by woodlots. Normally, these diseases 
would prove to be no obstacle in the growing of selected varieties of nut 
trees, and ordinarily in this area no special difficulties need be anticipated. 

Growing the better varieties of nut trees is quite a horticultural challenge. 
Usually many years must elapse before a small crop is produced. In areas 
where nut growing is not an established business it may be difficult to find 
a market. 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 149 


THE BULL BAY MAGNOLIA IN ST. LOUIS 
AUGUST P. BEILMANN 


St. Louis is not quite far enough south to grow many of the spectacular 
southern trees. On the other hand, it is a little too far south for a number 
of the northern conifers. Thus the criterion of a good gardener here may 
resolve itself into an inventory of the species which he is able to grow. A 


well-grown Bull Bay Magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora), so famous in song 


Leaves of Bull Bay Magnolia 


and story, would certainly entitle the gardener to an “expert” rating. It is 
a common door-yard tree in Charleston, Mo., does fairly well at Ste. Gene- 
vieve, but can be grown only under the most fortunate circumstances in St. 
Louis. 

Plants brought so far from their natural range often fail because they 
lack hardiness. One plant may be winter-hardy, i. e. capable of standing low 
temperatures and hard freezes, while another may be unable to stand the 
heat and low humidity of our summers. Both plants die, and too often they 


are dead by the coming spring. This makes it quite difficult to determine 


150 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 


the exact part of the year during which the plant failed. In either case, it 
is a desiccation process, a drying-out by freezing, or a rapid evaporation 
during extreme heat. Either condition can be aggravated by too much ex- 
posure to wind or to sunshine. It is probably the desiccation following 
freezing, aided by wind, and aggravated by too much sunshine which causes 
the death of Magnolia grandiflora. The immense leaves are using water at 
a rapid rate when exposed to brilliant sunshine. If most of. the plant is 
frozen during a cold snap there is no replacement of moisture, and this 
results in dehydration which becomes evident in the browning of the leaves 
and small branches. The Bull Bay Magnolia appears to be hardy if given a 
degree of protection from winter winds and if it is planted away from the 


maximum exposure to winter sunshine. 


Young Bull Bay Magnolia in the nursery area at the Arboretum 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN ily | 


Bull Bay Magnolia seedlings in the Arboretum nursery 


The Bull Bay Magnolia has been grown successfully in the St. Louis area. 
Mr. Walker Hill has a number of flowering specimens at his home in Uni- 
versity City. Seeds from these trees have been planted at the Arboretum. 
As early as 1891 Mr. Leonard Matthews, of St. Louis, began to grow this 
magnolia. In 1922, he presented the Garden with a 20-foot specimen which 
had survived without injury from his first planting. This tree (see March, 
1922, Garden BULLETIN) lived for another ten years after being moved to 
the Garden, and died without ever showing a trace of winter tenderness. An 
older specimen (see illustrations) has been growing alongside a steam tunnel 
in the Garden for well over a quarter of a century; and a number of seedlings 
showing outstanding hardiness have been grown at the Arboretum from a 
seed source in North Carolina. 

If we bear in mind certain basic requirements it may be possible to grow 
this magnolia in St. Louis. First, it must not dry out during any part of 
the year. One of the best means of maintaining uniform soil moisture is a 
heavy mulch of rotted manure. Second, the tree should not be exposed to 
the full winter sun; plant it on the north side of a building if possible. 
Third, it must be protected from the strongest winds in winter as well as 
summer. However, not all seedlings brought from the South will behave 
alike, and it would be best to obtain plants from as far north as possible on 
the assumption that these will show some degree of adaptability. Nearly all 


magnolias transplant best in late spring after growth starts, and this holds 


152 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 


. 


wo Ne a BE 


A Bull Bay Magnolia at the Garden as it appears in summer (left, seen from the south), 
and in winter (right, seen from the north), 


for the Bull Bay Magnolia. Very few specimens survive a St. Louis winter 
without some leaf damage, but if the damage is not too severe the tree usually 
recovers and continues to grow. However, we cannot expect that a tree 
showing a considerable annual damage in our area will ever rival the speci- 


mens growing in the South. 


NOTES 


The annual chrysanthemum show at the Garden will be open to the 


public on Sunday, November 5. 


The dahlia show of the Greater St. Louis Dahlia Society was staged in 
the Floral Display House at the Garden on October 1, and the cactus show 


of the Henry Shaw Cactus Society, on October 8. 


Mr. Maong Tin, economic botanist of the Government of Burma, Man- 
dalay, is registered as a graduate student in the Henry Shaw School of Botany 


of Washington University, to study at the Garden. 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 153 


The members of the National Council of State Garden Clubs, meeting 
in St. Louis, October 11--12, were guests of the Garden on October 11, and 
after a tour of the grounds were served tea in the Museum building. 


Recent visitors to the Garden include Dr. Ethel T. Eltinge, who received 
her doctor’s degree from the Henry Shaw School of Botany and is now on 
sabbatical leave from Mt. Holyoke College, South Hadley, Mass. 


Mr. George H. Pring, Superintendent of the Garden, was recently elected 
president of the Kew Guild (alumni of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, 
England). He is the first American to have this honor. 


Dr. Henry N. Andrews, Paleobotanist to the Garden, Dr. G. A. L. Mehl- 
quist, Research Horticulturist, and Dr. Sergius H. Mamay, who received his 
doctor’s degree from the Shaw School of Botany in June, attended the meet- 
ings of the Seventh International Botanical Congress, held in Stockholm, 
Sweden, July 12-20. Dr. Mehlquist also attended the pre-congress genetics 
meetings at Lund, Sweden, July 6-10, and during August and September 
visited botanical and horticultural institutions in Sweden and Denmark. 


The third number of Volume XXXVII of the ANNALS OF THE MissourRlI 
BoTANICAL GARDEN was issued during the month, containing the following 
papers: The American Species of Triumfetta L., by Ko Ko Lay; Miscellanea 
Taxonomica, I, by Robert E. Woodson, Robert W. Schery, and George B. 
Van Schaack; Some American Carboniferous Fern Fructifications, by Sergius 
H. Mamay. 


SOME FACTS ABOUT THE GARDEN 


The Missouri Botanical Garden was opened to the public by Mr. 
Henry Shaw about 1860. From that date until his death in 1889 it 
was maintained under his personal direction. Although popularly 
known as “Shaw’s Garden” the name Missouri Botanical Garden 
was chosen by Mr. Shaw and he definitely indicated that he wished 
it called by that name. The Garden passed at his death into the 
hands of a Board of Trustees, designated in Mr. Shaw’s will, and 
the Board so constituted, exclusive of certain ex-officio members, 
is self-perpetuating. By a further provision of the will the immedi- 
ate direction of the Garden is vested in a Director, appointed by 
the Board. The Garden receives no support from city or state but 
is maintained almost exclusively from the estate left by Henry 
Shaw. Since 1939 many Garden Clubs and interested individuals 
have contributed to a “Friends of the Garden Fund” which is used 
in developing the new Arboretum, located at Gray Summit, Mo. 
The Arboretum (1) serves as a source of plants, trees and shrubs 
for the city Garden; (2) affords areas for gradually establishing 
a pinetum, a wild-flower reservation and various other features 
on a scale not possible in the city; (3) provides greenhouses for 


some 50,000 orchid plants. 


The city Garden comprises 75 acres, where about 12,000 species 
of plants are grown, both out of doors and under glass. It is open 
every day in the year except New Year’s Day and Christmas; week 
days, 8:00 a. m. until 7:00 p. m.; Sundays, 10:00 a. m. until 7:00 
p.m. The greenhouses are closed every day at 5:00 p. m. 


The main entrance to the Garden is at Tower Grove and Flora 
Place, on the Sarah bus line (No. 42). The Tower Grove bus 
(No. 21), direct from downtown, passes within three blocks of the 


main entrance. 


THE MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN 


BOARD OF TRUSTEES 


Richard J. Lockwood heen ere eh a ae ee eee ee eae 
Beate ia cs se khan sds ciececaccs Ge tbiapename eee Vice-President 
Eugene Pettus......._...--..--.----.---------------------—-----------—— Second Vice-President 

L. Ray Carter John S. Lehmann 

Dudley French George T. Moore 

Henry Hitchcock A. Wessel Shapleigh 


Ethan A. H. Shepley 


EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS 


Arthur H. Compton —.....-— —.. Chancellor, Washington University 
Joseph M. Darst........-.-.----------------------------—---—- Mayor of the City of St. Louis 
R. Harris Cobb. President, St. Louis Academy of Science 
Wailliain Scarlett css ee Bishop of the Diocese of Missouri 
William Schumacher... ------- President, Board of Education of St. Louis 
Gerd VIG) toe se: besc uch Ages tetvietagntets Recados einacuneememmtats. OSeRONny 
STAFF 
George T. Moore ._.-....——----—----—----=-------- 4 Aaeeg MISE STOR 
Hermann von Schrenk.....-..------—----------------——-——----—------—---—-----— Pathologist 
Jesse M. Greenman __.... oo .. Curator Emeritus of Herbarium 
Carroll W. Dodge... eee Mycologist 
Edgar Anderson __....-—-———--——---------—-—---=--- = Geneticist 
Robert E. Woodson, Jr.-------------------------- paises _.... Curator of Herbarium 
Henry N. Andrews.......-----—-----——---—————--------—-- Paleobotanist 
Robert W. Schery..---------------------------------------——- Research Associate 
Gustav A. L. Mehlquist.----.---.-------------------------------------- Research Horticulturist 
Rolla M. Tryon_...-...--------------------------------------~ Assistant Curator of Herbarium 
George B. Van Schaack............--..------- Honorary Curator of Grasses 
Julian A. Steyermark____---.-------- Sas aie enemas Honorary Research Associate 
Nell C. Horner Librarian and Editor 
Gerald Ulich eee Business Manager 
George H. Pring.-------.-----------—----—-------------——--- Superintendent 
Paul A. Kohl... i _. Floriculturist 
Ladisiaes Citak. 2. oa : _In charge of Succulents 
Kenneth Ad Smit hice onan cee ses an : __..... Engineer 
Aueust P: Beumina....... Manager of the Arboretum, Gray Summit 
CRE GR 05 5 ie nnn Sane In charge of Orchids 


Bel: Pio Milled oe eee ee ee a piel Plame: Collector 


PUBLICATIONS FOR SALE AT THE 
MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN 


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one address. Add 15 cents per copy to remittance to cover 


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MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN. 
Published monthly except July and August. Subscription price, 
$2.50 per year. 


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A guide for Garden visitors. Price 25 cents. 


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MISSOURI BOTANICAL 
GARDEN BULLETIN 


CONTENTS 


The Bee in Botany 


Chlordane vs. Ants Nymphaea “Joe Cutak” 
Hardiness of Magnolia grandiflora Crow Shooting 
A Hardy Japanese Bamboo Notes 


Volume XX XVIII November, 1950 Number 9 


Cover: Shadows on the new pergola of the Italian Garden. 
Photograph by Ladislaus Cutak. 


Editorial Office: Missouri Botanical Garden, 2315 Tower Grove Avenue, 
St. Louis 10, Missouri. 

Published monthly except July and August by the Board of Trustees of the 
Missouri Botanical Garden. Subscription price: $2.50 a year. 

Office of publication: 306 E. Simmons Street, Galesburg, Illinois. 

Entered as second-class matter January 26, 1942, at the post-oflice at Gales- 
burg, Illinois, under the Act of March 3, 1879. 


Please: Do not discard a copy of the Bulletin. If you have no further use for yours 
pass it along to a friend or return it to the Garden. Return postage will 


be guaranteed. 


Missour1 Botanical 
Garden Bulletin 


Vol. XXXVIII NOVEMBER, 1950 No. 9 


THE BEE IN BOTANY 
AUGUST P. BEILMANN 


Long before the time of Linnaeus, the founder of the present system of 
plant classification, botanists were interested in the uses of plants and every 
plant that had even local value was given some kind of a name. Eventually, 
attention became attracted to the distribution of plants, their relationship 
to one another, and their preferences for soils, sites, and exposures. This led 
to even greater botanical specialization, and there are today societies devoted 
to ferns, to wild flowers in general, and to each and every group of orna- 
mental plants. 

Those interested in the wild flowers are likely to attach much importance 
to soil conditions, seasonal rainfall, exposure, and all the other factors which 
are part of the environment. Most of the wild flowers have their cyclic 
ups and downs. An abundance of wild flowers is often attributed to ample 
rain, but the same amount of rain a little earlier in the season during another 
year might stimulate competitors at their expense. Plant populations may 
also decline because of a series of unfavorable years. Usually we think of 
these variations in populations as due largely to the weather, and the fact 
that complete pollination is needed to produce an adequate seed crop, especially 
for the annuals, is rarely given consideration. 

Most plantsmen have an academic knowledge of the bee as a pollinator, 
but relatively few fully appreciate the close connection between these insects 
and a good crop of seed for the coming year. The great importance of the 
bee has recently been given attention by the Department of Agriculture in 
the seemingly simple problem of producing increased quantities of legume 
seeds. It has been pointed out that the bee is of far greater value as a pol- 
linator than as a producer of honey and wax. In the program to increase 
seed production it has been proposed that the beekeeper be granted aid from 
the federal government. That equal importance should be attached to the 
bees’ activities in relation to the wild flowers is not at all appreciated. 


(155) 


156 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 


The practical result of bee pollination can be observed in Hidden Valley 
and also at the Arboretum. Hidden Valley is noted for its mass display of 
many of the uncommon wild flowers. In addition to the soil, exposure, and 
all the other factors which have a bearing on wild flowers, one unusual 
feature of this tract has always been the presence of many domestic bees. 
Beginning with the earliest plants to bloom such as the False Rue Anemone 
(Isopyrum biternatum) and continuing on to the Goldenrod (Solidago sp.) 
and Asters (Asfer sp.), every flower which yielded either nectar or pollen 
was visited by the bees. In the absence of any bee yards in close proximity 
to the tract it was difficult to account for the numerous bees in the area. 
During the course of the logging operation the reason became quite apparent: 
it was the number of bee trees. Due to the great size of the trees in the 
tract and the limited time available it was not possible then to learn the exact 
number of bee trees, but during the winter enough evidence was found to 
indicate that escaped colonies had established their hives in at least twelve 


trees, or about one to every twelve acres. 


A portable pollinating unit at the Arboretum 


The excellence of the wild flowers in Hidden Valley can not be charged 
to the efficiency of the bees alone. The site, the fertility of the soil, and the 
fact that there has been no disturbance all contribute to the spread and won- 
derful floral display. However, if all the pollinators were taken from the 
area a great many species would decline, if not disappear. 

In the Arboretum a demonstration of the same sort has been observed 
during the last eight years by the maintenance of a sixteen-colony bee yard. 
Perhaps a word of explanation is needed. A bee tree is one having a hollow 
pocket in the trunk or branch large enough to accommodate a swarm and 
the combs they build during the succeeding years. A perfectly sound tree, 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 157 


no matter how large, offers no suitable housing. Much of the timber in the 
Arboretum is too small and most of it too sound to be of any value for this 
purpose. Normally, only three or four bee trees can be found on the entire 
1600 acres at any given time, and it became necessary to maintain a bee 
yard using the standard commercial hives. When the bees were first brought 
to the Arboretum, White Clover (Trifolium repens) was a rare plant con- 
fined to the new road shoulders. Miami Mist (Phacelia sp.) was represented 
by only several small colonies a yard or so in diameter. During some years 
Spring Beauty (Claytonia sp.) seemed to be declining, but this was partly 
attributed to the greater duff cover on the slopes where it grew. Likewise, 
the rise and fall of certain other wild flowers had been credited to unseason- 
able weather. That the bee played a part in this annual display is becoming 
more evident each year. For instance, the clovers are now widely distrib- 
uted; Miami Mist patches cover thousands of square feet; and the number 
of bees visiting Spring Beauty has apparently aided its spread and reseeding. 
This does not mean that bees are solely responsible for the wide distribution 
of clover or any other plant, but it does mean that they are responsible for 
adequate seed production. This in turn allows a plant to perpetuate itself 
and to spread to adjoining areas. 

The actual agency responsible for distribution of the seed might be dif- 
ficult to determine. Cattle certainly spread clover; birds are fond of other 
seeds; and the wind, rain and all other agencies have a hand in moving the 
seeds to a new site. However, without good seed production an annual will 
quickly decline and may even disappear. Even perennial plants do not live 
forever and reseeding is the only way in which they can be perpetuated. A 
plant can increase its range only when some agency carries the seed to a new 
location. 

The pollination problem when applied to wild flowers, and even many 
forest trees, appears quite complex, and assumes some of the characteristics of 
a circle. There are many gaps in our knowledge but without adequate seed 
production the wild flowers disappear. Modern agriculture and logging have 
so complicated the situation that there are fewer and fewer bee trees and 
less and less ground space for the bumble-bee and the other native pollinators. 
Most of the wild flowers must be insect-pollinated, but the flower nectar 
must contain over 15 per cent of sugar to be attractive to bees. To maintain 
the proper sugar-content, the plants require a fertile soil, and if the fertility 
level drops, there will usually be no set of good seed. A rise in the fertility 
level favors the production of an attractive nectar, and this in turn insures 
good seed. Thus the wild flower, instead of disappearing, will increase 


annually. 


158 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 


The period between 1875 and 1914 has been called the “Golden Age of 
Beekeeping.” During these years almost every farm had a few hives; this 
was also the time when the modern hive began to replace simpler and less 
efficient equipment. With such uniform distribution of pollinators—and 
perhaps a higher fertility level—there was no serious shortage of good seeds. 
It seems likely that the coming decade might very well be called the “Age of 
the Pollinator.” It appears that the presence or absence of bees should be 
added to the list of variables affecting the rise and fall of wild flowers. Even 
a redbud will not set seeds except when close to a colony of bees. In fact, 
the number of seed-pods on a redbud is a pretty good indication of the num- 


ber of pollinators in the immediate vicinity. 


CHLORDANE VS. ANTS 
LADISLAUS CUTAK 


Are you troubled with ants? Why not give Chlordane a try? This 
relatively new insecticide has proven by far the most effective weapon for 
the control of these insects in the greenhouses at the Garden. Ants are apt 
to be pestiferous and annoying wherever they occur but are perhaps at their 


worst in the greenhouse. There they indirectly cause damage to ornamental 


plants by spreading aphids, mealy-bugs, and scales—the actual culprits. 
Aphids, mealy-bugs, and scales are sucking insects. They imbed their 
long “beaks” in plant tissues and extract the juices, causing discoloration, 
injury, and perhaps eventual death of the plants. These insects secrete large 
amounts of “honeydew,” which serves as a growth medium for molds and 


other fungus diseases. The honeydew also attracts ants which, finding that 


Fig. 1. Showing colony of ants wiped out by use of chlordane. 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 159 


plant lice and mealy-bugs offer a constant source of delectable food, tend 
these pests and guard them from enemies. Ants also transport “bugs’’ to 
other plants and spread the infestation. 

Contact sprays, stomach poisons, and fumigants of various kinds have 
been used to combat ants in the greenhouse with only moderate success. 
Periodically syrup impregnated with arsenical poison was set out in ant 
roadways, and nicotine and cyanide sprays were also used. Such treatment 
killed those ants that came in contact with the insecticides, but others re- 
mained to multiply and to offer a continuous and costly problem. Finally, 
Chlordane was used, and a single application gave effective control for 
several days. Since it has been in constant use the ant invasions in the 
greenhouse have been reduced considerably. 


Fig. 2. Monstera deliciosa leaf covered with dead ants. 


Chlordane may be purchased from any of the larger seed houses under 
various trade names such as Dow-Klor, Syn-Klor, Toxi-Chlor, etc. In the 
main greenhouse ranges we have been using Dow-Klor—40 per cent wettable 
put out by the Dow Chemical Co., Midland, Mich. Although it is claimed 
that this powder can be readily dissolved in water, to make a residual spray 
we have usually used it in dust form. Our compounding calls for one part 
of Dow-Klor to two parts of talc. The mixture is sprinkled in areas fre- 
quented by ants, particularly near cracks, bases of plants, or wherever the 
insects emerge. 

Chlordane appears to have a three-way action against insects. It serves 
as either contact or stomach poison, and it gives off lethal fumes. A little 
of the powder placed at the base of a tree, vine support, or walls where ants 
are parading will cause them to drop without their even appearing to touch 


160 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 


the poison. When Chlordane is sprinkled on ant trains the insects are imme- 
diately paralyzed on walking through the powder. Soon whole colonies are 
wiped out (fig. 1). Fig. 2 shows a Monstera deliciosa leaf covered with dead 
ants which had fallen from a Cissus vine overhead. Chlordane seems to be as 
effective a control against cockroaches and other insect pests as it is against 


ants. 


HARDINESS OF MAGNOLIA GRANDIFLORA IN THE 
ST. LOUIS AREA 


GEORGE H. PRING 


The article on the Bull Bay (Magnolia grandiflora) in the October 
BULLETIN brought up again the question as to its hardiness and has led to 
a search for large Bull Bay trees in the St. Louis area. 

The oldest specimen is undoubtedly the one in the Garden south of Henry 
Shaw’s residence. To the writer’s knowledge the tree was already growing 
there in 1906, at which time it was about 10 or 12 feet high. No record 
exists of its origin, but it probably was shipped from a southern nursery. 
This specimen is protected on the north by the Old Residence, on the east 
by a greenhouse, on the west by a good windbreak, but is open to the south. 
During the past twenty years it has had no special protection but in spite 
of this no serious winter damage has been noted. At the present time the tree 
is approximately 28 feet tall, with three major trunks, each about 8 inches in 
diameter 1 foot from the ground. ‘There is a smaller leader about 3 inches 
in diameter. For the last ten years this tree has produced many flowers and 
seeds. 

In 1913 twelve plants of Magnolia grandiflora averaging 10 feet in 
height were purchased from a Florida nursery, and planted in the main plaza 
at the Garden. Despite the fact that they all had winter protection every 
tree died during the following winter. However, at that time a hardy speci- 
men of the Bull Bay had been growing in the St. Louis garden of the late 
Leonard Matthews for many years. The following account of it is from 
the March 1922 BULLETIN: 


In 1891 Mr. Leonard Matthews purchased 50 plants of M. grandiflora from a 
southern nurseryman and planted them all in selected places in his garden. The young 
trees became established, but with the advent of winter all froze the first winter and 
subsequently died except one specimen which was planted in a somewhat secluded 
position, protected on the north by residences and on the west by a spacious garage, 
which, no doubt, accounts for its having survived the severity of our winters. It is 
conical in shape, 20 feet high, with a well-developed trunk measuring 1 foot in 
diameter at the base. 


In 1922 Mr. Matthews presented this specimen to the Garden where it 
was planted in front of the Cycad House. Although every precaution was 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 161 


bie 


eas Neal b> 


Magnolia grandiflora south of Old Resi- Twelve-foot specimen north of Main 
dence at the Garden—the oldest specimen Gate, grown from seed obtained from tree 
in this area. at left. 


taken as to its care the tree died within three years. 

In 1940 an experiment was undertaken at the Garden in order to estab- 
lish the hardiness of Magnolia grandiflora when grown from seed collected 
in this region. Twelve trees grown from seed obtained from the tree near 
the Old Residence were planted in the exposed nursery in the North Amer- 
ican Tract and given no winter protection. These seedlings all grew well 
and suffered no winter damage except loss of foliage and minor twig 
injury due to ice storms in March. In 1946 two 5-foot plants from this lot 
were removed to a location just inside the Garden at the main entrance. 
Both have become established, but the specimen to the north of the Main 
Gate (see illustration), has more than doubled in height during the past 
four years. Smaller specimens were planted in the Linnean Garden where 
they are doing well. 

Attention was called in the April 1947 BULLETIN to the fine specimen 
of Magnolia grandiflora var. lanceolata growing in the front lawn of Mrs. 
Paul Brown’s residence, 5855 Lindell Boulevard. It is sheltered by the house, 
about 10 feet northwest of it, as well as by a windbreak of large trees. The 


tree was obtained from a Georgia nursery in about 1934, at which time it 


162 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 


Magnolia grandiflora at Mrs, Paul Brown’s residence, on 


Lindell Boulevard. 


was not over 5 feet high. It is now 20 feet high, with a single trunk about 
10 inches in diameter. For several years the tree was protected during the 
winter by a cloth-covered wooden frame, but after that it received no pro- 
tection of any kind. It has flowered for the past five or six years, producing 
abundant seed. This tree has the characteristic larger leaves and internodes 
of the variety lanceolata. 

Several specimens of Magnolia grandiflora are growing in the area of 
Collinsville, Hlinois, having been imported from Florida in 1936 by the H. 
C. Schnell Nursery, of Collinsville. One of these is in front of the Ever- 
green Gardens on Highway 40. At the time of planting, twelve years ago, 
it was about 5 feet tall and is now 20 feet tall with a single trunk. The 


tree faces south and has the protection of the building on the north. ‘Two 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 163 


Magnolia grandiflora at Evergreen Gardens, on High- 
way 40, near Collinsville, Ill. 


Magnolia grandiflora in front lawn of Campbell resi 


dence, Collinsville, Tl. 


other Schnell specimens were planted in the R. F. Campbell lawn, at 102 
Mesa Drive, Collinsville. The one on the west side of the house is exposed 
to the north and shows the effect of winter damage, but the one on the south 
side is a perfect specimen with a double trunk 8-9 inches in diameter one 
foot from the ground. When planted in this location they were about 5 feet 
high. There remain in the old Schnell Nursery (now Pring’s Nursery) three 
of the original specimens which have been, and still are, used primarily as a 
seed source. They are well protected by other trees but exhibit multiple 


trunks which may indicate either freezing back or past cutting of branches 


164 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 


for decorations. They have been seeding for the last seven or eight years, 
and up to 100 of their seedlings are growing in the nursery, varying in size 
from 1 foot to 10 feet. The young plants in the nursery show characteristic 
rapid growth of 18-24 inches annually. They are very similar in appearance 
and behavior to the plants grown in the Garden just west of the Main Gate. 

From the above instances it would appear that Magnolia grandiflora may 
be hardy in the St. Louis area, particularly when propagated from plants 
grown in this section and given some protection on the north. When speci- 
mens are brought in from the South one must expect a loss. Winter damage 
to leaves and twigs may occur when the plants are young or during ice 
storms, but the very rapid growth and recovery of the plants more than 


compensates for this. 


Recent studies seem to indicate that the climate of the United States is 
changing rapidly. In effect, the whole country is “shifting southward,” so 
that New Orleans is acquiring the climate of Yucatan and Montreal the 
climate of New York. The last several years in St. Louis would seem to 
substantiate this. We are all familiar with grandfather’s saying that, “the 
winters aren’t like they used to be when I was a boy.” And he is right—as 
the weather record will testify. This autumn has been one of the warmest 
(and driest) within memory. It has caused some “confusion” among plants, 
just as did the very early spring of 1946. Normally, the oaks are about the 
last of the trees to color, while the Silver Maples, Chinese Elms, and mul- 
berries are quick to shed. This year most of the oaks had browned (at about 
their usual period), but the prolonged warm weather has kept the Silver 
Maples and other trees green and in partial foliage into the second week of 
November. Many plants that are normally spring-blooming are blooming 
again this autumn. We have all read in the newspaper about strawberries 
being harvested within the last few weeks, but many other plants as well 
have bloomed ‘‘a season ahead.”” Annual Bluegrass (Poa annua), and Orchard 
Grass (Dactylis glomerata), and the common lawn chickweed are among 
them. Of course, cursory flowering of shrubs may occur in any delayed 
autumn, but it has been even more apparent this year. Yes, the seasons of 
1949 and 1950 compared to those of the 1930's, and now one of the warmest 
of St. Louis autumns, might well convince us that climatic changes certainly 
aren’t slow in coming. Maybe in a few years St. Louis will have Magnolia 
grandiflora and azaleas as they are grown in the South, and blue grass lawns 
as they have been grown in the North? Meanwhile we can’t complain. 


[ R.W.S. ] 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 165 


Sasa palmata in the Economic Garden 


A HARDY JAPANESE BAMBOO (SASA PALMATA) 
GEORGE H. PRING 

Sasa palmata, which has been in cultivation at the Garden and Tower 
Grove Park for the past forty years, is one of the handsomest of the medium- 
low Japanese bamboos. The culms or shoots grow up to six feet in this 
locality. The primary branch arises singly from some of the middle and 
upper nodes of the culm and later a secondary branch often grows from the 
base of the primary. The leaves are bright green above and somewhat lighter 
or glaucous on the under side. They are borne in palmate clusters and are 
about the largest of the bamboos, often being 12-15 inches long and 212 
inches wide. The prominent secondary veins, 8-12 on each side of the mid- 
vein, are another attractive feature of the leaves. 

Large clumps of Sasa palmata are growing on the west side of the walk 
in the Economic Garden, and in Tower Grove Park plantings may be seen 


166 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 


around the lily pools. This bamboo is good for mass plantings and deserves 
a place in city gardens. It is neat in habit and free of hairiness. Ac- 
cording to Robert Young (National Horticultural Magazine, July, 1945), 
the identity of this plant has been very much confused. Sasa palmata E. G. 
Camus is now the correct name, but it has been known under the following 


names: Bambusa palmata, Arundinaria palmata, A. paniculata forma 


“chimakizaza,” Sasa paniculata, and S. australis. 


Nymphaea “Joe Cutak” 


NYMPHAEA “JOE CUTAK” 
GEORGE H. PRING 
This hybrid Nymphaea originated from the same seed-pod as N ym phaea 
“Bob Trickett,” described in the November 1948 Garden BULLETIN, the 
parents being N. sfellata var. coerulea and N. “Mrs. Edwards Whitaker.” 
However, it differs from “Bob Trickett” in dark blue flowers and the promi- 


nent red flecking of its leaves. It is an excellent grower and good propagator. 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 167 


It is named in honor of the late Mr. Joseph Cutak, who had charge of the 
water-lily department at the Garden for many years. 

Description Flowers 8-10 inches across; bud ovoid, dark green densely 
lined with purple; peduncle greenish-brown; sepals and petals hooded at the 
apex, Chicory Blue*, green towards the base within, the outside dark green 
prominently lined with purple; sepals 4, about 41% inches long, 2 inches 
wide; petals 35-40, the outermost row about 41/4 inches long, 11% inches 
wide, peduncle greenish-brown; stamens 240-245, Lemon Chrome tipped 
with Chicory Blue; carpels 30-35, Light Cadmium; leaves suborbicular, 14 
inches long, 13 inches wide, margins undulated, above dark green flecked 
reddish-brown, fading with age, on the under-side red with green venation, 
lobes overlapping, with age pushing up; petioles greenish-brown. 


* Color terms in capital letters are those of Ridgway’s “Color Standards and Color Nomen- 
clature.” 


CROW SHOOTING 
AUGUST P. BEILMANN 


Sporting magazines have often urged the sportsman to keep his co- 
ordination of eye and hand properly tuned for the hunting season by using 
the crow as a target throughout the year. The crow is held up as a black 
rascal whose character is unrelieved by a single good trait. Since he is 
charged with the destruction of eggs and nestlings of song and game birds, 
a degree of control would result in an increase of other birds. The con- 
demnation of any species is probably not entirely justified; and a careful 
study would uncover a few commendable traits. The good points of the 
crow are that he eats insects and crustaceans and that he is an effective 
scavenger. Thus while not completely black in character, he is nevertheless 
a wily bird capable of making a living almost anywhere and off almost any 
organic material. He is often more than a nuisance when he raids a newly 
planted field to pull up sprouting seed, or silently hunts through the woods 
and fields to rob nests and kill nestlings. Quail nests are a favorite source 
of food and he has been observed carrying away the eggs of the Mallard 
Duck. Lately crows have begun to roost in the Pinetum during the coldest 
and windiest winter nights. Here they bend and break the leaders of the 
evergreens and cause a malformed shoot which never grows straight. 

In the general scheme of things only the most efficient and adaptable 
species survive. The crow, like the English Sparrow and the starling, has 
demonstrated his versatility and his ability to make a living almost any- 


where. He appears to have only two natural checks—the hawks and the 


168 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 


owls, so he lives a rather carefree existence provided he learns the exact range 
of the modern shotgun. Certainly many crows are killed by hunters out 
after other game; few duck hunters can pass up a chance to shoot at a crow. 
Many individual birds are killed at long ranges with a “Varmint” rifle, scope 
mounted and firing an ultra-high speed bullet with a flat trajectory. But 
this and even the dynamiting of the roosts, in which thousands of birds are 
killed, serves only as a temporary check to the population. 

The crow has demonstrated his right to live in this area—if a certain 
discreditable wiliness is a mark of adaptability. He is a worthy foe if hunted 
with a shotgun where an ability to “call” and a knowledge of woodcraft is 
required. Actually the crow has superior vision, and usually if the hunter 
can see the crow it is a foregone conclusion that the crow has seen the hunter. 
In fact, it appears that he can count to five; that at least seven men must 
approach a blind and five must return to drive away if any birds are to be 
lured to this blind by “calling.” And it is not hard to believe that crows 
can recognize the make and caliber of a gun and thus protect themselves by 
remaining outside the effective range. Certainly old crows which have lost 
some feathers when responding to a “call” are more difficult to bring within 
effective range the next time. And it is sometimes necessary to throw a 
charge of shot in their direction to keep them from drawing off those birds 
ready and willing to do battle where the caller is stationed. These wiser 
birds usually circle about well out of range, ready to sound an alarm if the 
caller makes a false move. 

There is another way to shoot crows, and no “calling” is necessary. The 
action is fast and furious while it lasts and it takes advantage of the roosting 
habit of the bird. Crows usually gather together daily—some time before 
roosting—and indulge in a raucous cawing during which all the happenings 
of the day are recounted amid cheers and jeers. Observers have said that it 
is during these gatherings that infractions of crow law are reported and 
punishment is meted out. At least, it is not unusual to observe an individual 
being driven from the roost amid the wild cawing of all the other birds. 
Before a roosting site is settled on, several individuals “scout” the area, even 
though the spot has been used nightly for weeks and months. The scouts 
proceed about their job rather quietly at first and seldom begin cawing until 
satisfied that no danger exists. Once the site has been selected (usually a 
stag-headed tree) other birds join them, and the flying and calling continue 
until just before dark. Suddenly it eases and no noise is made until they 
leave the roost in the morning. 

Some of the most sporting pass shooting can be had at such a roost, but 
the hunter must study the flight habit of the birds using that roost just as 
thoroughly as the birds did before accepting it as a safe haven for the night. 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 169 


All the crows within the radius of many miles use one roost; to reach this 
they fly along definite routes and if not frightened they proceed along the 
same path nightly. They can be intercepted along the route—about two 
hundred yards from the roost—if the sentinels are not disturbed and pro- 
vided the hunter does not miss any birds. The alarmed cawing of a missed 
bird that has had a glimpse of the gunner will abruptly end the proceedings. 
Neither the noise of the gun nor the collapse of a bird in full flight will 
alarm the roost—but don’t miss a bird! In flying to the selected tree, crows 
appear to follow a path as clearly outlined to them as the approach to the 
most modern air-field. Generally the birds fly singly, often spaced several 
minutes apart, confidently flying on the “beam” regardless of how many 
birds have suddenly fallen to the gun. But if a bird is missed and frightened, 
the “beam” is instantly dangerous and the incoming birds select a new route. 
For this form of hunting the hunter requires complete concealment with a 
somewhat clear opening overhead through which to shoot and enough open- 
ing ahead to spot the birds before they arrive. A dense growth of small elms 
or a sumac thicket serves very well. No attempt has been made to shoot 
from a blind constructed for the purpose; the crow takes very few chances 
and any change about the roost may cause the birds to abandon the location. 
It must be remembered that the “scouts” have examined the area as early as 
three o’clock, and although no attempt to roost will be made for another 
three hours, the area will be checked and re-checked several times beforé 
settling down. 

The crow considers all owls and hawks as blood enemies. A crow will 
always attack and deliriously call for his neighbors to help drive an owl to 
cover. This habit has been taken advantage of by hunters, and molded owls 
having “two faces” are sometimes placed where a crow may be “‘called’’ to 
do battle. However, the method has not worked at the Arboretum; appar- 
ently it is a special technique and requires special study. It may be most 
effective during and immediately after the nesting period when the adult 
crows are teaching the young to fly and scrounge. That crows have good 
reason to mistrust owls is amply demonstrated by the observation of Brother 
Lewis, of the La Salle Institute, Glencoe, Mo. In a survey conducted by him 
and his students, it was found that of 33 young crows only seven left their 
nests; the remains of many of the others were found in the nests of the owls. 


The aspiring crow-hunter should read “Crow Shooting” by Bert Popowski 
(A. S. Barnes & Company, New York), who has spent many years shooting 
crows. In this book the crow’s ability to decimate the game birds is clearly 
brought out. Also, on the basis of our own observations at the Arboretum, 


it would appear that the quail-hunter is virtually obliged to spend as much 


170 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 


time killing crows in the summer as he hopes to spend hunting game in the 
autumn. 

A congregation of over 200 birds using a roost along Brush Creek was 
recently reduced to about 25. It was hoped that their elimination might 
increase quail and other birds and that there would be fewer bent and broken 
leaders among the conifers in the Pinetum. A heavy load of sleet plus the 
added weight of a crow can do considerable damage to a long evergreen 
shoot. However, the killing of another hundred crows in the Arboretum a 
few months later would indicate that the crow population in eastern Mis- 
souri is so great that an area cannot be freed of these birds. Any reduction 
in One section or in One roost simply means that the overflow from surround- 
ing territories will move in. In practice, the process appears to be similar to 
dipping a bucket of water from a lake and then looking for the hole! This 
does not mean that every one of the original population was destroyed. In 
fact there are some very wise birds that have been through a few “shoots.” 
These birds view any hysterical call for help with a superior air; they come 
in “on oxygen,” well out of range, and leave immediately if they suspect a 
concealed gun. One morning a single crow located a Criders Hawk near the 
Arboretum nursery and his raucous calling for help failed to arouse any 
reinforcements. Without his usual companions he gave up the fight in 


disgust. This should prove very encouraging to both the song and the game 
birds. 


NOTES 
Mr. Paul H. Allen, Tropical Collector to the Garden, of Golfito, Costa 
Rica, spent two weeks in the herbarium recently, working over his Panama 
plant collections. 


Recent visitors to the Garden include Dr. E. H. Runyon, Mycologist, 
Lawson Hospital, Chamblee, Georgia, and Dr. Carl B. Umanzio, of Kirksville 
College of Osteopathy and Surgery, both of whom are former graduate 
students in the Shaw School of Botany; and Dr. Eric Akerberg, of the Royal 
Agriculture College, Uppsala, Sweden. 


With no early frosts and with long spells of warm or even downright hot 
weather, summer bloom has continued in the Garden as never before. The 
roses flowered prolifically until checked by the cold snap on November 3, 
though the tender bedding plants in the Italian garden were hit by the first 
light frost in October. The water-lilies were still in fine bloom the first 
week in November; for the first time since the big display pools were built 
they were in excellent condition up to the very moment when the chrys- 
anthemum show was ready for the public. 


THE MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN 


BOARD OF TRUSTEES 


Richard J. Lockwood : ee Lae ee ere ets 
Be Yel? LB “Oe Sr | 7 5b; ea ee ee EE CSSD ARE Pero errs Vice-President 
OO CLAN Sy | Soe tie ad ee RD SS REI Second Vice-President 

L. Ray Carter John S. Lehmann 

Dudley French George T. Moore 

Henry Hitchcock A. Wessel Shapleigh 


Ethan A. H. Shepley 


EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS 


Arthur H. Compton -_....--..-----.-------------- Chancellor, Washington University 
Joseph M. Darst ----------.-----..... Mayor of the City of St. Louis 
R. Harris Cobb President, St. Louis Academy of Science 
lira SCOT let. nc Bishop of the Diocese of Missouri 
Will L. Schwehr.....—-..--. President, Board of Education of St. Louis 
ere fogs Ol | 1 :) eae eon ee an enen enn snenecaey ene snnnnnnrtrre ore Secretary 
STAFF 
George T. Moore -.-.-...---.---------——-----—-------------------nn one ne Director 
Perini Wath BOREL Wace ts eee eee OIE 
Jesse M. Greenman ......----. ---.-. Curator Emeritus of Herbarium 
Carroll W. Dodge —.--..---.. cee bia tsnst Mi yeologit 
Edgar Anderson ........---.-----------------—-----------------ann nn Geneticist 
Robert E. Woodson, Jr.--—-------- ee -- Curator of Herbarium 
Henry N. Andrews......._------------------------------- Paleobotanist 
Robert W. Schery sie es eae rae paaensencecenteeee Research Associate 
CUT ae Oe fee sll Ce, | So ene meena Research Horticulturist 
Rolla M. Tryon___.-.. --...---------------------- ___. Assistant Curator of Herbarium 
George B. Van Schaack ww. .. ....... Honorary Curator of Grasses 
Julian A. Steyermark........_._ _... Honorary Research Associate 
Nell C. Horner pesiba Ladibigss Librarian and Editor 
FEE (a GO 1'a Ce) Seta eal nD ee oo ee eee eee Business Manager 
George H. Pring... — = Superintendent 
Paul A. Kohl ss __ Floriculturist 
Ladislaus Cutak Se _.In charge of Succulents 
Kenneth A. Smith : _Engineer 
August P. Beilmann Manager of the Arboretum, Gray Summit 
G. R. Lowry____-. Sapte ee a In charge of Orchids 


iad ok Bs NNO iy a aden 8 ROpICAL. Plane Collector 


SOME FACTS ABOUT THE GARDEN 


The Missouri Botanical Garden was opened to the public by Mr. 
Henry Shaw about 1860. From that date until his death in 1889 it 
was maintained under his personal direction. Although popularly 
known as “Shaw’s Garden” the name Missouri Botanical Garden 
was chosen by Mr. Shaw and he definitely indicated that he wished 
it called by that name. The Garden passed at his death into the 
hands of a Board of Trustees, designated in Mr. Shaw’s will, and 
the Board so constituted, exclusive of certain ex-officio members, 
is self-perpetuating. By a further provision of the will the immedi- 
ate direction of the Garden is vested in a Director, appointed by 
the Board. The Garden receives no support from city or state but 
is maintained almost exclusively from the estate left by Henry 
Shaw. Since 1939 many Garden Clubs and interested individuals 
have contributed to a “Friends of the Garden Fund” which is used 
in developing the new Arboretum, located at Gray Summit, Mo. 
The Arboretum (1) serves as a source of plants, trees and shrubs 
for the city Garden; (2) affords areas for gradually establishing 
a pinetum, a wild-flower reservation and various other features 
on a scale not possible in the city; (3) provides greenhouses for 
some 50,000 orchid plants. 

The city Garden comprises 75 acres, where about 12,000 species 
of plants are grown, both out of doors and under glass. It is open 
every day in the year except New Year’s Day and Christmas; week 
days, 8:00 a. m. until 7:00 p. m.; Sundays, 10:00 a. m. until 7:00 


p.m. The greenhouses are closed every day at 5:00 p. m. 


The main entrance to the Garden is at Tower Grove and Flora 
Place, on the Sarah bus line (No. 42). The Tower Grove bus 
(No. 21), direct from downtown, passes within three blocks of the 


main entrance. 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL 


GARD 


LIN BU 


aL, 


4 UN 


Notes 


Volume XXXVIII 


CONTENTS 


Growing and Enjoying Succulents 


General Index 


December, 1950 


Number 10 


Cover: Strombocactus disciformis, collected in Mexico by Ladislaus Cutak. 
Photograph by Ladislaus Cutak. 


Editorial Office: Missour: Botanical Garden, 2315 Tower Grove Avenue, 
St. Louis 10, Missouri. 

Published monthly except July and August by the Board of Trustees of the 
Missouri Botanical Garden. Subscription price: $2.50 a vear. 

Office of publication: 306 E. Simmons Street, Galesburg, Illinois. 

Entered as second-class matter January 26, 1942, at the post-othce at Gales- 
burg, Illinois, under the Act of March 3, 1879. 


Please: Do not discard a copy of the Bulletin. Jf vou have no further use for yours 
pass it along to a friend or return it to the Garden. Return postage will 
be guaranteed. 


Missouri Botanical 
Garden Bulletin 


Vol. XXXVIII DECEMBER, 1950 No. 10 


GROWING AND ENJOYING SUCCULENTS 
LADISLAUS CUTAK 


The aim of this BULLETIN is two-fold: first to give information on the 
cultural practices of one of the most fascinating groups of plants; second, 
to point out the many uses to which these plants lend themselves. 

Collectively, the cacti, spurges, stonecrops, and all other fleshy-stalked 
or thick-leaved plants, structurally adapted to live for prolonged periods 
without water, are known as Succulents. Succulents are distributed through- 
out the world—in both temperate and tropical regions. A great many of 
them are desert species, inhabiting dry plains, canyons, and hillsides; many 
are also found on bleak, ice-ccvered mountains and in humid tropical forests. 
All are exceptionally fat and juicy and because of this condition usually 
assume such ‘“‘out-of-this-world” appearances that they can be easily spotted. 
The cacti are perhaps the most unique of all the succulents. 

GROWING FROM SEEDS 

One of the most fascinating phases of succulent culture is growing them 
trom seed. Generally this will require patience, but it is the cheapest means 
of obtaining a nice collection of these plants. Then, too, seedlings become 
healthier and better-looking plants than those gathered on the desert. Mature 
plants from the wilds adapt themselves to home conditions with more 
difficulty. 

Those who are blessed with a patient temperament will get a thrill watch- 
ing succulents germinate. Tiny ball-like bodies or spindly cylindrical shapes 
pop out of the ground. Soon spiny tufts make their appearance, followed by 
more of these bristle-like growths, until the permanent characteristics of the 
parent plants become recognizable. Many delightful moments are in store 
for the seed-sower before the seedlings reach maturity. Why not try your 
luck! 

Even the apartment-dweller can grow a goodly number of seedlings in 
his home. The only equipment needed is a flower-pot, a piece of glass for 


cover, a saucer underneath to hold water, some good porous soil, and a 


(171) 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 


1. Material for seed propagation. 
into flat. 


~ 


Germination of seeds. 3. Transplant-ng 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 173 


package of fresh seed. However, the writer’s experience has been that often 
a much higher percentage of germination resulted when the seeds were at 
least a year old than with seeds sown shortly after harvesting. Frequently 
plants from seeds two and three years old grew into fine specimens. 

Most succulents produce seed in abundance. Should seeds be harvested 
from home-grown plants it is advisable to remove all adhering pulp by 
rinsing the seeds in water and then drying them out. Firms specializing in 
cactus seeds are not too plentiful in the United States, but most succulent 
plant nurseries handle seed packets for the retail trade. 

Seeds may be sown any time in the year in a greenhouse. In the average 
home the ideal time to sow is about the end of April or the beginning of 
May, although seed may be sown as late as September with good results. 
During the hot summer months the seeds and small seedlings must never be 
allowed to dry out completely. On the other hand, the soil should never be 
saturated. A uniform temperature of 70° F. should be provided for most 
species but 80 to 90° is better for others, especially if they hail from tropical 
regicns. Light and frequent ventilation are just as important as warmth 
and moisture. In the home, the seed-pans should be placed in a window with 
a southern exposure. Germination should not take place in the dark, nor in 
the full afternoon sun but in partial shade. Fresh air can be supplied by 
removing the glass cover from the seed-pan, but only on days when the sur- 
rounding atmosphere is warm. 

For a container, a clean 3- to 4-inch flower-pot is preferred. Cover the 
bottom with drainage material such as broken crocks, then sift prepared soil 
to within an inch of the rim. Any good porous soil can be used, but the one 
recommended and easily prepared consists of equal parts of well-rotted leaf- 
mold, screened sand, and ordinary garden loam. Press the soil down lightly 
with a spool or wooden block to insure an even and smooth surface. Care 
should be taken that the soil cover be no deeper than the size of the seed 
itself. The tiny seeds may be scattered lightly over the soil, but the larger 
ones should be sown evenly in rows. Next, fill a saucer with water and 
place the seed-pot in it. As soon as the surface of the soil becomes moist, 
empty the water from the saucer. The length of time between such water- 
ings will depend upon the heat and ventilation maintained around the seed- 
pans. In the home the receptacles are apt to dry out more quickly than in 
a greenhouse, so that it might be necessary to water every fourth or fifth 
day. Never water from the top unless a very fine mistlike spray can be had. 
Overhead watering usually causes seeds to float and become bunched up. 
When the soil has been moistened, place a glass cover over the seed-pan and 
set it in a well-lighted window. Whitewash or paint the glass lid to prevent 


rapid soil-drying or scorching of seedlings. 


1. Bryophyllum daigremontianum plantlets growing on leaf margin. 2. Gasteria leaf sprouting, 


cactus, which can be propagated from each joint. 


4. 


Opuntia fruit propagation. 


3. 


Peanut 


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JINV LOG TYAOSSIW 


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1duVvoO IV 


NILATIOYI N 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 175 


Generally, tiny seedlings begin to push their way up in seven to fourteen 
days. Raise one side of the glass by inserting a match stick under it and, 
after about a week, begin exposing seedlings to gradually stronger light. 
Water from below until the plants become sufficientiy strong to withstand 
overhead spraying. 

Early transplanting is to be avoided unless the tiny seedlings begin to 
crowd each other. Shift into flats, larger seed-pans or 11-inch pots. In 
transplanting use the same mixture of soil as for the seeds. If kept in small 


pots there is less danger of overwatering. 


OTHER METHODS OF PROPAGATION 


In addition to propagation by seed, most of the succulents can be multi- 
plied vegetatively, i.e., by cuttings, by division of large clumps, by offsets, 
by leaves, etc. With these methods plants will attain maturity much sooner 
than when grown from seed. 

Almost any portion of the stem can be cut off, treated, and forced to 
produce new growth. All cuttings with a large cut surface, such as in cacti 
and spurges, must be placed in a dry atmosphere for a few days in order that 
a callus form over the wounded section. This is very important, for unless 
the cuticle is healed the cut surface would be subject to bacterial rot, which 
would quickly destroy the cutting. Succulents with small exposed surfaces, 
such as the sedums, stapeliads, and mesembs, form a protective tissue in a 
few hours. Although most cuttings may be placed directly in a mixture of 
sand and soil, pure sand or vermiculite seems to be a better rooting medium. 
Some plants will produce a vigorous root system in a week. New shoots 
along the stem are a good indication that the cutting is forming roots. Water 
should be applied very sparingly or not at all until some sign of growth 
appears. Cuttings of tender succulents—the leafy kinds—must be shielded 
from the direct rays of the sun and their exposed parts lightly sprinkled to 
keep them from wilting. 

Many plants, as, for instance, the Opuntias (Prickly Pears), the Kalan- 
choes and Bryophyllums, are naturally adapted to vegetative propagation. 
The stems and green fruits of most Prickly Pears break off very easily and 
fall to the ground, where in a short time they throw out roots and develop 
independently as new plants. Many succulents produce numerous tiny 
plantlets along their stems or on the margins of the leaves. A good example 
is the South American Echinopsis with long trumpet-like flowers, commonly 
known as Easter Lily Cactus. Most species, particularly E. Eyriesii and E. 
multiplex, produce numerous offsets, either at the bottom or top of the old 
plant, which readily become detached from the mother plant and strike root 
in the surrounding soil. 


176 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 


The Bryophyllums offer a good example of leaf propagation. Their name, 
from the Greek, meaning “‘life leaves’’ was given on account of the numerous 
plantlets which are produced along the margins of the leaves. These plant- 
lets fall off easily, cluttering the soil around the mother plant and eventually 
becoming even a nuisance. Most of the crassulaceous plants, such as the 
stonecrops, hen-and-chickens, Kalanchoes and Bryophyllums, can be readily 
propagated by leaf cuttings. Simply remove a leaf, place it in sand or on 
top of the soil, keep it somewhat moist, and the baby plants will appear. 
Later these can be potted as seedlings. 


GRAFTING 


The art of grafting provides a simple means of uniting two distinct 
plants and inducing them to function as one. Grafting is resorted to for a 
variety of purposes, such as accelerating growth of slow growers, preserving 
species that are susceptible to rot when grown on their own roots, insuring a 
greater number of flowers, developing bushy and more decorative plants, 
preserving abnormal forms such as crests and monstrosities, and raising 
varieties that are considered difficult to grow. 

Only cacti, spurges, and stapeliads are generally grafted. The best time 
for the operation is from May to September, when the plants are growing 
well. Grafting during other months should be resorted to only when it 
becomes necessary to save an injured or diseased plant. 

There are three kinds of grafts commonly employed—the cleft, the flat, 
and the side. All thin-stemmed plants are suitable for cleft grafting while 
the thick and globose types require a flat graft. In cleft-grafting cut back 
the stock to a desired height (usually six to twelve inches) for cacti such as 
the Christmas Cactus and then make a slit at the top about an inch deep. 
The cut should never be much longer than the insert if a perfect union is 
to be attained. The stem of the scion (the plant to be grafted onto the 
rooted stock) is then cut on two sides to form a wedge and inserted into the 
split of the stock. After firming the graft into the desired position, the 
scion is held in place by running a cactus spine or two through the united 
portions and then wrapping some cord or raffia around the graft. The cord 
should be taut enough to hold the scion in place and yet not so tight as to 
cut into it or the stock. 

In the flat graft both scion and stock should be of approximately the same 
width at the intended union. After selecting the two plants make a smooth 
transverse cut on each specimen and then place the scion on the severed 
stock, pressing the two flat surfaces firmly together. To hold the scion in 
place use two large-size rubber bands, placing them gently over the top of 


the scion and run underneath the flower-pot. String also can be used, but 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 177 


My 
;* 
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Cleft grafts: 1. Aporocactus flagelliformis on Hylocereus undatus, 2. Zygocactus 
truncatus on Selenicereus pteranthus. 3. Flat gratts. 


178 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 


first file four small grooves on the flower-pot rim and bottom to prevent the 
cord from slipping. A grafted plant can also be held in position with a 
piece of flexible wire bent in ‘U”’ shape. 

The side graft requires no special operation beyond slicing one side of 
both scion and stock and holding the two joints in place. Slender plants 
such as the Mistletoe Cactus and Peanut Cactus are usually used for this type 
of grafting. 

When grafting operations are completed, set the plants in a warm place 
but a shaded one, so that the cut surfaces will not dry out too rapidly, pre- 
venting perfect unions. Apply water to the stock plant taking care that no 
moisture reaches the graft. Inspect all grafts occasionally to note whether 
union has formed properly. Sometimes certain stocks, especially Pereskias, 
have a tendency to produce suckers or offsets at the base or infrequently 
along the stem. When these appear they should be removed immediately; 
otherwise the scions will be deprived of much nutrient matter and the growth 
of the grafts will be hindered. After grafted plants have become estab- 
lished only normal care is necessary. It might be practicable to transplant 
grafted plants once a year or at least to add a little fertilizer. Liquid manure 
is beneficial in the growing season. 

SEASONAL CARE 

To consider that succulents, especially the cacti, need no attention, is a 
fallacy. Even among cactus plants different cultural methods must be ap- 
plied. The great majority are found growing under the hot sun and in poor 
soil where the rainfall is very scanty; and yet under such conditions the 
plants prosper and flower freely, for they have developed the ability to take 
up and store within their stems the moisture which at intervals comes their 
way. The Barrel Cacti, the Fishhooks, the Pincushions, the Hedgehogs, and 
the wicked Chollas are but a few belonging to this class. They are generally 
very spiny, the spiny armament acting as a shield against the scorching rays 
of the sun. Plants of this type are very desirable for home culture, as they 
are able to withstand the hot, dry atmosphere of our living rooms. The 
Christmas Cactus, the Broadleafs (erroneously known as Night-blooming 
Cereus), the Rhipsalis, the Rat-Tails, and the trailing Night-blooming Cerei, 
are mostly epiphytic, growing with the orchids and bromeliads upon the 
trunks and branches of trees in tropical America. These, then, require a 
richer soil (but very porous) and humid surroundings, and can be grown 
successfully in sun-rooms or screened porches. 

Cacti from the hot deserts, as the Barrels, Old Men, and Saguaros, must 
be watered only every three to four weeks during the winter months, and 
then only on clear, sunny days. The best method is to place them in a large 
vessel of water, thereby moistening the roots only. The Christmas Cactus 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 179 


and similar varieties must never be allowed to get very dry, although a short 
rest period from September to November and again after flowering is recom- 
mended. Other succulents, such as the Mesembryanthemums and Crassulas, 
need more water than a cactus. However, it must be remembered that good 
drainage is necessary at all times, as very few succulents will survive if their 
“feet”? are constantly wet. 

Most succulents should be given a period of rest for three or four months 
during the winter, when they should be placed in a cooler room and watered 
more sparingly. If kept growing all year round no buds or very few will 
appear. Winter months, as a rule, are the danger months for succulent 
plants, but if proper attention is given to temperature, water, etc., no dif- 
ficulty should be experienced. All plants that have been planted outdoors 
during the summer months must be brought indoors about the first of Oc- 
tober. Many cactus plants that are whipped by bitter winds and covered 
under a blanket of snow in the mountainous regions of the Southwest cannot 
endure the winters of the Middle West. It isn’t the cold that plays havoc, 
but the excessive dampness combined with cold. Sunlight is an important 
factor in the life of a plant, and in order to obtain all that is possible in the 
winter the plants should be placed on window sills or near windows. With- 
out light, plants will grow stringy, weak, and sickly, or will die. 

On clear warm days during March, all succulents should be taken out- 
doors but must be brought in or covered for the night if a great drop in 
temperature is expected. During April they can be left on the porch but 
careful watch must be kept for likely frosts. By keeping the plants outside 
for part of the time, they are prepared to withstand the intense sunlight and 
warmth later. Usually, during May, plants can be set out permanently, 
either in rockeries, beds, or in borders. Because of the heavy spring rains in 
our Middle West, succulents should be planted on a slope so that excess water 
will readily drain off. Although plants will do better if planted directly in 
the soil, the average worker will not have the time to dig them up carefully 
and repot them in the fall; rather the pots should be plunged in the ground 
to within an inch of the rim and the surface covered with gravel, limestone 
chat, or other small rocks. It should be remembered that succulents, in order 
to ripen their stems, need all the sun possible during the fall months and they 
should be left outdoors as long as possible. A light frost will not bother the 
hardier types, and they usually may continue outside until about the end of 
October in the St. Louis area. The first of October is the deadline for the 
tender kinds, but if a warm spell occurs at that time (as it often does) they 
may be left out until the temperature begins to drop. Succulents exposed to 
the sunshine, the air, and rain during the summer months will do far better 


than those kept indoors. 


180 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 
CARE OF THE CHRISTMAS CACTUS 


The Christmas Cactus (Zygocactus) is one of the best and most popular 
of all old-fashioned house plants. When we attempt to grow this cactus in 
our homes we should strive to treat the plant as a jungle inhabitant rather 
than as a desert species. The soil mixture must be richer and the water 
supply ample. Since the Zygocactus has been the subject of more inquiries 
at the Garden than any other plant, the following cultural directions are 
given. 

Growing Christmas Cactus isn’t difficult. A soil mixture composed of 
light loam, well-rotted leafmold, some sand, and a generous sprinkling of 
well-decomposed cow manure will suit the plant well. If the plants are 
placed outdoors during the summer, under a tree or in some other shaded 
spot, they will grow sturdier and will be able to ripen their wood more 
thoroughly. An occasional application of liquid manure is beneficial, and 
daily syringing is recommended during the warm months. In the autumn 
begin to “rest” the plant by reducing the watering until only sufficient is 
applied to keep the soil from drying out completely. The autumn resting 
period may be started in September and terminated in November. During 
this period some joints or links will drop off, but this should cause no alarm; 
and it is also at this time that buds are induced to form. When the tiny 
buds begin to show, watering may be resumed, usually every other day. While 
the buds are forming it is advisable not to sprinkle overhead, not to move 
the plant about, and to avoid drafts. Any of these operations might cause 
the buds to blast and fall off. A sudden change in temperature is also in- 
jurious. Only when the blossoms begin to unfold can the plants be moved 
about or sprayed. 

Zygocactus may start blooming in November and finish in March, but 
the heaviest bloom is usually in December and January. <A period of rest 
should follow the blooming season. During this second dormancy the plants 
will have a tendency to become weak and drooping, in which case don’t be 
afraid to cut off the joints. Withhold water, but never allow the soil to get 
bone-dry. Usually two or three waterings will suffice during this four- to 
six-weeks rest period. After this forced dormancy the shrivelled branches 
will take on a healthier appearance and new stems will develop. Shortly, 
warm weather will arrive and plants can be left outdoors to begin another 
cycle. 

DISEASE AND PEST CONTROLS 

There is nothing more discouraging to the plant grower than sickly, 

crippled, or dying specimens. Under artificial conditions in the home or 


greenhouse the grower may be annoyed by a number of common garden 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 181 


pests, but a collection can be kept surprisingly clean if a careful watch is 
kept and insecticides used judiciously. First, one must learn to know whether 
the “bug” feeding upon the plants is a chewing or sucking kind. Sucking 
insects commonly encountered are aphids, mealy bugs, and scales. These are 
chiefly introduced from the garden, or from some other house plants. They 
must be killed by contact, whereas the chewers, such as grasshoppers, beetles, 
and larval “worms,” will require stomach poisons. 

In home collections the grower is apt to meet only a few pests, chiefly 
aphids, mealy bugs, scales, thrips, and red spiders, and all these can be con- 
trolled by dependable oil sprays such as Volck. Mealy bugs are easily recog- 
nized because they cover themselves with a white cottony substance and 
usually congregate on the tips of spines, in the grooves of new growth, at the 
base of joints, under leaves and about the roots. Frequently a forceful spray 
of cold water from the faucet will dislodge the mealies and wash them down 
a drain. However, it is a good practice to use an oil spray regularly to keep 
plants free of this pest. Aphids, or plant lice, are soft-bodied insects about 
the size of a pin-head, either black, green or yellow, most frequently found 
on new growth and on leaf and flower buds. A nicotine spray easily controls 
them. Scale insects are just what the name implies—tiny animals with either 
a soft or hard, more or less arched shell, that fasten themselves to stems, 
branches, and leaves where they extract juices. An oil-emulsion spray aids 
in smothering them. Mealy bugs, aphids, and scales also excrete a sticky 
honey-dew, which is much sought after by ants. The ants, to assure them- 
selves of this delectable food, tend and pasture the pests and guard them from 


’ 


their natural enemies. They also transport the “bugs” to other plants, so it 
is a good idea to rid the premises of ants. Nicotine easily kills ants on con- 
tact, but Chlordane, a new insecticide, is the most efficient ant control I 
have discovered so far. It is also effective against cockroaches and other 
injurious insects. Chlordane powder mixed with tale may be sprinkled 
around the pots or wherever ants have their trails, or it may be mixed with 
water and applied as a residual spray which is good for about a week. 
Thrips are tiny brown or black insects, quick in their motions. When 
disturbed they curve their abdomens over their backs and seemingly jump 
for cover. Thrips rasp the tissues of seedling cacti and tender succulents, 
leaving them scarred and unattractive. An oil spray containing nicotine 
will control them. The red spider is a tiny mite hardly perceptible to the 
eye, but detected by its characteristic injury to the plant,—a blotched, rusted 
appearance with leaves and joints eventually drying up. Red spiders spin 
webs under which they live and feed and they thrive under hot and dry con- 


ditions. The same control as used for thrips is recommended. 


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Rebutia killed by mealy bugs. 


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MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 183 


In the greenhouse a few additional pests may be prevalent, such as sow 
bugs, millipeds, snails, slugs, and grasshoppers. Sow bugs are scavengers, 
usually found under a pot or on the bench wherever there is moisture. They 
are true crustaceans rather than insects and feed upon tender stems of suc- 
culents, particularly cactus seedlings. Several prepared poison baits are sold 
for their eradication but a home-made formula consisting of nine parts of 
brown sugar to one part of Paris Green scattered about the benches or soil 
is just as effective. This same formula will work for other chewing pests, 
such as grasshoppers, or for millipeds, which are responsible for dissemi- 
nating certain bacterial and fungus organisms. The millipeds also attack 
roots and stems of plants and fleshy seeds in seed-pans. 

Damp-off disease frequently takes a high toll of seedlings. This disease 
is caused by a fungus and occurs when seedlings are too crowded, excep- 
tionally moist, and kept in a close atmosphere. A disinfectant, such as 
Semesan, may be used as a remedy. Try not to permit green moss or algae 
to spread on the soil or flower-pot. There are various types of rot that 
attack succulents, which are caused by fungi and other pathogens. Be care- 
ful not to bruise, puncture or prick a plant. No matter how small the open 
wound it might be the means of entry of a harmful parasite which, if not 
caught in time, might kill the plant. When soft spots are noticed remove 
all diseased portions, cutting well into the healthy tissues, and see to it that 
cuts dry quickly in fresh air in order to facilitate healing. 

Rot disease can also be started by drying off plants too completely, 
causing the roots to die, and then watering heavily. It can also be due to 
too much watering, especially if the soil is kept soggy for long periods. This 
kind of rot gives a wilted and often discolored appearance to the plant. The 
remedy for root rot is to cut off all dried or rotted matter, then after the 
cuts are healed, repotting the plant in fresh soil and withholding water until 
new roots are formed. 

Occasionally tips of cacti may dry up or a corky tissue will discolor the 
stems. Nothing can be done about this. The cactus itself will fight the 
disease and wall-off the infected portion to keep it from spreading. As soon 
as the cactus checks it and the dried portions are really dry they can be 
knocked off easily. Of course, a permanent scar will remain. 

In order to control insect pests and plant diseases, spray regularly even 
though insects are not apparent; use disease-free soil for potting; prevent 
the formation of molds; harden the stems by exposure to sunlight and fresh 
air; keep the premises clean; and learn to handle the plants carefully. 


INDOOR COLLECTIONS 


No other house plants demand as little attention and give as much 
pleasure and satisfaction as do the succulents. In the warmth of a well- 


BULLETIN 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN 


184 


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MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 185 


lighted window many fascinating jungle and desert species look exceedingly 
attractive. There are hundreds to choose from in all imaginable shapes and 
forms, ranging from tree-like to tiny balls covered with intricate patterns of 
spines, wool, hair, or waxy bloom. It would be difficult to pick out a hun- 
dred outstanding varieties because there are nearly 4,000 succulents in exist- 
ence and taste varies with the individual grower. Some growers are partial 
to certain groups such as the easy-flowering types, the hairy or woolly forms; 
some prefer mimicry plants or the grotesque monstrosities and crests; while 
others delight in possessing a mixed assortment. 

Although a greenhouse is the ideal place to grow all kinds of plants, cacti 
and succulents are not particular where they grow as long as a few rules are 
followed. A sunlit window is the most common compartment for these 
plants in the average home and it is surprising how many different kinds can 
be grown to perfection in such little space. Particularly, in the winter when 
there is a noticeable absence of green living material about the home do suc- 
culents become desirable, although they offer a colorful display at all times. 

Cacti and other succulents can be made attractive on shelves built into 
the window, or a glass extension may be built outside the window, serving 
as a miniature greenhouse. Alcove windows and sunlit porches are also ideal 
locations. In poorly lighted sections of the house, plants will make unsightly 
weak growths and will be more susceptible to insect pests and plant diseases. 
Give your succulents all the light possible, particularly in the winter months. 

The containers in which to grow cacti and other succulents need consid- 
eration also. For slow-growing plants it is best to use smaller pots than 
would ordinarily be used for familiar plants of like size, for then one is less 
likely to overwater. Since very small pots dry out quickly they can be set 
in a large tray or metal box filled with sand and the sand kept moist. Frequent 
repotting is not necessary. Glazed pots are very attractive and, although 
quite expensive, are all the rage now. Choose one that will hold an appre- 
ciable amount of soil, and if necessary drill a hole in the bottom for drainage. 
If this is not possible place a generous supply of fine gravel at the bottom 
and be sure to add charcoal. 

The beginner will be at a loss to know how to choose the most desirable 
varieties of succulents. In the average home, where space is at a premium, 
more satisfaction will be derived if the grower concentrates on a few indi- 
vidual groups rather than on a general collection. 

Plants of the genus Mammillaria are probably the most popular among 
beginners and can be called the darlings of the Cactus family. For the most 
part, they are small plants with simple or clustered, cylindrical to globular 
bodies covered with numerous tubercles or nipples, these being capped with 


areoles from which arise delicate or strong spines of various sizes. Their 


186 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 


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Methods of displaying cacti and succulents in the home. 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 187 


flowers are small, more or less bell-shaped, but they make up for their size by 
being produced in abundance in a dazzling red, pink, white, yellow or purple 
crown. The beauty of the plants is further enhanced by the colorful club- 
shaped fruits, which, in some species, appear mixed among the flowers. 


All the species of Mammillaria—and over 250 have been described—are 
very attractive, but the following are outstanding and should be included in 
every succulent collection. The Birdnest (M. camptotricha) is a very flori- 
ferous Mexican species with conspicuous long nipples and thin yellowish 
twisting spines. The Powder Puff (M. bocasana) is covered with long white 
silky hairs which veil the short brown hooked central spines. The Old Lady 
(M. Hahniana) is a “real darling” with long white flowing hairs. The Lady 
Fingers (M. elongata) is a slender cylindrical form composed of several 
finger-like green heads copiously covered with slender yellow spines. The 
Featherball (M. plumosa) is a curiosity. The individual heads are small and 
possess feather-like spines instead of the usual vicious needle-like prickles. 
Some of the best Pincushions are: M. Parkinsonii with chalk-white spines; 
M. elegans crowded with short tubercles and stiff bristle-like spines; M. 
microcar pa with hooked central spines and captivating lavender-purple blos- 
soms; and M. applanata, a level-topped species with scarlet club-shaped fruits. 

Many cacti flower quite freely and some of the most profuse bloomers 
are contained in the genus Rebutia, often referred to as Tom Thumb cacti. 
Many of them are thimble-size but often grow in clusters covered with bril- 
liant flowers. The Chin Cacti or Gymnocalyciums are also small globular 
plants with attractive flowers. One of the most popular is G. Mihanovichii, 
a dark green body with maroon markings and bright green flowers. Lobivias 
hail from Bolivia, and possess exquisite blossoms of red, yellow and orange 
hues. The genus Notocactus contains bewitching species which should not 
be overlooked. A “must” for the beginner is the Twisted Rib, Hamatocactus 
setispinus, which usually flowers from spring until frost. The Bishop’s Cap, 
Astrophytum myriostigma, is a spineless species with a profusion of silken 
yellow blossoms. 

Those who are not partial to free-flowering types will enjoy collecting 
mimicry plants. Among these are: the Totem Pole, Lophocereus Schottii 
monstrosus, a curious spineless form which resembles a knobby column of 
green jade; the Living Rocks (Ariocarpus); the Dumpling Cactus, Lopho- 
phora Williamsii, and many others. 

It is simply impossible to list all the interesting cacti and succulents in 
one BULLETIN, but there are two very informative books for those who wish 
to follow the hobby more extensively: ‘Cacti for the Amateur” by Scott E. 
Haselton and “Succulents for the Amateur” by J. R. Brown and collabo- 
rators, both published by the Abbey Garden Press, Pasadena, California. 


188 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 


DESERTARIUMS 

Glass gardens or Wardian cases, with their plantings of woodland and 
jungle species, have been popular for over a century. It was a London 
physician who accidentally stumbled upon a method of growing tender plants 
in glass bottles. He began to experiment with all types of plants in various 
glass cases and soon his discovery found a very practical use in the transporta- 
tion of plants between countries. From this humble beginning evolved the 
desertarium, which is really nothing more than a miniature glass-enclosed 
desert garden. A desertarium as a house decoration can hardly be beat. To 
the shut-in such a garden affords a fascinating opportunity to study plant 
life; to the housewife it is a blessing, for the containers can be handled easily 
when cleaning is on the day’s agenda. 

How can a glass garden be started? Simply choose a suitable container 
of clear glass with smooth top edges so that a square of glass will fit smoothly 
on it. The most satisfactory are the 1- to 2-gallon drum-shaped aquariums 
and the 5-gallon (or more) rectangular aquariums. For the beginner a small 
rectangular aquarium is better than the drum-shaped as the full top opening 
permits the use of both hands in working with the plants. 

Drainage is of the utmost importance in growing succulents in glass 
gardens. Gravel, sand, or other coarse material (gravel preferably) must be 
laid to the thickness of one inch at the bottom of the container, then several 
pieces of charcoal placed on top, or mix powdered charcoal liberally with the 
soil—this to prevent the soil from souring. Since soil is not attractive when 
seen through the glass the walls may be lined with sphagnum or any ordinary 
woodland moss to the height of the intended soil level, the mossy side facing 
the glass. The soil mixture is then added and packed against the sides and 
bottom to a depth of about three inches. Rich loam is to be avoided for 
cacti in desertariums; instead use a mixture of sand, well-rotted leaf-mold, 
end ordinary garden loam. 

A hodgepodge of plants is never recommended nor should the plants be 
crowded as in a woodland or exotic jungle scene. Small plants should be 
chosen, or slow-growing ones. Cacti, generally, will thrive better in glass 
cases than other succulents, yet a few species such as the liliaceous Haworth- 
ias can be successfully grown with them. The Haworthias are small rosette- 
forming plants which simulate century plants or Agaves of the American 
deserts. Be sure to include at least one or two species in the desertarium. 
Sedums, Kalanchoes, and Bryophyllums should be avoided, for they tend to 
become “leggy” and soon push their way up through the opening, presenting 
anything but a tidy appearance. 

Cacti can be arranged according to the individual’s taste but some really 


effective desert scenes may be worked out by following the desert pictures in 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 


Dish gardens and terrariums 


189 


190 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 


popular magazines. A miniature dime-store Mexican, with perhaps a thatched 
hut and burro figurines, can be added to complete the picture. Meaningless 
ornamentations should be avoided. Well-placed stones to represent large 
boulders and mountains need be the only trimmings in a cactus-planted 
desertarium. 

After plants have been pressed into the soil it will be a good idea to cover 
the surface of the soil with sand or fine gravel, making sure that enough of 
this material lies at the base of the plants to act as a protecting cover against 
rot diseases. Finally clean the inside glass as carefully as the outside and if 
any dirt, sand or gravel adheres to the plants remove with a small brush. _ If 
care was exercised in transplanting, the desert garden may be moistened 
lightly. However, if the plants have been bruised, two or three days should 
elapse before applying water. 

When all operations are completed, place the terrarium where it will 
receive an abundance of light, for this is its chief requisite. In the evening 
these containers may be placed in conspicuous positions in the home, as on 
mantels, pianos, end-tables or in wall niches, where they are sure to attract 
deserved attention. A lighted desertarium will be even more attractive. The 
top should be partly covered with a square of glass slightly larger than the 
opening, and only removed when too much moisture within threatens to 
destroy the plants. 

Fresh air is as important as light and the top plate should be placed to 
one side so that about an inch of space remains open. On sunny days in 
summer the glass cover can be fitted tightly over the opening to permit 
“sweat” inside which will materially benefit the plants. If this procedure 
is faithfully followed about twice a week no water need be added for several 
months. If water must be applied it should be not oftener than once or 
twice a month, this again depending on how fast the containers dry out. If 
moisture lingers for long intervals around the plants, remove the lid and 
permit the soil to dry out. Pay especial attention to this during cloudy 
winter months. Desertariums require very little care after once planted and 


should last for a number of years. 


DISH AND BUTTON GARDENING 

Many cactophiles trace their start to a bowl of cacti or a dish garden 
seen in some floral shop or exhibited at a flower show. There is no denying 
that these miniature rock gardens hold fascination to those who wish to create 
pictorial arrangements. For a dish garden, one or more flat dishes, made of 
some glazed ware, should be obtained. These should be quite shallow, about 
three inches in depth, and may be of any shape that suits the fancy. The 
first step is to cover the bottom of the dish or bowl with a layer of gravel. 
Add a mixture of good porous loam, such as recommended in previous para- 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 191 


1. Succulents for ladies’ hats. 2. Succulents in corsages. 3. Button gardens. 


192 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 


graphs. Firm the soil with the fingers so that the dish is about half full. 
Some idea of the exact design of the garden should be had. It is well to put 
rocks into position when the dish is half full and more soil pressed tightly 
round them. A center of interest should be maintained, with proper en- 
closure on the back and sides by means of larger rocks and plants. 

The planting of the garden is of course a matter of individual taste. 
However, some knowledge of related plants should be had and simplicity 
should be the rule. Never overcrowd the bow! with too many kinds of 
plants. Florists frequently do this to create immediate sales, knowing full 
well that a full container holds a certain appeal to many buyers. Seedling 
or dwarf plants should be used in the plantings. Your local cactus dealer 
can supply you with inexpensive plants which are better than the rare 
varieties. After the plants are arranged sprinkle the surface of the soil with 
limestone chat or gravel, but do not water until the second or third day and 
after that only when the soil becomes dry. Dish gardens will look attractive 
on the living room table, but during the sunny portion of the day should be 
transferred to the windowsill to absorb all light possible. When the plants 
grow big, transplant them to larger pots and replace them with smaller 
kinds. A well-executed dish garden will excite admiration and interest. 

Button gardens are literally dish gardens in miniature. They will not last 
as long, however, because the plants get no soil or water. Button gardens 
are comparatively a new fad, being used chiefly as favors at parties. Garden 
clubs, too, often use this as a project for teaching shut-ins to pass their lonely 
hours. Any kind of buttons can be used and tiny slips of cacti and succu- 
lents glued to them. Large coat buttons serve as excellent bases for minia- 
ture scenes on which tiny figurines can even be used. Tips of colorful 
sedums, single leaves of Crassulas, Kleinias, and other succulents, according to 
scale, and “pups” from clustering cacti are most frequently used. The 
moisture stored in the tiny plants will enable them to live on for many 
weeks. I have kept button gardens in near perfect condition for three to 
five months. There is no denying that button gardening is a fascinating 
hobby. 

ARRANGEMENTS, CORSAGES, ETC. 


In the past few years more and more people are trying their skill with 
using succulents in flower arrangements. Not only are the plants fit for 
table pieces, mantel decorations, and corsages but they can be utilized in 
various other ways and for all occasions. There are several advantages in 
using this type of material. One is that cuttings can last without water for 
a long time. They can be taken apart after the particular novelty has served 
its purpose, the stems rooted and grown again as potted plants. You cannot 


do this with flowers and non-succulent material. 


£61 


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194 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 


In making arrangements for a shallow bowl a needlepoint holder and 
non-hardening modeling clay is employed. Succulent cuttings of different 
heights are then pressed onto the needle holder which is fastened to the 
bottom of the container with the clay. The holder and base of stems are 
covered with rocks, colored glass, gravel, soil or plant material, and figurines 
sometimes complete the composition. The plants will remain lovely for 
several weeks, or until you’re tired of the arrangement, and then they can 
be potted again for the window garden. Common succulents used are the 
graceful stems of Bryophyllum Fedtschenkoi, curving leaves of Sansevierias 
and Aloes, rosettes of Echeveria, Sempervivums and Aeoniums, sprigs of 
Crassulas and joints of cacti, particularly Prickly Pear Cactus. 

A succulent nosegay or corsage can be retained for weeks if kept cool 
when not in use. It is also economical and easy to make. In making cor- 
sages and nosegays it is only necessary to have on hand some annealed wire, 
better known as florist’s wire, in several lengths and in different gauges, 
stemming tape (or crepe paper if the former is not readily available), and 
ribbon. There are two types of formal corsages—the single and the double. 
The latter, as its name suggests, consists of two single corsages, placed up 
and down, and tied together in the center where a %% inch satin ribbon in 
several bows serves as the centerpiece. You can wear them for several weeks, 
then replant to furnish more boutonnieres. 

Nosegays can be composed of several interesting and easily obtainable 
varihued succulents. Each stem can be wrapped in green tissue paper to 
which wire is attached for firmness and the plants tied securely together in 
a bouquet to form a handle by which it can be easily carried. Usually a 
large colorful rosette of a Mexican Echeveria forms a centerpiece around 
which other colorful succulents radiate in pleasing fashion. 

Perhaps you may not be one of the individuals to take a “fancy” to new 
ideas, but after examining a few of the pictures in this booklet you must 
admit that succulents can find many uses. Take for instance women’s hats! 
With all the fantastic decorations the milliners put on them it is a wonder 
that the designers have not hit upon the idea of live succulents. At that 
these glamorous plants would look more conservative and in better taste than 
what is often seen. All one has to do is to buy a plain hat and attach a few 
sprigs of long-lasting succulents to it. Lo and behold! you will have a be- 
coming creation. Take notice, Lily Daché and John Fredericks! 

And then, too, why not use a few live succulents to decorate that birth- 
day cake. A few years ago when I visited a certain California cactus lady, 
she baked and beautifully designed in my honor a cake with succulents. Yes, 
succulents are truly versatile plants, and can be used in good taste for many 


purposes. 


195 


‘TIN 


BULLI 


N 


ICAL GARDE 


y 


x 
ion 
° 
isa) 
— 
me 
S 
wy 
2) 
_— 
— 
= 


Various types of arrangements utilizing cacti and succulents. 


Note succulents decorating cake in upper right. 


196 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 


GENERAL INDEX 


Figures in ifalics refer to page numbers of illustrations. 


A 


Abelia grandiflora, 119 

Acalypha hispida, 6 

Accessions during 
library, 25 

Acer, 142; negundo, 132 

Adder’s-mouth, 61 

Aesculus carnea, 109; hippocastanum, 106, 
107, 132, flowering branch, 708;  pavia, 
109 

African Violets in the Palm House, 5 

Agave Sartori, 5 

Allen, Paul H., 15, 42 

Aloe africana, 5; supralacvis, 5 

Anderson, Edgar, 12, 15, 18: A rose for the 
herb garden, 97 

Andrews, Henry N., 12, 16 

Andromeda, Japanese, 119 

Annual report of the Director, sixty-first, 1 

Anthocyanins, 140 

Ants: chlordane vs., 158; colony of, wiped 
out by chlordane, 758; leaf covered with 
dead, 150 

Aphids, 158; on succulents, 181 

Aplectrum hyemale, 63 

Aporocactus flagelliformis grafted on Hylo- 
cereus undatus, 177 

Apples: for ornamental fruits, 127; for the 
home orchard, 133; desirable varieties, 133 

Arboretum, 9: bees at, 156; Bull Bay Mag- 
nolias in nursery at, 150, I5IZ; conserva- 
tion of wild life at, 10; crows at, 167; 
paving of roads, 9; nut orchard at, 146; 
portable pollinating unit at, 156; wild 
orchids in, 65 

Arborvitae, 119 

Ariocarpus, 187 

Aronia arbutifolia, 120, var. brilliantissima, 
120; melanocarpa, 120 

Arrangements of succulents, 192, 194; bridal, 
793; cake decoration, 705; corsages, 1Q/, 
703, 194; for ladies’ hats, 7Or, 194 

Arundinaria palmata, 166; paniculata, 166 


1949: herbarium, 22; 


Ash, 132; coloration of, in autumn, 142; 
Mountain, 129; Wafer, 127 

Asters, 156 

Astrophytum myriostigma, 187 

Attendance at Garden for 1949, 26 

Autumn: coloration in Missouri, 139; and 


winter, Ornamental fruits for, 119 


B 
Baer, Mary E.: Pot-pourri, 90 
Bamboo, A hardy Japanese, 165, 165; Heay- 
enly, 127 
Bambusa palmata, 166 
Barberries, 119; Chinese, 120; European, 120; 


Japanese, 120; Korean, 120; Warty, 119; 
Wintergreen, 119 

Bartram, William, an old drawing of the 
pokeweed by, &5 

Basswood, 114 

Beauty-berry, 120 

Bee, The: in botany, 155; as a pollinator, 
155 

Begonias in the Palm House, 5 

Beilmann, August P., 11, 16, 18: The bee 
in botany, 155; The Bull Bay Magnolia in 
St. Louis, 149; Crow shooting, 167; 
Euonymus, 109; Fruit growing for the 
home orchard, 132; The nut trees, 145; 
Oak wilt, 115 

Bequests, annual, 26 

Berberis circumserrata, 120; gilgiana, 120; 
julianae, 101, 119; koreana, 120; thun- 
bergii, 120; vernae, 120; verruculosa, 119; 
vulgaris, 120; wilsoniae, 120 

Bittersweet, American, 121, 72/ 

Bladder-nuts, 129 

Bluegrass, 113 

Boatmen’s Bank window exhibits featuring 
the Garden, 1 

Boxelder, 132 

Boxwood, 119 

Brassavolas, growing of, in the home, 68 

Breeding Nepenthes, 30 

Brenner, Louis G.: Wild orchids on Garden 
grounds, 65 

Bridal ensemble of succulents, 703 

Bromelia Balansae, 5 

Brunfels’ Herbal, woodcut 
plant from, 06 

Bryophyllum: leaf propagation of, 174, 176; 
vegetative propagation, 175 

Bryophyllum daigremontianum, 174; Fedt- 
schenkoi, 194 

Buckeye, 106, 132 

Buckthorn, 127, 728 

Bull Bay Magnolia in St. Louis, The, 149, 
160 

Burning Bush, European, 111 

Buttercup, the double yellow, o& 

Button-bush, 121 

Button gardening, 190, 107 

Buxus, 119 


of 


strawberry 


Cc 

Cacti, 171; and succulents, growing, 171; 
La Quinta collection of, 4; see also Succu- 
lents 

Cactus: Barrel, 178; Birdnest, 187; Bisnaga, 
5; Broadleaf, 178; Chin, 187; Cholla, 178; 
Christmas, 178, care of, 180; Dumpling, 
187; Featherball, 187; Fishhook, 178; 
Hedgehog, 178; Lady Fingers, 187; Night- 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 


blooming Cereus, 178; Old Lady, 187; 
Old Man, 178; Peanut, /74; Pincushion, 
178; Powder-puff, 187; Prickly Pear, 774, 
175, 182; Rat-tail, 178; Saguaro, 178; 
Sweet Potato, 5; Tom Thumb, 187; Totem 
Pole, 187; Twisted-rib, 187 

Cactus display: of the Henry Shaw Cactus 
Society, 4; in window of Boatmen’s Bank, | 

Cactus House, plants in, during 1949, 5 

Callicarpa americana, 22, 120; dichotoma, 
120; japonica, 120 

Calycanthus fertilis, 121; florida, 121 

Camoensia maxima, 6 

Campanula aparinoides, 22; Rapunculus, 95 

Canker worm, control of, at the Garden, 
during 1949, 2 

Capsicum pubescens, a little-known pungent 
pepper from Latin America, 36; distribu- 
tion and cultivation, 40; fruits, 37, 338; 
plant, 4/7; uses, 42 

Carotin, 140 

Carya, 142 

Catalpa, 132 

Cattleyas: at Arboretum, 11; growing of, in 
the home, 67 

Cedar, see Juniperus 

Celastrus scandens, 121, 121 

Celtis pumila, 121 

Cephalanthus occidentalis, 121 

Cereus Jamacaru, 4 

Cereus, Night-blooming, 178 

Chalara quercina, 115 

Chamaecyparis, 119 

Cherries: for the home orchard, 135; wild, 
used for cherry bounce, 97 

Chestnuts for the St. Louis area, 147 

Chickweed, 113 

Chlordane: vs. ants, 158; colony of ants 
wiped out by, 758, 159; for succulents, 
181 

Chlorophyll, 139 

Chokeberry, 120 

Christmas berry, 127 

Christmas Cactus, care of the, 181 

Chronological history of the early days of 
Shaw’s Garden, 53 

Chrysanthemum Show, annual, 1949, & 

Chrysanthemums, 7, 20 

Citrus House during 1949, 6 

City Garden, maintenance of, 2 

Claytonia, 157 

Clerodendron fallax, 6 

Climate, our changing, 164 

Clover in the lawn, 110; at the Arboretum, 
157. 

Cnidoscolus oligandrus, 4 

Collinsville, Ill., Magnolia grandiflora grow- 
ing in area of, 160, 161 

Coloration, Autumn, in Missouri, 139 

Compost, making of, 2 

Conservation: window at Boatmen’s Bank 
demonstrating, 1; of wild life at Arbo- 


197 


retum, 10, 120 

Conservatories, Main, and exotic ranges, 4 

Coralberry, 129 

Corallorrhiza trifida var. verna, 61; wister- 
jana, 63, 65 

Coral-root, Yellow, 61 

Cornelian Cherry, 121 

Cornus florida, 122; Rousa, 122; mas, 122; 
racemosa, 122 

Corsages of succulents, 197, 194 

Cotoneaster adpressa, 122; apiculata, 
dielsiana, 122; divaricata, 122; horizontalis, 
122; multiflora, 122; rosea, 122; salici- 
folia, 122; zabelit, 122 

Crab-apple, 127 

Crab-grass, 113 

Crassulas, 179 

Crataegus, 122, 122; crus-galli, 123; phae- 
nopyrum, 123 

Cress, Winter, 97 

Crow shooting, 167 

Cutak, Ladislaus, 6, 16, 19; plant collecting 
trip of, 5: Chlordane vs. ants, 158; Grow- 
ing and enjoying succulents, 171; A new 
foliage plant from Panama, 76 

Cuttings: propagation of ground-cover plants 
by, 103; of succulents by, 175 

Cymbidium insigne X pumilum, 60; ‘“Min- 
uet’’, 690; ““Pumander’”’, 69 

Cymbidiums, growing of, in the home, 69 

Cypripedium Calceolus var. parviflorum, 62, 
63, 65, var. pubescens, 64; candidum, 62; 
reginae, 62, 02, April cover 

Cypripediums at the Arboretum, 11 


122: 


“ey 


D 


Daffodil ‘February Gold’, 138 

Dahlia Show of the Greater St. Louis Dahlia 
Society, 9 

Damp-off disease of succulents, 183 


Dams, botanical survey of areas inundated 
by. 23 

Dandelion, 113 

Degrees conferred on students in Henry 


Shaw School of Botany in June 1949, 14 

Del phinium, 21; Belladonna, 21; cardinale, 
21; cheilanthum, 21; elatum, 21; grandi- 
florum, 21, var. chinense, 21 

Desert plants, 171 

Desertariums, 188, 03 

Devil-in-the-Bush, May cover 

Dianthus, 21 

Digitaria, 113 

Dillon, N. L., gift of orchid plants by, 12 

Diospyros, 131 

Dirca palustris, 73 

Director, sixty-first annual report of, 1 

Diseases: chestnut blight, 115; damping off, 
183; Dutch Elm, 115; oak wilt, 115; of 
succulents, 181 

Dish gardening, 190, 105 


198 


Displays, floral, at the Garden, 7 

Dodge, Carroll W., 13, 137 

Dogwoods, 120; coloration 
142 

Dye, poke as, 86 


of, in autumn, 


E 


Echinodorus tenellus, 23 

Echinopsis, 175; Eyriesii, 175; multiplex, 175 

Economic House during 1949, 5 

Elacagnus multiflora, 123; pungens, 123; um- 
bellata, 123 

Elderberry, 128 

Elm, Winged, 35 

Epipactis latifolia, 61 

Epiphyllums, 4 

Epiphytic orchids, 66 

Euonymus, 109; Japanese, 
110; Winged, 111; 
Yeddo, 111 

Euonymus alata, 110, 111, 123; americana, 
123; atropurpurea, 111, 123; bungeana, 
109, 111, 123; europaea, 110, 123; for- 
tunel, 101, 103, 100, 123, var. carriere|, 
109, var. colorata, 101, 109, var. minima, 
110, var. radicans, 109, var, vegeta, 109; 
japonica, 111; kiautschovica, 123; lati- 
folia, 111; patens, 123; przewalskii, 111; 
yedoensis, 123 

Evonymus, see Euonymus 

Exhibits: in windows of Boatmen’s Bank 
featuring the Garden, 1; of Nepenthes at 
a National Flower Show, 28 

Exotic Ranges in 1949, 4 


110; Spreading, 
Winterberry, 110; 


F 


False Rue Anemone, 156 

Fires at Hidden Valley, 16 

Firethorn, Laland, 1726, 127 

Five-year record of spring flowering dates, 74 

Flavones, 140 

Floral Display House: displays in, during 
1949, 7; annual Chrysanthemum Show in, 
during 1949, & 

Flower shows: of the Greater St. Louis Flow- 
er and Garden Show, Garden display at, 
8; of the St. Louis Horticultural Society, 
9; of the Greater St. Louis Dahlia Society, 
9; of the Henry Shaw Cactus Society, 9 

Flower sermon, annual, 26; flowers sent to, 9 

Flowering dates, spring, five-year record of, 
74 

Foliage plant from Panama, A new, 76 

Food, poke as, 86 

Forestiera acuminata, 72, 73 

Forsythia, yellow of, in Missouri spring, 72 

Fox, Mrs. Helen Morgenthau, escaped herbs 
observed by, 95 

Fragrant herbs, 81, 

Fraxinus, 142 

French Tarragon, 94 


89, 90 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 


Fruit growing for the home orchard, 132: 
apples, 133; cherries, 135; peaches, 134; 
pears, 136; plums, 136 

Fruits: Ornamental, for autumn and winter, 
119; of the Rocoto, 36 

Fungus disease of the oak, 115 


G 

Garden: Main, from the roof of the palm 
house, Sept. cover; Nepenthes at the, 27; 
publications 1949, 24; recent. visitors to 
the, 42; sleet storm at, Jan. cover; wild 
orchids on grounds, 65 

Gardeners’ Banquet Fund, 26 

Gardening in the early 16th century, wood- 
cuts illustrating, 82, 88, 04, 05 

Gasteria leaf sprouting, 174 

Geocarpon, 23 

Geraniums, Sweet-scented, 89 

Glass gardens, 188, 180 

Gleditsia triacanthos, 131 

Goldenbell, 72 

Goldenrod, 156 

Goodyera pubescens, 61, 63 

Graduates and Fellows in the Henry Shaw 
School of Botany, during 1949, 14 

Grafting of succulents, 176, 177 

Grafts: cleft, 176, 177; flat, 176, 177; side, 
178 

Grasses, lawn, 113 

Greater St. Louis Flower and Garden Show, 
Garden’s display at, 8 

Greenman, Jesse M., 13 

Grewia biloba, 123 

Ground covers, Dress up your garden with, 
99 

Gubler, Hans, 12 

Guzmania musaica var. zebrina, 76, 77 

Gymnocalycium, 187; Mihanovichii, 187 

Gymnocladus dioicus, 131 


H 

Habenaria clavellata, 61 

Hackberry, dwarf, 121 

Hamamelis mollis, 123; vernalis, 123: 
giniana, 72, 123 

Hamatocactus setispinus, 187 

Hardiness of Magnolia grandiflora in the St. 
Louis area, 160 

Hats trimmed with succulent flowers, JOQ/, 
194 

Haworthias, 188 

Hawthorn, 122, 722 

Hazelnuts, 146, 147 

“Heart of Flame” Cactus, 5 

Hedera Helix, 101, June cover, 100, TOT 
104, var. baltica, 101 

Hemlock, 119 

Herb, Pokeweed, An old American, 82 

Herb garden, My, 98; A rose for the, 97; 
Designing the, 81, 87; herbalists in the, 05 

Herb Society of America, Special Bulletin, 


vir- 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL 


May 1950, 81-98 
Herbarium, report for 1949, 22 
Hexalectris spicata, 63, 65 
Hickories: coloration of 

nuts from, 147 
Hidden Valley: bees at, 156; fires during 

1949, 101; wild flowers in, 156 
High-bush Cranberry, 130, 137 
Holly, 119, 123 
Holly Grape, Oregon, 119 
Home: displaying cacti and succulents in 

the, 786; orchards, Fruit growing for, 132; 

Orchids in the, 65 
Honey Locust, 131 
Honeysuckles, 125 
Horse-chestnut as 

107 
Horticulture, research in, during 1949, 20 
House plants: orchids as, 65; succulents as, 

183 
Humboldt, monument, the, 49, 5/7 
Humidity control for growing orchids in the 

home, 65 
Husch, Alice: 
Hylocereus undatus, 

formis on, 177 


in autumn, 142; 


an ornamental tree, 106, 


My herb garden, 98 
A porocactus 


flagelli- 


I 


Ice storm during 1949, 6 

Ilex crenata, 119, 124; decidua, 124; glabra, 
119; opaca, 119, 123, 124; verticillata, 124 

Indians, use of pokeweed by, 84, 86 

Indoor collections of succulents, 183, 184 

Insect pests: ants, 158, attacking orchids, 
71, succulents, 181, 782, cankerworm, 2 

Insecticides: Chlordane, 158; for 
orchids, 67, on succulents, 181, 183 

Insectivorous plants, 27 

Instruction and Research at Garden during 
1949, 12 

Iris and peony garden during 1949, 7 

Isopyrum biternatum, 156 

Isotria medeoloides, 61; verticillata, 61 

Italian Garden: in 1949, 7; rebuilding and 
repairing pergola in, 2, 3; shadows on the 
new pergola of the, Nov. cover 

Ivy as a ground cover: English, 09, 104; and 
Berberis julianae, 101, and junipers, 9Q; 
in Mausoleum grounds at Garden, June 

100, IOI 


use on 


cover, 
J 


Japanese Andromeda, 119 

Japanese Bamboo (Sasa palmata), A hardy, 
165 

Jasminum simplicifolium, 5 

Juglans cinerea, 143; nigra, 143 

Juniper: Pfitzer’s, 119; and English Ivy, 99 

Juniperus chinensis pfitzeriana, 119; com- 
munis, 124; horizontalis, 124; scopulorum, 
124; virginiana, 124, 125 


GARDEN BULLETIN 
K 


199 


Kalanchoes, 175 

Kalmia latifolia, 119 

Kentucky Coffee Tree, 131 

Kohl, Paul A., 7, 9, 16, 19: Dress up your 
garden with ground covers, 99 


L 


Lady’s Slipper, 62: Showy, 62, 62; Small 
White, 62; Small Yellow, 62, 65; Yellow, 
62, OF 

Ladies Tresses, 63; Little, 63; Nodding, 64, 
65; Slender, 63, 65 

Laelias, growing in the home, 68 

Landscape, early spring, The yellow in, 71 

La Quinta, cactus exhibit of, 4 

Latin America, A_ little-known 
pubescens from, 36 

Laurel, Mountain, 119 

Lawn, unmowed, A second look at an, 112, 


1T4 


Capsicum 


Leatherwood, yellow of, in the Missouri 
spring, 72 
Leaves: coloration of, in autumn, 139; use 


of, for compost, 2; propagation of succu- 
lents by, 174, 176 

Lectures, scientific and popular during 1949, 
18 

Library, report for 1949, 24 

Ligustrum obtusifolium regelianum, 125 

Lindera Benzoin, 72, 73, 125; melissaefolium, 
Lig 3 

Linnean House Garden in the summer, Oct. 
cover. 

Liparis lilifolia, 63; Loeselii, 61 

Liquidambar styraciflua, 131, 142 

Liriodendron tulipifera, 132 

Living Rocks, 187 

Lobivias, 187 

Lonicera maackii var. podocarpa, 125; tata- 
rica, 125 


Lonicerus’ Herbal, woodcuts from, 8&2, 8&8, 
OT, 93, 98 

Lephocereus Schottii, 187 

Lophophora Williamsii, 187 

Love-in-a-Mist, or Devil-in-the-Bush, May 


cover 
Lowry, G. R., 12 
Lycium chinense, 125; halimifolium, 125 


M 


Maclura pomifera, 132 

Magnolia fraseri, 127; grandiflora, 127,149, 
150, 151, 152, 160, 161, 162, 163; macro- 
phylla, 127; soulangeana, 127; tripetala, 
127; virginiana, 127 

Magnolia grandiflora: Hardiness of, in the 
St. Louis area, 127, 149, 160; at the Gar- 
den, 752, 160; grown from seeds collected 
in the St, Louis region, 160, 767; at Mrs. 


200 


Paul Brown’s residence, 161, 762; near 
Collinsville, Ill., 162, 763 

Mahonia aquifolium, 119 

Main Conservatcries, 4 

Main garden from the roof of the Palm 
House, Sept. cover 

Maintenance of City Garden, during 1949, 2 

Malaxis unifolia, 61 

Malus arnoldiana, 127; baccata, 127; hupe- 
hensis, 127; sargentii, 127; toringoides, 127 

Mammillaria, 185; applanta, 187; bocasana, 
187; camptotricha, 187; elegans, 187; 
elongata, 187; Hahniana, 187; microcar pa, 
187; Parkinsonii, 187; plumosa, 187 

Maples, coloration of, in autumn, 142 

Mason, Edith S.: Designing the herb. gar- 
den, 81 

Matrimony vine, 125 

Mausoleum grounds at Garden: English Ivy 
in, 100; Euonymus fortunei in, June cover, 
101, 103; Pachysandra terminalis in, 102 

Mealy bugs, 181, 182 

Media for orchid-growing, 66 

Medicine, poke in, 83 

Mehlquist, Gustav A. L., 13, 17, 19: Orchids 
in the home, 65 

Mesembryanthemums, 179 

Miami Mist, 157 

Michel, Miss Stella, graduation program on 
Henry Shaw, arranged by, 43 

Milpa agriculture, 116 

Missouri: Autumn coloration in, 139; botany 
survey, 22; fruit trees for, 132; new plants 
found in, 22; nut trees for, 145; Plant 
names found in towns, 55; Scarlet Oak in, 
148; Wild orchids of, 61; yellow in the 
spring landscape of, 74 

Missouri Botanical Garden display at the 
Greater St. Louis Flower and Garden Show, 
4 
€ 

Menstera_ deliciosa 
ants, 150 

Morning-glories, Heavenly Blue, 81 

Mountain Ash, 129 

Mountain Laurel, 119 

Mowing the lawn, 112, 7/4 

Mulch, planting through, 116 

Myrtle, Running, 101, 105 


leaf dead 


covered with 


N 


Names of plants found in Missouri towns, 33 

Nandina domestica, 127 

Narcissi, naturalized, 7 

National Flower Show, Garden’s exhibit of 
Nepenthes at, 28 

Nepenthes at the Garden, 27; breeding, 30; 
Gardens exhibit of, at a national flower 
show, 28; hybridization of, at Garden, 34; 
clonal hybrids originated at Garden, 31; 
red pitcher types, 32; green pitcher types, 
33 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 


Nepenthes chelsoni, 27; “Director George T. 
Moore,” 30, 32; “Dr. Edgar Anderson,” 
33, 35; “Dr. D. C. Fairburn,” 37, 33; 
dominii, 290, 31; dyeriana, Feb. cover; 
“Gerald Ulrici,” 33, 34; “Nell Horner,” 
35, 35; “Henry Shaw,” 34, 35; “Joseph 
Cutak,” 34, 34; “Katherine Moore,” 32, 
32; “Lt. R. Bradford Pring,” 30, 32; ‘St. 
Louis,” 37, 33 

Nettle trees, stinging, 4 

Notocactus, 187 

Nut trees, The, 145; kinds grown at Arbo- 
retum, 146; planting and care, 149 

Nutrient solutions for growing orchids, 67 

Nymphaea “Bob Trickett,” 166; “Mrs. Ed- 
wards Whitaker,” 166; “Joe Cutak,” 166, 
100; stellata var. coerulea, 166 

Nyssa sylvatica, 141 


oO 


Oak: Black, 145; Bur, 115; Jack, 145; 
Northern Red, 142, 145; Pin, 142; Scarlet, 
143, 144; Shumard, 145; White, 115, 142 

Oak Wilt, 115 

Oaks: coloration of in autumn, 142, 143 

Old Residence after a sleet storm, Jan. cover 

Opuntia: propagation of, by cuttings, 175, 
by fruit, 774, vegetative, 175; scale-in- 
fested joints of, 182 

Orchard, home, Fruit growing for, 132 

Orchid: Adam and Eve, 63; Adder’s Mouth, 
61; Cattleya, 67; Coral-root, 63, 65; 
Cymbidiums, 69; Downy Rattlesnake Plan- 
tain, 61, 63; Helleborine, 61; Isotria, 61; 
Lady’s Slipper, 61, 62,064, 65, April cover; 
Ladies’ Tresses, 63, 65; Orchis, 63, 64; 
Rose Pogonia, 61, 63; Twayblade, 61, 63; 
Wood, 61 

Orchid show, annual, 7 

Orchids: at Arboretum, 11; genetic and 
cytological studies of, 21; in the home, 
65; media for growing, 66; list of suitable, 
70; nutrient solutions for, 67; potting, 67; 
temperature requirements, 65; water 
quirements, 71; wild, of Missouri, 61; on 
Garden grounds, 65 

Orchis spectabilis, 63 

Oregon Holly Grape, 117 

Ornamental fruits for autumn 
119 

Osmunda fiber, growing orchids in, 66 

Outdoor gardens during 1949, 6 

Ozarks, Winged Elm in, 35 


Pp 


re- 


and winter, 


Pachysandra, 101 

Palm House in 1949, 5; view of main garden 
from roof of, Sept. cover 

Palms: Arenga, 5; Ambong, 5; Honduran, 
5; North African, 5; Phoenix dactylifera, 
5; Sabal, 5 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 


Panama, A new foliage plant from, 76 

Paphiopedilum Gaudianum, 68, 08 

Parsley growing in winter, 98 

Parthenocissus quinquefolia, 141 

Peaches for the home orchard, 135 

Pears for the home orchard, 136 

Pecans in Missouri, 147 

Pepper, a little-known pungent, from Latin 
America, 36, 30, 41; types of fruits, 37, 38 

Pergola of the Italian Garden, repairs on, 2, 
3; shadows on the new, Nov. cover 

Periwinkle, 101 

Persimmons, ornamental fruits of, 131 

Phacelia, 157 

Phalaenopsis, 68 

Photinia villosa, 127 

Phytolacca americana, 82; decandra, 85 

Pieris japonica, 119 

Pitcher plants, 9; collection of, at Garden, 
27 

Pinus mugo, 119 

Plant names found in Missouri towns, 55 

Plantago spp., 113 

Plantain in lawns, 113 

Plums for the home orchard, 136 

Poa pratensis, 113 

Pogonia ophioglossoides, 61, 
phora, 64 

Poke: as dye, 86; as food, 86; in medicine, 
83 

Pokeweed, an old American herb, 82, &5 

Pollinating: the bee as an agent, 155; port- 
able unit, at Arboretum, 150 

Pomander of the 16th century, 92 

Ponds as watershed control at Arboretum, 11 

Pot-pourri, 90 

Potato-chip tree, 127 

Prickly Pears, 774, 175 

Pring, George H.: Hardiness of Magnolia 
grandiflora in the St. Louis area, 160; A 


63; triancho- 


hardy Japanese Bamboo (Sasa palmata), 
165; Nepenthes at the Garden, 137; 


Nymphaea “Joe Cutak,” 166 

Privet, 124; Swamp, 72 

Propagation: of ground-cover plants, 103; 
of succulents, by cuttings, 175, by graft- 
ing, 176, 177, by leaves, 175, 174, by off- 
sets, 175, by seeds, 171, 172, vegetative, 
175 

Ptelea trifoliata, 127 

Publications: by members of staff during 
1949, 15; Garden, 24 

Pyracantha coccinea lalandii, 126, 127 


Q 
Quercus, 142; alba, 142; borealis, 142; coc- 
cinea, 143, 144; shumardii, 142 
Quintennial report on Spring, 73 
R 
Rebutia, 187, attacked by mealy bugs, 782 
Record of spring flowering dates, five-year, 
74 
Repairs in the Garden during 1949, 2, 3 


201 

Research during 1949: in horticulture, 20; 
and instruction, 12 

Rhamnus caroliniana, 127; cathartica, 127, 
128; davurica, 127 

Rhipsalis, 178 

Rhus aromatica, 73, 128; 
glabra, 128; typhina, 128 

Rick, Charles M.: Capsicum pubescens, a 
little-known pungent pepper from Latin 
America, 36 

Rocoto, 36: branch of, 39; fruits of, from 
Ecuador, 38, from Peru, 37; plant, 47; 
uses of, 42 6 

Roeder, Nora Austin: French Tarragon, 94; 
Sweet-scented geraniums, 89 

Rohde, Eleanor Sinclair, pot-pourri of, 92 

Rosa blanda, 128; multiflora, 128; rugosa, 
97, 128; setigera, 128 

Rose for the herb garden, A, 97 

Rose Garden in 1949, 7 

Roses, ornamental fruits of, 128 

Rot disease of succulents, 183 

Ruin in Tower Grove Park, 52 

Russian Olive, 123 


copallina, 128; 


S 

Sachets from the 16th century, OJ 

Saguaro, 178 

St. Louis area: Hardiness of Magnolia grandi- 
flora in the, 160; nut trees for the, 145 

Sambucus, 128; canadensis, 129; racemosa, 
129 

Sansevieria subspicata, 5 

Sapphire berry, 131 

Sasa palmata, a hardy Japanese bamboo, 165, 
105 

Sassafras, coloration 
autumn, 141 

Sassafras, 72; albidum, 73, 131 

Sauer, Jonathan D.: Pokeweed, an old Amer- 
ican herb, 82 

Scarlet Oak in Missouri, 143, 144 

Schery, Robert W., 13; A la Maya, 116; 
Autumn coloration in Missouri, 139; 
Horse-chestnut as an ornamental tree, 106; 
Ornamental fruits for autumn and winter, 
119; Our changing climate, 164; Quin- 
tennial report on spring, 73; A 
look at an unmowed lawn, 112 

Scullen School, graduation program of, fea- 
turing Henry Shaw, 43-53; curtain used 
at exercises, 43 

Seed, distribution of, 157 

Seedlings of succulents: care of, 171; trans- 
planting, 772, 175; watering, 173 

Seeds: propagation of succulents by, 171, 
172, germination of, 772; material for, 
171, 172 

Selenicereus pteranthus, Zygocactus truncatus 
grafted on, 177 

Shaw, Henry: an historical sketch celebrat- 
ing the sesquicentennial of the birth of, 
43; at the age of 35, March cover; life of, 


of, in spring, 72; in 


second 


44; Henry Shaw's hardware store, 45; 
Henry Shaw’s city home, 46; Henry Shaw’s 
garden, 46; Tower Grove Park, 47; “H. 
S.°52 

Shaw’s Garden, Chronological history of the 
early days of, 53 

Sleet storm of January 18-19, Jan. cover, 6,9 

Snowball, 131 

Snowberry, 129 

Soil for growing succulents, 173 

Sorbus americana, 129; ancuparia, 129 

Spicebush, 72, 125 

Spindle tree, 123 

Spiranthes cernua, 64, 65; gracilis, 63, 65; 
Grayi, 63; lucida, 63 

Spring-beauty, 157 

Spring: flowering dates, five-year record of, 
74; early, Yellow in landscape, 71; Quin- 
tennial report on, 73 


Staphylea colchica, 129; pinnata, 129;  tri- 
folia, 129 

Stellaria media, 113 

Steyermark, Julian A.: Missouri Botanical 


22 


Survey conducted by, 22, 61; Plant names 
found in Missouri towns, 55; Scarlet Oak 
in Missouri, 143; Wild orchids of Mis- 
sourt, 61; The yellow in the early spring 
landscape, 71 

Stinging Nettle Tree, 4 

Strawberry plant, wood-cut of, from Brun- 
fel’s Herbal, 96 

Succulent and cactus display in window of 
the Boatmen’s National Bank, 7 

Succulents: Growin and enjoyine, 171 

Succulents: arrangements of, /Q/, 194; dis- 
eases and insect pests, 181, 782; display- 
ing, 180; grafting, 176, 177; growing from 
seeds, 171; indoor collections, 183, 184; 
outdoor collections, 179, 784; propagation 
of, 171, 175; seascnal care, 178; seedlings, 
171; transplanting, 172, 175; watering, 
173, 180 

Sumac, fragrant, 72 

Sumacs: coloration of, in autumn, 141; orna- 
mental fruit of, 128 

Swamp Privet, 72 

Sweet-scented Geraniums, 89 

Sym phoricarpos albus, 129; chenaultii, 131: 
orbiculatus, 131 

Symplocos paniculata, 131 

T 

Taraxacum sp., 113 

Tarragon, French, 94 

Taxus baccata, 131; canadensis, 
pidata, 131; media, 131 

Temperature requirements for growing or- 
chids in the home, 65 

Terrariums, 188, 780 

Thrips, 181 

Thuja, 119 

Tomatoes, spiced, 97 


1313) cus- 


MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 


Tower Grove Park, 47: The East Gate, 48, 
The North Gate, 49, The Humboldt Mon- 
ument, 49, 57; The Ruin, 52 

Towns, Missouri, Plant names found in, 55 

Tree: The horse-chestnut as an ornamental, 
106, 407; transplanting in 16th century 
(from an old wood-cut), 8&2 

Trees: fruit, 132; English Ivy planted around, 
104; Horse-chestnut, 106, 107; Missouri, 
coloration of, in autumn, 139; planting, 
at Arboretum, 9; the nut, 145; the Scarlet 
Oak, 143; with ornamental fruit, 131 

Trifolium repens, 113, 157 

Tryon, Rolla M., Jr., 14 

Tsuga, 119 

Tulip-tree, 141 

Tulips in Main Garden, 7 

Tulipo, Black, 141 

U 


Ulmus alata, in Ozarks, 35 
United States, changing climate of, 164 
V 
Van Schaack, George B., 14 
Vegetables, planting of, through mulch, 116 
Viburnum cassinoides, 131; dentatum, 131; 
dilatatum, 131; lentago, 131; molle, 130, 
131; opulus, 130, 131; prunifolinm, 131; 
setigerum, 131; sieboldii, 131; xantho- 
carpum, 131 
Victoria Cruziana, 6 
Vinca minor, 101, var. 
Virginia Creeper, 141 
Vriesia splendens, 76 
Ww 


“Bowles,” 101, 105 


Wafer Ash, 127 

Wahoo, 109, 123 

Walnuts: in Missouri, 146; planting of, at 
Arboretum, 146 

Wardian case gardens, 188, 189 

Water-lilies, 6; Nymphaea “Joe Cutak,” 166 

Weather in 1949, 6, 11; in 1950, 74, 164 

Weeds: and ground 103; in the 
lawn, 113 

Wild flowers: 


covers, 


at Hidden Valley, 156; bee 


pollination and, 156; survey of, in Mis- 
souri, 22; orchids, 61, 65 
Wild orchids of Missouri, 61; on Garden 


grounds, 65 
Winter and autumn, Ornamental fruits for, 
119 
Winterberry, 110, 777 
Witch-hazel, 72, 123 
Weodson, Robert E., Jr., 14 
Y 
Yellow in the early spring landscape, The, 71 
Yew, 131 
Z 


Zygocactus, 180; truncatus grafted on Seleni- 
cereus pteranthus, 177 


THE MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN 


Richard J. Lockwood 


BOARD OF TRUSTEES 


_ President 


Daniel K. Catlin 


Vice-President 


Eugene Pettus____......----..---- 


L. Ray Carter 
Dudley French 
Henry Hitchcock 


Arthur H. Compton 


Joseph M. Darst.--. Ee. 


R. Harris Cobb 


William Scarlett 


Will L. Schwehr_ 


feral IMRT TG lige te chee ces cle a a cea cee cee 


Second Vice-President 
John S. Lehmann 
George T. Moore 
A. Wessel Shapleigh 

Ethan A. H. Shepley 


EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS 

— Chancellor, 
Mayor of the City of St. Louis 
President, St. Louis Academy of Science 
_ Bishop of the Diocese of Missouri 
_ President, Board of Education of St. Louis 


Washington University 


Secretary 


__._.Director 


George T. Moore_...- 


Hermann von Schrenk 


Jesse M. Greenman...-.---.--------------—----------------— 


Carroll W. Dodge... 


_Pathologist 


Curator Emeritus of Herbarium 
_Mycologist 


Edgar Anderson _..- 
Rebertb WOOdsOt. Vitis ieee tee 


____Geneticist 


Curator of Herbarium 
_Paleobotanist 


Henry N. Andrews. 


Robert W. Schery .— 
Gustav A. L. Mehlquist_- 


Rolla M. Tryon... 


George B. Van eek 
Julian A. Steyermark 


Nell C. Horner 


eaten Fee Research Associate 
Research Horticulturist 


Assistant Curator of Herbarium 


Honorary Curator of Grasses 
Honorary Research Associate 
Librarian and Editor 


Gerald Ulrici. 


Business Manager 


George H. Pring 


Zee Superintendent 


Paul A. Kohl. 


Floriculturist 


Ladislaus Cutak 


In charge of Succulents 


Kenneth A. 
August P. Beilmann 


Silt Heese ee 


_Engineer 


Manager a ‘ Adios. Gray Summit 


ROW LY 
Paul H. Allen ae 


__In charge of Orchids 
me Tropical Plant Collector 


SOME FACTS ABOUT THE GARDEN 


The Missouri Botanical Garden was opened to the public by Mr. 
Henry Shaw about 1860. From that date until his death in 1889 it 
was maintained under his personal direction. Although popularly 
known as “Shaw’s Garden” the name Missouri Botanical Garden 
was chosen by Mr. Shaw and he definitely indicated that he wished 
it called by that name. The Garden passed at his death into the 
hands of a Board of Trustees, designated in Mr. Shaw’s will, and 
the Board so constituted, exclusive of certain ex-officio members, 
is self-perpetuating. By a further provision of the will the immedi- 
ate direction of the Garden is vested in a Director, appointed by 
the Board. The Garden receives no support from city or state but 
is maintained almost exclusively from the estate left by Henry 
Shaw. Since 1939 many Garden Clubs and interested individuals 
have contributed to a “Friends of the Garden Fund” which is used 
in developing the new Arboretum, located at Gray Summit, Mo. 
The Arboretum (1) serves as a source of plants, trees and shrubs 
for the city Garden; (2) affords areas for gradually establishing 
a pinetum, a wild-flower reservation and various other features 
on a scale not possible in the city; (3) provides greenhouses for 


some 50,000 orchid plants. 


The city Garden comprises 75 acres, where about 12,000 species 
of plants are grown, both out of doors and under glass. It is open 
every day in the year except New Year’s Day and Christmas; week 
days, 8:00 a. m. until 7:00 p. m.; Sundays, 10:00 a. m. until 7:00 


p.m. The greenhouses are closed every day at 5:00 p. m. 


The main entrance to the Garden is at Tower Grove and Flora 
Place, on the Sarah bus line (No. 42). The Tower Grove bus 
(No. 21), direct from downtown, passes within three blocks of the 


main entrance.