Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2017 with funding from BHL-SIL-FEDLINK https://archive.org/details/bulletinofpopula04arno_0 ARNOLD ARBORETUM HARVARD UNIVERSITY BULLETIN OF POPULAR INFORMATION SERIES 4. VOLUME II 1934 PUBLISHED BY THE ARNOLD ARBOREI'UM JAMAICA PLAIN, MASSACHUSETTS ILLUSTRATIONS Akebia (iiiiiiJita, 18, 19 Forsythia intermedia, 1 1 Forsytliia ovata, 1 1 Hamainelis vernalis, 8, plates facino' pao’es *2, 8 Indian relies of the Arnold Arboretum, plate faein^ pa^e 64 Malus doribunda var., plate faeino- paoe .51 Mains Soulardi, plate facin*? [Jao'e .5() Prunus serrulata saebalinensis, 7 Pseudolarix amabilis, .59 Rhododendron maximum, {dates faeing- |)aoes ^^2, "28 Robinia fertilis, 27 [iii] ARNOLD ARBORETUM HARVARD UNIVERSITY BULLETIN OF POPULAR INFORMATION Series 4. Vol. II APRIL ^28, 1984 Number I Hamamei.is vernai.is Sarg. 'I'he Ozark \vtt( m-hazel. With 1984, the Ozark witeh-liazel may be said to have reached its majority as a cultivated shrub; it was just "21 years a^o this winter that it dow- ered for the first time at tlie Arnold Arboretum. As early as 1845 the Saint Louis botanist, Dr.Georo-e Kno’elmann, had found it g-rowino'alono' the upper reaches of the Meramec River but not until 1911 did Pro- fessor Sargent call it to public attention by recognizing it as a distinct species. Young plants were brouglit on from Missouri and in Januarv 1918 they blossomed for the first time. This ,vear, as every year, their tawny blossoms have made a good showing on bright sunn_v days during the winter and on one bush or another tliere was almost continuous bloom from Christmas until Easter. lldnunuehs veriidlis has a curious method of acc'omodating itself to this unusual blooming season. Each flower lias four strap-shaped jietals which in color and texture remind one of tin^' shavings from the outer rind of an orange. In the bud each little petal is rolled in toward the center. When the bud ojiens the jietals roll out, something like open- ing fern fronds. In tlie witch-hazel this process is reversible and if tin* weather turns cold (as it usually does) the little petals roll back again. It is a surprising experience to visit the same bushes on successive days during the winter. One day will be warm and suniyv and there will be (piite an array of bloom. If the next day is cold and c*loudy only in tin* very center of the buds can one catch sight of the bright little petals which were display(*d so attracti\ely the da\' before. When another warm spell arrixes, back roll the petals and tin* bushes arc* in flower In its natix e home in the Ozark mountains, Ildnuinielis venuihs is a glorious sight xxdien in full bloom. Unlike our Nexx- England xx'itch-haz(*l it forms dense thick(*ts, confining its(*lf x (“ry largt*ly to graxclly bank'' and beds nf creeks and small rivers. Seen close at hand, the dowers are clear and bright and though small are borne in <>reat abundance. On any one bush the color is much the same but from bush to bush there is <^reat variation in the color of the flowers. 'I’he underlyintr tone is pale yellow varyino- from lemon in the petals to a dull ‘greenish oold in the sepals. 'I'his is overlaid in varying’ amounts by a clear dark red ; “drao-on's blood red** is the technical name for the exact color. Oc- casionally there are bushes of a clear oreen f date will insure a lonj^er flowerinj^ season and the mingled reds and yellows will jjroduce a richer effect in the landscape. Ildmamelis vernn/is does not seem to exhibit any marked soil ])refer- ences. In Missouri it is usually found in coarse river ‘gravel on the banks of small streams, or like alders formino- thickets in the stream bed itself. At the Arnold Arboretum it is doino* well in several situ- ations all of which are well drained. Surprisino-ly enou^>fh it takes kindly to city conditions and has flowered rei^ularly in shad}' and smoky city o-ardens. Heavy shade is scarcely to be recommended, however, since the natural habitat of the species is in full sun or par- tial shade. Thou<)’h its ht ditferent nijihts the thermometer at the Arnold Arboretum oreenhouse fell below zero, and on February Uth it reached 18° below, an all time record. Taken as a whole, the flowerin«- cherries have withstood this extreme cold sur- jirisino'ly well. A few of the tenderer varieties are apparently badlv injured, just how badly it is still too soon to tell. A laro-e proportion, though eseapino* permanent injury, have lost all, or nearly all, of this year's flower buds. But New FiiR-land oardeners may lie of jjood cheer, for at the other extreme there were several varieties which were jjraetieally unharmed by the severe cold and are this sjirino- as lovely a si^ht as ever. Fore- m<)st amono- these hardy varieties is the Sargent cherry. Primus ser- rulnta sacltuliupusis, one of the forest trees of Northern Japan. At the Arnold Arlioretum it has been planted in several situations and in all of them it came throujih the winter in excellent condition. Since in its own way it is one of the loveliest of the Japanese cherries, as well as the most reliable for northern »ardens, its behavior this sprino- should brill it well-merited attention from New Filmland ‘>ardeners. It has many outstandin**- (|ualities. It is (piiek »:rowino-. lono-lived, and event- ually becomes a full-sized tree as lar<>'e as a suRar maple and of much the same shape. Its flowers are usually a bright jiink, and the red- bronze of the openino- leaves, which apjK'ar with the flowers, reinforces their color effectively. 'I'IiourIi the flowers themselves are smaller and less abundant than in some of the more tender varieties, none of these at flowerinjr time are as conspicuous at a distance. When planted in well drained situations, tin* lea\ es de\ elop clear autumnal tints of and russet and oraiioe. 'The tree is shape)}' and elea!i lind)ed, par- ticularly so for aelierry, and it is attractive in tljc landscape tliroujili- out the year. In his ^ ^Cherries of Japan,** Dr. Wilson has ^iven a brilliant de- seription of tlie Sarj>ent elierry as he knew it in its Japanese home and as a cultivated tree. Jn the woods and forests it makes a tall ti'ce with a clean trunk and relatively short aseendino- or aseendino-spreadino' branches, winch form a shapely head. But on the margins of woods and in thickets where it is usually met with, and more especially as a planted tree in open places, the trunk, within a few feet of the ‘•round, breaks up into several thick aseendin<>' stems. From these rise thick wide-spread- inji' branches whicdi form a flattened crown On the trunk and old branches the bark is dark and rou<»h, but on the branches and branch- lets it is polished ehestnut-browri ; one-year-old shoots are i>ale ‘•ray. l>ike the shoots, the leaves are everywhere ‘•labrous and when they unfold are bronze metallic oreen, and in the autumn ehanoe to shades of yellow, orano’eand crimson ; the underside of mature lea\es is more or less o'laueeseent ; the serration is simple and double to a o-reater or less decree on nearly every leaf, and the ‘•land-tipi^ed teeth are mu- cronate or aristate ; on the very youno- leaves aristate teeth are most noticeable and as the leaves «row and the teeth expand this character becomes less marked. The bud-scales subtendinfj the unfolding' leaves and flowers are viscid without and eiliately ‘•landular. 'Die flowers are inodorous, everywhere ^labrous and apj)ear slifjhtly before or at the same time as the leaves, and in color vary from rose and pink to white or nearly white, The jjedunele is only very slio'htly if at all elon- j^ated ; the petals are notched, the anthers small and yellow and the stamen-filaments and calyx are more or less ting-ed with color. 'I'he fruit is o'lobose or subo'lobose, jet black, about the size of a o’arden pea and of sweetish flavor.** In late years, since the beautiful Japanese cherries at Washington have be»un to attract general attention, there have been repeated efforts to establish similar plantino's in other parts of the country. Most of these experiments unfortunately are in the north and middle west and many of them are doomed to disai)pointment. Lovely as Japanese cherries are when seen reflected in the water, they do not, in the north, do their best in such situations. 'I'heir roots demand well drained soils and these are seldom to be found on river banks and the maro'ins of |)onds. Someone with ima-, Forsythias are newcomers to our western jrardens. It was just a century ao’o that the first j^lants were brouoht back to Idolland from Japan. Actually, the o’cnus did not become well known until Robert Fortune sent Forsi/ihia viridls.sima to the ‘>arden of the Horticultural Society of London in 184-4. 'Lhe following’ account is taken from a letter he sent back to the society. “l first discovered it o rowiny- in a oarden ... which belonged to a Chinese Mandarin, on the island of Chusan, ‘•enerally called the Yirotto (Tarden* by the Fnolish. It is a nreat favourite with the Chinese, and is oenerally orown in all the j^ardens of the rich in the north of China. I afterwards found it wild amonjyst the mountains of the interior in the Province of Chekiano-, where I thought it even more ornamental in its natural state amonost the hedoes than when culti- vated in the fairy oardens of the Mandarins.** On a subsetiuent trip Fortune introduced the variety of Forsi/thia suspensa which still bears his name. Nearly all of our garden Forsythias trace back at least in part to the very plants introduced by Robert Fortune. In his day it was no easy matter to bring back living plants from the Orient. He has left us a detailed account of the careful way in which his precious collections were ])repared for the long sea-voyage by sailing vessel. “As I had now secured living specimens and seeds of all the orna- mental trees and shrubs of this jjart of Japan which I was likely to meet with at this season of the year, the whole were removed across the bay to Vokohaiiin, and placed tor safety in Dr. Hall's warden* until Ward's eases wei’e ready for their reee|)tion But the latter part of the business was no easy matter. 'I'o j>'o from Kno'land to Japan was easy enouj>’h ; to wander amongst those romantic valleys and undulating' hills was pleasure unalloyed; to ran- sack the capital itself, althouji'h attended by an armed ji'uard, was far from disa<>reeable ; and to 'ot ready to enable me to carry the collections cm to ( Jiina. 'fhe steam-ship Laio'land, ' Captain Dundas, bein<>' about to return to Shant>hae, I availed myself of the oi)portunity to o'o over to that j)ort with my collections, in order to ship them for Kn<>'land, there beinly well in Europe. In a few decades Forsythias were commonly orown in Fuirope and America. Both there and here, natural hybrids occurred in nurseries and botanical <):ardens. Zabel, the Curator of the Arboretum at a forest school in Hanover, was the first to o-ive them the name of Forsi/thhi mternipdid . His sharp eyes noted the i)e- culiar leaves of one set of seedlino-.s and he thouo’ht thev mio’ht be hy- l)rids of Forsi/thid suspensd and F. viridiss'nnd . When they came into l)loom his suspicions were verified and many of the «’arden Forsythias orown today are the ultimate result of these or similar crosses and are classified as varieties of For.y/lltia mtennedid . One of the loveliest of the new varieties, the Primrose Forsytliia, F. i/derntedia var. primidhut ^ orio-inated at the Arnold Arboretum as a cliance seedlino;. It was dis- covered orowino- amono’ tlie o’reat mass of Forsythias on the side of Bussey Hill, b_v Professoi- Rehder, whose sharp eyes noted the lovely soft yellow tone of its flowers, d'o sensitive gardeners, the rich butter- yellow of most Forsythias is a little too bri<^ht, particularly so in a shrub which in ordinary years jiroduces such lar^■e masses of color. 'Fhe soft |)rimrose yellow of F .inlernied'ut var. priniidind is less tirino; to the eye aud forms a beautiful backjiround forthe lirilliant colors of early sprinu’ Mowers. 'Fhe past century has seen a rapid development of <»arden Forsythias. Biding’ safely to I'birope in little ylass cases on the decks of sailin'*' vessels, these oriental shrubs liave inci'cased and multiplied. Sharp- eyed botanists and nursei'ymen have selecttal t he showi(‘st of theii' hy- brids. ( 'ollectors have assembled lU'W species from Albaniaand Korea. W ill another century show a corresi)ond injily ^reat development.^ W*ill these new species be ineoi'porated , as they (*asily could be, in outstand- inj*' yarchm V ai'ieties.' Om* looks forwai'd hopefully to the new American Forsytliias wliicli may soon l)e orijiinated ; Forsytliias which will com- bine the hardiness of the Kiiropean and Korean species with the lartrer flowers of the Chinese species and hybrids; Forsytliias whose flowers will be less n^larinj^ly 3’ellow and more lifrht and airy in their carriage; which will somewhere in their development lose the coarse and weedy habit which characterizes the wild siieciesand which unfortunately is not e^'en yet eliminated from our cultivated varieties. Fdoar Andkrson EXPLANATION OF THE PLATE Forsythia ovata Nakai. Natural size. In the lower ri^rht hand cor- ner a spray of X Forsythia intermedia Zabel has been drawn at the same scale for comparison. ( I>r(in'iiig Ini Jiltinchf’ Anu’x Anus.) LAXTs OF CrRREXT IxTEREST. I’liE wami Weather of tlie past fort- A nioht lias luirried many plants into bloom and the Arboretum is now in the hei’ very generally the Chinese plants have suffered fhe most, particularly those from Westen China. American species, even those native to the south, have «> iven a "ood account of themselves and many thin<>'s from northern Japan and north (’hina are in excellent eondition. By and laroe the botanical and hortieultui al curiosities from western China have been extensively injured thouoh it is still too early to ouao'e accurately the full amount of the damage. Phe Dove J'ree, Dnridin inro/nrralff , has been very badly killed back and there is much injury to Knplelen jtolj/nndra and E. Ernnehelu . lYipelln Jloribunda has been killed to fhe oromid. Amono- the \Jburnums it is the sj)eeies from western China which have suffered most, 'fhe followino- species have either been killed to the oroimd or have been so badly injured that it was necessary to cut them back praetieally to the roots : Hhtn- mou ovdtijhlium , V .hupehense, V .lobophijUum. l iburnum erosion, l\eru- bescens, and l .tomentosum and its varieties liave been soinewliat less extensively dainaned. f lbuniion Sieboldii was only slij^litly hurt and is now lookintr very deeorative with its sturdy branches and crisply held leaves. The behavior of Viburnum mougoUcum was particularly instruct- ive. Bushes on their own roots were scarcely touched by the cold and are now in full flower. Those which had been budded on V.Opu/us were very badly injured and will apparently have to be cut back to the jr round. It is encourajrino- to report that J^iburuum Cur/esii and the closely related J\bitcliuiense are uninjured. I'lieir fraofrant pale pink flowers are borne in as jjreat abundance as ever and are attractively set off by a full coat of folia ‘?e. I". /)/7c/n//p;/.ve is sometimes described as beinjr decidedly inferior in flower to fWar/esii. While it is true that its flow- ers are somewhat smaller and its flower clusters less comijact, it has by reason of these very characteristics a orace which is lacking- in the sturdier V.Curlesii. There must undoubtedly be situations in which its more delicate aspect would make it the more desirable of the two. Both on the Overlook and in the Shrub collection, Spiraea Henri/i and Spiraea Veitchii were very badly injured and have been cut back to the o’round. Kerria japouica here, as elsewhere, has more dead wood than live amono- the branches. Deutzia Vi/nwriuae, D.refl^-i'fi Jnid 1). scabra and its varieties have been cut back to the oround. Even the Beauty bush, Kolkxcitzia amabilis, did not escape injury. Youno- specimens received relatively little injury but the fine old bushes in the shrub collection and on the Overlook have been severely killed back, apparently to the roots. Edgar Anderson Louis Victor Schmitt [16] ARNOLD ARBORETUM HARVARD UNIVERSITY BULLETIN OE POPULAR INFORMATION Series 4-. Vol. II MAY ^2^2, 1984 Number 4 The (tem s Akehia. 'I'here are two species oi Akehta^ bo!:h natives of China and Japan and both represented for some years in tlie eolleetions of the Arnold Arboretum. Ehey are ‘jraeeful vines witli eurious but inconspieuous flowers and are valued chiefly for their foliao'e which is of a pleasing texture and which liolds its oreen color far into the fall months. Both species are ordinarily considered hardy in Bos- ton, but thisspriniroups of three and have a more or less wavy marjjin, so that its jreneral appearance is not unlike that of our common poison i\\v. 'riie flowers of both species are very similar to each other but are (|uite unlike any flower known to the averajje jjardener. 'khey are borne in jrraceful clusters composed of one or two female flowers, accompanied by a slender raceme of smaller male flowers. 4'heir color is curious, beiiiR very close to that of raw liver. At its briland by Robert Fortune. He first discovered it on the island of Chusan where, to (juote his own words, it was 'on the lower sides of the hills in hedjyes where it was climbinji’ on other trees and hanjrin*^ down in ‘graceful festoons from the ends of their branches.*’ While it has often <>:rown well in American jjardens, in few |)laces has it become thorouj^hly at home. On the Proctor estate in Topstield, Massachusetts, it orows in almost its native profusion. It has there run wild in a small woodland and has climbed to the tops of small trees, forming a oraceful curtain of deli- cate foliage. It must be admitted, however, that in climbing up some of the smaller trees, it has twined so tightly that the tree has been killed. Were Akehia quinata to become extensively naturalized, it might become a serious pest in plantations of small trees. Two years ago both species Akebia flowered profusely at the Arnold Arboretum and Dr. Sax of the Arboretum staff fertilized the female flowers oi A. quinata with the pollen oi A.trifoliala. The resulting hy- brids are now vigorous small seedlings which may eventually prove of some horticultural merit. From their foliage they are apparently in- termediate between the two species and while this may not add to their beauty, it will probably, as in the case of many specific hybrids, pro- duce a more vigorous individual. Before the question of their desira- bility can be answered, the seedlings must be raised to maturity and tried out in the Arnold Arboretum and elsewhere. There are a few extra plants which will be available next fall to those readers of the Bulletin who have the facilities for taking care of them and who will grow them carefully and report on their behavior. If those who are interested will send their names and addresses to Mr. W. H. Judd, Arnold Arboretum, Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts, the requests will be put on file. When the seedlings are large enough, probably early next fall, requests will receive attention in the order of their receipt, in so far as material is availa})le. Fdgar Anderson EXPLANATION OF THE PLATES Leaves, flowers, and fruit of Akebia quinata Decne. ( From (tra in Larallrr: A rhorrfum Srqrrzian um : Ironrr Sc/rrfar. . . ) [ -io ] ARNOLD ARBORETUM HARVARD UNIVERSITY BULLETIN OF POPULAR INFORMATION Series 4. Vol. II JULY 9, 1984 Number 5 HouoDENDRoxs. What a privilege it would be, if we could call A V back as we walk through the collection, the men who have con- tributed to the development of our garden rhododendrons. They would make an interesting and varied assemblage - Dean Herbert, the Earl of Carnayon, Sir J. D. Hooker, blunt Anthon.v Waterer, John Fraser, gentle Peter Collinson in his Quaker garb, and Baron Ungern Stern- berg. For the rhododendrons of our gardens are quite literally some- thing new under the sun; there is nothing just like them in nature. Aristocratic cosmopolites, they came into being in Victorian England when species from the Old World and the New were sympathetically gathered by plant collectors and intelligently blended by a few hy- bridizers. The contributing species are all mountain lovers. From the lower slopes about the Mediterranean and Black Seas comes Rhododendron ponficnm; higher up in the Caucasus are the hardier R.caucasicum and R.Sniirnoicli. Our own southern mountains contributed the hardy and attractive R.ratau'bienxe which occurs by thousands of acres on the upper slopes of the southern Alleghanies. Near the North Carolina boundary among the open balsam woods and natural meadows which form the summit of Roan Mountain it reaches as far as the eye can see, growing in scattered groups in the open meadows and forming a dense under- growth beneath the balsams. It was from this very locality that it was first collected for European gardens by Jolin Fraser, over a hundred years ago. Eraser was a Scotchman, who as a very young man, like many another Scotchman, had gone to London to seek his fortune. He eventually became one of the most successful of those early plant collectors who ransacked the American continent to provide novel and beautiful plants for European gardens. He had phenomenal success in Russia where he became a favorite of Catharine the (Ireat. After Iier death, h.v Iin|)eiial ukase, he was sent l)aek to Anieriea with orders to t'urnisli rare and novel plants for the imperial eolleetions. *\Aeeom- panied by his eldest son, John, he embarked in the year 1799 for the southern states of North Anieriea, where he proseeuted his researehes in various unexplored parts of the eontinent. On the summit of the Oreat Roan or Raid Mountain, on a sjiot whieh eommands a view of five states, it was Mr. Fraser's fjood fortune to diseover and eolleet livino- speeimens of the new and splendid R.catauhieuse^ from whieh so many beautiful hybrid varieties have since been obtained by skillful cultivators.*' (Condensed from the account by Sir William Hooker, in the Comjianion to the Botanical Maoazine. " *) Another American species, the rosebay, R. maximum^ has been little used bv the English hybridizers, unfortunately so for American j^ar- dens, since it is one of the hardiest of the lot. It is of particular in- terest to New Knolanders for it is oeeasionally found native as far north as Sebaofo Lake and southern New Hampshire. It was amont; the American plants introduced into Enj^land by the Quaker botanist Reter Collinson. The relio'ious bond between Enolish and American Quakers kept up a lively interchange between the two countries. Quakers had always been interested in oardenino-; Georoe Fox, the founder of the Society of Friends, had specified that the ^Siature of herbs, roots, plants, and trees" should be taught in Quaker schools. What more natural then, but that packets of seed and pressed plants and much •garden information should pass back and forth between the two coun- tries. In this way R. maximum was sent from the New World to the Old and in Peter Collinson's “Commonplace Book for June "2(i, l73ti" we find the entry, “The (jreat mountain laurel or rhododendron flow- ered for the first time in my warden." One other species, the showiest of the lot, R.arboreum, came from the foothills of the Himalayas. It contributed splendor to the garden rhododendrons for it is a great shrub-like tree with large flowers of bright red, varying in different strains from blush pink to a black crim- son. Cnfortunately, it brought in a tropical aversion to cold along with all this tropical splendor. Rhododendron arhoreum itself can barely be grown out-of-doors even in England ; it was not until it had been hy- bridized with hardy American species that a plant was produced whieh could withstand the English winters. English hybridizers, however, have continued to use R.arboreum and other lovel.v but tender species in their work. The result is a glorius group of flowering shrubs but one which Americans must cross the ocean to see. Only a few of the thou- sand or more named varieties will stand our hot summers and cold [2-i] winters. Among the pinks we can recommend ^^Mrs. C.S. Sargent'* and “Henrietta Sargent*’ in deep pink and “Lady Armstrong” and “lloseum elegans” in rose pink. The hardiest reds are “Charles Dickens,” and “H.W. Sargent. ** In dark purple the best are * Pur- pureum grandiHorum'* and “Purpureum elegans.*’ Most of these iron-clad varieties are the creations of one man, Anthony W’aterer, an English nursei*} man who became a sort of god- father to American gardeners. His particular affection for Americans came about in an interesting way. When Andrew Jackson Downing- laid out the grounds about the National Capitol, he ordered plants from Waterer. The plants were received but before payment was made Downing had died. His friend and neighbor, Henry Winthrop Sargent, when settling the estate found Waterer's unpaid bill. By the influence of his college classmate, Charles Sumner, he got a special bill through congress and Waterer was eventually paid. Now, Anthony Waterer was a forthright, John Bull sort of a man, as strong in his likes as in his dislikes. Sargent's action lead to a life long friendship, one which was large enough to include Sargent’s friends and his friend’s friends as well. It was Henry Winthrop Sargent who brought Anthony Waterer and his rhododendrons to the attention of his cousins, H. H. Hunnewell and Charles Sprague Sargent. It was this friendship which lead to the great rhododendron collections at the Hunnewell estate in Wellesley, at Professor Sargent's home in Brookline, and at the Arnold Arboretum. In growing rhododendrons it is necessary to remember their likes and dislikes. They hate a limey soil. They dislike hot sun in the spring and summer, cold winds in winter. They like partial shade and a soil which is well drained but moist at the roots. 'Phe situation provided for them in the Arnold Arboretum is almost ideal. 'Phe bold ridge of hemlocks to the south screens them from the sun and helps to keep the soil moist at the roots. PA en there they could be grown in greater perfection if they were more sheltered from winter winds and from adventuresome small boys. This latter pest is a very real problem in growing rhododendrons at the Arboretum. Anyone who was ever a boy does not blame the urchins for wanting to play about in the Bussey Brook and to crawl up through the rhododendron beds among the giant bushes. Yet anyone who knows rhododendrons and their needs knows that this crawling is very hard on the bushes. 'Pwigs snap off and sun- shine strikes at the roots. 'Phe passing of hundreds of pairs of little feet, and little knees as well, wears out the very soil. 'Phe rich, cool mulch which has so carefully been built up is scuffed away and bit by bit the collection succumbs. Of late years rliodotleiulrons liere aiul elsewliere in New England have been attacked In* the lace wing Hy. These bizarre little creatures are scarcely larger than the head of a pin. Under the microscope they appear like hump-backed monsters dressed in lace. Monsters they are in action as well as appearance, for they gather under the rhododen- dron leaves and suck its juices. The.v can be successfully controlled by using an oil spray but their attacks are kept to a minimum if the rhododendrons areplanted in semi-shade. The insects dislike the shade ; the shrubs prefer it, therefore such a situation is doublv preferable. One of the Caucasian species, the handsome R. Sjninioxcii^ thwarts the lace wing Hy by clothing its leaves below with a mat of woolly hair. So protective is this covering that even the hybrids between R.Stnir- Hoxi'ii and the other species are practically immune. Fortunately, for the next generation of American gardeners, hybridizers are at last at work creating new varieties for this country, varieties which will be winter hardy and summer hardy, which will at least discourage attack from the lace wing fly and which will, nevertheless, compare with present day English varieties in the size and beauty of their flowers. Edgar Anderson Rhododendrons. In spite of last winter's devastating cold there has been quite a show of bloom among the hybrid rhododendrons during the last month, the hardy Caucasian hybrid, ^^Boule de Xeige** flowered profusely and the late-blooming variety “Delicatissimum** made a very good showing. Pending a more complete report on the collection as a whole it may be briefly recorded that in addition to these varieties the following gave at least a fair account of themselves : ^^James Bateman,** ^‘Echse,** *\Anton,** Lady Armstrong,** “Hen- rietta Sargent,** and “H.W. Sargent. ** A Report on Winter Injury. The effects of the severe winter of 1933-1934 on the collections of the Arnold Arboretum are proving to be of great scientific and horticultural interest. Under the leader- ship of Professor J.G.Jack there is accordingly being prepared a com- prehensive report on winter injury at the Arnold Arboretum. It will comprise one or more numbers of the Bulletin of Popular Information and will be published in the autumn of 1934. EXPLANATION OF THE INSERT Rhododendron maximum L. L ( From (Inuring s by C.E.Fci.nm for Sargent' s " Sjfiira of Xorfh Amer'ma." J [24] ARNOLD ARBORETUM HARVARD UNIVERSITY BULLETIN OF POPULAR INFORMATION Series 4. Vol. II AUGUST 9, 1984 Number q The Shrubby Robinias. During late May and early June tlie robinia collection is a beautiful sight along the Meadow Road at the Arnold Arboretum. While all the species of the genus are native to North America, several of them have very restricted distributions, and a really comprehensive collection is seldom seen, even in botanical gardens. The species are all woody, ranging in size from forest trees, such as the black locust (Rohinia pseudoacacia) , to low, trailing shrubs which barely rise from the ground. Under the title of shrubby robinias we may convenientl.v group to- gether about a dozen species which are shrub-like in form and size. Most of them are rather low shrubs with pinnate leaves, and pink flowers borne in drooping racemes. Of the dozen species, four are of more than ordinary horticultural importance: Robinia hispida, R.Kel- setji, R.fertUis, and R. Harticigii. While they are quite similar, they may be distinguished as follows: Petioles and peduncles viscid R. Harticigii Petioles and peduncles never viscid. Leaflets oblong to oval, twigs hispid. Plants 1-4 ft. high, pods very rarely developed . . R. hispida Plants 4-8 ft. high, pods always developed .... R.ferliHs Leaflets lanceolate, twigs never hispid R.Ke/set/i Several of the terms used in the above key may reiiuire a word of explanation. “Viscid,’’ when used as a botanical term, means tliat the particular part of the plant referred to is clammy or sticky to the touch. ‘ Hispid” indicates a bristly, hairy condition. “Petiole” and peduncle” are the botanical eipnvalents of leafstalk and flower stalk, respectively. Robinia hispida was the first shrubby species to be introduced into cultivation. Sir John Colliton imported this plant from the Carolinas into Kxmouth, England, in iTH. It is easily distinguished from R. Ilartwigii by the characteristic dense coat of bristly, glandular hairs, which cover twigs, petioles, and peduncles, and from R.Jertili.s- and R. Kelsei/i by the fact that it rarely, if ever, develops seed pods. Thomas Meehan, in 1898, reports that he examined several thousand plants in their native habitat and found two or three under-developed seed pods as a result of his efforts. This species produces shell-like, rose- colored flowers in great profusion. Probably owing to the absence of seed production, plants of R.hispida have an exceptionally prolonged flowering season. It is perhaps the most commonly cultivated shrubby robinia. Because of its rather prostrate, straggling habit, and tendency to produce numerous root suckers, it is the least desirable species for garden planting. Used as a bank cover on sandy slopes, it is of con- siderable value; in such a location it is attractive and useful. Robinia hispida is completely hardy, at least as far north as Boston. It has en- dured the severe weather of the past winter with little if any damage. Robinia fert Hi s‘ when better known, should prove to be one of the most popular members of this group of plants. It is a native of the Carolinas, and has been in cultivation for some time, but seems to have been confused with other closely related forms. It is often difficult to distinguish between R.feriilis and R.hispida. Bristly, glandular hairs cover the twigs, petioles, and pedicels in both species. In general, R.fertilis is a somewhat taller shrub than R.hispida, the leaflets are ob- long rather than round, and the flowers are usually smaller, although the latter distinction is quite variable. Robinia fertilis is a freely fruiting species ; consequently after the onset of the fruiting season, it is easily distinguished from R.hispida by the plentiful crop of bristly, reddish- brown pods produced. It seems to be a more desirable ornamental than R.hispida, chiefly because of its upright stature, and the interesting- appearance it makes in the fall, when its branches are attractively decorated with bristly, brown pods. This species seems to be slightly less hardy than either R.hi.spida or R.KeLseyi. Robinia Kelsei/i, introduced by Mr. Harlan P. Kelsey in 1900, is one of the most handsome of the robinias. It was found growing bv Mr. Kelsey in the Blue Ridge Mountains, south of Pineola, North Carolina. It is readily separated from the other species of shrubby robinias by its lanceolate leaflets and its upright habit of growth. Like other robinias it flowers profusely, and in the late summer it is gracefully covered with dark, reddish-brown seed pods. This species seems to be fully as hardy as R.hispida. 'fhe rose-pink flowers, and rather upright stature of this species make it an excellent subject for planting as a background in iris gardens. The blooming period is about the same ms that of iris. The blues and purples of the tall, bearded irises make a [20] pleusinj^ contrast with tlie soft pink R. Kelsey i. Rohinia Ilarlu'lgil {R.viscosa var. Ilartu'lgii Aslie) has only recently been described as a distinct species. It becomes a thick, spreadintr shrub or small tree, with dark-reen foliajre on the sun-exposed sides of crowns tliat takes place in late winter or early sprinfr, tlie result of excessive loss of water from tlie leaves while the o'round is still frozen and tlie roots are inactive. Turning now to tlie compiled lists that follow under self-explanatorj' headings, it sliould be stated that a classification free from some over- lapping and some likelihood of modification is impossible. A jierusal of this introductory section, in which attention is called to natural varia- tions and to the many ponderable and imponderable infiuenees that affect hardiness, will afford explanations of why that is so. Further, there are examples in which injury may appear to be so much greater or so much less at the outset, than eventually materializes that incorrect in- itial listing results. Thus, what may seem at first to be simply a non-fatal diebaek or a temporary inhibition of buds may be of such a nature that subsequent growth is never satisfactory and a ,year or two hence tlie plant dies. Indeed, especially with introduced species, experience alone over a long period of years is essential before one knows their reactions and can unfailingly interpret their manifestations under the various conditions and treatments in their new environment. Another difficulty arises from the circumstance that a species recognized under a com- monly accepted name may actually comprise several unrecognized or unnamed strains difi'ering inherently from one another in hardiness. The history of at least some of these would probably reveal that they represent strains of dissimilar geographical origin. Not so perplexing, vet worthy of mention, are those woody plants, both native and in- troduced, that die back more or less every winter because of their habit of continuing growth until checked by frost; in the course of the winter these always die back to the * Vipened* * wood. It is planned to extend and perfect these above mentioned lists as opportunity affords. A third section of this article is devoted to advice on the treatment of winter-injured plants and to a discussion of practical procedures in preparing and in protecting trees and shrubs so as to enable them best to resist the inclemencies of winter. J.H.Faull, J.G.Jack W. H. Judd, L. V. S( hmitt II 1. Plants killed at the Arnold Arboretum in the winter of 1933-84. A ea nth o pa na x Si inon i i Berberis atrocarpa Berberis pruinosa lontjifolia Chaenomeles lagenaria catha^v- ensis Cladrastis Wilsonii Colutea arborescens bullata Cytisus multiflorus Cytisus seoparius Cytisus seoparius And reanus ‘^Compaeta” Euptelea Franchetii E xoe h ord a macra n t h a Helianthemum alpestre H el ia nt h em u m n u m in u la r i u m Carmine Queen** Plants killed to the ground i winter of 1933-34. Abelia Kngleriana Aeanthopanax setchuenensis Aetinidia melanandra Akebia trifoliata Ampelopsis brevipedunculata elegans Baeeharis halimifolia Benzoin praeeox Berberis aemulans Berberis aggregata Berberis aggregata Prattii Berberis aggregata reeurvata Berberis eandidula Berberis dietyophylla Berberis Franeisei- Ferdinand i Berberis Cagnepainii Berberis Julianae Berberis polyantha Berberis sanguinea Berberis .Soulieana H e 1 i a n t h e m u m g 1 a u c u m Stoechadifolium Hyperieum Hookerianum Juglans regia Ligustrum Quihoui Picrasma quassioides Platyear.va strobilacea Polygonum Auberti Primus avium plena Primus Lannesiana affinis Primus Pad us Purdomii Primus serrulata horinji Sinowilsonia Henryi Sorbaronia Dijjpelii \d b u r 1 1 u m o V a t i fo 1 i u m the Arnold Arboretum in the Berberis Wilsonae Stapfiana Berberis Wilsonae subcaul ialata Berehemia racemosa Callicarpa Bodinieri Giraldii Cal 1 iearpa dichotoma Callicarpa japoniea Camjisis ehinensis Caragana Boisii Ceanothus amerieanus Ceanothus Fendleri Ceanothus pallidus roseus Celastrus hypoleuea Celastrus Loeseneri Celastrus Rost horn iana Celastrus rugosa Clematis panieulata Clerodendron triehotomum Colutea arborescens Colutea eilieiea (k)lutea media Colutea orientalis Coriuis kousa. Younj^er plants were uninjured. Cornus kousa eliinensis Cornus paueinervis Coronilla enieroides Coronilla Kinerus Corylopsis platypetala Corylopsis spieata Corylopsis Veitehiana Cotoneaster affinis baeillaris Cotoneaster bullata maerophylla Cotoneaster ^rlabrata Cotoneaster microphylla Cotoneaster salicifolia Hoccosa Cytisus albus Cytisus albus pallidus Cytisus multidorus Cytisus sessilifolius Davidia involucrata Davidia involucrata Vilmorin- iana Decaisnea Faro*esii Deutzia Candida Deutzia earnea Deutzia earnea densiflora Deutzia earnea stellata Deutzia discolor Deutzia discolor major Deutzia eleoantissima Deutzia eleoantissima fascieu- lata Deutzia g^lomerulidora Deutzia hybrida “Contraste” Deutzia hybrida “Maoicieri’' Deutzia kalmiaeflora Deutzia longifolia Deutzia lonoifolia Veitchii Deutzia longipetala Deutzia macrocephala Deutzia maonifica Deutzia maonifica eburnea Deutzia maonifica ereeta Deutzia maonifica oraeillima Deutzia maonifica latiflora Deutzia inaliHora “Avalanche” Deutzia mollis Deutzia myriantha Deutzia reflexa Deutzia rosea Deutzia rosea eampanulata Deutzia rosea eximia Deutzia rosea floribunda Deutzia seabra erenata Deutzia seabra eminens Deutzia seabra Fortunei Deutzia seabra “John Riehardson” Deutzia seabra maerothjrsa Deutzia seabra plena Deutzia seabra Pride of “Roeh- ester” Deutzia seabra suspensa Deutzia seabra Watereri Deutzia Sehneideriana laxiflora Deutzia Sieboldiana Dippeliana Deutzia Vilmorinae Deutzia Wilsonii Diervilla hortensis Diervilla praeeox “Avant- oarde” Dipelta floribunda Dipelta floribunda parvidora Dipelta ventrieosa Rvonymus patens Evonymus Wilsonii Forsythia suspensa atroeaulis P'orsythia suspensa Fortunei Forsythia viridissima Genista einerea Genista hispaniea Genista pilosa [34] Grewia parvifiora Helwingia japonica Holodiscus discolor Holodiscus discolor ariaefolius Hovenia dulcis Hydrangea quercifolia Hypericum ariioldiaiium Hypericum Kalmianum Indi^ofera amblyantha Indi^ofera decora alba Indifjofera Gerardiana Indi^ofera Kirilowii Itea virfjiniana Kerria japonica Kerria japonica picta Kerria japonica pleniflora Leptodermis oblonofa Lespedeza Buerjreri praecox Lespedeza cyrtobotrya Lespedeza formosa Liffustrum acuminatum Id o- u st r u rn o \ a 1 i fol i u m Lonicera chaetocarpa Lonicera deflexicalyx Lonicera discolor Lon i c e ra fra r a n t i s s i m a Lonicera Giraldii Lonicera f^racilipes Lonicera ‘rynochlamydea Lonicera Henryi Lonicera involucrata flavescens Lonicera involucrata serotina Lonicera Ledebourii Lonicera Myrtillus Lonicera Periclymenum Lonicera Periclymenum beljjfica Lonicera (|uin(|uelocularis trans- lucens Lonicera saccata Lonicera Standisbii lancifolia Lonicera subdentata Lonicera trichosantha acutius- cula Lonicera Vilmorinii Lycium chinense Meliosma Beaniana Neillia affinis Neillia sinensis Xeillia thibetica Parrotiopsis Jacquemontiana Periploca ^raeca angustifolia Philadelphus artryrocalj x Philadelphus Lemoinei Philadelphus subcanus Physocarpus capitatus Physocarpus fjlabratus Physocarpus malvaceus Poncirus trifoliata. Killed to the o^round in some places, else- where uninjured. Primus mira Pterocarya hupehensis Rhododendron “Album splen- dens* * Rhodotypus scandens Ribes Vilmorinii Rosa arnoldiana Rosa caudata Rosa centifolia cristata Rosa centifolia muscosa Rosa centifolia muscosa “Salet’* Rosa damascena trifrintipetala Rosa damascena versicolor Rosa dumetorum Deseolisei Rosa filipes Rosa oallica officinalis Rosa (Tcntiliana Rosa Helenae Rosa Lheritierana Rosa mollis arduensis Rosa multibracteata Rosa multiflora cathayensis [a5] Kosa Noisettiana Rosa onieiensis Rosa I’ou/inii Rosa ruijosa Cliainissoiiis Rosa riijrosa Century** Rosa rufjosa Nova Zeinhla** Rosa rujrosa “Rarfuin cle THay** Rosa rujrosa Schweinit/ii Rosa “Rusk in** Rosa sericea Rosa spinosissiina “Dominie Sampson* * Rosa spinosissiina “iris** Rosa spinosissiina “Kin^ of the Scots** Rosa spinosissima “Plato*’ Rosa spinosissima * * Pythagoras Rosa tomentella obtusifolia Rosa villosa Rosa villosa duplex Rosa villosa recondita Rosa Waitziana maerantha Rosa Watsoniana Sorbaria arborea subtomentosa Spiraea Billiardii Spiraea blanda Spiraea brachybotrys Spiraea fontenaysii alba Spiraea Henryi. Some not in- jured, others more or less so. S[)iraea japoniea aeuminata Spiraea Miyabei jjlabrata Sjiiraea revireseens Spiraea Rosthornii Spiraea Sarjjentiana Spiraea semperflorens Spiraea \’eitehii Spiraea Zabeliana Staplyvlea eolehiea Staphvlea eolehiea Coulombieri Staphylea holoearpa Stephanandra ineisa Stephanandra Tanakae Symphoriearpus Chenaultii Viburnum betulifolium \ iburnum erubeseens Viburnum hupehense Viburnum iehanjjense b u r n u m m o n ol i e u m Viburnum ovatifolium i b u r n u m r h y t i d o p h 1 1 u m \ iburnum tomentosum grandi- dorum Viburnum \ eitehii Vitis Champini Vitis Davidi Vitis Piasezkii Pagnuccii Vitis pulchra Z a n t h o X y 1 u m s c h i n i f o 1 i u m Zanthoxylum simulans ( To be coutiuuedj [30] ARNOLD ARBORETUM HARVARD UNIVERSITY BULLETIN OF POPULAR INFORMATION Series 4. Vol. II OCTOBER 16, 1934 Number 8 WINTER HARDINESS OF TREES AND SHRUBS GROWING IN THE ARNOLD ARBORETUM ( Cofiti/n/edJ 3. Plants injured, but not killed to the ground, at the Arnold Arboretum in the winter of 1933-34. Abelia Zanderi. Tips of branches killed. Abies chensiensis. Buds extensively inhibited but some breakinor at end of May. Abies cilicica. Flower buds and laro;e proportion of vegetative buds killed. Abies Fargesii. Buds badly injured but some breakinfj at end of May. Abies Faxoniana. Buds badly injured but some breakintr at end of May. Acanthopanax lasiot um, Scpfrinher 193//.) [ .Vi ] ARNOLD ARBORETUM HARVARD UNIVERSITY BULLETIN OF POPULAR INFORMATION Series 4. Vol. 11 DECEMBER li, 1984 Number ii WINTER HARDINESS OF TREES AND SHRUBS CROWING IN THE ARNOLD ARBORF/rUM ( Concluded ) CoNTi'ERs After a Severe Winter. In recent numbers of this Bul- letin, (Nos. 7, 8, and 9), beside a consideration of the factors contributing’ to winter injury, lists have been given of injuries or de- struction caused among the collections of the Arnold Arboretum by the extremely severe winter of 1988-84. These lists pertained largely to deciduous plants, particularly shrubs and woody climbers. References to conifers were |:)urposely deferred because injuries were less imme- diately noticeable. Even now, at the end of the growing season, the real extent of the damaging effects of the winter cannot be fairly es- timated. 'The following observations were made mostly in the Arnold Arbo- retum, but many plants in gardens and plantations in and around Bos- ton have been used as checks or for the purpose of comparison. 'Fhe yew and the conifer families suffered much from the cold al- though on the whole the damage was less than the injury to many of our broad leaved, deciduous trees and shrubs. On some sjiecies of conifers the flower buds, or most of them, were destroyed. In some instances the buds which ordinarily would have developed into new shoots or twigs were so greatly injured that they failed to make normal growth. As a result, affected trees will probably lose many of their branches and much of their symmetry, or may even die. While the Japanese yew, Tu.vus ruspidufa , generally passed safely through the winter there were many plants of this species which distinctly showial some injury. 'I'his often took the form of arrested development of the terminal buds and shoots which usually showed a browning of leaves. [ •>« ] (leMerally the doniiant buds liad started and a cheeked (rrowtli de- veloped as the season advanced. I’he European or Enj^lish yew, Tdxus haccald, suffered severely in some instances. Branches have died or tips of branches have tailed to sliow life and pruninj? has become necessary. A careful inspection of such injured branches in June showed very small latent buds developintr in the axils of leaves or leaf scars, 'fhese in another year should develop into jjood normal shoots or branches. In such cases prunintj should be done and then very carefully. It should be noted that some of the plants which have been nanied as hybrids between the Japanese and European yews have shown less hardiness than the Japanese i)arent, thouo'h hardier than 7V/.ra.v haccala. Several plants of T. rnedid, one of such hybrids, show some injury on the tips of the branches, while T. media Hatfieldii was much more seriously hurt. After orowin'T in the Arboretum for many years, durino- which time it flowered and fruited, the Japanese Torreija nucifera was nearly killed but, althouo-h the terminal parts of the branches failed to recover, new shoots developed on the basal portions so that there is a prospect of the trees reoainino’ a oreen aspect and ‘jood form after several years. Amon«- the conifers, the pines as a orroup suffered less than some other ji’enera. Browninj^ of the foliaoe occurred in some foreign species, even in Scotch pine, but during the summer, twigs and buds have de- veloped a normal number of leaves which cover superficially any de- fects. Individuals of the same species varied much in their resistance to damage. Injuries to flower buds were noted in some foreign species. On the whole, the hardy native American spruces {Picea) wintered well. On the other hand, the fine Sitka spruce, Picea sitcheusis^ cannot be grown here, while the very rare Brewer or weeping si)ruce, Picea Preiceria/ta , of the mountains of southern Oregon and northern Cali- fornia, will live but does not thrive well. The single plant, now 7 feet high, in the Arboretum had most of its buds killed last winter. Some of the stronger terminal buds survived and have developed new growths of from one to two or three inches in length. It is a straggling plant difficult to grow and unworthy of planting in this climate. Some of the long-introduced foreign species have done well. The Norway spruce is bearing a good crop of cones and the trees show little or no winter injury. Idiis condition may be due to the fact that the original seed came from a northern part of its range in Europe, rather than from a southern district, 'fhe spruces which show the greatest damage from the severity of the winter are those which were collected for us in central and western China, in the provinces of Hupeh and Szechuan. 'I'he latitude ranges from about "28° to 88°. Probably few interested people realize that the latitude of this Chinese collecting ground, which has been repeatedly explored to furnish plants for our northern gardens, largely correspond to that of northern Florida and the south- ern half of Georgia. Florida ranges from a few feet above sea level over the greater part to rarel.v 300 or 400 feet at the highest points. Southern Georgia averages higher than Florida, but much of the terri- tory is well under a thousand feet in altitude and rarely exceeds two thousand, although higher hills and mountains are more common above SS° of latitude. I’rees or shrubs from the Florida and Georgia zones would rarely be considered as worth introducing for permanency into our northern states. The climate of the same latitude in western China, however, has the advantage of the general altitude of the coun- try, which is from one or two thousand feet on the lower levels to ten or twelve thousand feet in the higher mountains. However, the rule which compensates latitude by altitude does not always work out satis- factorily because of precipitation, prevailing winds, temperatures, geo- logic features, soil and other factors. This estimation of latitude as related to altitude may be roughly stated in the allowance of one de- gree of latitude to 450 or 500 feet of altitude. As already stated much depends upon other ecological factors. Later studies have shown that the dozen or fifteen supposedly new species and varieties of spruce re- cently brought from China may easily be reduced to less than half a dozen species, some of which had already been found by earlier col- lectors and had been given names. Some of these species or so-called species show very serious injury from the effects of the past winter. For all practical or ornamental purposes they would be generally worth- less for eastern Massachusetts if we had occasional repetition of such a winter as that of 198 t. Picea asperala and its described forms have proved to be undepend- able and undesirable under such conditions as prevailed last winter. In the Arboretum an examination of several trees in August showed that about fifty per cent of the winter buds failed to develop or to make any ap|)reciable growth. When such a large proportion of buds is killed, the surviving terminal or other buds often produce unusually long new shoots due to the concentration of growth into a few rather than many twigs. Under such circumstances the trees are likel}’ to become permanently unsy mmetrical . 'I'he difference in hardiness of the plants which have been called P. usperala may well be due to al- titude, latifudeand other ecological factors occurring within its natural range. 'I'his species is clearly not adapted for successful plantings in regions with more severe winter climate than that i)revailing at Bostoii [•>•>] .•Hid here it is liable to serious (lama<»e in muisiially sextan* yt*ars or situations, altlioii<»li there are nurseries or plantations in the x ieinity where tht* plants are re|)orte(l to ha\ t* eome throuj^h in fairly jxood order. It may be that hardier races will he found in western China. Picea lialj'oiinana , which is jtrohahly the same as the older known /^ hhhmtren.sis, is another of the so-called new species which has suf- fered such damaufe from the cold of the past winter that it may he considered unsuitable to plant in this climate for permanent landscape t'ffeets. A tree 1 f feet hiirh showed all buds dead or badly cheeked. On Auiiust first, the tree showed nexx' leaxes forminjjf about the old dormant buds, but no nexx' yroxx th of txx iyfs. l^irea purpurea^ xx hieh is possibly still another synonym for /*. lil-ifft/fr- ef/si.K, xvas very badly injured and is rather unpromisinir for this rejrion althoujxh it may be a very desirable aetpnsition under less severe con- ditions. Piced fPdt.sonlatifi , 1*2 feet hijxh, shoxved in Auj^ust a very larjxe pro- portion of buds permanently blasted ; a fexv escaped unhurt and ex- hibited extra lon<5 nexv shoots. I'hese fexv abnormally vijrorous txvi sln)\\ n that, danger from climatic ehanjxes is risked in usinjr most of tliese species. In favored situations, they may appear to be doin«; well durinir a number of ordinary winters. Still a time may come when their jjrowth may prove very disappointinu'. On the larjre trees of the Japanese Nikko fir, Abies lion/o/epis, for ex- ample, planted on low around, a oroodly proportion of buds were winter killed and the strujx^fle to produce new buds and leaves is very apparent. If these new buds survive and continue orowih next year, the result will be, unattractive or unsymmetrieal trees. On hioher, sheltered •xround wi h irood air drainage the trees show only a small amount of injury, althoujxh the conspicuous male fiower buds, a third of an inch lonjr, still remain hard and inert and are black and dead within. JJie beautiful Abies f ei/chii shows similar dishearteninjr effects of the winter. Iteeent studies of the firs introduced from western China tend to show that the number of species credited to that region is less than has been claimed. The behavior of the Japanese umbrella pine, Sciadopiti/s eertici/latn , was interestinir inasmuch as out of the six trees frrowinjr near tojrether in the Arbf>retuni three retained their usual number of leaves while the other three lost most of their foliajje. As the buds were still sound a new y^rowth of leaves developed t») carry on ^irowth. 'fhe end of the jirowinij: season, however, shows the damaged trees much less attrac- tive and with fewer leaves than those which were uninjured. The deciduous bald cypress, Td.vodium distichum, of our southern states, in this latitude usually loses the tips of branches and twins but this defect is soon overcome by new nrowth. In the past winter this trouble was decidedly more a|)parent but as the trunks and main limbs withstood the test they have put forth belated new shoots and leaves. Hut the trees are not ornamental. Rather curiously, the pond cypress. I'd vndiu))) ascendens, which we li;ive rejjarded as more tender than the other since its ran^e is more southerly, came throiijjli the winter in fine condition and quickly pro- duced its cover of lij^lit ^reen foliaije. As tiie two species areHfrowinfr on tlie same northerly incline and within a few yards of each other the disparity in behavior is very interesting and unexpected. d'he arborvitaes ( 77/ //;>/) behaved much as in other seasons, the giant western arborvitae. Thuja plicata, wintering wonderfully well both on the top of Hemlock Hill and in the cedar and juniper collection near its base. This was true also of the genus Chamaecijparis, commonly called cedar or cypress, names also applied to some other genera. Per- haps more than usual injury was caused by browning and other minor injuries. Similar damages may be noted after the average winter. Even the somewhat uncertain Lawson cyj)ress, Chamaeci/pari.s Laic.m/iiaua, came through with apparently little injury on Hemlock Hill although it makes poor growth on low land. Some injury was noted on junipers (.////////p/v/.y), sometimes causing the shedding of minor twigs with their leaves so that the trees or affected portions lost their full, clean green- ness. But the branchlets usually appeared alive to near the tips, new growths appearing and giving promise that in another year the trees may present a more normal ap[>earance. fhe dwarf spreadingand the dwarf pyramidal junipers occasionally showed dead branches which probably succumbed after being weakened by other causes. Incense cedar, Lihocedi'us decurreus-, 85 feet high, in the shelter of hemlocks on Hemlock Hill, wintered much better than might have been expected considering that it is a Pacific coast tree, west of the crest of the Rocky Mountains. 'I'he hardy race of Cedar of Lebanon (Cedrus libauotica or C. Hbaui), introduced from Asia Minor, proved gratifyingly resistent to the un- usual cold to which it was subjected. Some trees lost a considerable proportion of their foliage in the spring, giving them a vei\v open and naked appearance, but as few leaf buds were injured beyond recovery new leaves soon appeared so that by next year the trees will probably have returned to almost normal aspect. riie larches (Lar'uj came through the winter in good order except that in some cases the flower buds were destroyed. For several successive years the Japanese golden larch, Pseudolarlv amabilis, has flowered and fruited freely. This past winter all of the flower buds were destroyed by the extreme cold, so that the trees are not bearing any of their interesting cones this season. The trees, how- ever, were otherwise apparently uninjured, a fortunate circumstance as the species is one of the most beautiful and interesting of hardy (lecid lions conifers. 'I’he famous Cnjplomerid japonica , of .Japan and China, unfortunately lias so far proved unadaptable to the climatic conditions of Boston al- though it may be lon5 feet hioh had a larj^e proportion of the weaker lateral twin’s and leaves killed hut strono’er buds at and near the ends of the l)ranches survi\ ed and carried on new growth. .1.(1. .Jack EXPLANATION OF THE PLATE Eriiitinj? branch of Pseudolarix amabilis showiiifif cones produced during' a normal season. ( Photographed in the Arnold A rhoretnni. ) [60] ARNOLD ARBORETUM HARVARD UNIVERSITY BULLETIN OF POPULAR INFORMATION Series 4. Vol. II DECEMBER 1934 Number 12 INDIAN Relics of the Arnold Arboretum. With more than tliree centuries of recorded history intervenino- between the present and the indefinitely lono- period when the region that is now Boston was occupied by the Indians it is interesting and not a little surprising to find that evidences of these earlier inhabitants and examples of their work can still be found here. For at least half of this historic period it is probable that no Indians have lived here under the primitive con- ditions of the stone age, nor have any of the implements been made that we find on their old hunting and camping grounds. During much of this time, and especially since the middle of the nineteenth century, Indian relics have been collected assiduoiLsl,v,and yet adiligent searcher even in such a frequented place as the Arnold Arboretum can still find abundant traces of former Indian occupancy in the indestructible stone implements made and used b.v them in the chase and in war and in their domestic life. Beginning with a chance find several years ago I became interested in looking for Indian evidences here, and a persistent search carried on at odd times in walks through the Arboretum has resulted in the building up of an interesting little collection, a jiart of which is shown on the accompanying plate. Aside from the sentimental and romantic interest of these bits of prehistoric art, their cliief value lies in the deductions that can be made from them in regard to the life and customs of the people who made them and in locating the sites of habitations occupied ])rol)ably long before the coming of the first white colonists. And this in turn heljis us to reconstruct some jiicture of what tlie local conditions must have been in those times and of the significance of the changes that have ensued. riie variety of artifacts remaining on the site of any prehistoric settle- [«n] nuMit after the lapse of eenturies, at least in a climate like that of New haijiland, is naturally (|uite limited and includes only objects made from the most indestructible materials, such as stone, or i)erhai)s under more favorable eireumstanees, of shell, bone, or clay in the form of pottery. And it is also hio-hly probable that in a thickly settled and much fre(piented locality such as the Arboretum, most of the lar»-er and more conspicuous objects originally left on the site would have been found and carried away lon<>- a^o by earlier collectors. But even with the very limited material that can still be found on these old camp sites it is possible to learn much about the habits and culture of the Indians who oeeui)ied them, and a number of deductions can safely be made as to what the physical conditions must have been that induced them to select certain places for their eami)s or villao'cs. Most of the Indian artifacts that have been found recently in the Arboretum are of chipped stone and would popularly be called arrow heads, althou»’h probabl,v onl}' a few of the smaller ones were used for that pur))ose. Some of the lar<>’erand heavier ones may have been used for lance or spear heads and others for knives, scrapers or dio’ji’in^ tools. A few of the rouo-her pieces that show evidence of ehipi)in»’ were i)roba- bly unfinished or rejected objects. Besides the chipped implements, a few pieces have been found that were fashioned by ijeekin»’ or orind- ino; into hammer-stones, celts, scraper, and other objects, some of them of doubtful use. Stones accidentally sha])ed by natural a^’eneies, such as small round boulders or sharp chips and flakes of the harder rocks, were no doubt made use of by the Indians with little or no improvement on their orio’inal condition, and in a few eases it min’lit be difficult to say whether a particular object should be reji'arded as an Indian relic or not. But it is nearly always possible for the experienced arehaeoloo’ist to dis- tino'uish between even the rou<>'hest object of human handicraft and natural or unworked stones of similar shapes by the evidence of fine ehi])pino- c)r peekin<»’ found on the former and because of the obvious desio'ii shown in all the lines of fracture or polishino-. In seleetino' material for his work, the ancient craftsman, o-uided by experiment and experience, used as a rule only the best that was readily available for his puri)ose, but in emero-encies inferior stones or other materials were sometimes emi)loyed. For the manufacture of chii)|)ed stone implements some hard fine orained variety from which small flakes could be struck off without shatterino- the whole mass was essential, and the finest points with a keen cuttino- edoe could onl}’ be fashioned from a stone that broke with a clear conchoid fractui'c. Hard stones are abundant in the Boston area, althouo-h the material available to the Indian artisan here was not as good as that found in many other parts of the country. And all the relics found in the Arbo- retum, with one possible exception, are made from local material or from such as may be found in eastern Massachusetts. 'file material most commonly employed here in the manufacture of chipped implements, judging b.v the Arboretum collection, was por- phyritic basalt or felsite. These two crystalline rocks without the por- plyvritic structure, as well as quartz, quartzite, chert, and argillite or slate were also used for making projectile points and cutting instru- ments. Slate, mica-schist, sandstone, greenstone and granite furnished material for the pecked or abraded implements. Porphyritic rocks are those in which crystals, usually either of feldspar or quartz, large enough to be detected with the unaided eye are imbedded in a groundwork or matrix of finer or microscopic crystalline structure. The felsites are of a light color, usually pink, flesh-color or givyv ; basalt, or trap-rock as it is pojndarly known, is of a dark slate-color or black on fresh frac- ture, although often turning to a lighter color on weathered surfaces. Both of these classes of rocks are found in a number of places in the vicinity of Boston, occurring in dikes and ledges and as loose material derived from them, as well as in detached masses in glacial dej^osits. The harder and finer grained varieties, either with or without porphv- ritic structure, furnished a very satisfactory material for the fabrication of chipped implements, as is shown by the fine workmanship, sharp points, and keen cutting edges of some of those found in the Arbore- tum. In other cases the material was not of so good a quality, and as a result the fracture was hackly and the implements thicker and rougher. (Quartz is another vein or dike material found abundantly in this re- gion, both it! situ and as rubble, and also as pebbles or boulders in the glacial drift. When broken it sometimes produces a very keen cutting edge and it was highly |)rized by the Indians for this (piality. But it usually shatters too readily to have been used for anv except the smaller implements. (Quartzite, which is also common locally, was used some- times for both chipped and abraded im|)lements, but onlv the harder and finer grained varieties could be chip|)ed successfully, and most of the points made from this material are rather rough and crude. A few artifacts of chert have been found, although this material was not a- bundant nor generally of a good cpiality in this \ icinity. Slate furnished a very indifferent material for chipping, but it was sometimes used, though perhaps only in emergencies. It was one of the most easily worked materials for grinding and it was used commoidy in this way tor a variety of purposes. Of about sixt}' implements, either perfeet or broken, in the eollec*- tio!i made in tlie Arboretum, a little more than half were probably used as |)rojeetile j)oiiits, either for arrows or spears. A nund)er of the others, havin<2:a sharp ed^i’e but often a blunt or rounded point, ma}' have been used as knives. But in some eases it is impossible to distinj^uish defi- nitely between those two elasses of tools, sinee some of them eould have been used for either |)uri)ose. One of the i)ieees shown in the il- lustration (no. “2) is a small hatehet or celt. Xund)er .3 is a rather rouy:h pieee, i)lain on one side and bevelled on the other, that may ha\ e been used as a seraper in preparino- buekskin and other hides. 'I'here is at least one other seraper in the eolleetion. The larn-est ehi|)ped pieee so far found (no. Id) measures in its present broken eondition ten eenti- meters in len;. Such drill points are comijaratively rare, at least in a perfect condition, as they are frao’ile and easily broken. They are supposed to have been hafted and used for drillino’ holes by beino’ turned with a swift rotarv motion. Amono'st the arrows shown in the ])hoto»’raph , numbers 7, 10, 18, "26 and 27 were probably war points. Three of these are of the triano'u- lar unnotched type and the others have onl}’ a trace of side notches or stem. Such points easily became detached from the shaft and so could not be removed from a deep wound, which was therefore likely to })rove fatal. Number 29 is a flat ])iece of slate with rounded ends and bevelled on either edo’e followin<2: a natural cleavao’e plane which may have been o’round to a sharj) edg-e to make it serviceable as a scraper. Another interestino- piece, not shown in the illustration, is a frao'inent of coarse o'l’itty sandstone eio’ht centimeters lono; by about two centimeters in width and a little less in thickness. It is rouo-hly rounded on one side and has a shallow lono’itudinal gToove on the other. This was used in smoothino- arrow shafts, much as we would use sandpaper today. Num- ber 80 of the illustration is not Indian work, but is a relic of the white pioneers, 'fliis is a o-un Hint, used in Hint lock o-uns before the inven- tion of percussion caps. The material is horn flint from the Cretaceous chalk deposits of Eno-land, where the quariwing and manufacturing of flints both of this sort and for domestic use with steel and tinder was at one time an important industry. Two other specimens of gun flints have been recovered in the Arboretum. Most of the relics in the collection were found on the surface in the cultivated strips and beds where groups of shrubs are planted, or in the small ])lots dug up about individual trees and shrubs. This does not necessarily mean that they are most abundant in such places, but it is only when the covering of grass, weeds, and leaves has been re- moved that they can usually be seen. As the ground is turned uj) by the forks of the workmen the implements buried to a shallow depth are brought to the surface, and after a rain the earth may be washed off of them sufhcientl^v for a sliarp eye to detect them as they lie i)ar- tiall}’ concealed amongst the other bits of stone and gravel. Although only a small part of the Arboretum is cultivated in this way the spots are well distributed, giving a sort of cross section of the whole area. And this has been sufficient to show that there are certain localities in which the relics are most abundant. Interpreting this with some knowledge of the needs of barbarian life, and with a survey of the present topography and allowance for the changes that we know have been made in it in recent years, it becomes possible to locate with con- siderable certainty the homes of tliese first inhabitants of the Arbore- tum area. 'Die most pressing needs of Indian life and the considerations that influenced them most in selecting sites for camps and villages were a near-by supply of drinking water, food, and fuel. Considerations of safety, comfort, and economy of labor also induced them to seek a l)lace that was comparatively open, well drained, and as free as pos- sible from rocks and brush that would have to be cleared away. A situation with a fairly level but not too flat surface, near a perennial s|)ring or running l)rook, shaded bv large trees, and with an unob- structed view for some distance in all directions, would offer the maxi- mum of advantages. Any spot offering most of these attractions was almost certain to have been chosen as a camj:) site at some time. And if in addition it were situated on some bay, lake, or navigable stream, affording ready means of travel by canoe and an abundant food sui)ply, it was (piite likely to have been occuj^ied by a |)ermanent village. Looking over the land today and taking all of the factors into consideration, the trained eye of the archaeologist can locate such places, and he can generally pre- diet with a e()iisi(leral)le dejrree of certainty that Indian relics will be found tliereeven before lie has had an oiijiortunity to search for tliem. While scattered specimens of Indian relics liave been found in a number of places in tlie Arboretum, the ^rreat majority of them have come from a few limited areas that were evidently occupied as camp or villajre sites. Nearly half of the pieces in the collection, were picked up within the space of a few acres alonjr Bussey Brook near the center of the Arboretum. A slight rocky elevation, the upper jiart of which is still covered by a remnant of the native forest of deciduous trees, extends from the boundary formed by Centre Street towards the brook. Ledjres of Rox- bury conglomerate outcrop in many places at the hiirher elevations near the street, and farther east the formation ajrain comes to the surface, crossino’ the \ alley Road and connectinj): with Bussey Hill. A peren- nial sprini; issues from the rocks at a point near the road formiiifj a small rivulet that Hows away across the meadow to join Bussey Brook. 'I'owards the brook and in the trianjrle formed by the channels of the two streams the hill Hattens out into a comparative!}' level bench or small plateau a few acres in extent, which is now occupied by plantinjis of various conifers and the Juniper irroui). Some distance back from the main brook there is a depression that may have been a ravine or the bed of another small rivulet, and the surface rises ofradually a^rain from this lowest point towards the brook, with the confrlomerate c u re u m eleo’ans," 28 Rhododendron ‘ ‘ Furpureum o’randidorum, ’ ' 28 Rhododendron Roseinn elejrans,'’ 28 Rhododendron Smirnowii, 21 Rhododendrons, history of cul- tivated, 21 Robinia fertilis, 25, 27 Rohinia Hartwio'ii, 25 Robinia hispida, 25 Robinia Kelseyi, 25 Robinia |)seudoaeaeia, 25 Robinia viseosa, 28 Rohinia viseosa var. 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