al ) “2 ti\\ , MussouURI IBOTANICAL GARDEN |JBULLETIN VOLUME XLIV 1956 ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI PUBLISHED MONTHLY EXCEPT JULY AND AUGUST, BY THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES SUBSCRIPTION PRICE: $2.50 A YEAR MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN LIBRARY ViISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULL AY IILIN CONTENTS | The Ozarks Come Back Missouri Vegetation and an English Mathematician Book Review: Wells’ Plant Propagation Practices Tolume XLIV January, 1956 Number | Another article about the Ozarks appears in this issue. It is part of a series by various authors presenting different points of view about this interesting region so close to St. Louis — its past, its present, and its future. We are indebted to Leonard Hall not only for the article but for arranging for permission to use the line drawings from the Sf. Louis Post Dispatch and the photograph by Charles Swartz of the Con- servation Commission. Cover:—A farm pond in the Ozarks. Photograph courtesy Radio Station KETC Office of publication: 306 E. Simmons Street, Galesburg, Illinois. Editorial Office: Missouri Botanical Garden, 2315 Tower Grove St. Louis, 10, Missouri. Avenue, Published monthly except July and August by the Board of Trustees of the Missouri Botanical Garden. Subscription price: $2.50 a year. 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 toa friend or return it to the Garden. Return postage guaranteed. Missour1 Botanical Garden Bulletin Vol. XLIV JANUARY, 1956 No.1 THE OZARKS COME BACK LEONARD HALL, Possum Trot Farm LEON HORNKOHL, U. S. Forest Service 4 evens was a time, long ago, when the Missouri Ozarks was a land of abundance, as pioneer communities know abundance. Then through the years it deteriorated into a place of poverty so that John Gunther was able to designate it, with some truth, one of the “slum citadels of America.” Today it is once again a land of hope and restoration where residents look with considerable confidence to a bet- ter future. The story of how all this came about lies in the land and the people; but chiefly in the land—using this term in its ecological sense to in- clude the parent rock, soils, water, climate, plants and animals of the region. It is generally agreed among geolo- gists that the Ozarks comprise one of the oldest land areas on our continent. Originally this land was level and we know that it was inundated in very early times by a succession of inland seas, on the floors of which were laid down thick layers of dolomitic lime- stones. These were, of course, made up of the skeletal remains of the many life forms which inhabited the waters. Then countless centuries ago—perhaps as much as 500,000,000 years ago— this level plain was pushed upward by violent internal pressures. Mountains were formed which rose 5000 feet or more above the plain; and now the ample rainfall of the region began to cut great gullies and river channels. Some of the rainfall, however, soaked into the soil — discovering here the cracks in the limestone created by the faulting of the uplift. Mild acids, formed by organic matter in solution, acted slowly to dissolve the rock; and through the milleniums great under- ground reservoirs and rivers began to form. As surface streams eroding (1) 2 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN downward cut across these under- ground rivers, they emerged as springs along the valleys. There came a later period when a second uplift occurred, causing the valleys and river channels to dig still deeper into the overburden and_ the rock formations beneath the plain. Ground water found new cracks in the dolomite at still lower levels and de- veloped a second set of streams and reservoirs at this greater depth. And now the earlier channels above became great Caves, Geologists call this whole Ozark land mass a “plateau,” although it is actually a vast system of rivers and gullies or hollows divided by steep ridges. Were it not covered today by a blanket of vegetation, it would be one of the great erosion spectacles of the world; as indeed it must have been, millions of years before man appeared on the scene. There are areas in the Ozarks, as in the St. Francois Moun- tains of Iron and St. Francois counties, where ridge-tops have eroded down to granite, or even through the granite MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN ALLEY SPRINGS 4 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN to the igneous rock, fired by the in- ternal heat of the earth. Here the en- tire overburden has worn away through the centuries, so that the hills have lost several thousand feet of altitude. This erosion has taken place so slowly and over such a long period of time, how- ever, that streams which traverse the Ozark country are not muddy or silt- filled as in areas of recent erosion like the Rockies, but run swift, clear, sparkling and cool. We think of Ozark soils as poor. Yet this was not always true, for these soils are tremendously old and highly developed, in sharp contrast to the new soils found in the western mountains. These latter have not evolved the com- plexity to support more than a few species of plants and animals. Ozark soils, on the other hand, are highly complex in their virgin state. At the time the white man arrived in Missouri, they were supporting some 2000 plant species and at least 700 kinds of ani- mals, birds, fishes, reptiles and am- phibians. It is hard to conceive today that when those first white men came they found in Missouri great herds of buf- falo, deer, elk and wild turkeys. French traders, with the help of Indian hunters, secured for many years large supplies of wild meat in the grassy openings of the forest like those along St. Francois River and in Belleview Valley. Much of this meat was floated down the Mississippi to New Orleans in great dugout canoes which had a 50-foot length and 5-foot beam and were hollowed from giant cottonwood logs. One early woodsman described the land as “the best in the world for hunting, not even excepting old Ken- tucky.” And fishing in the Ozark rivers was unsurpassed on the conti- nent; the climax species being the black bass. Much of the Ozark terrain was orig- inally covered with forests of pine, oak, hickory and many other species; yet this forest was open and _ inter- spersed with grassy glades and prairies. Settlers found living here as easy as pioneer living can ever be; with the great abundance of fish and game—and plenty of forage for their horses, cat- tle, sheep and oxen. Eventually they found that hogs throve in the forest, growing fat on oak mast, hickory nuts and other nutritious foods. Thus for many years the people lived from the land, planting few crops except the kitchen garden which supplemented their livelihood from the forest. As the country became more thickly settled, owners of livestock found that their cattle fared better where the woods had been burned; for on the MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 5 JACK’S FORK Ozark streams are swift and clear, abound in bass and wall-eye. Photograph by Charles Swarts. virgin land this released nutrients in the ash to feed the native grasses and legumes. Thus annual burning of the woods “to tame the wildgrass” became a custom of the region which persists in a few places even today. As num- bers of livestock increased and pressure on the small forest openings grew greater, trees started to encroach on the glades and natural grass prairies. And burning became a matter of des- perate necessity to keep the timber from moving in. It was not until about 1880 that the Ozark people turned to logging as a primary source of livelihood. The first cutting was in the areas of big pine which was easily turned into saw lumber and found a ready sale in the towns of the region. But it wasn’t long until the cutting extended to white oak for bourbon barrels, hickory for handle stocks, oak for railroad ties and mine props—and small trees of all species for charcoal. Timber cutting in the Ozarks has always been character- ized by “high-grading,”’ cutting the best and leaving the worst until noth- ing but “worst” was left. Another honored custom was ““Grand-mawing,” which simply meant cutting trees on someone else’s land and reporting to the sawmill that the logs had been cut “out on Grand-maw’s place.” And always the livestock farmer followed the unwise and wasteful cutting with fires in the slash to make the grass grow. What he didn’t know was that fire killed out the deep-rooted and nutritious native grasses and legumes 6 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN GRANITE AND PORPHYRY ON THE ST. FRANCOIS RANGE. —and encouraged the little annuals which sprout green in May and die with the first hot weather of July. Real farming of the cut-over Ozark lands is a fairly recent innovation, the original method of cultivation having been to grow a kitchen garden and patch of corn in the creek-bottom as winter feed for hogs and cattle. No effort was made to husband the fer- tility of the soil and finally even the rich bottom fields were worn out, washed away by flash floods or so cov- ered with gravel as to become almost barren. This kind of damage became worse and worse as the naked hills caused greater run-off and worse and more frequent floods. The thin land of the upper hills was abandoned when it failed to produce and new cut-over land was grubbed off for plowing. It is estimated that more than 25 per cent of the Ozark land, much of it long since abandoned, has been cleared and cultivated at one time or another. As a result of this kind of logging and farming use—which might better be called abuse—the thin topsoil layer of 4 to 10 inches was eroded from the hills, leaving a mantle of useless white chert over much of the area. Now the rains, instead of soaking into the ground, ran off as overland flow. Stream channels once rich in aquatic life became choked with sterile gravel washed down from the hillsides. Fish- ing became almost a sport of the past and was no longer a reliable source of MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 7 EROSION PROBLEM IN THE OZARKS food. The abundant grasses and shrubs on which the game herds had flourished were now gone, replaced by a dense and fire-scarred second-growth of such inferior species as post oak, black jack oak and hickory. Elk, buffalo, bear, beaver and passenger pigeon had long since disappeared entirely—and now the deer, turkey and small game species seemed on the road to extinction. The cattle industry, the timber industry, the tillable lands, the hunting and fish- ing—all the resources on which the Ozark people depended for a liveli- hood—were playing out. In addition to these ills, the hard- packed and barren soils which had been deprived for a full century of their annual accumulation of litter were sick. No longer could they soak up rainfall, and now the life-sustaining substance of the land was leached and eroded away. Along with soil erosion, the substance which gives people the initiative and incentive to go ahead was also eroding away. With less rain soaking into the ground, ever-flowing streams and springs now ran _inter- mittently. When rain came, it ran off in great gushes, causing floods and de- struction in the lower valleys. This was the state of the Ozarks in the early 1930’s when at least a few Missourians began to be concerned about their failing resources. In those years, new laws were passed which made it possible for the Federal gov- ernment to accumulate cut-over acre- MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 9 age in Missouri, and as a result two National Forests were established These eventually embraced some 1,600,000 acres in 14 Ozark counties. At about the same time, Missouri passed the Constitutional Amendment creating her now nationally famous non-part- isan Conservation Commission, charged with the proper and scientific man- agement of all the natural resources of the state. One of the first things de- veloped by the Commission was its Forestry Division, headed and staffed by trained foresters. These agencies of the state and fed- eral governments brought new knowl- edge and concepts to bear on the problems of the forested hill country. Both were by nature opposed to fire, over-grazing, timber and watershed destruction. Both rapidly developed programs of education designed to in- form the Ozark people of the need to conserve soil, water and forest cover. Both had the personnel necessary to cooperate with any and all individuals and organizations interested in the preservation of the forest resources. With the Forest Service came the Civilian Conservation Corps to work at road-building, tree planting and many other projects. Fire observation towers were erected on the National Forests and on State lands, telephone lines constructed and fire fighting crews built to combat the ever-present danger from forest fires. There was a period of several years when the century-old custom of burn- ing the woods continued to prevail. As late as 1936, forest rangers and CCC boys fought day and night throughout the fire season of spring and autumn, and jt sometimes seemed as though no progress whatever was being made and that the problem of woods burning would never be solved. And yet today it seems plain that those of us directly concerned were simply so close to the problem that we ‘“‘couldn’t see the trees for the woods.” Year by year, the acreage burned in the fire season went down. Small trained crews today are able to suppress the far smaller number of fires. Each year the Con- servation Commission increases the amount of private land within its Fire Protection Districts and gets better cooperation from local residents, while fire is no longer a major problem on the National Forests. Now and then we'll still have a big fire of incendiary origin, set in a sort of rebellion against authority or because of a grudge be- tween neighbors, but these are in the minority. Accidental fires from spring trash burning, campfires or cigarettes 10 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN - é SS WE + Y=, L ~ Sh. still occur but seldom get far out of control. There are many reasons for the bet- ter fire record. Good livestock prices during the late 1940’s, plus “improved pasture programs” sponsored by the agricultural agencies proved to most farmers that they couldn’t afford to let valuable stock run wild in the woods, Youngsters in every rural school took home to their parents new knowl- edge of what actually happens when the woods are burned each year. On the National Forests, timber growth reached the point where rural people found employment in the harvest; cutting the logs, hauling and working in the sawmills. Public sentiment now frowned on woods burning, and farm- ers and townsmen allied to suppress fires when they started. During the first years of the new conservation program, results seemed to be coming slowly. On the poor, eroded National Forest lands there was little or no marketable timber left; while on private lands the tendency was still to cut each tree the moment it would make a railroad tie, 8-foot saw-log or even fence-post or mine- MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 11 prop. Yet in lands protected from grazing, fire and over-cutting, a change was taking place. One of the interesting jobs undertaken by the U. S. Forest Service on their lands was the harvest of such old fire-scarred trees as would make some lumber. As this was sold and removed, part of the proceeds were used for girdling the re- maining cull trees wherever there were good stands of young timber—and even chopping out of the undesirable “weed” species. This release work, known as TSI or Timber Stand Improvement, returned countless tons of organic matter to the forest floor and released plant nu- trients which had been tied up in the old cull trees for a half century or more. Added to the annual litter which was no longer burned, this brought about a rebirth of soil fauna and flora which set to work to turn the woody plant residues into humus. Young oak and pine, with room above them to reach for the sun, and nutri- ents beneath them to feed on, doubled or even tripled in growth. Today this growth has reached a point where an- nual harvest of good saw-timber from the National Forests is approaching 50 million board feet per year, with a total value of about $500,000. Mean- while the growth of timber for future harvest greatly exceeds this. The record on privately owned tim- ber lands in Missouri, unfortunately, is still not this good. Yet there are some tracts being well managed for future production and a larger acreage each year comes under the timber-farming program made possible by Missourt’s forward-looking Forest Crop Law. Under this law, forest land which is protected from fire and over-grazing and on which timber is allowed to grow for selective harvest is given certain advantages. It is given a nom- inal valuation and tax rate during the years of growth, and the owner then pays a severance tax when timber is harvested, this tax based on the yield. (To be continued) 12 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN MISSOURI VEGETATION AND AN ENGLISH MATHEMATICIAN EDGAR ANDERSON SUPPOSE it was from Sir Ronald Fisher that I acquired the odd, but effective, approach to biological prob- lems of paying particular attention to what does not happen. Sir Ronald is the distinguished statistician, biologist, and natural philosopher with whom I spent part of my fellowship year in England in 1929-30. Though I can- not remember that we ever talked about it at the time, he has written in the introduction to one of his books that mathematicians differ from biolo- gists not in the vigor of their minds but in the way they use them. Mathe- maticians, he writes, frequently op- erate by considering what does not happen, figuring out the consequences if it did, and from this round-about angle getting at the truth of the mat- ter; biologists, he says, almost never use such an approach. A typical example of this mathe- matical approach to a biological prob- lem is the question I used to assign early each term in a course for ama- teurs in the Henry Shaw School of Botany at Washington University. “As you drive about the country side,” | told them, on the red cedars, particularly in the c ‘it’s easy to keep your eye winter time. The chief question for your final exam is going to be: In what kinds of places in Missouri are there red cedars and in what kinds are there none?) Why are they where they are and why are they not where they are not?” Given just a few hints, it was possible for most of the students to piece together from their own ob- servations a pretty good beginning to an answer for this double-barreled question. A complete answer involves you in a very large problem (or net of problems) but by observation and de- duction one can get quite a way into it. One fact is pretty obvious. Red cedars are largely planted by birds. Young cedars come up in places where birds have been perching after they fed on the spicy gray-blue cedar ber- ries. One repeatedly sees little cedar trees sprouting up alongside fence lines, particularly near the posts which make the best perching places. An old slippery-elm tree with wide spreading branches may eventually shelter a whole thicket of little cedars where the birds have dropped the seeds. Pastures do not begin to be dotted with cedars until enough old weeds are left unmowed to offer places where robins and bluebirds and cedar wax- wings can alight and void some of the hard seeds from the cedars on which they fed. Another point which one can figure out for himself is that cedars cannot tolerate very much shade and that the older they get the stronger is this thirst for sunlight. They may come up in the shade of a larger tree, but unless the tree dies or is cut down they do not live to maturity. In a deserted pasture they will grow rapidly in close competition with young oaks and hickories. In the early stages of refor- estation there may even be more cedars than oaks on some hillsides but when MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 13 the broad-leaved trees grow high enough to shade the cedars, the latter pass out of the picture very quickly. Woodlands which have been so heavily pastured as to kill out most of the undergrowth and let in a lot of light may come up pretty thick with cedars but if the cattle are removed from the area the cedars die out when the shade thickens up again. With this background of observa- tion one begins to understand why cedars are so conspicuous on cliff edges and rocky hillsides. It is not that thev really prefer the soil on such sites. Transplant one to a farmhouse lawn with good soil. So long as you give it plenty of air and sunlight it will grow faster and make a larger tree than its former companions up along the cliff. No indeed, red cedars have no inherent need of the barren conditions under which they often live. It is simply that under those extremes they can take it and most other trees cannot. There they have little competition ex- cept from each other. This was a pretty good question, you see, to ask a group of interested ama- teurs. It is the kind of question which if a really good student once comes to grips with he will keep turning over in his mind for the rest of his life. The red cedar problem had a lot of angles, so many that it was quite as good a problem for the professor to think about as it was for the class. Intoler- ance of shade and the relation to birds are only two factors in the problem; there are many others, some of which still puzzle me. One in particular | should like to attack in a detailed, ex- perimental way. That is, the various kinds of reactions of the red cedar to city conditions. It is well known, in a general way, that few conifers like city smoke, but the relation of red cedars to man is a many-faceted one. Smoke is only one element. Way out in the suburbs where the cedars look green and healthy they are being af- fected in other ways. This is a prob- lem one can study every time he drives back into town from a trip in the country. Driving into the city one passes through the following zones: 1. Cedars healthy; seedlings coming up vigorously. 2. Cedars healthy; occasional seed- lings. 3. Cedars healthy; no young self- sown seedlings. 4. Cedars fairly attractive if well cared for. 5. Cedars persisting in gardens when planted but obviously af- fected by city conditions. 6. No cedars. The surprising part of the problem is how far out in the country zones 2 and 3 already extend. Of man’s various impacts upon the countryside, which one or ones is responsible for stopping the cedars from reproducing them- selves at the very edge of the city (zone 2 now falls between Ladue and Chesterfield), stopping not only the cedars but many other plants as well? Some of the plants in our flora are much less sensitive to man than the cedars, some much much more so. Every one which I have studied care- fully is affected in some way or an- other. Nothing in the entire flora is 14 MISSOURI BOTANIC quite indifferent to man. If, for in- stance, you know the Korean Lespe- deza, you can see the facts for your- self. It is an introduced plant but it reacts in much the same way as the native red cedars, though it is not so sensitive and spreads farther into the suburban area. For a botanical garden well inside the city these are more than_philo- sophical problems; they are of the utmost practicality. How are we to keep alive, in the middle of the city, AL GARDEN BULLETIN something of the country? The harder it becomes to carry out such a pro- gram, the more important it is that we should keep on trying. On the one hand, we make headway both at the practical problems of caring for such areas and the scientific problems of why these plants react as they do. On the other hand, we keep alive for those who live and work in the city something, which if it is really not a piece of the country any more, still gives that effect to the casual passer-by. MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 15 Book REvVIEW:— Plant Propagation Practices, by James S. Wells. 344 pages. The Macmillan Co. New York, 1955. Price $7.50. To plant propagators, the introduc- tion of synthetic growth hormones, polyethylene plastic, and mist-making devices, over the past few years, looks like the discovery of the century. For all their astuteness, these artisans of the scion have not advanced greatly their basic methods in controlling heat, light, and water since the introduction of the Wardian case a hundred years ago. Now, almost over night, the use of these recently introduced materials has alleviated several of the inherent shortcomings long troublesome to propagators, particularly in rooting cuttings. In the opinion of this reviewer, Plant Propagation Practices is an extraordi- nary and timely book. Mr. Wells writes from personal experience, and in most instances his conclusions are based upon carefully documented ex- periments. Particular emphasis is laid upon rooting cuttings by the new methods, although much basic material needed for a proper understanding of plant propagation in general is in- cluded. Mr. Wells discusses with consider- able verve a subject he has known since childhood, first in England under his father who was a “plantsman of the old school,’ and then in his own private nursery. Before coming to the United States, he was awarded the National Diploma of Horticulture, with honors, which is the highest award given by the Royal Horticultural So- ciety in England. Since 1946, Mr. Wells has been employed as a propa- gator in several leading nurseries in eastern United States and in the Mid- west where he has aroused considerable enthusiasm in the newer methods of plant propagation. This book, in the words of the author, is written especially for “‘the young nurseryman who has recently decided to do some of his own plant > propagation.” It is well produced with an appealing format. Nearly 100 photographs and diagrams illustrate the text, and although the photographs are of varying quality the diagrams are generally well executed and clear. In my opinion, the photographs of graft- ing techniques would have been clearer as diagrams. Mr. Wells’ book should be consid- ered more in the light of a handbook than a textbook. It is divided into five parts, thirty-two chapters and 327 pages of text. Part 1 deals with the propagating unit itself, how to set it up and the equipment needed. Part 2 is the shortest and the only theoretical part of the book but per- haps the most important in some respects. The significance of the photo- synthetic process is clearly reaffirmed, and the basic requirements for plant growth, 1.e, water, heat, and light, are rendered in sufficient detail for a clear understanding by the propagator. Part 3 concerns propagating proced- ures. Under this heading, eight chap- ters cover seeding, propagation of cuttings, aids to rooting cuttings, humidification and constant mist, grafting, layering and division, pests and diseases, and the production of the 16 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN liner for field planting. The most im- portant factors for taking cuttings, in the estimation of Mr. Wells, are tim- ing (preferably before 9 A.M. for most plants), the correct rooting medium, and the follow-up in main- taining the proper balance of heat, light, and water for rooting. The chap- ter on aids to rooting cuttings lists 125 kinds of trees and shrubs and_ the proper horn? ne treatment for each. The reader should note, especially, the efficacy in using stronger hormone concentrations, such as 2 per cent indolbutyric acid for rooting certain kinds of difficult-to-root plants. Con- siderable emphasis is laid upon wound- ing many kinds of cuttings prior to treating with hormone powder. Re- garding humidification, the use of in- termittent mist for summer-time propagation of softwood cuttings in- troduces one of the newest follow-up methods yet devised for regulating humidity and temperature under full sunlight. By this method, many kinds of plants, such as magnolia, dogwood, and Japanese maples, long propagated on a commercial scale only by graft- ing, can now be rooted almost 100 per cent during the summer from. soft- wood cuttings in full sunlight under a mist setup. The fact that hybrid French lilac cuttings taken in late spring can now be rooted successfully under intermittent mist fully justifies the use of this method for propagating “own root” lilacs. These and other examples lend to the book an extremely fresh and practical approach for the professional and amateur propagator alike. Part 4 may be the most interesting for many readers who want to get down to the business of propagating specific kinds of plants. At this point, in a series of chapters, Mr. Wells dis- cusses his results in propagating Japanese Maples, Azaleas, Boxwood, Camellias, Cypress, Dogwood, Ameri- can Holly, Junipers, Magnolias, Rhodo- dendrons, Hybrid French Lilacs, Yew, and Arborvitae. His experiments in rooting these plants by the newer methods is sometimes spectacular and most revealing for the would-be prop- agator with the view of profit in mind. Part 5 presents a useful month-by- month work schedule for propagating various kinds of plants over the entire year. Information of this sort is not of easy access. A most useful appendix lists sources for obtaining most of the materials used in the new propagation techniques by Mr. Wells, plus a number of perti- nent references to recent literature on propagation practices. The veteran and amateur home gardener alike will find it difficult to lay down the book until the last chapter is finished. F. G. Meyer THE MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BOARD OF TRUSTEES Henry HircHcock RicHarp J. Lockwoop * Henry B. PFLAGER A. WESSEL SHAPLEIGH RoBERT BROOKINGS SMITH JoHN S. LEHMANN, President Danievt K. Carin, Vice-President EuGENE Petrus, Second Vice-President LEICESTER B. FAustT DupLeY FRENCH EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS James F. Morre—tt, President of the Board ct Education of St. Louis ErHan A. H. SHEPLEY, Chancellor of Washington University ARTHUR C. LICHTENBERGER, Bishop of the Diocese of Missouri ae ; STRATFORD LEE Morton, RayMOoND R. TUCKER, ; President of the Academy of Science Mayor of the City of St. Louis of St. Louis ? THE HORTICULTURAL COUNCIL Bill Bauer, Clarence Barbre, Clifford W. Benson, E. G. Cherbonnier, Robert E. Goetz, Paul Hale, Mrs. W. Warren Kirkbride, Mrs. Hazel Knapp, Emmet Layton, John E. Nies, Gilbert Pennewill, Harold E. Wolfe, John S. Lehmann, Edgar Anderson, W. F. Scott, Jr., Chairman. George T. Moore ~ Edgar Anderson Henry N. Andrews... —-.- August P. Beilmann __ LouissG. Brenner Ladislaus Cutak —_ Hugh C. Cutler Carroll W. Dodge John D. Dwyer ...-- Robert J. Gillespie - Nell C. Horner _- Lawrence Kaplan Ida M. Kohl Paul A. Kohl Edna Mepham Frederick G. Meyer George H. Pring. Betty O’Brien Putney ~ a Kenneth A. Smith Julian A. Steyermark —_ . Alice F. Tryon —--.--------- Rolla M. Tryon, Jr. —.------------- 7 enter B. Van Schaack 22542 Robert E. Woodson, Jr... STAFF __ Emeritus Director - - : __......----. Director ee es ee __..... Paleobotanist _......Manager of the Arboretum, Gray Summit _... Arborist _.. Associate Director and Curator of the Museum ee! _ Mycologist Research Associate ite os ey Ie charge of Orchids _....... Librarian and Editor Associate Curator of Museum __.._ Assistant Librarian Floriculturist _._ Assistant Librarian Dendrologist ae Superintendent __ Assistant to the Director : ee ~weesesens. Engineer _.....Honorary Research Associate perce Research Associate ___ Assistant Curator of Herbarium Acting Curator of Herbarium Senior Taxonomist SOME FACTS ABOUT SHAW’S GARDEN The Missouri Botanical Garden (the official name chosen by Mr. Shaw) carries on the garden established by Henry Shaw over a century ago at Tower Grove, his country home. It is a private institution and has no support from city or state, The old stone walls and cast-iron fences, the Linnaean House, the Museum, the Mausoleum, and the Tower Grove mansion all date from Mr. Shaw’s time. Since his death, as directed in his will, the Garden has been in the hands of a Board of Trustees who appoint the Director. The Garden is open every day in the year (except New Year’s and Christmas) from nine A. M. until seven P. M. (April to November) and until six (November to April) though the greenhouses close at five. Towrr Grove, itself, Mr. Shaw’s old country home, is epen from one until four. The Garden is nearly a mile long and has several entrances. The Main Entrance, the one used by the general public, is at Tower Grove and Flora Place on the Sarah bus line (No. 42). The Park Southampton buses (No. 80), direct from downtown, pass within three blocks of this entrance and stop directly across the street from the Administration Building at 2315 Tower Grove Avenue. The latter is the best entrance for students, visiting scientists, etc. It is open to such visitors after 8:30 a.m., but is closed on Sat- urdays, Sundays, and holidays. There is a service entrance on Alfred Avenue, one block south of Shaw Avenue. Since Mr. Shaw’s time an Arboretum has been developed at Gray Summit, Mo., adjacent to State Highways 50 and 66. It is open every day in the year and has two miles of auto roads as well as foot trails through the wild-flower reservation. There is a pinetum and an extensive display of daffodils and other narcissi from March to early May. AISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETI CONTENTS Botanical Gardens in Ancient Mexico Growing an Orchid Plant Balkan Holly (/lex aquifolium var. angustifolium ) lume XLI'V February, 1956 Number 2 Cover: The “Hand-flower Tree” (Macpalxochiquahuitl) of the Aztecs, The finger, or claw-like structures are stamens equipped with hooked appendages. Cheirostemon platanvides (Cheiranthodendron larreategui), from Flore des Serres et des Jardins de ’Europe. Vol. 7, opp. p. 7. 1851-1852. Office of publication: 366 E. Simmons Street, Galesburg, Illinois. 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. 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 toa friend or return it to the Garden. Return postage guaranteed. Missouri Botanical Garden Bulletin Vol. XLIV FEBRUARY, 1956 No. bo BOTANICAL GARDENS IN ANCIENT MEXICO* IDA K. LANGMAN Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia 65 HE first step in the process of making science’, says Singer, in his History of Biology “is the systematic collection of facts, In biology, this is especially aided by botanical and zoological gardens. The habit of forming them is of great an- tiquity. We hear of them from Pliny.” Others go back even farther and give the right of priority to Aris- totle, as the founder of a_ botanical garden in about 350 B.C. But it is the year 1543 which is generally accepted as marking the establishment of the first modern botanical garden. The place was Pisa, Italy, and the credit goes to Grand Duke Cosmo de Medici I. Also, in the 16th century, accord- ing to Singer, early attempts were made to acclimatize exotic plants. It is, therefore, of considerable in- terest to learn that, before Columbus discovered America, there already existed in Mexico gardens that might, in many respects, be considered botan- ical gardens. For example, the fa- mous gardens of Netzahualcdéyotl, king of Texcoco (of whom more *Prepared, on invitation, for the Inter- national Botanical Congress held in’ Paris, France, July 2-14, 1954. later), were already in existence by the middle of the 15th century. And, according to Fernando de Alva Ixtli- xochitl, a direct descendant of the Texcocan rulers, several of the gar- dens had belonged to Netzahual- coyotl’s father and grandfather before him. Clavigero, in his Sforia Antica del Messico, goes back to the era before the Aztecs, to show that their pre- decessors, the Chichimecas, had gar- dens before the Aztecs arrived, and that for a long time they used no hu- man sacrifices, but offered in their temples only herbs, flowers, fruits and copal for incense. Paso y Troncoso traces gardens back even farther, to the Toltecs, and cites tradition in Michoacan to the effect that the monarchs of Tzintzuntzan, the empire of another group of Indians, the Tarascans, maintained gardens in the hills near Patzcuaro where they, too, grew all the medicinal plants known to their people. As in the European gardens, med- icinal plants were a conspicuous element in the early Mexican gardens. Although, according to the noted Mexican naturalist, Dr. Manuel Mald- (17) 18 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN From Solis y Rivadeynera, Historia (1684). are supposed to represent the following: A. Texcoco — northeast la Conquista de México, pp. 460-461. [Typical of illustrations based more on fancy than on fact. The letters of Mexico City B. The principal avenue into the city D. Ixtapalapa E. Mexico City F. Aqueduct southeast of Mexico City G. Covoacen, south of Mexico city K. Xochimilco L. Other avenues Any attempt to correlate the places listed in the illustrations with their localities can only result in complete frustration. onado Koerdell, the Mexicans may not have equalled their European con- temporaries in general knowledge, they were far advanced in their understand- ing of the curative properties of vari- ous plants. Dr. Emma Walcott Emmart, editor of the 1940 edition of the so-called Badianus Manuscript, concurs in that view. “Few countries in the world’’, she says, “can boast of such an extensive knowledge of native herb remedies as existed among the Nahuatl speaking people.” In the development of this knowledge it would seem quite likely that the royal gardens of the Mexicans played a very important role. EARLIEST REPORTS On what do we base our knowledge of these gardens? The earliest reports come from the letters that Hernan Cortes himself sent to the King of Spain. These “Cartas de Relacién”, as they are called, cover the period from July 10, 1519, to September 3, 1526, and have been translated into many languages and printed in many edi- tions. There were five letters al- together, and in the second of these, where Cortes described his march from Veracruz to Mexico City, we find our first reference to a Mexican garden, MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 19 This was a garden located at Ixtap- alapa on the outskirts of Mexico City, in the palace of Cuitlahuatzin, brother of Moctezuma, the Aztec emperor. Here, in the last of the gardens to be built, Cortes spent the night just before his triumphal entry into the capital city of the Aztecs, and he describes what he saw as_ follows: “There are very refreshing gar- dens with many trees and sweet scent- . . He (Cuitlahuatzin), has also a large orchard near the house, ed flowers overlooking a high terrace, with many beautiful corridors and rooms toward the wall of the garden are hedges of lattice work made of cane, behind which are all sorts of planta- tions of trees and aromatic herbs.” From the botanical point of view, this description certainly leaves much to be desired and many have wished, with Prescott, that some one _ like Fernandez de Oviedo had accompani- ed Cortes on his Mexican adventure, for then we might have had more meaningful descriptions of the plants found in these early Mexican gardens. The gardens at Ixtapalapa made a strong impression, too, on another of the conquistadores, Bernal Diaz del Castillo, who waited almost fifty years to write his True History of the Con- quest of Mexico. Although there are some who criticise his writings as crude and boastful, most readers view the efforts of this soldier-author, rely- ing on his memories, as an extraordin- arily fresh and vivid account of the events of those bygone days. Of the gardens at Ixtapalapa he says, “The garden and orchard are most admir- able. I saw and walked about in them and could not satiate myself suffi- ciently looking at the many kinds of trees and enjoying the perfumes of each. There were walks bordered with the roses of this country, and flowers and many fruit trees and ” flowering shrubs MOCTEZUMA’S GARDENS If such glowing terms as_ these could be used to describe the gardens of Moctezuma’s brother, imagine how splendid must have been the gardens of Moctezuma himself! For a_ general description of the Mexican royal gar- dens we turn first to the Franciscan monk, Toribio de Benavente, or Moto- linia, as he preferred to be known. He was one of the group of missionaries who came to Mexico shortly after the Conquest, and in 1541 he wrote his Historia de los Indios de la Nueva Espana, In it we find the following: “The greater part of the city was sur- rounded by fresh water and contained many cool groves of cedars, cypresses, willows and flowering trees. The Indian lords do not try to raise fruit trees because fruit is brought to them by their vassals, but rather forest trees from which they can pluck flowers.” Farther on, the King is quoted as hav- ing said, “The raising of plants for food is not the concern of rulers but that of slaves or merchants.” This idea is repeated by Antonio Solis in his Historia de la Conquista de Mexico, In describing the gardens of Moctezuma in Tenochtitlan (Mexico City), he says: “In all their houses they had large gardens carefully cultivated. All around were flowers of rare diversity and fragrance, and medicinal herbs which were used in flower beds and 20 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN Part of remaining row of ahahuetes at the “Bosque del ¢ g ] Nuttall, The 1925). Nezahualcoyotl about 1450. From (Ann. Rept. Smithson. Inst. 1923, pl. bowers. These were given much care, and arrangements were made to have brought to the garden all the kinds of plants that this benign land produces. Here the physicians learned the names of the plants and an understanding of their virtues. They had herbs for all ills and ailments, and from the juices they prepared their remedies.” Then Solis repeats the point made by Motolinia: “But they did not like fruit trees nor edible plants in their places of recreation. In days gone by they used to say that orchards belonged to ordinary people, and it seemed more appropriate among the princes that their pleasures should not be marred by ideas of utility.” Bernal Diaz in describing the palace of Moctezuma, does not forget the gardens: “We must not forget the gardens of flowers and sweet scented trees, and the many kinds Ie al 4% planted by Mexico ntador”’, Gardens of Ancient that there were of them, and the arrangement of them and the walks, and the ponds and tanks of at one end and flowed out of fresh water where the water entered the other; and the baths which he had there, and the variety of small birds that nested in the branches, and medicinal and useful herbs that were in the gardens. It was a wonder to see, and to take care of it there were many gardeners.” Francisco Cervantes de Salazar, an- other friend of Cortes and official chronicler of the city of Mexico, wrote his Cronica de Nueva Espana in 1560-1567. (This work, once thought lost was rediscovered by Zelia Nuttall in 1911, in Madrid.) In it speci fic we find references to Moctezuma’s various gardens: one in the center of the capital city, Tenochtitlan; another to the west of the city, on the slope: of Grasshopper Hill, or Chapultepec (to use its Aztec name); a third, at a site called El Penon, in the midst of the lake of Mexico, noted for its hot thermal baths; and a springs and MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 21 fourth, in Atlixco, used as a hunting preserve. An interesting map, attrib- uted to Cortes, and first published in Nurnberg in 1524, in the Latin trans- lation of Cortes’ second and third let- ters by Pedro de Savorgnani, shows the house and gardens of Moctezuma out- side the city, and the new palace with- in the city, also with an adjoining gar- den. According to Cervantes, “This great monarch had many pleasances and spacious gardens with paths and chan- nels for irrigation. These gardens con- tained only medicinal and aromatic herbs, flowers, native roses and trees with fragrant blossoms, of which there are many kinds.”’ In another of his works, México en 1554, Cervantes says, “On the top of the hill Mont- ezuma had cultivated trees as if it were a garden, and on its steep sides were terraces with other groves of trees and hanging gardens.” Fle, tvo, reports that Moctezuma had ordered his physicians to experiment with che medicinal herbs and to employ those best known and tried, as remedies in healing the ills of the lords of his court. Of special interest is Cervantes’ description of the period when Cortes He tells how the Aztec emperor was occasion- held Moctezuma_ prisoner. ally given permission to visit one of his gardens for rest and solace. At such time he generally chose the beautiful gardens in near-by Chapultepec, many of whose magnificent ahuehuete trees (Taxodium mucronatum) are still in existence. One can imagine the cap- tive Moctezuma walking disconsol- ately beneath these green giants, while his thoughts turned, perhaps, to those days when he was all-powerful and he had only to wish for something and his wish was granted. Perhaps he re- called the time when he heard of a king named Malinal, who lived south of Tenochtitlan, near Oaxaca, at a place called Tlaxiaco. Among the treasured possessions of this king, it was reported, there was a_ beautiful tree called in Nahuatl “‘tlapalixquix- ochitl’”’, or “tree of many red flowers”. (This is, according to Dr. Faustino Miranda, perhaps a variety of the tree known today as “huanita”, Bourreria huanita.) Moctezuma sent a demand to Malinal for this tree but surprisingly Malinal refused the request. Upon which Moctezuma promptly sent an armed force to Oaxaca. His men vanquished the troops of Malinal and returned to Mexico with the tree, and presumably with many captives be- sides. THE GARDENS AT HUAXTEPEC Moctezuma’s finest gardens, which he had inherited from his predecessor, Moctezuma the Elder, were located at some distance from the capital, in Huaxtepec. The story of their found- ing is in Diego Duran’s Historia de los Indios de Nueva Espana and in Her- nando Alvarado Tezozomoc’s Cronica Mexicana. Both tell how the elder Moctezuma, when reminded that, in the past, his ancestors had once in- habited that delightful area around Huaxtepec, decided to establish a gar- den there. First he sent to Cuetlax- tlan* along the coast for various plants. * According to Henry Bruman, this locality is known today as Coataxtla. mm hm Among those which arrived were “yoloxéchitl” (Talauma mexicana, the Mexican magnolia), ‘‘cacaloxtchitl” (Plumeria, known as frangi-pani in many tropical areas today), and “hua- caxochitl” (one of the Araceae). All these three plants were reserved for the Others were “cacahuaxochitl” (Quararibea), exclusive use of the rulers. “tlilxochitl” (vanilla), “ixquixdchitl” (the aforementioned Bourreria), “mecaxochitl” (Piper), and many others. The plants were sent carefully prepared, the roots covered with soil and wrapped, and the Indian garden- ers who accompanied the plants took such good care of them, and the land was so fertile and well watered that in less than three years all the plants had flowered and not one had been lost. All this caused much wonder among the gardeners for, it seemed, the plants grew better at Huaxtepec than they had in their native habitat. Another description of Oaxtepec, as it is sometimes spelled, is found in a group of reports written toward the close of the 16th century. These reports are called “Relaciones” and contain answers to a series of questions, covering every aspect of the land and its resources, as well as the life of the people and their culture. As an example, the Relacién for Oaxtepec (also written Guastepeque) which was prepared in 1580, states, among other things, that although the inhabitants did not pay tribute to “Motenzuma’”, they did accompany him on expedi- tions to Chiapas and Veracruz, and when they returned they brought with them various trees, among them cacao and “batey’. The latter was the tree MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN from which they extracted rubber (Castilla elastica?), says the report. And, it continues, ““Motenzuma order- ed them to be planted in this village, in a woods near by in a ravine, which spot was to serve later for his recrea- tion.” Huaxtepec, too, came in for its share of extravagant praise from Diaz del Castillo. “It is the finest that I have seen in all my life’, he says and quotes Captain Sandoval (who, on an expedition to the “tierra caliente”, was the first to see Huaxtepec), as calling it the most beautiful garden he had seen in New Spain. He then cites Cortes as stating that “he had never seen a finer garden in Castille.” Cortes corroborates this by writing in his third letter that the garden is the “best, most beautiful and refreshing that I have ever seen. A very pretty rivulet with high banks runs through it from one end to another. In it are an infinite number of trees with varied fruits, many herbs and fragrant flowers.” Still another report on Huaxtepec comes from Dr. Francisco Hernandez, who was in Mexico on a mission from the King of Spain at about the time Diaz del Castillo was writing his memoirs, Commissioned by Philip H to prepare a report on New Spain which would cover the natural re- sources of the area and its political history, Hernandez arrived in Mexico in 1570. He spent the next five years traveling over a very considerable part of México and, of course, visited all the important gardens then in exist- ence. In Ixtapalapa, for example, he noted much of interest, particularly MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 23 From E. Stahl, Mexicanische Nadelbolzer (in Vegetationsbilder, edited by G. Karsten and H. Schenck, 2 Rethe, Heft 3, tafel 15). Taxodinm mucronatum Yenore, the “ahuehuete’” of the Aztecs, in Chapultepec, Mexico. Spanish moss hangs from a large “tlatzcan”, or cypress tree. (This is identified by Dr. Miranda as probably Cupressus Lindleyi.) Huaxtepec, of course, provided Her- nandez with much important in- formation for his studies of Mexican plants. Unfortunately, his work was not printed until almost a hundred years later and then in a much modifi- ed version. A copy of this version, in manuscript, fell into the hands of a Dominican priest, Francisco Ximénez, who lived at Huaxtepec, in the Hos- che branches. pital de los Hipolitos, founded there shortly after the Conquest. Ximénez added to the manuscript from his own knowledge of the plants of the country and, in 1615, published his highly interesting “Quatro Libros de la Naturaleza.” In it we find men- tion of many plants of medicinal value, among them “balsamo de las Indias”, or “‘hoitziléxitl” (Myroxylon — bal- samum var. Pereirac) and Cheirantho- dendron, the hand flower tree, ‘mac- palxochiquahuitl”. According to Cla- 24 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN vigero, in 1780, medicinal plants were still being cultivated in the gardens at Huaxtepee and were being used in the hospital. Hernandez was deeply impressed, too, by the part that flowers played in the court ritual. He says that among the Aztecs it was a sign of respect to bring flowers when calling on some one, particularly if that some- one were the King. ‘Torquemada illustrates this with the story of a group of Indian chieftains who arrived at Tenochtitlan one day, and asked for an audience with Moctezuma. This was granted for the next day, but at sunset it was discovered that there were no flowers available, worthy of presenting to the king. Immediately they hunted up a youth famed for his speed as a runner, and dispatched him to Cuernavaca about 50 miles away. This town, which in the 15th century paid a daily tribute of flowers to the King of Texcoco, is still one of Mex- ico’s garden cities, famous for its year- round flowers. The runner reached Cuernavaca at midnight, picked up the flowers and the next morning was back in Mexico City with the desired offering. Having mentioned Cuernavaca, it is interesting to note that reports of the gardens near Quauhnahuac (Cuern- avaca) are included in the work of Diaz del Castillo. (Later accounts of a famous garden in Cuernavaca in the 16th century, which belonged to some one by the name of Diaz, suggest that perhaps in helping to “liberate” the Mexicans from Moctezuma, Diaz liberated these gardens for himself. ) ve Torquemada, too, described the gar- dens at Huaxtepec. “The garden measured two leagues in cir- cumference. In the middle of it ran a river, its banks shaded by many groves of trees. Here and there were resting places with gardens of many different kinds of flowers and fruits. There were buildings, seed beds, fountains and, scattered among the rocky cliffs which were decorated with carvings, were arbors, chapels, look-outs and stairways cut into the very rock.” As mentioned earlier, the descrip- tions we have of the early Mexican gardens are often so superficial and inadequate that it is difficult to make up even a partial list of the plants that flourished in them. One such list, for Huaxtepec, was prepared in the 1920s by Zelia Nuttall, the American an- thropologist. It included Persea or “aguacate’, the avocado; Crataegus or “‘tejocote’, the hawthorn; Prunus capulin, the Mexican cherry; various members of the Sapotaceae Mocte- zuma speciosissima, of the Bombaca- ceae; Ceiba or “‘pochote’’, the silk cot- ton tree; Poinsettia; Cleome; Acacia; Yucca; Tigridia or “oceloxdchitl”; Tagetes or “cempalxdchitl”, the mari- gold; Zinnia; Hibiscus; Psidium_ or “xalxocotl”, the guava; Spondias; as well as many species of ferns, palms, orchids and cacti. One is tempted to accept Mrs. Nuttall’s list with some assurance since it contains plants that continue to be used in Mexico today as ornamentals and medicinal plants. THE GARDENS OF NETZAHUALCOYOTL Almost as famous as the gardens of Moctezuma and his brother were those of the King of Texcoco, Netzahual- coyotl, and for the first reference to these, we return to Motolinia. MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN “Especially notable”, he says, “was the house of the principal lord; both the old house with its garden surrounded by over a thousand large and beautiful cedars, most of which are still stand- ing, although the house has been razed; and the other house, in which a whole army could be lodged, with many gardens and a very large pool which was entered in boats through an underground passage.” Motolinia’s work was used frequently by other writers on the history of Mexico, among them Francisco Lopez de Go- mara, chaplain to Cortes after his return to Spain, and his official his- torian, who wrote the His/oria General de las Indias in 1552. Most of his in- formation came, of course, from Cortes but the material on gardens seems to have been copied from Motolinia, and this, in turn, formed the basis of later references by the “‘cronista mayor de su magestad,”’ Antonio Herrera y Tor- desilla, who published his Historia General de los Hechos de los Castel- lanos in 1601. Two works by descendants of the Aztec rulers supply us with additional details of the gardens of Netzahual- céytol One called Relacion de Texcoco was written in 1583 by his grandson, Juan Bautista Pomar, and contains the following description of one of the gardens: “There is no principal and abundant source of water in this city ... It was necessary to unite into one the many springs at their sources, . . . channeling them into canals. This was done by Netzahualcoyotl and Netz- ahualpitzintzli, not so much to provide drink- ing water... as to provide water to irrigate the orchards and gardens . . . Not only did they raise the flowers that grow naturally in this area, but they also had others from the more temperate regions and the tropics, all of which they cared for with much effort.” tN w According to Dr. Maldonado, the exact location of this garden is not known, except that it was about 12 leagues (30 miles) from Texcoco. The second work is the important Historia Chichimeca of Fernando de Alva Ixtlilxochitl, written early in the 1600's. wonders of the gardens: elaborate Here we read of the many buildings, irrigation canals, reservoirs, baths, stairways, terraces; of how aqueducts brought water to fountains from which a spray fell like gentle rain over the plants in the garden; of how the job of caring for the exten- sive gardens was assigned to different tribes as their tribute to the sovereign, each charged with definite duties in certain parts of the gardens. Perhaps, as Susan Hale says, Ixtlilxdchitl “cast over his picture of the Golden Age of Texcoco a glow which is hardly justi- fied by the cold light of modern research’’, and perhaps his story is now “regarded as unreliable in many parti- culars’”. On the other hand, other authors talk of Netzahualcoyotl, the poet king, as a wise, enlightened and cultured sovereign who, during his long reign (1403-1474), made of Texcoco the ‘Athens of America.” Ixtlilxéchitl lists eight gardens that belonged to Netzahualcoyotl and sin- gles out one at Tzinanostic (also writ- ten Tzinacostoc and Tzinaconoztoc) as his grandfather’s favorite. Mend- izabal cites still another at Chichuhn- oyacan, which was supposed to have been the favorite of Netzahualcdyotl’s father. The most famous of the gar- dens in the kingdom of Texcoco was, however, without a doubt the one at Tetzcotzingo, on the slopes and sum- Bald Cypress (Ahuehuete) at Santa Maria del Tule, 97 UNV LOE IYDOSSIN DTV. TL lf Nuidyy 1 NILAT I: MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN mit of a hill near a spot now known as the Molino de las Flores. According to Fray Agustin Davila Padilla, as quoted by Mendizabal, ‘‘The entire hill was planted with beautiful groves of trees and lovely orchards, with many jasmin plants and other scented flowers.” One may wonder, in pass- ing, why the Royal Gardens in Mex- ico were so often placed on the sum- mits and slopes of hills. Perhaps it was because they were connected in some way with religious ceremonies. The kings were also priests, it must not be forgotten, and hill tops made ideal sites for astronomical observa- tions and for conducting impressive rituals. AFTER THE CONQUEST What has happened to all these gar- dens in the years since the Conquest? We have the answer in the reports of travellers who continue to visit México and describe the things they saw. One of the earliest to visit México after the War of Independence was W. Bul- lock who, after a trip to Mexico, in 1823, wrote his Six Months Residence and Travels in Mexico. In this he described the aqueduct at Tetzcot- zingo and the old cypresses in the old palace of Netzahualcdyotl, as well as many aspects of the plant life that attracted him in his travels. In 1853, Brantz Mayer, of the U.S. diplomatic corps in México, wrote a scholarly detailed historical study of Mexico. In volume 2 of this work, he describes at great length the resources of México, and the things that interest visitors to that country. ho N Among the latter, he cites particularly the ruins near the summit of Tetz- cotzingo, 3 miles west of Texcoco, and the aqueduct that brought water to the gardens of Netzahualcoyotl. He describes also the Bosque del Contador, northwest of Texcoco as: “An ancient grove of double rows of giyan- tic cypresses, 500 in number, arranged in a square correspending to the points of the compass and enclcsing an area of nearly 10 acres. At the northwest point of this quad- rangle, another double row of lordly cypresses runs westward toward a dyke north of which there is a deeply oblong tark, neatly walled and filled with water. From the soft spcengy character cf the soil in the center of the great quadrangular grove, it is supposed that the vact area was once occupied by a lake. Alon the raised banks and beneath the shadow of the double line cf majestic trees were the walks and arbors in which Netzahualcéyotl and his courtiers amused themselves.’ In 1861, Edward Burnett Tylor in his Anabuac, described the gardens at > Tetzcotzingo as follows: “The hill itself was overgrown with brushwood, aloes (agave, probably), prickly pear, but numerous roads and flights of steps cut in the rock were distinguish- § able.” He, too, mentions going to the Bosque del Contador, near Texcoco, where there was a “grand square look- ing toward the cardinal points and composed of ahuehuetes, grand old deciduous cypresses, many of them 40 feet round and older than the dis- covery of America.”” One finds simi- lar references in Susan Hale’s Mexico. “A magnificent grove of lofty ahuehuetes at some distance from the central part of the grounds surrounds a large quadrangle now dry, which was probably an artificial lake in the time of the great king.” At Texcoco “are left remains of terraced walls, and stairways wind around the hill from the bottom to the top. The country 28 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN all about is full of artificial embank- ments, reservoirs, and aqueducts for leading water and developing the at- tractions of the place.” Miss Hale wrote also of her visit to Chapultepec: “There is now standing an ancient cypress or ahuehuete, huge among the other great trees of the grove, which goes by the name of Montezuma’s cypress. Its gnarled trunk must mea- sure more than 100 feet across and its branches themselves are as big as trees.” In October, 1941, Cora Oneal, writ- ing in the Bulletin of the Pan Ameri- can Union, gives her impressions of the gardens at Texcotzingo; “The gardens of this royal retreat were planted in terraces, and even now, after centuries of decay, some of the steps leading to them remain in good condition. Extremely well preserved nearby is a large bathing pool with a_ stone seat and small fountain, all carved from native porphyry.” It is interest- ing to note Mrs. Oneal’s use of the term “large”. An earlier writer describing the same bath wrote: “It might have been his foot bath, if you will, but it would have been an impos- sibility for any monarch, of larger dimensions than Oberon, to take a duck in it.” As for Huaxtepec, we have the description written in 1930 by Enrique Juan Palacios, when he visited the area to study the archaeological remains found there. Of all the exciting list of plants brought there at the orders of Moctezuma, there remains not one. Only the imposing grove of ahuehuetes has survived. Approaching this “bosque’’, says Pala- cios, “the terrain becomes rough and broken, covered with vegetation. Heavy matted thickets alternate with clumps of trees, mangroves (?), wil- lows and figs innumerable springs, clear “ojos de agua’’ bubble continuously at the foot of the majes- tic cypresses. In spots they gush forth, it seems, from the very roots of the bananas and other trees that flourish on the site’. He recalls the words cited by Duran, “I hear that it is fertile and plentiful land, with abun- dant water and springs. Especially famous are the springs in Hauxtepec where, for your relaxation and recrea- tion and for your descendants, it would be delightful to have a large basin or reservoir where all this water could be gathered as high as it could rise, to irrigate all the land that it could reach”. Palacios comments also on the enormous fig trees that he sees, and speculates that these could well have been the source of the paper which the inhabitants of nearby Tepoztlan prepared from the bark of these trees and sent as tribute to the Aztec capital. How shall we evaluate these gar- dens today? How much reliance can we place on the various descriptions and reports of these gardens that have come down to us? To answer the last guestion first, perhaps we might select the following kinds of reports as the most dependable and _ trustworthy: first, the accounts of the conquista- dores, themselves, Cortes, Diaz del Castillo; then the accounts of the monks who followed so closely on the heels of the soldiers; then the accounts written by the descendants of the Aztecs living in Mexico at the time of MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 29 the Conquest; and, finally, the descriptions of various parts of Mexico, called Relaciones, which were men- tioned earlier in this article. On the other hand, many references to the gardens of the ancient Mexicans are second-hand accounts; often based, it is true, on original reports, but so embroidered and decorated with imag- inary details that they must be dis- counted when we try to evaluate the true value of the gardens which the Spaniards found in the land of the Aztecs. Such would be, for example, the Historia de la Conquista de Mex- ico, by Antonio Solis y Rivadeynera. Solis was never in Mexico, had not had any dealings with the Indians, did not know the American scene. What he knew of Mexico he learned from reading. Yet his writing was of such a high literary quality that he had an enormous following and his work went through many editions. The same might be said of Prescott, who made masterly use of all kinds of docu- ments, published and unpublished, to produce a work, that sets a high level of scholarship but reveals, in spots, the author’s lack of direct contact with the country of which he was writing. Finally, can we consider that these early Mexican gardens were truly botanic gardens; C. Stuart Gager, in Bailey’s Standard Cyclopedia of Horti- culture, defined a botanical garden as follows: “A collection of growing plants, both native and exotic, the pri- mary purpose of which is the advance- ment and. diffusion of botanical knowledge, as distinguished from agriculture and horticulture.’ Is this not faintly reminiscent of the tradi- tion against raising purely food plants in the royal Mexican gardens? Gager points out, too, that although botan- ical gardens are used today in many ways — for the identification and classification of plants, for the inves- tigation of plant morphology and physiology, for teaching, and for general plant research, they were developed originally out of an interest in plants that could be used medicin- ally. Modern botanical gardens, he recalls, were derived directly from the private gardens of the herbalists who were primarily interested in medicinal plants; and these gardens were, in their turn, outgrowths of the herb gardens in the monasteries of the Middle Ages. Certainly the early Mexican gardens meet a number of the criteria set up in the Gager definition. They were collec- tions of plants, both native and exotic. Their major purposes were the cultiva- tion of medicinal and ornamental plants. Furthermore, it might be pointed out that a study of botanical knowledge among the Aztecs, like the one carried out by Paso y Troncoso, indicates that these early Mexicans had even evolved a kind of system of plant classification that is not too far remov- ed from the taxonomy of their Europe- an contemporaries. It does not there- fore seem at all far-fetched to consider that the places where these plants were being grown and studied could have been what we might call today botan- ical gardens, or, perhaps _ better, arboreta, since the emphasis was on woody plants. Today, we must hunt for the fragmentary remains of these once magnificent establishments. What a pity that no attempt was made to 30 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN preserve these gardens for posterity! of the priceless picture-manuscripts, As one views some of the results of the the neglect of the botanical gardens, conquest of the Aztecs by the Span- one is forced to wonder where to draw iards — the destruction of the superb the line between the civilized nation monuments and temples, the burning and the barbarian. DGSGPSORADPSveP AOS NSD Sign Cortes, Hernan Cartas y Relaciones de Herndn Cortes al Emperador Carlos V. Paris 1886; many editions. Translated into English by Francis Augustus MacNutt. New York 1908. (Written during the period 1519-1526.) Diaz del Castillo, Bernal Historia Verdadera de la Conquista de la Nueva Espana. Madrid, 1632; and numerous editions. (Written in 1568.) Jenavente, Toribio de (Motolinia ) Historia de los Indios de la Nueva Espana. Barcelona, 1914; Mexico, 1941, (Written in 1541.) Lopez de Gomara, Francisco Historia General de las Indias. Saragosa, 1552-1553. Also in Biblioteca de Autores Espanoles, Madrid, 1858. Vol. 22, Part I. Cruz, Martin de la The Badianus Manuscript — An Aztec Herbal. Baltimore, 1940. Edited by Emma Walcott Emmart. (Written in 1552; translated by Juan Badianus into Latin from the original Aztec.) Cervantes de Salazar, Francisco México en 15354 — Tres Didlogos Latinos. Mexico, 1875; with notes on plants by Joaquin Garcia Icazbalceta. Crenica de Nueva Espana. Madrid, 1914. (Written between 1560 and 1567.) Hernandez, Francisco Nova Plantarum Animalinm ct Mineralium = Mexicanorum Historia. (Rerum Medicarum Nova et Hispaniae Thesaurus). Roma, 1651; Madrid, 1790. (Written 1570-1575.) Duran, Diego Historia de los Indios de Nueva Expata. Mexico, 1867. (Written 1579-1581.) Gutierrez de Lievana, Juan Oaxtepec — Descripcion de Guastepeque. In Huaxtepec y sus Reliquias. Mexico, 1930; edited by Enrique Juan Palacios. Contribucion al XIV Congreso de Americanistes. (Lievana work written in 1580.) Pomar, Juan Bautista Relacion de Texcoco. Mexico, 1941. (Written in 1582.) Sahagun, Bernardino Historia General de las Cosas de Nueva Espana. Mexico, 1829-1830; Mexico, 1938. (Written in 1538-1569.) Acosta, José de Historia Natural y Meral de las Indias, Sevilla, 1590; numercus editions. Alvarado Tezozomoc, Hernando Cronica Mexicana. Mexico, 1878. (Written around 1598.) Alva Ixtlilxéchitl, Fernando Historia Chichimeca. \n Obras Histéricas. Mexico, 1891-1892. (Written in 1600.) Herrera y Tordesilla, Antonio Historia General de los Hechos de los Castellanos. Madrid, 1725-1727; numerous editions. (Written in 1601.) Torquemada, Juan de Primera Segunda y Tercera Parte de los Veinte y un Libros Rituales. Sevilla, 1615; Madrid, 1723; Mexico, 1943. (Written in 1612.) Ximeénez, Francisco Quatro Libros de la Naturaleza. Mexico, 1615; Morelia, 1888; Mexico, 1888. Davila Padilla, Agustin Historia de la Fundacion y Discursos de la Provincia de Santiago de Mexico. Bruzelles, 1625. Sclis y Rivadeynera, Antonio de Historia de la Conquista de México Madrid, 1684; many editions. Clavigero, Francisco Xaviero Storia Antica del Messico. Cesena, 1789; numerous editions. Loudon, John C. An Encyclopedia of Gardening. London, 1822; Lendon, 1871. Bulleck, W. Six Months Residence and Travels in Mexico. London, 1824. L. R. (Rafael Lucio?) Jardines Antiguos de México. El Museo Mexicano 1240-46. 1843. Reprinted in El Arte y la Ciencia 7:169-181. 1905; also in El Mexicano 2:31-38. 1866. Taken criginally from Boletin Oficial del Conseije de Gobierno. Prescott, William H. History of the Conquest of Mexico. New York, 1843; numerous editions. Tylor, Edward Burnett Anahuac. London, 1861. Mayer, Brantz Mevico as It Is and as It Was. Philadelphia, 1847. 3d ed. Mangin, Arthur Les Jardins — Histoire et Description. Tours, 1867. Paso y Tronceso, Francisco del La Betanica entre las Nabues. An. Mus. Nac. 3:137-235, 1836. MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 31 Gerste, Achille Hale, Susan Nuttall, Zelia Mexico. New York, 1901. Notes sur le Medecin et la Botanique des Anciens Mexicains. Roma, 1909. Los Jardines del Antiguo México. Mem. Soc. Cient. Ant. Alz. 37:193-213. 1921. Les Aficionados a las Flores y los Jardines del México Antiguo. Mem. Soc. Cient. Ant. Alz. 43:593-608. 1924. Appeared earlier in Jour. Int. Gard. Club, Mexico, 1922; reprint- ed in Ann. Rept. Smith. Inst. 1925. Solis, Octavio y Rigoberto Vazquez Jard. Bot. Mexico 1 (1):2-5, 1923. Galindo y Villa, Jesus Mendizabal, Miguel Othén de 4):86-95. 1925. Palacios, Enrique Juan — see Gutiérrez de Lievana. A Short History of Biology. Oxford, 1931. Apuntes sobre la Antigua México-Tenochtitlin. Mexico, 1935. Mexican Plants for American Gardens. New York, 1935. Botanical Gardens of the World — Materials for a History. Brooklyn Bot. Singer, Charles Joseph Alcocer, Ignacio Matschat, Cecile Hulse Gager, C. Stuart Gard. Record 26 (3):149-353, 1937. Jardines de Anahuac. Resena Historica de los Jardines Botanicos de México. Bol. México Forestal 2(1):15-16. 1924. EI Jardin de Natzabualcoyctl. Ethnos (Mexico) 3a Serie, 1 (3- Betanical Gardens. In Cyclopedia of Heorticulinre by L. H. Bailey, 3d ed. New York, 1939. Maldcnado Koerdell, Manuel Hist. Nat. 2(1):79-84, 1941. Oneal, Cora Maud Los Jardines Botdnicos de los Antigucs Mexicanes. Rev. Soc. Mex. The Gardens cf Mexico. Bull. Pan. Am. Union, Oct. 1941. pp. 557-563. Gardens and Homes in Mexico. Dallas, 1945. Sanchez Ventura, Rafael Americanos 7 (1) :127-148, 1943. Linne, S. Museum; New Series Publ. 9. Dahlgren Jordan. Trouchet, A. 53,1953); Flores y Jardines del México Antignue y del Mederno. Cuadernos El Valle y la Ciudad de Mexico en 1550. Stockholm, 1948. Statens Etnografiska Spanish translation by Ernesto Dethorey and Barbro Apercu sur les Jardins Botaniques. Ann. Scient. Univ. Besangen. VIII Fasc. 2:44- A FEW LINES ABOUT AN ORCHID PLANT Last year I was given a blooming orchid plant. After the blossoms had faded, I put it in my small green- house where I grow zonal geraniums, thinking that if it lived, all right, and if it died I would not worry. I have been trying to simplify my greenhouse operation by growing nothing but geraniums, so I placed the plant in a corner of one of the benches and left it to its fate. I did not even hang it up in the light and air as I had intended doing. The orchid plant has been on the bench in the midst of blooming geran- iums for a year. It has not been fertilized and has been watered as geraniums are watered, — every day, water being poured into the pots with practically no overhead sprinkling. As I do not do the watering myself, occasionally when working on my geraniums I remembered to sprinkle it lightly, but during summer heat for many days the plant had no water on its foliage. About two weeks ago it started to bloom. I brought it into the house and now it has four beauti- ful blossoms and a delicious fragrance which I notice every time I enter the room. It is a Brasso-Cattleya, and I am told its fragrance comes from its Brassavola parentage. So I found that an orchid plant is tougher than I had thought it to be. It can flower and flourish even if not treated according to directions (which say, for instance, that an_ orchid should be watered only every other day). I shall give it better treatment next year, but of one thing | am certain—it will not flower better than it has done this winter with no care at all. ANNE L. LEHMANN 2 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN BALKAN HOLLY (llex aquifolium var. angustifolium) N 1934, during a plant-hunting expedition to the Balkan countries of southeastern Europe, Edgar Ander- son (then of the Arnold Arboretum) collected seeds and plants of several interesting evergreens, including the Bulgarian Ivy (Hedera helix “Bulg- aria’), Balkan Yew (Taxus baccata), Butcher’s Broom (Ruscus aculeatus) , and the Balkan Holly (Ilex aqui- folium). All these introductions were grown at the City Garden or the Arboretum at Gray Summit, and now, after twenty years of trial, are turning out to be among the best of their kind for this area. The number of broad- leaf evergreens hardy in this part of the Midwest has always been very limited, but it is increasing, and the Balkan Holly is one which will take its place. The ordinary English Christmas Holly (Ilex aquifolium), indigenous to western Europe, is not reliable in our area, even during normal winters. Plants sometimes do pull through a series of mild winters only to be killed outright or damaged severely in or- dinary years. Efforts to find hardy forms of it have proved fruitless. But, fortunately, several climatic forms of Hex aquifolium do exist in Europe, in- cluding the form native to the Balkan Peninsula. The Balkan Holly occurs in the Balkan) mountains in southeastern Europe where the climatic patterns closely simulate those in parts of our own Midwest. Plants grown from the original introduction of twenty years ago, although of slow growth, have survived the many rigors of winter and summer over this period. Tem- peratures of 10° below zero and a high of 115° above have not inhibited the growth of this holly in the Garden. From the original introduction, we have three plants, one a male, another a female, and a third plant of un- known sex which was repeatedly frozen back at the Arboretum during a couple of 20° below-zero winters before being brought into the City. This year our male and female plants flowered together for the first time, and the female plant, now about eight feet tall, has this autumn turned up with a few bright red_ berries, very reminiscent of those on ordinary English holly. The Balkan Holly looks like the English Christmas Holly with evergreen leaves and bright red berries, except that the leaves of the Balkan variety lack the lustre of its more comely English cousin. Further testing will, we hope, completely substantiate our views regarding the virtuous qualities of this evergreen holly for our area. The severe freeze of last March 26, did not faze the Balkan hollies in the Garden. Early or late freezes affect- ing tender growth plus warm-ups and bright sun in mid-winter generally do the most damage to broadleaf ever- greens in the St. Louis area. Climatic patterns, especially the timing of warm and cold weather, are of greater importance in relation to hardiness than the absolute minimum or maxi- mum temperature. F. G. MEYER THE MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BOARD OF TRUSTEES Henry Hircucock RicHarp J. Lock woop Henry B. PFLAGER A. WeEssEL SHAPLEIGH RoBert BROOKINGS SMITH JouNn S. LEHMANN, President DanieL K. Catuin, Vice-President EUGENE Pettus, Second Vice-President LEICESTER B. FAustT DupLeyY FRENCH EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS James F. MorrELtl, President_of the Board of Education of St. Louis ErHaN A. H. SHEPLEY, Chancellor of Washington University ARTHUR C. LICHTENBERGER, Bish f the Diocese of Missouri . srendoean eee ere oe STRATFORD LEE Morton, RAYMOND R. TUCKER, ; President of the Academy of Science Mayor of the City of St. Louis of St. Louis THE HORTICULTURAL COUNCIL Bill Bauer, Clarence Barbre, Clifford W. Benson, E. G. Cherbonnier, Robert E. Goetz, Paul Hale, Mrs. W. Warren Kirkbride, Mrs. Hazel Knapp, Emmet Layton, John E. Nies, Gilbert Pennewill, Harold E. Wolfe, John S. Lehmann, Edgar Anderson, W. F. Scott, Jr., Chairman. George T. Moore Edgar Anderson - Henry N. Andrews —_.-.. August P. Beilmann Louis G. Brenner Ladislaus Cutak Hugh C. Cutler Carroll W. Dodge Tah, Deg Robert J. Gillespie — Nell C. Horner Lawrence Kaplan Ida M. Kohl ss = orc Paul A. Kohl oe Edna Mepham Frederick G. Meyer. George H. Pring Betty O’Brien Putney Kenneth A. Smith Julian A. Steyermark - FS ee Oe lp 3 |: ee er ere ene ne Rolla ciry ons: [ie ate George B. Van Schaack_____--...-..--.---------- Babert E. Woodson, Jr._... —--—-—.----.------..._ STAFF ___.... Emeritus Director pret. a 5 _... Director 8 _ Paleobotanist Manager of the Arboretum, Gray Summit _ Arborist _. Horticulturist in charge of Conservatories __ Associate Director and Curator of the Museum Mycologist Research Associate _....... In charge of Orchids __. Librarian and Editor Associate Curator of Museum _..... Assistant Librarian _.... Floriculturist __.... Assistant Librarian eee Dendrologist speinind _ Superintendent __ Assistant to the Director Pee oe beteeeese ene __ Engineer _.....Honorary Research Associate we _.... Research Associate ___ Assistant Curator of Herbarium Acting Curator of Herbarium __.. Senior Taxonomist SOME FACTS ABOUT SHAW’S GARDEN The Missouri Botanical Garden (the official name chosen by Mr. Shaw) carries on the garden established by Henry Shaw over a century ago at Tower Grove, his country home. It is a private institution and has no support from city or state. The old stone walls and cast-iron fences, the Linnaean House, the Museum, the Mausoleum, and the Tower Grove mansion all date from Mr. Shaw’s time. Since his death, as directed in his will, the Garden has been in the hands of a Board of Trustees who appoint the Director. The Garden is open every day in the year (except New Year’s and Christmas) from nine A. M. until seven P. M. (April to November) and until six (November to April) though the greenhouses close at five. Towrr Grove, itself, Mr. Shaw’s old country home, is open from one until four. The Garden is nearly a mile long and has several entrances. The Main Entrance, the one used by the general public, is at Tower Grove and Flora Place on the Sarah bus line (No. 42). The Park Southampton buses (No. 80), direct from downtown, pass within three blocks of this entrance and stop directly across the street from the Administration Building at 2315 Tower Grove Avenue. The latter is the best entrance for students, visiting scientists, etc. It is open to such visitors after 8:30 a.m., but is closed on Sat- urdays, Sundays, and holidays. There is a service entrance on Alfred Avenue, one block south of Shaw Avenue, Since Mr. Shaw’s time an Arboretum has been developed at Gray Summit, Mo., adjacent to State Highways 50 and 66. It is open every day in the year and has two miles of auto roads as well as foot trails through the wild-flower reservation. There is a pinetum and an extensive display of daffodils and other narcissi from March to early May. AISSOURI BOTANICAL CONTENTS Giant City State Park Notes on Snowdrops Missouri’s Crop of Wild Annuals Book Review: Muenscher’s Weeds and Biennials What Makes A Garden: The St. Louis Garden Club Tour olume XLIV March, 1956 Number 3 Cover: Trail between massive sandstone bluffs at Giant City State Park, Illinois. For this and other photographs we are indebted to J. W. Voigt, Department of Botany, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, and the Illinois Division of Parks and Memorials, Spring- field. Office of publication: 306 E. Simmons Street, Galesburg, Illinois. 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. 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 toa friend or return it to the Garden. Return postage guaranteed. Missour1 Botanical Garden Bulletin Vol. XLIV MARCH, 1956 No. 3 GIANT CITY STATE PARK IN THE SPRING ROBERT H. MOHLENBROCK LONG about the fourth week in A April or the first week in May, the flora of low woodlands in southern Illinois reaches its glorious peak. While the drier oak-hickory forests are just awakening from their winter dor- mancy with blossoms of the Spider- wort (Tradescantia virginiana) and Hound’s Tongue (Cynoglossum vir- ginianum) and while the arid sand- stone bluff tops of the Shawneetown Ridge show only the opening leaf buds of the Black Jack and Post Oaks (Quercus marilandica and Q. stellata) and Winged Elm (Ul/mus alata) and the flowers of Yellow Star-grass (Hy- poxis hirsuta) and False Garlic (No- thoscordum bivalve), the moist rich woods of the ravines and valleys have been decking themselves out in their finest spring formals. To capture some of this splendid show of wild flowers, let us take an unhurried walk through such a lush area. As a reminder, let us not pick any of the flowers, for we may want to come back and enjoy the show when it opens again next season. We are going to walk along part of the “two-mile foot trail’ in Giant City State Park. This park lies in the southern part of Jackson County and the northern part of Union County, Illinois, about 110 miles south of St. Louis. We go under an archway formed by massive sandstone bluffs on our right and a large boulder on our left. The boulder, through a long period of weathering and erosion, has broken away from the bluff. During its hundreds of independent years, it has developed on its exposed but shaded portions a carpet of mosses. And from the cracks and crevices of its outer edges is growing a little shrub we know to be Wild Hydrangea (Hy- drangea arborescens), It is not in flower yet, but we are able to see its clusters of flower buds. After pass- ing the archway, we find ourselves still bounded on our right by the bluff, but to our left is the beginning of the low woods. The first showy wild flower we see as we look to the left is the yellow Celandine Poppy (Stylophorum di- phyllxn). At is not plentiful, but as we scan the woods occasional glowing patches of yellow stand out. If we walk down a small rocky slope to the valley flocr to get a better look at the Poppy, we suddenly find ourselves surrounded by a myriad of white, lavender, and violet blossoms. These turn out to be masses of the very common Spring Beauty (Claytonia (33) 34 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN Rock Slide along Stonefort Creek, Giant City State Park virginica), Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis), Pepper-root (Dentaria laciniata), Missouri Violet (Viola missouriensis), Marsh Violet (Viola papilionacea), and Woolly Blue Violet (Viola sororia). Now we ascend to the path and on the bluff before us, just out of reach, isa ledge on which grow the drooping- flowered Yellow Dog-tooth Violets. Proceeding toward a grotto on our right, we notice the path has become lined, almost as if planned by man, with a whitish-flowered plant which has leaves that remind us of those of This is the Waterleaf (Hvy- maples. MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 35 drophyllum canadense). We can’t resist examining the grotto formed by massive sandstone bluffs on three sides. Back into the extremities of this grot- to, a small cave leads into the bluff. Coming from the cave is a stream of cool air which causes the small upright plants on the adjacent cliff to sway calmly back and forth. These plants which have very hairy leaves are as yet not in flower. They belong to a summer-blooming species known as Alum-root (Heuchera parviflora var. rugelii). At the base of these plants hundreds of tiny and some not so tiny green organisms are plastered up against the cool rocks. These are mosses and their relatives, liverworts. By kneeling and peering under a small overhang of the bluff, we can see one of the larger of these liverworts — a leathery, irregular-shaped plant (Con- ocephalum sp.). Let us continue along the trail at the base of the bluff. We don’t pro- gress far until we come to a large Bit- ternut Hickory (Carya cordiformis) whose base is only about three feet from the path. If we are observant, we notice at the base of the tree an attractive bronze-colored fern. This is the Bronze Grape Fern (Botrychinm dissectum var. obliquum). The forest floor is still covered by Spring Beau- ties and Violets and a small delicate green fern, the Fragile Fern (Cystop- teris fragilis). And what is this tiny little black-and-white flower at our feet? It’s the Harbinger-of-Spring (Erigenia bulbosa)! And a harbinger it is, indeed, for had we come this way the last of February, when everything still seemed sleeping, we could have found this sparkling little plant, often called Salt-and-Pepper, sprinkled throughout protected spots in the woods. Here and there are small white flowers which at a glance appear to be Spring Beauties but closer observation reveals the small three-lobed leaves of the False Rue Anemone (Isopyrum biternatum). The path narrows now, the bluff being our western boundary and the steep slope leading to the valley floor our eastern limit. Growing abund- antly on the slope are found two in- teresting shrubs — the Spice-bush (Lindera benzoin) with tiny yellow flowers, and the Bladdernut (Stfa- phylea trifolia) with rich creamy flow- ers. Both these shrubs are also featured later in the season when the Spice- bush presents its aromatic crimson berries and the Bladdernut its curious inflated fruits. A sharp turn to the right, followed almost immediately by an_ equally sharp one to the left, brings us to a very productive area of the woods. Here a rivulet flows at right angles to the bluff on our right. Under the bluff, the ground is soggy and densely shad- ed. It is here that we see an occasional cluster of leaves with a flower stalk arising from the center. This is French’s Shooting-star (Dodecatheon frenchii), known only in the world from similar darkened areas in a few of the counties of southern Illinois. It was probably from the very spot where we now stand that this little plant became known to science back in 1870. Let us now leave the path and walk along the rivulet for about twenty 36 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN Golden Seal (Hydrastis canadensis) feet until we come to a large isolated boulder to our left. On and around this boulder is a great variety of spring wild flowers. A patch of hairy heart-shaped leaves lie on the rich leaf mold, and we know that if we carefully lift them and look beneath, we shall see tiny maroon flowers belonging to the Wild Ginger (Asarum reflexum). And over here are the Dutchman’s-breeches (Dicentra cucullata) and the Squirrel Corn (Dicentra canadensis). The Dutchman’s-breeches are those with the petals pointed and _ spreading, resembling legs of trousers, while the Squirrel Corn has rounded, “closed” petals. Growing from some of the small crevices in the boulder is a plant we all know as Jack-in-the-Pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum). Other plants that attract our attention are the beautiful Yellow Bellwort (Uvularia grandiflora), Solomon’s-seal (Smilac- ina racemosa), Wild Larkspur ( Del- phinium tricorne), Wild Geranium (Geranium maculatum), and Yellow Violet (Viola eriocarpa). We now cross the rivulet and climb the small bank on the other side. We find ourselves in the midst of hundreds of ferns some large and_ leathery, others small and more delicate. Among the former are the beautiful Christ- mas Fern (Polystichum acrostichoides ) and the Marginal Fern (Dryopferis marginalis), while the latter include the Maidenhair Fern (Adiantum peda- fum) and Fragile Fern (Cysfopteris fragilis). While still away from the main path, we walk down the gentle slope toward the large Stonefort Creek. The forest floor is completely covered by vegetation. It is this slope that nature designated for the home of some of the more unusual southern Illinois species. A plant about a foot tall and bearing pale pink flowers is the Pink Valerian (Synandra_ hispidula) (Valeriana pauciflora). And here are strange-looking plants. At first glance they look like little spikes bearing rather ugly small yellow and brown flowers. But if we look more closely, we are able to discover large leaves lying on the ground which are ap- parently dying. Although this is spring, the leaves of this species actu- ally are withering. This is the Putty- MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 37 root Orchid, and after flowering and fruiting, each plant produces a large, veiny, green leaf in August. This leaf persists throughout the winter but disappears when flowering time comes in the spring. Ae Yellow Lady’s Slipper (Cypripedium parviflora) If we look about us, we see large drooping white flowers borne from a whorl of three leaflets. This is the grandiose White Trillium (Trillium gleasoni). Its smaller maroon-flowered cousin, the Wake Robin (Trillinm recurvatum ), is common here, also. In this area the forest floor is shaded by a number of trees, some of the common ones being the Butternut or White Walnut (Juglans cinerea), Hackberry (Celtis occidentalis), Sour Gum (Nyssa sylvatica) whose leaves turn so crimson in the autumn, Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum), and several kinds of Oaks (Quercus spp.). Could we but find the right tree, we would see beneath it, growing on loose sandstone rocks, the curious Walking Fern (Camptosorus rhizo- phyllus). And here are two plants we haven’t observed before — one with greenish-yellow flowers, — the Blue Cohosh (Caulophyllum thalictroides) , which later produces blue berries, and a white flowered one, Doll’s-eyes (Actaca alba), whose glossy white fruits remind one so much of the glassy eyes of a doll. Where the slope runs into the very bottom of the woods, the ground is misty with pale blue and white blos- soms. The plants accounting for this haziness are the White Violet (Viola striata) and the two-toned Blue-eyed Mary (Collinsia verna). If we are lucky, we may find a few plants of the very rare Synandra hispidula. This plant is about fourteen inches tall and bears rich white flowers which may recall the blossoms of the Snapdragon. So far, we have covered only about one-fourth mile of the foot trail. While Solomon’s Seal (Polygonatum canaliculatum) é 38 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN MUI Yolo) Yerseyvillé . @ 68) (2D “ator Greenvil/ed " Lawrerrice Edwards vil/ep (37) Alouwisville WW le St Lou/s / Of G) fast Sf Louis \effingham 3 Giant City at etc, State Park Vienne 37 ©) 145) 3) \®) Metropolis A (s) carro Map of southern Illinois showing location of Giant City State Park and some of the various routes by which it may be reached from St. Louis. The quickest is by way of Illinois routes 13 and 51. A more scenic route is via Illinois 3, 144, 13, and 51. This passes through several old German settlements—Columbia, Waterloo, and Redbud— where many of the spick-and-span brick dwellings line the very edge of the sidewalks. Many of these residences feature quaint “old- fashioned” flower beds of mignonette, bleeding-heart, sweet William, and the like. After leaving Chester, the Mississippi River frequently may be seen as it winds its way southward. To the left is probably the most unexplored terrain of southern Illinois—the “Kinkaid Hills’, a region of massive sandstone bluffs with numerous moist canyons and occasional waterfalls. Only scattered lonely cabins interrupt the continuity of Mother Nature’s handiwork. About 15 miles south of Chester, some 100 yards from the highway, is a small Indian mound, one of the few Indian burial grounds in the southern part of Illinois. After turning onto Route 144, a drive of five miles brings one to the entrance of the new Lake Murphysboro. The water is deep, clear, and well stocked with fish, and the surrounding woodlands are rich in wild flowers. Another pleasant drive is through Missouri on U.S. 61 (not indicated on map), taking the bridge over the Mississippi from Clary- ville, to Chester, Illinois, and then proceeding to Route 144. MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 39 A quiet rocky stream at Giant City State Park. we have seen many kinds of wild flowers, we would be rewarded further should we continue along the trail, although the number of new wild flowers encountered would become progressively less frequent. Still to be seen are the tiny Bishop’s Cap (M/tella diphylla) with its petals designed like the most delicate of snowflakes, Wild Phlox (Phlox divaricata), Jacob’s-lad- der (Polemonium reptans), and two rare and exciting orchids, the glorious Yellow Lady’s-slipper (Cypripedium parviflorum) and the mauve and white Showy Orchis (Orchis specta- bilis) which has the fragrance of the most exotic perfume. We hope you have enjoyed our little tour. Should you return in the sum- mer or autumn, you would find a great multitude of different species of plants. While the park is relatively small (1523 acres), over 820. species of ferns and flowering plants have been found here. This is approximately one-third the number of species that could be found in the entire state of Illinois. Should you be interested in further literature dealing with Giant City State Park, two publications in the Illinois Division of Parks and Memori- als and State Museum Series are avail- able free at the Giant City lodge. One concerns the geology of the park and is by Carlton Condit. The other, which treats the ferns and flowering plants of the park, was prepared by 40 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN Dry sandstone bluffs the writer. Cabins and camping facilities are available in the park. To reach the Park from St. Louis, follow Illinois Route 13 from East St. Then take U.S. Route 51 south about eight miles to Louis to Carbondale. the Giant City road which winds for about two miles through beautiful kaha ACrOSss from rich moist woods. hilly country. Or should you prefer a slightly longer but more scenic journey, follow Illinois Route 3 south to Route 144, then left for 15 miles to Carbondale, and from there south on U.S. 51. 105 miles from St. Louis while the lat- The first route is about ter, which borders the Mississippi for quite a while, covers about 115 miles. haps Kort MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 41 MISSOURI'S CROP OF WILD ANNUALS AND BIENNIALS JULIAN A. STEYERMARK TO" is something breath-taking and inspirational in the many forms and colors produced by Nature’s parade of flowers, and for many per- sons the blossoms are the chief or only attraction of a plant. But a true flower-lover wants more than just to see the flower; he wants also to be- come more intimately acquainted with the earlier stages of growth and leaf- formation preceding flower produc- tion. Take, for instance, the wild an- nuals. In the spring, summer, and fall, they provide masses of striking color on rocky ‘“‘glades”, pastures, meadows, and prairies. In early spring pale blues and lavenders are displayed by the bluets (Houstonia minima and H. patens), whites by sandwort, Arrenaria patula), Leavenworthia (Leavenworthia uniflora), vernal Whitlow grass (Draba verna) ; yellows by Nuttall’s stonecrop (Sedum Nut- tallianum) and selenia (Selenia aurea). In the summer and fall centaury (Centaurium texense) and palafoxia (Palafoxia callosa) impart pink and rosy hues to the landscape, while white is provided by heliotrope (Helio/rop- inm tenellum). The mass effect of the colors attracts our attention im- mediately. After the plant flowers, however, interest in it wanes and few have much interest in what happens next. Yet, if we happen to be tramping around the limestone “bald knobs” or “glades” of southwestern Missouri in October and November, it may sur- prise us to learn that what appears to be a bare, drab, rocky soil surface is actually teeming with living plants. Look down closely and you may see infinitesimal bits of gray-green hug- ging the ground. What are they? They are the tiny young plants of various Short, thread-like leaves, so characteristic of the adult autumn annuals. sandwort (Arenaria patula), are already developed and large enough to be seen on the seedlings ready to take the winter. Near by are the young plants of widow’s cross (Sedum pul- chellum) with broad, spoon-shaped, gray-green leaves appearing as tiny flat rosettes. They, and the clan of annuals to which they belong, signal to us that “spring is just around the corner”. They are “‘all set to go”, come winter, and are waiting for the first touch of spring to continue their growth. They are winter annuals that will survive the cold wintry blasts. The seeds they produced in quantity fell to the ground or were scattered by the wind, and lay dormant to “‘season”’ for a few months. Following late summer or autumnal rains, the tiny seeds germ- inated. In the fall-flowering annuals such as Palafoxia callosa, the pink- flowered member of the Composite Family found on the _ limestone “glades” of southwestern Missouri, germination of the seeds is delayed until the following spring. But those which normally flower in the spring germinate their seeds in the fall, and 42 MISSOURI BOTANIC the young plants remain over the winter in a reduced state of develop- ment ready to continue their growth the following spring. If we look carefully now at the leaf mould covering the ground in the wooded valleys, we may be fortunate enough to see the little seedlings of the blue-eyed Mary (Collinsia verna) already showing the adult type of short broad leaves with little notches on their margins, or the young stems of cleavers or bedstraw (Galinm Aparine) with the broad “‘seed leaves” followed by light green leaves arranged in tiers, one above the other. These annuals all have one feature in common: they germinate, flower, produce seed, and germinate again, all within the period of one year, The true biennials require two years to During the firs/ fo) produce flowers: "AL GARDEN BULLETIN year a rosette of leaves is produced; during the second year the flowers and seeds. Two good examples of native biennials of Missouri are the rose gen- tian (Sabatia angu'aris) and Indian paint brush (Castilleja coccinea). The first year the rose gentian is only a rosette cf two to four pairs of smooth, pale green, rounded leaves closely hugging the surface of the soil. This rosette gives rise during the following summer to a branching leafy stem bearing fragrant pink or white showy flowers. The first year Indian paint brush consists of a rosette of several, narrow, irregularly toothed, yellow- green leaves lying close to the ground. The second year an erect leafy stem rises from this rosette, bearing at its summit a cluster of scarlet or yellow bracts enclosing yellow flowers. ROSE PINK (Sabatia angularis ) MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 43 NOTES ON SNOWDROPS Pe. Flowers of white, on slender scapes, poised like elfin insects in arrested flight—these are the snowdrops, har- bingers of spring and first hardy bulbs to flower. While it was easy to coin the name “Snowdrop” to characterize these flowers, it seems more difficult to call them “Bulbous Violets’ as did John Gerarde in his great herbal of 1636. About a dozen species of the genus Galanthus (the botanical name _ for Snowdrops) are natives of the Old World, from the Alps to Asia Minor where the greatest concentration of species occurs, in Greece, its islands, and Turkey. But only two are really well known in American gardens. The Alpine Snowdrop (Galanthus nivalis) of the Alps has long been cultivated and still is the best known, _ Its green-tipped variety, var. scharlokii, is a bizarre form well worth growing. The Elwes Snowdrop (Galanthus elwesi), from Turkey, probably is the second best-known Snowdrop _ in America. Snowdrops are bulbous plants in the Amaryllis family, which includes the daffodil, snowflake, onion, and am- aryllis. Actually, the structure of the snowdrop flower most closely resem- bles the daffodil. On the other hand, the flowers of the snowdrop, which hang like crystal pendants at the sum- mit of slender green scapes between the two subtending leaves, could hardly be confused with any other plant in the Amaryllis family. The MEYER tallest species are not more than six to eight inches in height. In growth habit snowdrops are gregarious like the narcissus. The Snowflake (Leucojum) is most often confused with the Snow- drop, no doubt on account of the similar common names. Cultivation.—Snowdrops may easily be grown in St. Louis. They are a delight to have, because no other bulb- ous plant flowers so early. Galanthus elwesii and G. byzantinus are the first to come into flower, and the last one of the season is the Alpine Snowdrop (G. nivalis). It is possible to have a continuous show of snowdrops from the first of January until almost the middle of March. This year, a few flowers of Galanthus elwesii were out in the Mausoleum the first of January. Snowdrops are woodland plants preferring well-drained soil high in organic matter. They are most effec- tively planted in masses along a brick- lined walk, at the edge of a shrub border, or in clumps with tree trunks as a bold background. Well-established plantings left undisturbed for years will naturalize freely from seed and bulblets. The most effective snow- drop plantings at the Garden are mas- sive clumps framed against the ivy ground-cover in the Mausoleum. Some of these plantings are at least twenty- five years old. Regarding depth of planting, from two to six inches seems to suit them best. In a warm soil high in organic matter, bulbs planted two inches deep will flower the earliest. 44 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN BYZANTINE SNOWDROP (Galanthus byzantinus) MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 45 An occasional transplanting may be necessary whenever flowering seems to lag; however, fertilizing snowdrops with bone meal, at the rate of three pounds per hundred square feet, should keep these plants multiplying and flowering profusely over many years. Transplanting snowdrop bulbs should be done preferably while they are in flower. They just can’t stand drying out. Failure is almost always due to dried out bulbs that were dead when bought. Of the two sorts com- monly offered by dealers, Galanthus nival:s suffers more. Imported Dutch bulbs of G. elwesii planted in late October came through nearly 100 per cent. Snowdrops and the closely related Spring Snowflake (Leucojum vernum) do not have thick protective bulb coats to prevent desiccation. More of these bulbs would be grown if transplanting in spring was more fully appreciated. Elwes Snowdrop (Galanthus elwesii) is a native of western Turkey and one of the most variable in the genus. A number of garden forms and hybrids of this species have confused specialists for a long time. At least three forms are growing in the Mausoleum. An outstanding form has narrow, blue- green, more or less pleated leaves less than a half-inch wide, and flowers with the outer segments oblong and pointed. When full-blown, the blooms emit a delicate perfume very attractive to bees. The more common garden variety offered by Dutch bulb mer- chants has wider flat leaves covered by whitish bloom, with the outer flower segments less pointed and more deeply cup-shaped. Normally, a few flowers of this species are in bloom by the first of February. This year a few were out the first of January. The Byzantine Snowdrop (Galanthus byzantinus) is a reputed hybrid which was introduced into cultivation from Turkey at the end of the last century. This is one of the earliest species to flower but is rarely seen in American gardens. The plant illus- trated was grown from bulbs sent a few years ago from Dr. H. F. Dovas- ton at the Agricultural College at Ayr, Scotland. This has long been considered one of the choicest species, and it is hoped our introductions may bear out earlier appraisals. EXPLANATION OF ILLUSTRATION OF GALANTHUS BYZANTINUS Fig. 1. Stamen. X 212. Fig. 2. Habit of plant. Outer three flower segments (sepals) white, inner three segments corona-like, with a patch of green at the base and two spots at notch at summit. About natural size. Fig. bh Ww . Flower, face view. About natural size. Fig. 4. Outer and inner view of petals—stippled areas green. m2: Fig. 5. Flower components: stamens and flower segments (sepal and petal) in perspective. About natural size. 46 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN SOME FACTS ABOUT SHAW’S GARDEN The Missouri Botanical Garden (the official name chosen by Mr. Shaw) carries on the garden established by Henry Shaw over a century ago at TOWER Grove, his country home. It is a private institution and has no support from city or state. The old stone walls and cast-iron fences, the Linnaean House, the Museum, the Mausoleum, and the TOWER GROVE mansion all date from Mr. Shaw’s time. Since his death, as directed in his will, the Garden has been in the hands of a Board of Trustees who appoint the Director. The Garden is open every day in the year (except New Year’s and Christmas) from nine A.M. until seven P.M. (April to November) and until six (November to April) though the greenhouses close at five. TOWER Grove, itself, Mr. Shaw’s old country home, is open from one until four, The Garden is nearly a mile long and has several entrances. The main Entrance, the ene used by the general public, is at Tower Grove and Flora Place on the Sarah bus line (No. 42). The Park Southampton buses (No. 80), direct from downtown, pass within three blocks of this entrance and stop directly across the street from the Administration Building at 2315 Tower Grove Avenue. The latter is the best entrance for students, visiting scientists, etc. It is open to such visitors after 8:30 a.m., but is closed on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays. There is a service entrance on Alfred Avenue, one block south of Shaw Avenue. Since Mr, Shaw’s time an Arboretum has been developed at Gray Summit, Mo., adjacent to State Highways 50 and 66, It is open every day in the year and has two miles of auto roads as well as foot trails through the wild-flower reservation. There is a pinetum and an extensive display of daffodils and other narcissi from March to early May. MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 47 Weeds. by W. C. Muenscher. 560 pages. The Macmillan Co. New York, i955. Price $10.00. If your back is sore, your knees stiff and your hands blistered from digging and pulling; if you think weeds are overwhelming you, it’s time to stop and look into the new edition of this intriguing book first published twenty years ago. Dr. Muenscher is the country’s foremost authority on weeds and his career has been devoted to studying and teaching about these aggressive plants. He writes so much of interest that I am tempted to sub- title the book — How to make Friends with the Weeds. The bulk of the volume concerns the identification and description of some 571 kinds cf plants, often objectionable, which occur in the northern United States. What to do about them is not a purpose of this book although references are given to sources of such information as their topic is alas, mainly, dig, hoe and grub, There are 135 fine illustrations to help in recognition and accounts of their origins, life histories and cunning methods of dispersal supply clues for eradication. Several of the commonest as the Mustards, Docks, and Purslane are edible. Some are medicinal plants as the lovely Foxglove, the Wild Cranesbill, pesky relative of the Geranium, and that plague of the lawn, American Pennyroyal. About the very poisonous Jimson-weed com- men in barnyards, one wonders who tells the little pigs not to eat it. Many of those included might be welcomed into St. Louis gardens, among them Hay-scented Fern, Cinnamon Fern, Day Lily, Mountain Laurel, Spearmint and Horehound. Perhaps one might select some of these, relax and grow weeds. There is much to be learned about how and why plants are spread. The weeds have much to tell. chemical control. Advice on_ this Avice F. TRYON WHAT MAKES A GARDEN A TOUR FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN The Garden Club of St. Louis invites you to visit the following ten outstanding gardens: The Dates Friday, April 27 Saturday, April 28 Sunday, April 29 The Hours—10:30 A.M. to 5:30 P.M. Admission— $2.00, tax included. Tickets— | On sale at all of the gardens on the tour, at the Missouri Botanical Garden, and by mail. Send check to Mr. William Weld, 9936 Litzsinger Road, St. Louis, 17. GARDENS TO BE SHOWN ON THE TOUR 1. Mr. and Mrs. Warren Chandler 6357 Ellenwood Avenue A terrace and green garden designed by Peter Seltzer, a wonderful old gentleman who was over eighty years old when he designed and built this garden. The garden accents Italian 48 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN ornaments, yew hedges, brick walls, and privacy — a peaceful garden, lived in, worked in, and loved by its owners. Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Hoskins 6416 Cecil Avenue Handsome clipped ivy columns on front of this brick Georgian town house. A curving walk leads to enclosed brick and wrought-iron terrace. A flourishing pair of Magnolia grandiflora accents the perennial garden. Toco! storage and work space in a shuttered area. Display of new and useful tools will be in the Georgian garage. Mr. and Mrs. Meredith Jones 6419 Ellenwood Avenue The brick terraced garden adjoining the house was designed by the late Peter Seltzer, an outstanding garden architect of St. Louis. The outer garden, new this year, was designed and planted by Eleanor McClure. Both gardens feature statues by Wheeler Williams; dogwood, azaleas, and rhododendrons. Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Bixby 8930 Ladue Road A hundred-foot lot which was considered worthless has developed into an interesting Spring garden. Mrs. Robert Corley 13 Upper Ladue Road The development of a sloping property, done little by little, has resulted in a particularly successful formal garden, below the house. This, because of its design, is pleasing to the eye both winter and summer. The greenhouse and the potting house, designed by Eloise Polk, are a feature of the formal garden. Adjacent to the open fireplace area will be a display of furnishings for outdoor entertaining. Mr. and Mrs. B. B. Culver, Jr. 330 N. Warson Road The garden area is in three levels — the upper and lower terraces were designed by Edith Mason, An exceptionally fine lawn is surrounded by a brick wall backed by white pines. A meadow bordered by a creek edged with naturalized spring bulbs is one of the many interesting features. Most beautiful planting of flowering trees and shrubs. The studio will house a collection of old prints and garden books on exhibit and for sale. Dr. Ben Charles 2 Fielding Road House and garden open. An 1875 farm house, remodeled by Beverly Nelson, has interesting living-room completely lined with bocks, many fine antiques including large portrait of Dr, Charles’ great grandmother. Hedged formal garden leads to swimming pool off terrace. Mr. and Mrs. Henry Hitchcock Woods Mill Road Chesterfield, Missouri An extensive estate landscaped by Mr. Charles Gillette of Virginia. The grass lawn in front commands an extensive view. The many gardens have not been watered through the drought years. A large circular perennial garden is connected to the terrace by an alley of magnolias. A twelve-foot holly hedge adjoins the garage where there will be an instructive display of garden sprays. Mr. and Mrs. Leicester Faust Thornhill Farms Chesterfield, Missouri An estate overlooking the Missouri River — truly old world and full of charm. Old evergreen plantings—a natural wild flower garden never pastured or planted. Informal perennial flower gardens. Two tropical greenhouses. Famous statues of the “Rising and Setting Sun” by Weinmann on a grass terrace overlooking the river. Orchid plants will be offered for sale. (Barbecue sandwiches and coffee will be on sale here on Saturday, April 28, and Sunday, April 29.) Mr. and Mrs. Warren Shapleigh R. R. 13, Mason Road A small prefabricated country house surrounded by three gardens. These were built and maintained by the owners. Eight years ago this land was a bare, eroded pasture, devoid of topsoil. Of particular note is the multiflora rose hedge, which surrounds the present pasture. THE MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BOARD OF TRUSTEES JouHNn S. LEHMANN, President Henry HitcHcock DANIEL K. CatTLIN, Vice-President RicHaArpD J. Lock woop EUGENE Pettus, Second Vice-President Henry B. PFLAGER LeicesTER B. Faust A. WESSEL SHAPLEIGH DupDLEY FRENCH ROBERT BROOKINGS SMITH EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS ETHAN A. H. SHEPLEY, JaMeEs F. MorrELL, Chancellor of Washington University President of the Board of Education of St. Louis ARTHUR C, LICHTENBERGER, Bishop of the Diocese of Missouri Somarvonn: Lex Moron > RayMonp R. Tucker, President of the Academy of Science Mayor of the City of St. Louis of St. Louis THE HORTICULTURAL COUNCIL Bill Bauer, Clarence Barbre, Clifford W. Benson, E. G. Cherbonnier, Robert E. Goetz, Paul Hale, Mrs. W. Warren Kirkbride, Mrs. Hazel Knapp, Emmet Layton, John E. Nies, Gilbert Pennewill, Harold E. Wolfe, John S$. Lehmann, Edgar Anderson, W. F. Scott, Jr., Chairman. STAFF George T. Moore ietepasecges dicate sibecasecene eae Emeritus Director EGP DCP 6 1 5 acne cinaamnteseentinreniene cast deadewinisastene A ALCCEOE Henry N. Andrews Seo Paleohotanie August P. Beilmann SS Manager of the Arboretum, Gray Summit Lois... Brénne? gcse ese = = Seite es cae OLIIE Ladislaus Cutak. Horticulturist in charge of Conservatories Biteh C. Cotter cn Associate Director and Curator of the Museum GET 0 MAS Aa oc: (ee en ee ee een tes Sea Mycologist John D. Dwyer : ss : Research Associate Robert J. Gillespie == = SENSES xe In charge of Orchids TINY NL GS ET Orn rc ne Librarian and Editor Lawrence Kaplan : __.... Associate Curator of Museum OP") De) 1 a ee en Re EN Cena Mek re ae Assistant Librarian Paul A.-Kohl'2 2. pense - cede nepehesierc aaa UOPICULLUTIRE Edna Mepham ____-..- Ss Assistant Librarian Prederick Gx, MeV 66s. ccecocektle a at eee te ODEN George Hi. Pring 2. ___ Superintendent Betty O’Brien Putney... ie __ Assistant to the Director Boerne try A Site ee : _.-------------- Engineer Julian A. Steyermark Ms Honorary Research Associate Alice F. Tryon Research Associate | | ES Fe eg 70) oR | oe Assistant Curator of Herbarium George B. Van Schaack : Acting Curator of Herbarium Robert E. Woodson, Jr. moe Senior Taxonomist A Walking Fern, one of the interesting native plants found growing at Giant City State Park, in southern Illinois, a pleasant place for a day’s outing. (See Bob Mohlenbrock’s article on pages 33-40 of this BULLE- rIN.) It is called Walking Fern because the fronds root at the tip, forming eventually an entire little plant with further fronds which reach out and start new plants in turn. A single plant may, in this fashion, form a green mat all over the face of the boulder. USSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN ha ee a a ope, a CONTENTS Azaleas for St. Louis Gardens lume XLIV April, 1956 Number 4 Cover: Gable Hybrid Azalea oLp FarrHruL. These plants have bloomed profusely for ten seasons, normal blooming time being about April 20. Office of publication: 306 E. Simmons Street, Galesburg, Illinois. 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. 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 toa friend or return it to the Garden. Return postage guaranteed. Missour1 Botanical Garden Bulletin Vol. XLIV APRIL, 1956 No. 4 AZALEAS FOR ST. LOUIS GARDENS PAUL A. KOHL VER twenty years ago, Ernest H. Wilson of the Arnold Arb- oretum, in his book “If I Were to Make a Garden,” devoted a chapter to “The Brilliant Gaiety of Azaleas,” still earlier work he included azaleas and ina among the aristocrats of the garden. Azaleas are the true aristocrats for the gardens of the St. Louis area, and, if given a little extra care, can be the most cherished plants in a shrub col- lection, In gardening we are entirely depend- ent upon the changing weather condi- tions, and very often the St. Louis area is considered one of the most dif- ficult climates in which to garden. We have sudden changes in temper- ature, dry and wet summers, and late spring freezes; but by comparison with other parts of the country, our climate is not so rigorous as to discourage us from growing some of the choicer plants. We hope we are now emerging from the drought which has gripped this area for a number of years. While counting our plant losses we can’t help but wonder what the score is in Florida and the Pacific North- west after the damaging cold spells, or in the East after the hurricanes and floods and in the West after the floods. At least we are not the only ones who must adapt gardening to a fickle climate, but this adapting is the challenge that tests our abilities and makes gardening such an interesting and rewarding hobby or avocation. Azaleas are a little more exacting than the average plant in their require- ments as to soil, location and moisture and have therefore been considered difficult to grow in this region. We are learning more about them and with the introduction of better varieties are discovering that they are more adapt- able to our climate than we realized. There are many, many azaleas, but this article is about the kinds I have grown in the Garden. For many years, the Garden has used the Indian and Kurume azaleas in its floral displays and in the spring flower shows formerly held in the Arena and Kiel Auditorium. These plants have been grown in large pots, some of them for more than twenty years. This may be considered a good record for this part of the country, but not unusual, for there are instances where (49) 50 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN MOLLIS HYBRID AZALEA The Mollis hybrids may be grown in full sun. ous and the flowers large. BULLETIN The plants are vigor- MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 51 Indian azaleas have been grown in pots in England for more than forty years and the Japanese have very old azaleas trained as Bonsai trees. While our potted azaleas are watered with city tap water, which contains calcium, they seem to tolerate it if they are grown in soil containing peat and are supplied with nutrients which counteract the accumulation of lime. We have grown azaleas in pure peat and also in sphagnum with excellent results. To keep the plants in good condition we use such materials as cot- tonseed meal, iron sulphate, ground sulphur, and balanced fertilizers especially prepared for camellias and azaleas. When azalea leaves lose their dark green color we know the plants are in trouble, although we cannot pin-point the cause for the change. The yellowing foliage might be the result of starvation, alkaline soil, or poor drainage. When soil in a_ pot becomes water-logged, air is excluded and the yellowing leaves are the first symptom of poor drainage. If the drainage is good and an azalea becomes anaemic the cause is probably due to a deficiency of iron and other trace elements, and such a plant is said to be “chlorotic.” This does not neces- sarily mean that there is a shortage of iron in the soil, but it might be in an insoluble form so that plants cannot utilize it. Iron sulphate, used at the rate of from one-half to one ounce to two gallons of water, applied to the roots or sprayed on the foliage, has frequently been used to restore the normal green color to the leaves. A good combination fertilizer for potted azaleas is one teaspoonful of iron sul- phate and eight teaspoonsful of a water-soluble fertilizer in one gallon of water. Iron chlorosis occurs in other plants as well as azaleas. It is a nutritional problem in the citrus groves in central Florida and it is there that great strides have been made in recent years in restoring chlorotic trees through the use of iron chelates (pronounced “keylates”). In 1953 the first iron chelates became commercially available and now they may be had under vari- ous trade names such as Edco iron, Azalea Acid Kapco, Sequestrene NaFe, Versen-Ol iron chelate, and Versen- Ol iron chelate on Vermiculite. In the last two years, whenever we fed our potted azaleas, we added 12 per cent chelated iron to the fertilizer at the rate of one-fourth teaspoonful (1 gram) per gallon of water. We have used this new material cautiously on our potted azaleas, but from our experience thus far we feel that we can safely use it on all azaleas and in stronger amounts. The suggested rate of application of Versen-Ol for a 2- to 4-foot azalea in the garden is 12 to 1 ounce in 2 to 4 gallons of water, applied as a soil drench in the root area of the plant. To correct severe chlorosis on alkaline soils, two to three applications may be necessary at six- to eight-week intervals. Aluminum sulphate has been used to acidify soils, but its continual use may produce aluminum toxicity in plants. Powdered sulphur is much safer and can be used at the rate of 1 pound to 100 square feet per applica- tion on light soils and 2 to 3 pounds on heavier soils. Regardless of which THI MISSOURI BOTANICAI KOREAN RHODODENDRON GARDEN BULLETIN (Rhododendron mucronulatum) THE EARLIEST-FLOWERING RHODODENDRON. MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 53 inorganic chemicals are used to in- crease acidity, it will not be possible to grow good azaleas unless the soil is well supplied with organic matter. Much is still to be learned about the acidity of the soil in relation to the growth of azaleas and rhododendrons. Many gardeners have probably been discouraged from growing them _ be- cause of the emphasis placed on the need for acid soil. This is the cultural point which is the most frequently stressed, as if it were the only matter to consider, whereas location, light and shade, moisture, organic content of the soil, and the selection of suitable kinds of azaleas are just as important as the acidity of the soil. In this connection it is interesting to refer to an article in the 1956 Rhododendron and Cam- ellia Year Book of the Royal Horti- cultural Society. Lanning Roper describes the Kurume Punch Bowl in the Great Park at Windsor, a project initiated in 1946 and completed in 1950, with the planting of over 50,000 Kurume azaleas. The follow- ing quotation describes the soil, but nowhere in the article is acidity or the pH of the soil mentioned: “In the beginning there was some fear of erosion. The soil was sandy, but it had been improved by a great deal of natural forest leaf-mould which had accumulated on the site through the years, coupled with vast quantities of leaf and peat which were dug in as the land was trenched.” It is not intended to dismiss the subject of acidity, but to consider it in its proper relation with the other cultural practices in growing azaleas. A small testing kit can be used to determine the acidity or alkalinity of the soil, or soil samples can be sent to state experiment stations or soil- testing laboratories for analysis and recommendations. The neutral point on the “pH scale’’ is 7.0, and a degree or two below this point is the range of acidity azaleas prefer. The domestic and imported peats have a strong acid reaction of about pH 4.5, and if a good amount of peat is added to the soil one can be reasonably sure that the degree of acidity will be low enough for azaleas. The addition of sulphur or any other acidifying agent to the soil will reduce the pH, but a fairly accurate reading cannot be obtained until months after the ap- plication. Location: While most of the deciduous azaleas may be grown in full sun, the evergreen and semi-evergreen kinds prefer light shade part of the day. Shade cast by trees or buildings during the hottest part of the day will also prolong the blooming period. Not every garden has a suitable location for azaleas, although by studying the site it is usually possible to create a sheltered spot with hedges, fences, shrubs, or evergreens, High shade cast by trees is preferred, and if the trees are oaks there will be no surface roots to rob the azaleas of food and moisture. PLANTING Time: Azaleas may be purchased in various sizes as potted or balled and burlapped plants. Since in this area azaleas normally bloom in late April and early May, planting time is in March and early April and again Potted plants may be set out at any time in September and October. except during the first flush of growth. MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN ee ES THE PINXTERBLOOM (Rdododendron nudiflorum) The small, usually white flowers are borne in great profusion. dodendron roseum has deeper-colored, fragrant flowers. Rho- MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 55 Always moisten the root ball before planting, by standing it in a tub of water for a few minutes and then setting it aside to drain. SpacinG: When a small azalea is planted it is difficult to visualize its height ten years hence, therefore, the tendency is to space plants close together. Four or five feet apart is advisable for most kinds. Generally, the spread of azaleas will be about the same as the ultimate height given in the catalogs. Plants that are placed two or three feet apart for immediate effect may be thinned when they begin to crowd, but the thinning must not be delayed too long. Sort: A well-drained, fibrous and spongy soil is the type azaleas prefer. In creating such soil our aim is to duplicate woodland conditions in which the yearly growth cycle pro- vides a continual supply of decaying leaves. We would be fortunate if we had partially decayed oak leaves to mix with the soil, but since this seldom is the case, our best substitute is com- mercial peat. At times this is very dry when delivered and needs to be moist- ened by exposing the opened bale or bag to rain, or wetting it with the hose and turning it with a rake until it is uniformly moist. Canadian peat can be conditioned faster than German peat, but the latter is a little more acid. Azaleas are shallow-rooted plants and in a well-drained location only the top 12-18 inches of soil need be pre- pared. If sufficient organic matter is available it is well to prepare an entire bed, but when azaleas are interplanted with other shrubs or evergreens, individual holes will suffice. Soil removed from a hole 2 feet in dia- meter and 1 foot deep equals approxi- mately 3 bushels. By mixing from 1 to 12 bushels of peat with the soil we have approximately a 50 per cent soil-peat mixture. At that rate a 6- cubic-foot bale of peat will be suf- ficient for four azaleas, and if the di- ameter of the hole is increased to 3 feet, one bale will be needed for every two plants. If good leaf mold or old manure is available either one or both could be used to replace half of the peat. As the soil and peat are being mixed, add a cupful each of sulphur and super-phosphate; and if the soil is inclined to be stiff, add about a bucketful of sand per plant. While the hole is open, loosen the subsoil and mix in peat, leaves, or old manure. Firm the soil as it is returned to the hole so that when an azalea is planted the soil ball will be a little higher than the level of the surround- ing area. This allows for settling of the spongy soil and also for the addi- A slight depression should be left around the tion of an annual mulch. plant for water which will help settle the soil. The application of a mulch, about three inches thick, is the final step of the planting operation. A mulch retains moisture, discourages weeds, keeps the roots cool, and_ prevents rapid changes in temperature in win- ter. Oak leaves, if available, are pre- ferred but other materials can be used such as peat, ground corn cobs, spent hops, tobacco stems, oak tow, sawdust and wood chips. It is advisable to mix peat with other mulching materials, MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN Mollis hybrid azaleas may be had in varying shades of salmon, yellow, orange, and rose colors. MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 57 for when used alone it sheds water when it becomes dry. A combination of oak leaves and peat, topped with a dressing of wood chips, would make a satisfactory mulch. The annual mulch is easily renewed each year in autumn when leaves are so plentiful. WaterING: When watering azaleas during dry periods the use of a perfor- ated plastic sprinkler will insure deep penetration without run-off or inter- ference from the wind. On very hot days the plants will benefit by a syringing with the hose, morning and evening, to increase the humidity about the plants. FEEDING: The continual decomposi- tion of a mulch will supply food for the azaleas, and this may be supple- mented with acid fertilizers form- ulated for camellias, azaleas, and rhod- odendrons. Such fertilizers may be mixed with an equal amount of cot- tonseed meal and spread around the plants in February and March and again in June, if necessary. The vigor of the plants is the best indicator of the amount and frequency of the ap- plications. Apply 3 to 4 pounds per 100 square feet of bed space and '4 to 1 pound per plant, in keeping with the SIze. PRUNING: Compared with other plants in the garden, azaleas require very little attention. In the first ten years they seldom need any pruning except for the shortening of a few vigorous canes. Azaleas grow taller and broader each year, in a definite pattern, as new. sets of branches develop at the base of the flowers. After ten or more years it will be noticed that the canes of some types of azaleas, like the Mollis, are an inch or more in diameter and that they do not produce flowers as freely as they once did. If one or two of such heavy canes are removed each year, by cut- ting them back almost to the ground, in a few years the entire plant can be rejuvenated. The new canes will be vigorous and will flower as freely as when the plants were young. Pests: The lace bug is a sucking insect that feeds on the underside of the leaves of azaleas and rhododendrons and also attacks chrysanthemums, per- ennial asters, and other garden plants. These insects have appeared some years on our potted azaleas, but so far have never been observed on any of the plants growing in the garden. Strange as it may seem, we can say that we have never had to spray our azaleas either for insect or fungous attacks. If lace bugs should appear, control them with sprays of nicotine, DDT, lindane, chlordane, or malathion. Spider mites are on the increase, and if they attack azaleas spray them with a miticide, such as Aramite. Rabbits are fond of young azaleas but let the plants alone when they become woody. Most damage occurs in winter when the rabbits’ normal food supply is frozen or covered with snow. People sometimes are unaware that rabbits are in their gardens, but if they find twigs that have been cut on the slant, as if with a knife, the evidence is that this pest is in the neighborhood and might return to do more damage. That being the case, the only possible way of protecting young azaleas is to 58 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN Rhododendron obtusum amoenum An example ot hose-in-hose flowers MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 59 Rhododendron mucronatum cuttings These were made in December, rooted in a sand-peat medium in 70° greenhouse temperature. The photograph, made in April, shows cuttings with ample roots for planting in an outdoor frame. surround the individual plants, or a bed of azaleas, with one-inch mesh wire netting 12 or 18 inches high. Individual cylinders of wire can be slipped over each azalea and held in place with wire or bamboo stakes. Species AND Hysrips: Although botanists group all species of azaleas and rhododendrons in the one big genus, Rhododendron, in horticultural literature and in catalogs they are usually treated separately. For in- stance, when information about a plant listed as Azalea ledifolia alba in catalogs is sought in a plant dic- tionary, it will be found under Rhododendron mucronatum instead of Azalea ledifolia alba, which is a synonym. Like other groups of plants, it is possible to extend the blooming period of azaleas in a garden by selecting the early and late kinds. The first azalea to bloom in April in most years, when forsythia and narcissus are in flower, is Rhododendron mucronulatum, the Korean azalea, whose clusters of rosy- purple flowers appear before the leaves. The plant grows tall and narrow, and, according to Wilson, is found in dry and stony situations in its native habitat. Unfortunately, like the early magnolias, the flowers of this azalea are ruined in some years by late frosts. The next species to flower is Rho- dodendron Schlip penbachii whose com- mon name, the Royal Azalea, is much more pleasing and easily remembered. The slightly pink buds expand into large, white flowers. In the sixteen years that we have had this beautiful azalea its growth has been slow com- pared to other varieties planted in the same bed. Rhododendron obtusum amoenum is a small-leaved, semi-evergreen azalea which eventually grows into a large mound as broad as it is tall. The plant is very twiggy and bears a profusion of hose-in-hose, rosy-purple flowers. A ‘“hose-in-hose” flower is one in which there are two perfect corollas, one set 60 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN within the other. This azalea is un- mindful of dry weather and is one of the easiest to grow. Because of its strong color, it is best planted against an evergreen background or combined with white or pale-pink and lavender azaleas. A striking combination of plants can be created by combining this variety with evergreens and white redbud. The pinkshell azalea, Rhododendron Vaseyi, is a native of the mountains In St. Louis it blooms in late April and early of western North Carolina. May, and since the flowers are a deli- cate pink it is best planted in light shade. Our native azalea, Rhododendron nudiflorum, the Pinxterbloom, grows to a height of six feet and about May Ist its white or pale-pink flowers ap- pear just as the leaves unfold. Rho- dodendron roseum is similar and is pre- ferred because of its fragrance and deeper-colored flowers. In 1925 the seed firm of Henry A. Dreer, of Philadelphia, introduced a Kurume azalea named sNow, which is a hose-in-hose variety, but this is not to be confused with the snow AZALEA, Rhododendron mucronatum, which has been grown’ in _ this country for more than a_ hundred years. The latter is listed in catalogs under various names — Azalea indica alba, A. ledifolia alba, A. rosmarin- ifolia, and varieties of mucronatum. Opinions differ as to where this azalea originated and whether the white form we have is a species or an albino form of a lavender-flowered azalea which Wilson named Rhododendron mu- cronatum var. ripense. It 1s semi-ever- green, with wide-spreading branches which grow horizontally to form a mound six to ten feet wide. Of the seven azaleas described, three are native American species and the other four are from the Orient. One other hardy azalea that should be included in an azalea collection, is the Flame Azalea, Rhododendron calendu- laceum. It is from the mountains of Virginia and the Carolinas and is the most colorful of the native American species, GaBLeE Hyprip AzaLeas: In the Allegheny — foothills, — at Stewartstown, Pennsylvania, Joseph B. Gable has been hybridizing rhododen- southern drons and azaleas for many years. In 1953 the American Rhododendron Society awarded Mr. Gable its gold medal in recognition of the fine work he is doing in creating hardy azaleas. More than thirty-five named varieties of the Gable azaleas are now commer- cially available and more are to come. lor ten years we have grown two of the Gable varieties of which the first to bloom in late April is OLD PAITHFUL an orchid-pink, single-flowered vari- ety; and a few days later ELIZABETH GABLE, a rose-pink, hose-in-hose, ever- green variety comes into flower. These plants are now four feet tall and equally broad. Until more of the Gable varieties are given a trial the following list of currently popular varieties will serve as a guide in mak- ing selections: BOUDOIR —single, watermelon-pink caMEO —double, soft pink ELIZABETH GABLE —double, rose-pink ETHELWYN —single, light pink HERBERT —single, crimson-purple LOUISE GABLE —double, salmon-pink PURPLE SPLENDOR —dark purple MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 61 ROSEBUD —double, pink ROSE GREELEY —hose-in-hose, white SPRINGTIME. —single, pink GLENN Dace Hysrip AZALEAs: In 1950 and 1951 we received a total of 167 clones of azaleas from the Bureau of Plant Industry, Beltsville, Mary- land. The plants were small and have been growing in pots until such time as they are large enough for planting out. These plants, sent to us for trial, are a part of the greatest azalea breed- ing project ever undertaken, instituted in 1929 by Mr. B. Y. Morrison, Prin- cipal Horticulturist, Division of Plant Exploration and Introduction of the United States Department of Agri- culture, until his retirement in 1951. Many of these clones are now listed in azalea catalogs, and as more informa- tion becomes available, it will be pos- sible to select those kinds best suited The following is a suggested list of Glenn Dale for a given locality. varieties, seven of which are in our collection: ANGELA PLACE —4’, white arctic —3’, white BEACON —5', near scarlet CRINOLINE —5’, pink CYGNET —4’, white DAYSPRING —6', pink EROS —3’, pink FASHION —6’, rose GLACIER —5’, white HELEN GUNNING —5', white, pink margins MARTHA HITCHCOCK margins MORNING STAR —6_, rose Any one wishing to know more about these azaleas will find Agricul- tural Monograph No. 20, “The Glenn Dale Azaleas’”’ by B. Y. Morrison, an interesting booklet. It may be obtained , ‘ 4, white, magenta from the Superintendent of Doc- uments, United States Government Printing Office, Washington 25, D.C. The price is 40 cents. Motus Hysrips: The Mollis hy- brids originated in Europe about 1880 and have for parents Rhododendron molle, Rhododendron japonicum and Ghent hybrids (which in turn are the product of some seven American species), and Rhododendron flavum from eastern Europe. The Mollis hy- brids are easily grown from seed in a variety of colors from the clearest yel- low through rose to deep orange-red. The plants grow tall and broad, can be planted in full sun, transplant easily, and tolerate neutral and slightly alkaline soil. They have one minor fault, in that occasionally they emit a slightly unpleasant odor, but this should not deter any one from grow- ing them, Exspury Hyprip Azaceas: The late Lionel de Rothschild of Exbury, Eng- land, hybridized many azaleas in his lifetime, and now about fifty of the clones are available in this country. Several of these were mentioned by Mr. Fador Kernin in the January issue of the Quarterly Bulletin of — the American Rhododendron Society as having withstood fifteen degrees below zero in Shelby, Nebraska, their only protection from the wind being tar- paper tubes, open at the top. If the Exbury hybrids can be grown in Nebraska they certainly are worth a trial here. This spring we will plant BASILISK and PINK DELIGHT at the Garden. GROWING YOUR OWN AZALEAS: One can derive a great deal of enjoyment and satisfaction by propagating his own azaleas either by seeds or cuttings. Some azaleas produce an abundance of 62 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN MOLLIS HYBRID AZALEA SEEDLINGS IN A COLD-FRAMI After two or three years such plants are large enough for planting in their permanent location. seed which is gathered during the fall and winter months. Much seed is lost when the capsules open and are shaken by the wind, but even after months of exposure to the elements, when the supposedly empty pods are gathered and vigorously shaken in a paper bag, more seed is collected than is needed for an average sowing. Azalea seed may be sown in February in a greenhouse, or in April if only a cold-frame is available. Sphagnum moss, rubbed through a half-inch mesh wire-screen, is an excellent medium on which to sow the seed. The sphagnum is moistened, placed in a pot or pan, and firmed. The seed is sown evenly and dry sphagnum lightly sifted over it. The pot is then watered from be- low by standing it in a pan of water, or from above using a fine spray. A pane of glass will prevent drying of the surface and paper will protect the seed from the hot rays of the sun. A greenhouse bench, shaded by a lath screen suspended from the roof, is an ideal location for starting seedlings. Azalea seed germinates in three to four weeks, and after the seedlings are a week or two old they are benefited by a light feeding of liquid fertilizer. When the seedlings have two or three leaves, they may be transplanted to flats of peat and sand, or peat and perlite or styrafoam, where they will remain until transplanted to pots or prepared beds the following spring. During the first winter the seedlings need the protection of a cool green- house or a good coldframe. By the third year there will be some flowers and by the fifth year many of the plants will be large enough for plant- ing out in their permanent location. A hybrid azalea can only be per- petuated vegetatively, and by that is meant that a piece of the plant must be grown on its own roots either by cuttings or layering or by grafting onto some other azalea stock plant. The simplest and quickest of these methods is by cuttings, but it cannot be accomplished as easily as rooting a geranium, ‘The best rooting medium is an equal amount of peat and sand, or peat and vermiculite. The propaga- tor must rely on his knowledge and experience to determine when cuttings MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 63 AZALEA SEEDLINGS FOUR MONTHS OLD For best results, seedlings are transplanted when they have developed three or four true leaves. have reached the proper degree of firmness for insertion in the rooting medium. This varies with the kind of azalea and the time of the year. Cuttings may be taken when the shoots of the current season have be- come firm, which usually is about four to six weeks after flowering. When they are gathered they are dropped in water or wrapped in damp paper and prepared for insertion in the root- ing medium as soon as possible to avoid wilting. The preparation con- sists in removing a few basal leaves, dipping the end of the cutting in No. 2 or No. 3 Hormodin powder and dibbling it into the pot or flat of root- ing medium. When all cuttings are inserted, they are watered with a sprinkling can and the flat or pot is covered with a tent of polyethylene sheeting, placed in a sheltered and shaded part of the garden or cold- frame, and shielded from the direct rays of the sun. Except for an occasional watering, the cuttings will need no further attention until they are rooted, which will require sixty days or longer, depending upon the kind of azalea, the temperature, and the time of year. When cuttings are rooted they are hardened off before potting by gradually removing the plastic sheeting. Deciduous azaleas are rooted in the spring, but some of the evergreen and semi-evergreen kinds may also be rooted in the fall and as late as December. Plants may also be started by layers if a plant with pliable canes is avail- able, but the process is slow, requiring at least a year. SOME FACTS ABOUT SHAW’S GARDEN The Missouri Botanical Garden (the official name chosen by Mr. Shaw) carries on the garden established by Henry Shaw over a century ago at Tower Grove, his country home. It is a private institution and has no support from city or state. The old stone walls and cast-iron fences, the Linnaean House, the Museum, the Mausoleum, and the Tower Grove mansion all date from Mr. Shaw’s time. Since his death, as directed in his will, the Garden has been in the hands of a Board of Trustees who appoint the Director. The Garden is open every day in the year (except New Year’s and Christmas) from nine A.M. until seven P. M. (April to November) and until six (November to April) though the greenhouses close at five. Tower Grove, itself, Mr, Shaw’s old country home, is open from one until four. The Garden is nearly a mile long and has several entrances. The Main Entrance, the one used by the general public, is at Tower Grove and Flora Place on the Sarah bus line (No. 42). The Park Southampton buses (No. 80), direct from downtown, pass within three blocks of this entrance and stop directly across the street from the Administration Building at 2315 Tower Grove Avenue. The latter is the best entrance for students, visiting scientists, etc. It is open to such visitors after 8:30 a.m., but is closed on Sat- urdays, Sundays, and holidays. There is a service entrance on Alfred Avenue, one block south of Shaw Avenue. Since Mr. Shaw’s time an Arboretum has been developed at Gray Summit, Mo., adjacent to State Highways 50 and 66. It is open every day in the year and has two miles of auto roads as well as foot trails through the wild-flower reservation. There is a pinetum and an extensive display of daffodils and other narcissi from March to early May. BOARD OF TRUSTEES JoHN S. LEHMANN, President Henry HitcHcock DANIEL K. CatTLin, Vice-President RicHarp J. Lock woop EuGENE Perrus, Second Vice-President HENRY B. PFLAGER LeIcesTER B. Faust A. WEssEL SHAPLEIGH DupDLEY FRENCH RoBERT BROOKINGS SMITH EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS EtHan A. H. SHEPLEY, JaMeEs F. MorreELt, Chancellor of Washington University President of the Board of Education f St. Louis ARTHUR C. LICHTENBERGER, ‘ Bishop of the Diocese of Missouri SrraTForD LEE MorToN ’ RayMonp R. Tucker, President of the Academy of Science Mayor of the City of St. Louis of St. Louis Secretary Oscar E. GLAESSNER THE HORTICULTURAL COUNCIL Bill Bauer, Clarence Barbre, Clifford W. Benson, E. G. Cherbonnier, Robert E. Goetz, Paul Hale, Mrs. W. Warren Kirkbride, Mrs. Hazel Knapp, Emmet Layton, John E. Nies, Gilbert Pennewill, Harold E. Wolfe, John S. Lehmann, Edgar Anderson, W. F. Scott, Jr., Chairman. STAFF George Ts MOOre nets oan open ee meres Director Wear ae Ren ae ce een ee Director |g S004 21 Gm, ©) [pv eee eee Rene RENEE aOR MNCEI 4 heey hy al Dicer) 3 Henry N. Andrews... scenic iicetcpncianeeis oa. saainck AAO DOL ATISE Ausust-P.. Beiimaan- Manager of the Arboretum, Gray Summit Louis G. Brenner. peered Arborist Ladisiaus Catak cn ee Horticulturist in charge of Conservatories Piugh ©, Cutlets oe ee ator of the: Museum Carroll W. Dodge_-.---...---. Peper stanton ees Miso eeaecera ys ates Mycologist Joun: D. Dwyer.2 ; = Research Associate ober’ Fc Giles iG. 52 cee eee In charge of Orchids Oscar E. Glaessner oes __...._Business Manager Pie leroy ae ts aes _.Librarian and Editor Ida. Mi. Robt..23. eee ee __...Assistant Librarian Set nec; | ae a eer yo ii atic | chek TUN py ata cc ace tcievneentoaienecee SSI, D ratiads eacel ote aOR, ', | eee eee ncenreMMmaOraMs PT fs /colio. a7 15 (George = Pring= = 2 et ee, Se ee eee Superintendent boast aie Ge by 2 U-1rs Sd td |: RUN Ser aD Ane RNP BE Assistant to the Director jee 3): Be od | en Shs ice EA RUMCET Julian A. Steyermark 2 Honorary Research Associate Phe, ah PER © g20) Sane ne a naan Soe ve Research Associate |e) OF Ge Oe Bias co) en | 9 Assistant Curator of Herbarium Ord Lge MERE Criss eo) Se oe i Acting Curator of Herbarium Robert E. Woodson, Jr. cee Senior Taxonomist PUBLICATIONS FOR SALE AT THE MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN 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 Pictorial Biography. Price 25 cents. THE MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN. What it is and what it does. Price, 25 cents. POST-CARDS Garden Views. 5 cents each; large size, 10 cents. {ISSOURI BOTANICAL GARD N BULL a IN Porage Herbs and Their Uses Prepared by the St. Louis Herb Society Emily Dingeldein, Virginia Schreiber, Charlotte Osborn, Alice F. Tryon, Catherine Kieffer, Jane P. Blank, Reka N. Fisher, Emilie Schemm, Mary E. Baer, Edith Baron, Meredith Carson, Isabel Adreon, Louise Horwitz lume XLIV May, 1956 N umber 5 Cover: Borage, an original drawing by Louise Horwitz. Office of publication: 306 E. Simmons Street, Galesburg, Illinois. 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. 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 toa friend or return it to the Garden. Return postage guaranteed. Missour1 Botanical Garden Bulletin Vol. XLIV MAY, 1956 No. 5 SALAD BURNET (Sanguisorba minor) HERE are three Burnets. Two belong to the Rose family, and the other, “Saxifrage Burnet,” to the Carrot. The Salad Burnet is of the Rose family and is the “lesser” Burnet. Our Burnet of interest is a peren- nial, putting out new pinnate leaves every year. Its leaves are small, dainty, with a picoted edge. They are borne on slender stems. Both flower and leaf stalk are a deep crimson color. It is neat in habit and ferny in appear- ance; good for edging the perennial border. cucumber flavor and should be cut The leaves have a pleasant when about 4 inches tall. It is best to sow the seeds as soon as they ripen in the autumn, or to propagate by division of the roots in the spring. Choose a dry sunny posi- tion for the bed, and if the soil is deficient in lime, fork in a little before sowing. The Salad Burnet is common in dry pastures and by the wayside. It forms much of the pasturage in England and was cultivated in Germany for the same purpose. Its great advantage is that it remains green all winter and provides food for sheep; they are especially fond of it. In the herb gardens of olden days, Gerard says, “’tis pleasant to be eaten in Salad Burnet had its place. sallade, in which it is thought to make the hart merry and glad.” Oscar of the Waldorf gives us the following recipe for ‘Fine Herbs Vinegar.” “Take equal quantities of Tarragon, Burnet, Chervil and Cress, all of which should have been gathered the day before. Fill a wide-mouthed bottle or jar with this, adding also two cloves of garlic and a green pepper. Cover the whole with vinegar, cork the bottle tightly, and place it in a warm tem- perature for a fortnight. Strain the vinegar through a fine hair sieve, press- ing the herbs well. Then — filter through paper until quite clear. Pour into bottles and keep tightly corked.” Try Burnet: As a garnish on meat instead of parsley. As a garnish on canapes, a single leaf is effective. As an ingredient in summer salads for its pleasant cucumber flavor. EmMity DINGELDEIN (65) MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN TM UNE = Lata 2 wee Wty: at ve . SSS z re gts ee RE aN, < LE SaiZ \ rx ‘ es Aiea, ~} a a \ 'e UNG RR Mh =e, Burnet GERARDE, 1636 MISSOURI BOTANICAL SWEET GARDEN BULLETIN 67 MARJORAM (Origanum majorana or Majorana hortensis ) HE small, dainty erect gray- green plant of Sweet Marjoram does not attract immediate attention in the herb garden, but it is one of our most indispensable plants. The highly aromatic leaves are widely used, both for industrial and for culinary pur- poses. Growing to a height of about ten inches, the square reddish-brown central stem is covered with tiny branches; the tip of each branch end- ing in a small knotted ball of shutter- like leaves. Tiny creamy white flowers begin to peep through these shutters in early August, at which time the plant is ready to harvest. Usually two cuttings may be made in a season, Sweet Marjoram seed are very tiny but may be sowed outdoors as soon as the ground is warm. Germination 1s good but slow, taking from twelve to twenty-one days. After danger of cutworm is over, the plants should be thinned to about five inches apart. A sunny, well-drained, chalky soil is best. While Sweet Marjoram thrives inside in pots, the leaves lose some of their aromatic quality. The plant is drought-resistant, which is a boon to St. Louis summers. Sweet Marjoram is a perennial but must be treated as an annual in the North. Marjoram, “joy of the mountains,” has been regarded as a symbol of hap- piness through the ages. Sweet Mar- joram comes from Portugal and was introduced in England during the thirteenth century. There are some thirty varieties of Marjoram known in Europe, the three most common being Wild, Pot, and Sweet or Knotted. Sweet Marjoram has the most delicate flavor for culinary use. Fresh or dried, there is nothing superior to the leaves of Sweet Marj- oram for culinary use. Incredibly fragrant, it is an entity in itself, yet enhances the flavor of other herbs used Sweet with it, especially thyme. Marjoram improves almost any recipe using beef—meat loaf, stew, steak, roasts, and meat sauces. Nothing can replace it in turkey or chicken stuffing or in potato soup. The chopped fresh leaves add to the flavor of green peas and tossed salads. A Good Herb Mixture to Keep on Hand for Seasoning: Marjoram and Winter Savory, with Equal parts half-quantity Basil, Thyme and Tar- ragon, all rubbed together and kept air-tight. Home-made Sausage: Mix two pounds of coarsely ground lean pork with one pound of pork fat; work all together with hands, adding salt, red and black pepper, Sweet Marjoram and Thyme. Keep cool. Pork Tenderloin with Herbs: 2 small pork loins—salted and peppered 1 onion sliced thin 1 cup orange juice 1 tbsp. sugar Sweet Marjoram, Thyme, Rose- mary. Cook at 325° until tender, basting rather often. VIRGINIA SCHREIBER 68 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN OREGANO (Origanum vulgare) RONUNCIATION of. the name of this herb and_ the identification of it have caused much confusion. Some authority may be found for each of these pronuncia- tions: QO-rig-an-o, O-reg-an-o, O-ri- gan-o. Identification has been much more difficult. It has been said that the plant which established itself in our country as a hardy perennial is a kind of Wild Marjoram; which kind no one seems willing to say. Our Wild Marjoram is said to lack the flavor and the aroma of the imported herb; the latter may be grown here. What Parkinson had to say centuries ago may still be said, “There is so much con- troversy among the moderne writers about the two herbs, sweet and wild. The rest are all mussed up in gardens, their natural places not being known”, In the past plant names have varied from time to time and from place to place. For example, once the names for Wild Marjoram and Sweet Mar- joram had something in common: Origanum vulgare, Origanum major- ana; today, they have nothing in com- mon: Origanum vulgare, Majorana hortensis. We can see how the names Oregano and Marjoram came _ into common use. To enjoy Oregano to the fullest, buy some of the imported kind and use it in cooking. This brings out the flavor and aroma, and points up the relationship to Sweet Marjoram. When sprinkled on roasting or broiling meat the resulting fragrance is very like that of Sweet Marjoram; the flavor is similar, too. Then we understand and take delight in the ancient Greek description of Oregano. “Joy of the Mountain.” The American Spice Trade Associa- tion of New York (1950) says that Oregano is grown mostly in Italy and Mexico, that it is a seasoning essential to chile-con-carne, excellent when sprinkled in meat sauce for spaghetti, fine for omelet or boiled eggs, beef stew, meat sauces, and a good flavor- ing for pork dishes. According to Gourmet Magazine, Oregano is an “important ingredient in most Italian dishes including pizza, veal scallopini and all the pasta sauces ... for pork, Mexican chicken, and chili dishes.’ Broiled Steak: smooth a few drops of olive oil into Before _ broiling, each side of steak, brush with melted butter and Oregano (1 tbsp. fresh or 1 tsp. dried). After broiling, dust lightly with freshly ground pepper and garlic salt. Broiled Beef Tongue: Slice a cooked tongue. Arrange in a shallow pan. Brush with melted butter and Or- egano. Broil till brown. Repeat for other side. Roast Chicken: Halve broilers. Brush with melted butter, sprinkle To the juice of two lemons, add 1 tbsp. fresh with Oregano and_ pepper. Oregano or 1 tsp. of dried Oregano, and '4 c. of butter, which has been melted and lightly browned. Pour mixture on chicken. Bake at 400 degrees until done. Baste often. Garnish with parsley. CHARLOTTE OSBORN MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 69 A MATTER OF THE MINTS -y~ HE true Mints or Menthas are aggressive even in St. Louis gardens. Many stems are produced just under the surface of the soil which not only spread the plants but adapt them to our searing St. Louis summers. What are the kinds of Mints? This matter furrows the brows of gardeners and botanists alike and a ninth-cen- tury writer claimed: “There are as many Mints as there are sparks from Today we believe Vulcan’s furnace.” that there are about twenty-five species but myriads of sparks because the species interbreed. I have found ten of the species in St. Louis gardens plus an additional half-dozen varieties. Two of these were introduced by our members. Where several kinds of Mints have flourished for a while the gardens are sparkling with hybrids. Keys are used to identify plants and are so named because they unlock the identity. Using a simple key is some- thing of a game certainly not more strenuous than Bridge or Scrabble. The following one was prepared from the Mints in St. Louis gardens. For each of the paired letters you make a choice then go on to the next pair until you end with a name. KEY TO THE MINTS A. Plants forming creeping mats; leaves less than 3¢% broad 2.0.0.0... Pennyroyal A. Plant erect; leaves more than 14” broad 20.2... ..e.cesccescccecccsstceteecteoessersressteneseennnecncesesceenconereseneseees B. Leaves with long stalks about 1% the length of the blade... eee Peete GF C. Flowers clustered at stem tip or just below ..........0.2-c2.ceccecceeeecceeseeseeeeceeeceeeteeeeeeeeeeeeereeteeee DD D. Peppermint-scented; flower clusters spike-like D. Lemon-scented; flowers in short heads ......... C. Flowers clustered among leaves on much of the stem ....0...222..............12ceeeee cece cece cece cece eee E E. Leaves egg- or diamond-shaped F, Leaves with yellow patches .... F. Leaves entirely green E. Leaves Jance-shaped ......Goldenapple Mint peesaeteseqsteeess Field Mint B. Leaves without stalks or with short stalks eer © G. Leaves woolly or velvety eer H. Leaves roundish, about as bread as long, woolly I I. Leaves entirely green; plants tall I. Leaves variegated; plants small, creeping H. Leaves 2 or more times longer than broad, velvety G. Leaves scarcely hairy or with no hair J. Leaves oval to egg-shaped J. Leaves diamond- to lance-shaped a Woolly Mint Pineapple Mint European Horsemint : See eee ee ee J Mrs. Schemm’s Kentucky Mint (cross of Woolly & Spearmint) _...... (a crisp-leaved Spearmint is common) Auice F. Tryon 70 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN TARRAGON (Artemisia dracunculus ) RENCH Tarragon is a perennial which grows to a height of about two feet. It has aromatic leaves which are long, nar- row, and undivided. It blossoms in August. The small yellow-and-black flowers appear in round heads, bouquet type. The roots are runners, long and fibrous. There are two kinds of Tar- French and Russian. The French Tarragon has smooth, dark ragon: green leaves and fine flavor. It is native to southern Europe. The Rus- sian Tarragon, an annual, has_ less smooth leaves, is of a fresher green shade, and has a bitter taste. It is a native of Siberia. French Tarragon rarely, if ever, produces fertile flowers in this country, and thus it is not raised from seed. It is propagated in two ways: first, by root division, done when the spring growth is about two inches high. Lift the entire plant carefully to separate; allow two shoots to each root. Second, cuttings may be struck when new growth on plants is about four inches long. Root in clean, sharp sand. Set out before August or the plants will not survive the winter. A few young plants should be raised each year to keep a supply. The plant must be divided every third year to disentangle the mass of shallow roots. Tarragon succeeds best in a warm, dry situation. It likes sunshine, with a little shade, and thrives in well- drained, rather poor soil. It needs some protection in the winter. This winter three out of four plants in our garden survived. Last fall we mulched the plants with leaves. This spring we added lime and well-rotted cow man- ure. My first crop of green leaves is picked in late June or early July, when my best vinegars are prepared. My second crop, harvested in August when the buds begin to open, is used for drying. To dry, pick the leaves, remove defective ones, wash, place on a wire mesh to drain, Air must circulate above and below drying herbs. Dry at about 80° temperature for several days. When thoroughly dry, pulverize and bottle tightly. Observe for several days to be sure that no moisture ap- pears to create mold. Fresh Tarragon possesses an essential, volatile oil, chemically identical with anise. This oil is lost in drying the herb. To some, Tarragon is synonymous with salads, but its use is far more extensive. I use it with egg dishes, chicken, mushrooms, and in’ cream sauces. I frequently use it in combina- tion with Rosemary, Parsley, and Thyme in a butter sauce for fish. Tar- ragon vinegar is the only flavoring for tartar sauce. French cooks usually mix their mustard with Tarragon vinegar. To me, Tarragon is a must in my garden. It is attractive and ever so useful. It is quite a favorite with my friends, too. At Christmas time, particularly, I have found that my Tarragon vinegar spreads good cheer. MISSOURI BOTANICAL Tarragon Sauce for Fish: 1c. milk 3 tsp. lemon juice 2 tsp. capers (or nasturtium seed ) 3 tsp. flour '4 tsp. Tarragon 1 hard-boiled egg. Salt and pepper to taste Stir the flour into 4 c. of milk until well blended, add the remain- GARDEN BULLETIN 71 ing milk. Add Tarragon, capers, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Heat over slow fire, stirring constantly until sauce is proper consistency. Chop the hard-boiled egg and blend with the sauce. Serve with boiled or sauteed fish. Especially good with haddock, cod or halibut. CATHERINE KIEFFER Rosemary MATIHIOLI, 1560 72 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN HERB VINEGARS T is suggested that pasteurized I vinegars be used as the basis. Pasteurization stops the mother-form- ing bacteria, One may use white or red wine vinegars, cider or other fruit vinegars; malt vinegar prepared from sprouted cereal grains; white or dis- tilled vinegars made by the acetic fermentation of dilute distilled alcohol. Herb vinegars may be made in many varieties and combinations. The basic vinegar is infused with herbs, seeds, petals of flowers. Seasonings include Basil, Burnet, Borage, Tarragon, Thymes, Marjoram, Chives, Mints, Rose Geranium leaves, rose petals (these in a cider or distilled base), nasturtium flowers. The time required for infusion of the vinegar varies according as fresh or dried herbs are used. If dried herbs are used, boiling vinegar should be poured over them; let stand ten days. If fresh herbs are used, either they may be placed in cold vinegar, corked and set aside, or the infusion put into a jar, set in a pan of water on the stove ull the water boils, then removed, cooled, and corked. Fresh herb vinegar should stand for from two to four weeks. When the vinegar has stood the proper time, strain it through fine muslin or filter papers, and rebottle. The following should be observed when making vinegars for sale or for competitive judging: 1. Vinegars for sale must be made All herbs washed. under sanitary conditions. used must be thoroughly Bottles must be sterile and new. 2. Criteria with Point Values for Competitive Judging of Vinegars: Clarity (No foreign matter or cloudiness ) a . 30 points Flavor and Bouquet (Herbs predominant) | . . 30 points Packaging (New, sterile bottles) 20 points Material (Perfect specimen of herb in bottle) sizenes Presentation (Attractive container, or manrer of decorating it) 10 points Labeling (Label showing herb wa points and vinegar used must be neatly done) = 5 points Total 100 points Old Creole Recipe for a Spiced Vinegar —Vinaigre Aromatisé: 1 1 qt. cider vinegar; ‘3 oz. dried mint; / oz. dried parsley; 1 grated clove of garlic or 1 tsp. juice; 2 small onions; 2 whole cloves; 1 tsp. coarse pepper; corn of grated nutmeg; salt to taste; 1 tbsp. of sugar; 1 tbsp. good brandy. Add the above to vinegar and let stand three weeks. Strain and bottle. Try a white wine vinegar with Sweet Basil, Lemon Thyme, Rosemary, crushed celery seed, and Lemon peel. Try your own combinations, but do not have two prima donnas in your production. JANE P. BLANK MISSOURI BOTANICAL THE SAVORIES HE Satureias comprise hu- dreds of varieties, but our con- cern is with the savories, both summer and winter savory, low-growing, fra- grant shrubs native to the Mediter- ranean area. They greatly resemble plants of Thyme and Nepeta. Winter Savory (Satureia montana) grows about twelve inches high, with woody branches, and small, dark green, shiny leaves. Its many small flowers of white touched with pink do not blossom all at once, but are starred over the plant. It is a hardy perennial which self-sows. Winter Savory is almost evergreen and, planted as a low hedge, keeps the herb garden attractive even in winter. It likes poor, light, well-drained soil. Clipping the shrubs will induce new growth and keep them from becoming spindly. Summer Savory (Satureia hortensis ) is similar but is an annual plant. It has reddish, hairy, branching stems, few leaves and pale pinkish-lavender flowers. It grows about eighteeen inches high, and the plants should be grown fairly thick as they tend to be knocked over by wind and storm, The leaves are small, long, narrow and downy—flowers come in midsummer. Seeds may be sown in the open as early as possible, but as they are minute they should be mixed with sand for easier, more open sowing. Summer Savory GARDEN BULLETIN 73 (Satureia hortensis and Satureia montana) likes well-drained, garden soil and does well in full sun, moderately — rich but it can gratefully use a little shade in the heat of the day. Both Savories are excellent in the rock garden and for edging. They are used in soups, stuffings, and meat cookery, but Winter Savory has a stronger, ranker taste. Summer Savory is one of the most useful of the sweet kerbs and tastes much like Marjoram, but with a more pungent, biting flavor. Recipes Using Summer Savory: Fried Red Beans—Pour the juice from one can of red kidney beans. Slightly mash the beans, so that the flavors may be absorbed into the body of the bean. Mince an onion and saute till golden brown in one or two table- Add_ beans, and '% teaspoon of Summer Savory spoons of bacon grease. and saute till beans become crusty on bottom of the pan. Turn out on a plate, crust side up, and garnish with chopped parsley. Sim ple Hot Hors d’Ocuvre — Place a thin slice of small yellow onion on a number of Saltines. Top with a mix- ture of Hellman’s Mayonnaise (only Hellman’s seems to work in_ this recipe) and sour cream to which you have added to taste, Summer Savory and celery seeds. Broil till bubbly. Reka NEILSON FISHER Mrs. Jesse Osborn’s Punch: Pour 1 pint boiling water over 4 sprigs each of Apple Mint, Orange Mint, Spearmint. Strain. Cover. Steep 15 minutes. Boil for 5 minutes 14 ¢. water, 1 c. sugar. Cool. Com- bine 1 c. pineapple juice, juice of 6 Blend all with contents of 1 large bottle of ginger ale. Serve in tall glasses half filled oranges, 2 lemons. with crushed ice. Top with sprig of Pineapple Mint for delightful aroma. MISSOURI BOTANICAIT GARDEN BULLETIN PARKINSON, 1640 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 75 CHERVIL (Anthriscus cerefolium) HER-VIL. is’ a-tall,, hardy Ore from one to two feet in height. weather, moist soil rich in humus, and Locally, it thrives in cool partial shade, preferably that of taller plants or on the north side of a build- ing. Sow the seeds in early August for robust plants in about sixty days. They will remain green under leaves or snow until spring. In May the main crop may be cut, as the plants quickly bolt to seed and self-sow if left undis- turbed. Chervil with its fragile, fern-like foliage and froth of milk-white blos- soms signifies joy and gladness. We use three methods of preserving Chervil: dehydration, freezing, salt- ing. This herb is used extensively by the French. It may be used in any recipe calling for parsley. It is always one of the four “fines herbes’’; the second is chives, and the others may be Savory, Thyme, Basil, Tarragon, as you choose, Herb Butter: For fish, chicken, freshly steamed vegetables, or on canapes. 4 lb. (1 stick) sweet butter 1 tsp. (or less) lemon juice 2 tbsp. fresh chopped Chervil, or '4 tbsp. dried Chervil (If dried Chervil is used, add 1 tsp. chop- ped chives or parsley for color). Have the butter at room tempera- ture, cream it and add lemon juice slowly. Blend in the herbs. EMILIE SCHEMM SSSMOSMSSMSLSSDSEs sai siBPoSox FLOWERS FOR A FRAGRANT POT POURRI E T ALS are used in the mak- ing of pot-pourri. Red: Rose, holly, geranium, bee balm, peony, bergamot, carnation. Pink: Hollyhock, dittany of Crete, hyssop, rose. Orange: Calendula marigold nas- turtium, tansy, coreopsis, elecampane. Yellow: Daisy, primrose, flag, camomile, mullein, cowslip, buttercup, yarrow, pansy. Blue: Cornflower, borage, larkspur, Anchusa, pansy, forget-me-not, del- phinium. White: Feverfew, hollyhock, yar- row, pansy. Violet: Heliotrope, foxglove, lav- ender, pansy, flower-heads of mint and rosemary. Gray: Santolina, “Silver King” Artemisia, wormwood, southern-wood, peppermint geranium. Green: Leaves of sweet-scented geraniums, sweet basil, sweet mar- joram, bergamot-mint, apple mint, orange mint, lemon balm, rosemary, and, to be ordered from an importer, the Asian mint patchouli (for a musty odor which gives a mellow fragrance). 76 MISSOURL BOTANICAI THE DRY METHOD OF Gather the choicest blossoms. Be sure they are thoroughly dry. Strip petals from blossoms and spread loosely upon a wire- or window-screen. Ele- vate the screen between two supports for the air currents to reach both sides of the petals. Place in a warm, shady room. Turn petals until they are chip-dry. Store in a covered jar or container, Immediately add preserva- tive. To make perfume stock for pot- pourri it is necessary to add a fixative which is a material to absorb and help retain the fragrant oils which are so volatile. There are two types of fixa- tives, those of animal and those of vegetable origin. The latter are more crushed preferred for our purpose orris-root (coarsely powdered) — or calamus root, or benzoin-siam, Orris is the least expensive. To the fixative add an equal portion of mixed spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and a little mace). Mix these together, add enough essential oil to create a fine lumpy mass. It should be neither too moist to allow the oil to oe ASR ait a ; « J eye GARDEN BULLETIN MAKING POT-POURRI seep over the petals, nor too dry to have the powdered fixative and spices dust the leaves. If properly mixed it will have the appearance of damp- ened cornmeal and when sprinkled over and through the jar will, in about one month’s time, season each petal with a lasting bouquet and fragrance. Oils for delicate scent of flower fragrance are: synthetic rose, orange flower, lavender, lemon verbena, jasmin, and a score of others. Experi- ment with the oils until you find a pleasing fragrance. To one gallon of petals (of which roses should make up two-thirds of the bulk) add about 3 tbsp. orris-root, 3 tbsp. spice mixture, and enough oil or oils to moisten. Other ingredients which might be added to give fragrance are: corian- der and cardamon seed (pounded in a mortar), tonka beans also pounded, clove heads, spicy slivers of orange and lemon rind, sandalwood — shavings, vetivert root, cut into small pieces, dried orange flowers, lavender flowers, and patchouli leaves. Mary E. Barer LD SLY MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN ae POMANDERS EBSTER defines a pomander as ‘‘a perfume or mixture of perfumes, enclosed in a perforated box or bag, and carried on the person, to > guard against infection.” He referred to the historic pomander ball, which Rosetta Clarkson describes so well in her book, “Magic Gardens.” And our own Mary Baer brings us right up to date by reintroducing the custom of making fruit pomanders as a charming adjunct of today’s living. So here’s a bit from both Rosetta Clarkson and Mary Baer: The name derives from the early French—pomme d’ambre — denoting an apple shape, and perfume (amber- gris). In “pre-sanitation days,” rich and poor alike were offended by evil smells at home and abroad, and shared the same fear of infection in crowded Those who could afford it used the pomander ball to help them places. endure the noisomeness of streets and public places, and to protect them- selves from germs. The common “man in the street” carried and sniffed at sprigs of Rue or Rosemary, in order “to live above the foul and filthy air”. The well-off could enjoy the costly pomander, its richly ornamented case filled with rare perfumes, but as the fad grew those who were not well off began to make pomanders they could afford, by simply sticking cloves into oranges, which were cheap, easy, and produced the same result. The word “‘pomander” applied to the perfume ball, as well as to its recep- tacle. The foundation of the perfume ball was plain earth, or “good garden mold”, or fine white wax, to give it bulk. The fixatives were added, according to the desired perfumes and varying recipes of the day, and the whole formed into a mass or ball which was encased in a receptacle of wood, metal or ivory, usually globular in shape, about 2 to 3 inches in diam- eter, made in halves which were hinged and held together by a clasp, and perforated to allow the perfume to escape. Some perfumes used were: lavender, sweet bay; essential oils of cinnamon, cloves, sandal, cedar, lemon, jasmine; the “sweet waters’ of rose, jasmine, orange flowers; shredded fruit rinds— orange, lemon, quinc2; the exotic spikenard, betel nut, lignum aloes, tragacanth, costus, labdanum. Fixa- tives to retain these scents included benjamin (benzoin), storax, amber- gris, civet, musk, powdered calamus root of sweet flag). Pomander cases were of wood band- ed with silver, or more often, of silver or gold elaborately worked and_be- decked with jewels. The pomander vas a rich ornament and worn on a chain about the neck or from the belt. It was the custom in early times to give New Year’s gifts, and the poman- der was a favorite offering. The wealthy could vie with each other in the lavishness of their gift pomanders, while those who could not afford costly perfumes in fancy cases gave instead pomanders made of oranges stuck with cloves. Present-day sanitation and the end- 78 MISSOURI BOTANICAL less variety of germicides, deodorizers and perfumes have made the pomander as defined by Webster obsolete, but the custom of making orange poman- ders as the holiday season draws near has persisted throughout the centuries, and few of us can resist the old-world charm of the fragrant fruit pomander. This is how Mary Baer taught me to make them: Mary Baer’s Fruit Pomander: “Use thin-skinned, firm, fresh fruit: oranse, grapefruit, lemon, lime, kum- GARDEN BULLETIN quat, apple, quince, pomegranate, and large full-headed Madagascar or Zanzi- bar cloves. “Indicate four sections on the fruit and stud each quarter with cloves, leav- ing about '%4 inch between each section for tying on the ribbon later. Allow to dry for about a month or six weeks. “When thoroughly dried, roll in a fixative spice mixture (coarsely crushed orris root’ with an equal portion of spices—cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and a little mace—and a few drops of oil of clove). Leave in spice mixture a few days, then brush off and tie with ribbons.” EpitH BARON cary A, a mo. THYME HE word “Thyme” may be traced back to a Greek word meaning “‘to burn; fumigate.”” To the Greeks, the name of the plant itself Before the 8th century B.C., and the introduction ecame one with its use. of oriental incenses, fragrant herbs were used in Greece. They were stuffed into the bodies of sacrificial animals to dispel the odors of burning flesh, The uses of Thyme’s fragrance are wonderfully illustrative of all the significances of perfume—as propitia- tion, as medicine, and as fumigator. The word “perfume”? means the odor given off Thus All uses are interrelated. with smoke (‘per fumum’’). perfume was literally the first incense. Thyme’s name gives it primal import- ance in all these things. Thyme was extremely common in Greece and flavored the famous honey of Mt. Hymettus, so important in food, cake offerings, and mead. Thyme was spread on graves. It was one of the “simples” of Hippocrates and its perfume was believed to have medicinal powers curing melancholia, splenic diseases, and nightmare. It gave cour- age to soldiers who bathed in its in- fusions. It was mentioned by Pliny, Theophrastus, Horace, and Aristo- phanes, MEREDITH CARSON MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN MATTHIOLI, 1560 79 80 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN BORAGE (Borago officinalis ) T HIS annual is native of the eastern Mediterranean region. The plant grows about two feet high; its oval leaves are rough and hairy. The beauty of the plant is in its pure-blue flower clusters. Because these clusters droop and are seen best from below they should be planted at the top of a slope. The flowers are unusually rich in nectar, thus the plant is good for bee pasturage and is referred to as “bee bread’’. It is also given the name c ‘star flower” because of its five- pointed blue blossom, The cultural requirements of Bor- age are a dry, poor, light soil in a sunny spot. It is easily grown from seed, and the mature plants should be spaced 12 inches apart. Because of their delicate root systems, seedlings should not be transplanted but weaker ones should be thinned out. Borage flowers quickly after sowing and it can be sowed at intervals during the summer to keep a succession of bloom. The flowers and leafy tops were used to make the beverage known as cool tankard, a mixture of wine, lemon cider and sugar. They are also steeped in such cold drinks as claret cup and negus, to which they impart a cucum- bery flavor. The flowers alone can be floated in cold drinks for decorative value and can be used to garnish salads. Cakes and cookies can be decorated with candied borage flowers. The tender young leaves can be used as a salad green, or can be cooked like Miloradovich a vegetable. recom- mends cooking them’ with other greens, using half and half. Dried or fresh Borage leaves can be used to make herb tea to be served hot or iced. ISABEL. ADREON A pomander: from an old woodcut. BOARD OF TRUSTEES JOHN S. LEHMANN, President Henry HitcHcock DanieEL K. CaTLin, Vice-President RicHarp J. Lockwoop EUGENE Petrus, Second Vice-President Henry B. PFLAGER LeicesTER B. Faust A. WEssEL SHAPLEIGH DupLryY FRENCH ROBERT BROOKINGS SMITH EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS ETHAN A. H. SHEPLEy, James F. MorRELL, Chancellor of Washington University Preuss of the Board of Education f St. Louis ARTHUR C. LICHTENBERGER, is he Diocese of Mi i Bishop of the Diocese o issouri STRATFORD LEE Morton, RayMOND R. Tucker, ar of the Academy of Science Mayor of the City of St. Louis of St. Louis Secretary Oscar E. GLAESSNER THE HORTICULTURAL COUNCIL Bill Bauer, Clarence Barbre, Clifford W. Benson, E. G. Cherbonnier, Robert E. Goetz, Paul Hale, Mrs. W. Warren Kirkbride, Mrs. Hazel Knapp, Emmet Layton, John E. Nies, Gilbert Pennewill, Harold E. Wolfe, John S$. Lehmann, Edgar Anderson, W. F. Scott, Jr., Chairman. STAFF George T. Moore = ee Seco ee Emeritus Director 1G ee 29-1 21, ORR ae ae Lee Director Hugh C. Cutler -__- Associate Director Henry N. Andrews... .--2.0 sektasarene bee _-.-..-..------Paleobotanist August P. Beilmann_ ee oe the Dee. Gray Summit POUis Ge COR BOE scene Leo Gon gecanecac out POISE Ladislaus Cutak _ ere Se eeaes Hinwreuleuens in eh of Conservatories Ls 's sO Gee G11 | (-\ eee ee re ..........Curator of the Museum MAT TOUE WN GG ces no esse ere pee we A COLOR TIE i (2) ae 2 Bel B.S) ee ee lee eer ees Research Associate RODeRe 1. Gonlespiet cc eho seat ee In charge of Orchids Oscar. Btelacsenen 25 oe a et eee Manauer Nell C. Horner. ee eee eens el LD raniane and oe Gitor Wide Me Bohl 25g ee a Aesistane 1 ibrarian Paul A. Kon). ee ee Bloriculearit Edna Mepham ._.__-.----- Assistant Librarian DCD iC CN ceca ee RNOTOIOEEE ROE Og eee pp NG ee SRE Betty O’Brien Putney. Assistant to the Director ACT rv ga) | (ol ee Cee eee Engineer Julian: Ax. Steyerinyd te ise snee Hear Rees Associate MECN sieaiea B3,20, 1 ete ea eS a Research Associate RollacM. Ievyon, i _...Assistant Curator of Herbarium George DV an Schenck 2s Acting Curator of Herbarium Robert FE. Woodson; Jri os Senior Taxonomist SOME FACTS ABOUT SHAW’S GARDEN The Missouri Botanical Garden (the official name chosen by Mr. Shaw) carries on the garden established by Henry Shaw over a century ago at TowEr Grove, his country home. It is a private institution and has no support from city or state. The old stone walls and cast-iron fences, the Linnaean House, the Museum, the Mausoleum, and the Tower Grove mansion all date from Mr. Shaw’s time. Since his death, as directed in his will, the Garden has been in the hands of a Board of Trustees who appoint the Director. The Garden is open every day in the year (except New Year’s and Christmas) from nine A. M. until seven P. M. (April to November) and until six (November to April) though the greenhouses close at five. Towrr Grove, itself, Mr. Shaw’s old country home, is open from one until four. The Garden is nearly a mile long and has several entrances. The Main Entrance, the one used by the general public, is at Tower Grove and Flora Place on the Sarah bus line (No. 42). The Park Southampton buses (No. 80), direct from downtown, pass within three blocks of this entrance and stop directly across the street from the Administration Building at 2315 Tower Grove Avenue. The latter is the best entrance for students, visiting scientists, etc. It is open to such visitors after 8:30 a.m., but is closed on Sat- urdays, Sundays, and holidays. There is a service entrance on Alfred Avenue, one block south of Shaw Avenue. Since Mr. Shaw’s time an Arboretum has been developed at Gray Summit, Mo., adjacent to State Highways 50 and 66. It is open every day in the year and has two miles of auto roads as well as foot trails through the wild-flower reservation. There is a pinetum and an extensive display of daffodils and other narcissi from March to early May. UISSOURI BOTANICAL GAJIRD HN BU 4 UN Book Reviews Continuation of St. Louis Herb Society Bulletin Allene Klippel: Basil CONTENTS How to Use a River Dorothy Anderson: Thyme ume XLIV June, 1956 Grass Exhibits at the Garden Number 6 Cover: The native wild hyacinth (Camassia scilloides) flowering in the Mausoleum grounds. Planted in the ivy, which helps conceal the dying leaves when bloom- ing time is past, it is very much at home. Its pale gray-blue flowers make an attractive display in early May. Note: The St. Louis Herb Society not only turned in enough copy for an entire number of the BULLETIN (May, 1956) but several articles and a number of shorter notes remain to be published. Mrs. Klippel’s and Mrs. Anderson’s contributions appear in this issue. Other articles will be published from time to time during next fall and winter. Office of publication: 306 E. Simmons Street, Galesburg, Illinois. 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. 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 toa friend or return it to the Garden. Return postage guaranteed. Missouri Botanical Garden Bulletin JUNE, 1956 Vol. XLIV No. 6 HOW TO USE A RIVER KENNETH A. POOS INTRODUCTION Hy MuST the story of every river be a tragedy? Inherently it should be a gay or strong or placid story, with the excitement and beauty of the earth its theme. And yet who knows a river that is exultant with its destiny as that destiny has been determined by mankind? Rivers do not object to work, for that is born in them. But with mistreatment they can be disobedient, plotting, and vengeful. With great diligence we have brought out the worst in our streams. The time has come to restore them, to live with them, and to discover the rich sources of inspiration they can contribute to our lives, In St. Louis, we have a perfect place to begin such an adventure. In the following paper, written as a term report for my evening class in Ecology, but deserving much wider circu- lation, Ken Poos challenges us to take some action. —ALFRED G. ETTER, Washington University School of Medicine, Clopton Experimental Farm, Clarkesville, Mo. Upstream and Long Ago:— HE Meramec River has many be- ginnings, but one of them is best. Meramec Spring is a place of wonder- ment, a continuing miracle of nature. Water, pure and forever coming from the earth, forever, deep, clear, and cold, it wells up beneath a moss- covered ledge and green eddys swirl down river into a wide gravelly bed. Between screens of willows the river sings softly to itself. The air is sweet with the smell of trees and wet earth, the unforgettable earth with its wild- ness, rawness, and utter familiarity. Frothy rapids melt into long crescents of smooth water. On summer evenings whip-poor-wills chant their vespers in endless succession from the dark foli- age, and large-mouth bass slap at may- flies on the quiet pools. Upstream much of the Meramec Valley is still a timeless place that con- tains in its autumn mists the magic of a primitive river, the memory of ‘‘old Octobers and tawny Indians in their camping places long ago.” Half- asleep on a sunny gravel bar, one does not find it hard to imagine an Indian canoe floating on the water like a willow leaf, or a frontiersman quietly (81) 82 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN A gravel bar at a river’s bend. watering his sweated horse in the shade beside some ford. From Paradise to Problem Child:— These illusions vanish quickly down- stream! Over the two-hundred-year period that white men have used the lower river most that is primitive and beautiful has been destroyed. The automobile, the tractor, the chain-saw, the outboard motor, and the flush toilet have changed the river and changed it mightily. In the early days men stood on the stumps of trees and made speeches about prosperity and Then they cut more trees and made more speeches rising standards of living. and shot more squirrels and gigged more fish and cut more trees and made more speeches. And as they talked the fields got sandier and the fishing poor- er. Then men from the city came to the river for recreation. They bought big lots and built clubhouses, and sold lots and built more clubhouses. so that in some places the river bank became lined with clubs. Here a man could relax on holidays and drink a beer and throw the empty bottle in the river. Now this man has sold his “haven” to a new occupant who lives there all year round and not only throws his empty beer cans in the river but all the trash, including the old ice-box and stove. “After all,” he says, ‘‘it helps keep the bank from washing.” The river has indeed changed mightily. A Trip of Discovery:— Nowadays taking a trip on the lower Meramec requires a good deal of courage—not the kind the pioneers possessed. but the courage to see ugli- ness and to hope for some change. Put your boat in the river at Highway 66 and motor up past Valley Park and enjoy a visit to St. Louis’ playground. The chances are you'll find the river low just as I did when I made the trip recently. This is not just because we've had a drouth, but because the channel has been clogged by years of mismanagement of the river. Tied up beneath the new “66” bridge were MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 83 two barges which had been used in its construction. They had been waiting several months for water enough to All along the banks of the river there was a litter of trash. ‘No refloat. dumping” signs were being ignored as usual. It was apparent that people drive down Yarnell Road and jettison paper bags of cans and garbage from their moving automobiles. Here, in cans and bottles mosquito larvae can live in peace, for fish and birds cannot feed on them as they would in natural areas. Man has created another prob- lem for himself and he will no doubt solve it by calling for airplane spray- ing of the area; and so the mosquitoes will have their revenge upon the fish and birds. The next thing to come in sight was a great number of shabby boat docks and boats. Packed closely together they stretch up the west bank to a point two miles above the Vandover bridge, and sometimes line the east shore, too. These docks are privately owned and serve only the interest of the owners and their friends. Public launching facilities are almost non-existent. Ey- erywhere you are met with signs warn- ing trespassers with prosecution. Signs proclaiming no hunting or fishing are also there in numbers as if there were anything to shoot or catch. Even if you find a place to launch your boat, you may still have trouble finding water deep enough to float it. My small motor hit bottom many times. 1 had to drag my canoe over the Val- ley Park rapids, and without a load this craft draws only two and a half inches. It is hard to visualize so big a river so feeble. No Channel, No Fish:— Even at drouth level this stream once had enough current to keep a channel. That was when trees staked down the alluvial banks along the river, and kept the water working. Now the burden of gravel that has been poured into the valley from cleared lands in the headwaters has nothing to compel it to build banks. The river is lazy, and when it comes to the level stretches of the lower basin it drops its The channel chokes up and the river spreads out load almost any place. over a broad shallow bed, or flows be- neath the surface through the porous gravels, Aside from the fact that this shal- lowing of the channel makes power- boating risky, it does even more im- portant damage. Water temperatures become more extreme, hotter in summer and frozen more often in winter. This brings a change in the species of fish. Game fish abhor hot water. There are many other factors work- ing for a change of water temperatures in the lower river. Not the least of these is the fact that many of the trees that once shaded the stream have been cut down. Most of these were willows that hung out over the river’s edge. They will be missed, not only by the fish and fishermen they shaded, but by the birds that nested in them—and what of that sweet willow fragrance that is the very breath of a river? The people that cut them probably asso- ciated snakes with willows and thought that by cutting the willows they would get rid of the snakes. They were right, but at the same time they 84 Endless flow of gall disrupted the whole ecology of the river bank. What they didn’t foresee was that they contributed to the loss of wildlife and fish, which they didn’t want to lose. In fact, each bird, ani- mal, and fish was a small reason that contributed to a big reason for going to live on the river bank in the first place. The sad part is that these people know the river has changed but they talked with anyone yet who assumed his own don’t know why. I haven’t personal burden of guilt. The River’s Martyrdom:— As I continued up stream I heard water running in from a small brook. Under natural conditions I would have had the impulse to throw a dry fly to the spot in belief that a bass or even a trout might be facing into the current of the small stream, waiting for a bug MISSOURI BOTANIC? AL GARDEN BULLETIN or unsuspecting minnow. This was There was a black pipe sticking out of the bank sending not the case here. filthy, stinking gall into the river in an endless flow. This was the end of the Valley Park sewer system. Less than a mile and a half downstream the city of Kirkwood took it back in and processed it for drinking water until the early 1940’s. Because of increasing high costs of filtration and fluctuating river levels they now use a drilled well for their water supply. Without scientific measurement I would say that the pollution resulting from the sewage effluent is moderate. It has, however, had its effect in chang- ing the aquatic habitat. Any one who has seen whole schools of suckers gob- bling raw sewage knows what species is aided by its introduction into the stream. Sewage has become for the suckers a rather constant food supply. Perhaps we ought to be thankful that they are there to help break down the stuff! There are a number of important reasons why sewage and other waste products can hurt a river. First of all, they can cause a change in the tem- perature of the water, not only by sheer physical exchange of heat, but more importantly, by chemical heating. Any one who has been in a barnyard in the winter knows that the ground can be frozen everywhere but where de- This same “heating” occurs when raw sew- posits of waste are concentrated. age is dumped into the river and is broken down there. Raw sewage reduces the oxygen in a river. Species of fish that require a lot of oxygen have to move out or die. MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 85 I was not able to find a single fisher- man who knew of any jack-salmon being caught in the fast water below Valley Park in the past three years. Until recent years, this particular fish was caught there in numbers. Oxygen deprivation may well be the reason for its disappearance. Reduced water flow during the last few years brought up the level of pollution. At the same time Valley Park, Kirkwood, and other municipalities within the Meramec watershed are growing rapidly and pumping more sewage into the river. One of the maintenance engineers of the city of Kirkwood admitted that during peak periods it was impossible to process all the sewage and it had to be ‘“‘turned loose.” Valley Park makes no attempt to process its sewage at all. Until the situation changes radically, bass and jack-salmon don’t have a chance. One of the hazards of boating on the Meramec, or for doing anything else on the river for that matter, is the chance of catching a stray bullet. This trip was no exception. I found a group of boys tossing cans and bottles in the water and plinking at them without any regard for wild slugs. They got a big laugh out of it when I told them that the river was not a dump and that they should do their target shooting somewhere else. ‘Time and again I have found people using firearms in crowded areas and few ever showed any respect for the weapons they were using. If we add all this mismanagement and negligence to the social problems that have arisen in the area, such as the high incidence of drunken brawls, crimes and drownings, we have a pic- ture of the established character of the lower Meramec River basin today. You don’t have to be a trained ob- server to see what is going on there. The tragedy of it all is that the com- munity allows a wonderful natural re- source to slip away and be lost because of a deep-seated lethargy! The Need and the Solution Exist:— The present recreational value of the Meramec River for the community of Greater St. Louis is negligible, in spite of its proximity to the vast population that sorely needs a clear-water recrea- tional area with impressive natural beauty. Once a natural area is blight- ed it is increasingly subject to mis- treatment. Add to the situation that now exists in the Meramec River basin a decade or two of abuse and the total loss to the community will be appal- ling. Estimates of population growth in this area leave no doubt about the need for greatly expanded recreation facilities near the city. The lower Meramec is the place to find them. The Meramec meets the chief re- quirements for a first-class metropol- itan park. It is large enough. It is within thirty miles drive of the aver- age user. New highways exist that can carry the trafhe. Water, the first goal of the recreationist, is available and with some planning and management it could be clean water in adequate quantity. Remnants of its old beauty still remain, in the quiet waters below still bluffs, and, with encouragement, wildlife could soon add much to the attractiveness of the park. 86 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN Recreation First:— It is vital that @ master plan for the development of the Meramec should put recreation first. 1 consider the proposal of a thirty-five hour week for workers a threat both to their own well-being and to that of the nation if there is no place for them to go and enjoy their leisure and employ it constructively. Flood control is im- portant, industrial development is im- portant, but preservation of physical vigor and mental balance of our people supersedes all of them. Specifically:— We cannot be too bold in planning for the obvious needs of the future, and for that reason it is felt that the following suggestions are well within the limits of a reasonable project. 1. Pool state and federal and local resources to purchase the entire flood- plain area and such adjacent areas as may be desirable from Tyson Valley Park to the confluence of the Meramec River and the Mississippi. 2. Institute a ten-year master plan that would include the demolition of buildings, cleaning up of litter, and return of the area to its natural con- dition. 3. Eliminate pollution. 4. Prepare some areas near the river for immediate use while construction proceeds on the remainder. 5. Build concessions which would be available for lease to private in- terests subject to Park Commission standards. 6. Make the park free to all. 7. Draw up a diversified recrea- tional program including: a. Safe swimming areas that could be supervised, preferably swimming- pools. b. Picnic areas, including tables and barbecue pits, that afford a view of the river. c. Ball diamonds, tennis, basket- ball, and volley-ball courts, etc., adjacent to picnic areas. d. Overnight camping areas for tent campers. e. Main lodge for nature lectures, motion pictures, and other activities. f. Summer camps for children. g- Area for riding concession. h. Primitive area for study of fauna and flora. i. A rifle and pistol range that could be supervised by the Nation- al Rifle Association. Competitive matches and instruction in proper handling of firearms should be part of the program. j. A similar program for archers. k. Waterfront area which would include launching ramps and canoe rentals, Canoe instructions avail- able, and speed limits for boats to be five miles per hour within the park river area. l. Areas where school children can come and help reforest the area and learn basic principles of land use and ecology first hand. (Motion becomes emotion. ) How About Floods?— Almost all of these activities could, if properly planned and carried on, be adapted to the conditions that exist in the valley at present without elab- orate flood-control structures. With complete control of the flood plain, MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 87 It takes courage to see ugliness and hope for a change. the occupants of the valley would not be claiming high-flood losses and bur- dening governments and_ charitable agencies. Further developments in the region would be halted and a hun- dred future headaches would be cured before they began. A current proposal to build a bar- rier dam across the Meramec would be unnecessary. This proposal, by elim- inating the Meramec Valley as a reser- voir for flood waters, would only ag- gravate flood conditions on the main Mississippi. It is also a matter of speculation whether such a_ reservoir as has been proposed would literally hold water since the underlying strata near the confluence of the Meramec and Mississippi rivers are full of solu- tion caverns. In addition, a barrier dam presumably would include locks, thus permitting use of the valley for navigation and consequently encour- aging heavy industry. This would be fatal to any recreational development on the river for many reasons. ‘ ~SSt Nes 4 wztdie 8 rs ESS ae yin A y Ll Atos et tN BSL Ee OF) DAL we Pp sr Sit Soyer hs wi 947ZZ ZR we Sia Rat Server Age tt ee ae Dh am fe. Pel IF SEN A GIG SRS Si Sel Ba Ae ENN i See =, VAs PsA) = a - PA de) BGS : 2, 04 - 7 —* Me %e = 1%, TWO COURSES IN BULB FORCING wo courses in bulb forcing will be given at the Garden this fall, with Dr. Frederick G. Meyer as in- structor. The new cool-storage green- houses worked out very well last year, and those who took the course had excellent bulbs to take home. This year there will be an advanced course on new and rare bulbs which are sel- dom available in St. Louis. As materials for the courses are pur- chased immediately after the closing registration date, no registration fees can be refunded after the last day of registration. Please send registration fees to: Horticultural Courses, Missouri Botanical Garden, 2315 Tower Grove Ave., St. Louis 10, Mo. Course I—BuLB ForcinG Six sections (no prerequisites). Lim- ited to 180 persons, 30 persons each section. Registration: September 1—October 8. Place: Experimental Greenhouse, Mis- sourt Botanical Garden. Enter Cleveland Ave. gate, 2221 Tower Grove Ave. When: Week-day afternoon sections—1:30— 4:00 P.M. Monday, October 8 Wednesday, October 10 Friday, October 12 Wednesday, October 17 Saturday morning sections—9:30 A. M.-12:00 Noon, October 6 and October 27. Content of Course: Lecture on technique of bulb forc- ing Hints on outdoor bulb culture Five 7-inch bulb pans for each student Tulips, narcissus, paperwhites, hya- cinths Each student receives at least 24 top quality bulbs Planted bulbs will be given cold treatment in the Garden bulb pit and MISSOURI BOTANICAL cold greenhouse until ready to flower (approximately 60-80 days). Stu- dents will be notified by postcard when to pick up the bulbs. Registration Fee—$5.00 (covers all materials) CoursE II—AbDvaNcED BULB FORCING This course will feature new Euro- pean introductions. All of them make charming and distinctive living-room ornaments. Registration is limited to 20 persons and is restricted to those who have taken the elementary bulb course in previous years. Registration: September 15—October 13): Place: Experimental Greenhouse, Mis- souri Botanical Garden. Enter GARDEN BULLETIN 105 Cleveland Avenue gate, 2221 Tower Grove Ave. When: Saturday, October 13, 9:30 A. M.-12:00 Noon. Content of Course: To learn about forcing rare bulbs Bulbs directly imported from Hol- land to be used Ten pots of bulbs Lachenalias, Sparaxis, Ixias, Tulip “Duc Van Tholl,’ Narcissus “Grand Soleil d’Or.” each kind). Planted bulbs will be given cold (Two pots treatment in the Garden cold green- house and bulb pit. Students will be notified by postcard when to pick up bulb pans. Registration Fee—$10.00 (covers all materials ) RSS E NSN. NASM EMS BENS NEMNENIRE NENENS LENE NE NEN THE LORE OF BASIL ae HERE is something sinister about the lore of Basil. Pliny said the more the plant was abused the better it prospered and that it should be sown with curses. Since scorpions were seen to lie under its leaves it was thought that the plant bred them. Once, a man who smelled it was said to have had ‘‘a scorpion bred in the brain.” There is a famous story from Boccac- cio about a lady who placed the sev- ered head of her murdered husband in a flower pot, planted Basil over it and watered it with her tears. The Basil thrived. “Basil,” some say, came from the Greek word “‘basilikon”’ meaning king- ly, because it was fit for a king. Or “basilisk,” a fabulous creature which killed with a look. In Greece the plant meant “hatred,” it was derived from possibly because of an old custom of representing poverty in paintings as an evil and ragged old woman seated be- side a pot of Basil. In Italy, however, the plant if put in the shoes of one’s enemy was supposed to turn his hatred to love. In Crete it meant “love washed with tears.” In England, where it was used for warts and for indigestion, its seed was pounded fine and eaten ‘“‘to procure a merrie hearte.”’ —MEREDITH CARSON 106 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN RARE MISSOURI PLANTS—V UMBRELLA PLANT (ERIOGONUM LONGIFOLIUM ) JULIAN A. T HE only evidence for the occur- rence of Eriogonum longifolinm in Missouri was from an_ herbarium specimen which the writer encountered in the Drury College collection at Springfield, Missouri. This specimen was collected by Mr. J. W. Blankin- ship around 1890 from “Oregon Coun- ty.” Mr. Blankinship had made other remarkable finds in his years of collect- ing, especially in the region around Springheld. This Oregon County record remained as a challenge and no one since 1890 seemed to have been able to locate any other plants pertain- ing to this species. Now Oregon County borders Ar- kansas, and the writer on several occa- sions tried to visit likely-looking spots where the Umbrella Plant might occur. As the species had been found from a number of places in Arkansas—dry cedar glades, rocky dry bluffs of the White River, and similar habitats— such types of areas were mapped out for exploration by the writer for Ore- gon County. But without any definite lccality being indicated on the original label, trying to find the spot where Eriogonum longifoinm existed in a county consisting of thousands of square miles was like searching for the proverbial “needle in a haystack.” As the plant flowered during the hot sum- mer months, it did not help matters any when repeated climbs and_ hikes » over rocky “barrens” and ‘“‘glades”’ under a broiling hot July or August sun failed to reveal any sign of an STEYERMARK Umbrella Plant. Then, in the spring of 1938, quite by accident, while I was engaged in making a survey in Ozark and Taney counties along rocky limestone bluffs of the White River to be flooded by the now-completed Bull Shoals Dam, I found the basal rosettes of leaves be- longing to a plant which I did not rec- ognize. The leaves were long and nar- row, dull olive-green on the upper side and on the lower side covered with a dense, velvety, gray-white hairiness. In 1949 while I was cccupied with another survey of the White River country, in order to rescue plant records from impending dam construction, I en- countered additional basal leaf rosettes, like these which I had found eleven years earlier. I dug up a plant and transplanted it to the Ozark “glade” section of my wild flower garden in northern Illinois. Although the plant came through each winter, it did not flower. So the mystery of the basal rosette continued. Finally, in 1953 1 matched the basal rosettes of my herbarium specimens with—you guessed it—the basal leaves of the Umbrella Plant (Eriogonum longifolium), and found that they agreed in every particular. The long- lost Umbrella Plant had been found. Now, all that remained was to return to the scene of the collection I had made in April and May of 1938 along the White River, and try to find the plant in flower. MISSOURI BOTANICAL Note the tall flowering stem of Umbrella Plant. Compare with height of lady (Mrs. Steyermark). As the dates of flowering and fruit- ing recorded on herbarium sheets indi- cated the months of July through Oc- tober, I planned my return visit for the Labor Day week-end of 1955. Accompanied by Mrs. Steyermark I revisited the Ozark County locality first. We set out with cameras and a field press. It had been seventeen years since I had been to this place. | did not know what to expect after such a long interval of time, because man’s activities had destroyed so many other natural areas through burning, overgrazing, logging, and real estate or industrial development. Climbing over the rocky slopes above the Bull Shoals Lake, which now has flooded a considerable part of the area, it was dis- GARDEN BULLETIN 107 couraging to see so much overgrazed woodland and ‘‘glade” robbed of their natural cover. Then we climbed over a fence on the other side of which no grazing had been allowed, and_ the vegetation took on a natural appear- ance and became more abundant. Now we entered a small limestone “glade” or opening above the rocky bluffs, dotted here and there with red cedar, chinquapin oak, and_ small shrubs. enthusiasm, and soon, more and more > “Here it is,” I shouted with plants were spotted. And what a pleasant surprise! The plants were flowering and the stems bearing the flowers were 5'% feet tall! An exam- ination of the yellow-green flowers showed that each one had six calyx segments and nine stamens. Several little flowers were grouped together in bunches arising from a tiny cup (in- volucre), covered on the outside with grayish-white hairiness. The outside of the flowers themselves, as well as the flower-branches, had this gray-hairy covering. A few specimens were col- lected for distribution to the major herbaria of the United States, color notes recorded, and both kodachrome and black-and-white photographs made to perpetuate this noteworthy occasion. As we trekked happily back to the car, another search had ended after a couple of decades, and the mystery of the basal leaf rosette had been solved. And another lost Missouri plant had been re-discovered! 108 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN Central portion of the main display of Bald Cypresses in Tower Grove Park. They are scattered through the east circle which is on the central east-west drive through the park, about a block and a half west of its Grand Avenue entrance. While beautiful at all times of year they are usuaily at their best during the month of October. There is also a fine planting of them in Francis Park. Through much younger, the trees have been well fed and have grown very rapidly. MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 109 BALD CYPRESSES FOR ST. LOUIS EDGAR ANDERSON ieee: fall the Garden will again set out a considerable number of specimen trees of the Bald Cypress, Taxodium distichum. For over a year we have spent most of our efforts with the Garden’s trees in getting rid of weed trees. These are such species as Tree-of-Heaven and Silver Maple which came up, mostly self-sown, dur- ing the years when St. Louis had a terrific smoke problem and such trees were not weeded out because they helped to fill up the gaps. Now that they have been taken out, there is room for something better and we are laying plans to put in some showy groups of Bald Cypress this fall, prin- cipally in the central part of the Garden near the big lily pools. It is certainly one of the finest trees for St. Louis; many of us think that for park and estate planting it is the best of all. Unfortunately, it is not always avail- able in nurseries in the numbers and sizes one needs. This year it is in good supply and we plan to add con- siderably to our collection. Not that the Garden does not al- ready have many excellent specimens —every superintendent and Director we have had, since the days of Mr. Shaw’s James Gurney a century ago, has set them out. Since they do well here and usually live to be very old we now have many handsome specimens. The most conspicuous are the towering pair set out to the rear of Mr. Henry Shaw’s old country home Tower Grove. Others are set here and there throughout the grounds, and there is a fine collection at the Garden’s Ar- boretum at Gray Summit, Missouri. The Arboretum Cypresses are of more than passing interest. A former member of the Garden staff, Dr. Her- mann Von Schrenk, took a special in- terest in the Bald Cypress and studied them throughout their range from southern Mexico to the coast of New Jersey. The collection at Gray Sum- mit grew out of his efforts and has groups of trees from seeds collected in various parts of the natural range of the cypress including its westernmost limit near Kerrville, Texas. This Texas strain is of considerable botanical and horticultural impact. The trees are shorter and sturdier. Their bark is so much more resinous than the ordinary Bald Cypress that when they were young seedlings, just set out, they did not need a wire guard to protect them from rodent damage, as did the other strains. The Garden’s long interest in Bald Cypresses is directly responsible for a good many of the fine trees around St. Louis in addition to those in the Gar- den itself. At the turn of the century several of the families in the Compton Heights neighborhood (near Grand and Russell) had close connections with the Garden, and the numerous fine specimens of Bald Cypress in that part of town are lingering evidence of this interest in fine trees a half century ago. The finest display of all, however, was started in the east circle of the central drive through Tower Grove 110 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN Park by Mr. Shaw’s first superintend- ent, James Gurney. It has been cared for and added to by three generations of Gurney’s, and is now certainly one of the handsomest plantings of Bald Cypresses anywhere in the world. It is charming in late spring when the trees leaf out in a ferny feathery bril- liant light green. It is dramatic in a winter snow when the flagpole-straight trunks of the larger trees are more conspicuous than in summer. It is at its very best, however, in October when the cypresses turn from dark green to a green with a touch of gold and then, day after day, week after week, slowly turn from a_ brown yellow-green to a rich golden-brown. In years when we do not have a hard freeze too early, the nearby Ginkgoes turn a clear imperial yellow. The fin- est moment of all is those clear frosty mornings when the Ginkgo leaves first start to fall in the crisp quiet air, making round circles of a slightly tawny yellow under each Ginkgo while all the Cypresses are feathery spires of rich brown. It is this unusual contrast of the delicate with the gigantic which gives the Bald Cypress its peculiar effect in the landscape. Its main outlines are bold. It matures slowly but lives to be an old tree, eventually dominated by the main trunk. Side branches are small and mostly delicate; the leaves are positively fern-like. Each leaf is a tiny, plain tongue of green an inch or so long; up to fifty of these leaves are arranged side by side on tiny twigs, most of which fall with the leaves, so that of all the conifers, none looks quite so much like a tall telephone pole hung with clustered ferns. The Bald Cypress is indeed the most distinctive of our native American trees, and even to one who knows nothing of its botanical history it suggests something which really be- longs to another world, as indeed it does. With its close relatives, the Se- quoias of California, the Cryptomerias of Japan, and the Dawn Redwoods (Metasequoias) of China, it has per- sisted from times when trees of this sort were much more common in the world than they are today. The Cryp- tomerias, Redwoods, and Big-Trees are likewise gigantic towering trees with delicate, fern-like foliage. They too make dramatic avenues for parks and big estates in these parts of the world where they are winter-hardy enough to grow readily. It is really surprising that of all these trees the Bald Cypress should do so well in a city park, because, unlike them, it is native only to swamps and overflow lands. The closely related Mexican Cypress grows in river-beds, not on river-banks, but down in the actual rocky bed of the stream itself. Our Bald Cypress grows in such places too, particularly in Texas, but it is more commonly found in bayous where there is water over its roots a good deal of the year. Under such condi- tions it does well, though its form usually becomes more rugged and pic- turesque than when it is grown as a lawn tree. Under these swamp condi- tions there are few other trees which can compete with it, and throughout the Gulf South, long winding lines of MISSOURI ROTANICAL Bald Cypress along the horizon mark the presence of the nearest bayous. In Mississippi and Louisiana one may drive for days along roads in the low coun- try and never be out of sight of them. They extend from Texas to around the coast to New Jersey, running far up the coastal plains along the larger river systems. Below Cape Girardeau they are common in Missouri, though the vast stands which once character- ized our ““swampeastern” part of the state were greatly reduced when the land was cut-over and drained. Like many other southern species, they Chinese Flower Arrangement. By H. L. Li. 122 pp., 20 plates, 10 figs. Hedera House, Philadelphia. $4.00. Faas the time the Pilgrims landed on the wild New England coast, a Chinese gentleman was writing a book on flower arrangement which is still a classic. He included references to Chang Ts’u, who wrote five cen- turies earlier on the twenty-six condi- tions most suitable for enjoying the blossoms of Japanese Apricots and made his own list of conditions for enjoying flowers in general. These in- cluded ‘wind among pines,” “‘kettle sings deep in the night,” and “an in- timate friend arrives when flowers are in full bloom.” Living in Peking (whose mid-continental dust storms eclipse those of our own dust bowl in frequency if not in intensity), he gave minute directions as to how flowers should be sprayed to keep them in good condition. To him flower ar- rangement was so much a matter of GARDEN BULLETIN 111 spread farther north along the Wabash than along the Mississippi itself. They are common in lower reaches of the Ohio, and from the mouth of the Wabash are found northwards to about the latitude of St. Louis. As a specimen tree for the lawn, or set out in a park or large formal gar- den they do not need any more water They do not like to be crowded and they prefer than any other large tree. fertile soil, for they are strong feeders but north of their natural range they actually are better off in well-drained sites. atmosphere that he even listed the kinds of people who should be in- trusted with rinsing off various kinds of flowers! Chrysanthemums, he thought, should be cared for by one “who prefers everything that is old and extraordinary,” crabapples by a charming guest, and peonies by a fashionable young lady. Two hundred years later, in the nineteenth century, another Chinese elegant was publishing a note-book which included a section on flower arrangement and bore the apt title, ‘Six chapters from a floating life.” A modern Chinese scholar, Dr. Li, of the staff of the Morris Arbore- tum, includes all these and various other classics in his beautiful and sen- sitive book on Chinese flower arrange- ment. There are twenty full-page re- productions of Chinese prints and silk paintings of the 17th and 18th cen- turies, illustrating flower arrangements, as well as ten text-figures and a col- ored frontispiece. Dr. Li has supplied 112 discussion of the ways flowers are used in Chinese homes, with notes about the actual flowers used and the symbolism which plays so large a part A translation of 1595 vase flowers is given in an appendix, in their enjoyment. Chang Ch’ien-te’s treatise on along with an enumeration of common Chinese flowers and the Chinese dynas- ties with their dates. There are chap- ters on dwarf trees and other house plants and their use in Chinese homes, and the book has a good index. All of this and more you will find in Dr. Li’s book. rangement has a literature extending 900 years, a hundred pages, Chinese flower ar- In a little more than Dr. Li transmit to the American reader over manages to some- thing of the atmosphere out of which this art arose, to induce even amidst American bustle a mingled sense of childlike and whimsical scholarship. It is a wonder, studied casualness, MISSOURI BOTANIC. A] Cyan EM L& CODD, 7 MOOT —_—_—_—_—_—_—_——_—_— GARDEN BULLETIN window into another kind of life and the Lilyturfs (Liriope) grow- another attitude toward plants around us. ing in porcelain containers alongside weathered rocks of curious shape are presented to Chinese scholars, not only because they make an effective house plant but because the long narrow flat leaves are thought to be particularly appropriate as book-marks for ancient books. Pine, bamboo, and Japanese apricot are so traditionally mingled in winter bouquets that they have come “Three Magnolia, to be commonly referred to as friends of the cold season.”’ crabapple, and peony flowers are given to one’s friends because, in addition to making an effective arrangement in a basket, their names, strung together in complicated pun. Chinese, make a said in “Magnolia - crabapple - peony” also be taken to mean: Chinese, can “Wealth and honor in the halls of jade.” —E. A. BOARD OF TRUSTEES JoHN S. LEHMANN, President Henry HitcHcock DanieL K. CatTLiIn, Vice-President RicHArp J. Lock woop EUGENE Pettus, Second Vice-President Henry B. PFLAGER Leicester B. Faust A. WESSEL SHAPLEIGH DupLey FRENCH RoBeRT BROOKINGS SMITH EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS ErHAN A. H. SHEPLEY, James F. MorreELt, Chancellor of Washington University President of the Board of Education of St. Louis ArTHuR C. LICHTENBERGER, Bishop of the Diocese of Missouri STRATFORD LEE Morton, RayMONnD R. TUCKER, Bee eae of the Academy of Science Mayor of the City of St. Louis f St. Louis tee Oscar E. GLAESSNER THE HORTICULTURAL COUNCIL Bill Bauer, Clarence Barbre, Clifford W. Benson, E. G. Cherbonnier, Robert E. Goetz, Paul Hale, Mrs. W. Warren Kirkbride, Mrs. Hazel Knapp, Emmet J. Layton, John E. Nies, Gilbert Pennewill, Harold E. Wolfe, John S$. Lehmann, Edgar Anderson, W. F. Scott, Jr., Chairman. STAFF George T. Moore __.. Gs ae ee eee eee CrieuS IOirector Edgar Anderson ee ee Bhd -loh cote Ae eC el ae oe oe te caer ee SR SSUCIA Pe. IDITeCtOR eentrye Ni Amid re:w.s = yen ee ee —_ _----.-.------------Paleobotanist August P. Beilmann_____..____-- Monager: wf the aber. Gray Summit Louis G, Brenner.i2:2 a ee ee AE DOLISC Daas Ue tek oe Horticuleurist.; in aataese ef Coy atories Hugh C, Cutler —._.._. ue Curator of the Museum Carroll W. Dodge. eee ee My colorist h fovet ee Pan Bh '2 7 ire mene aenegee ena ee eRe EL _.......Research Associate PROG E sc MaRS SN cae ae In charge of Orchids Oscar E. Glaessner -.............-.. Business Manager Nell C. Horner___. ae ae ort chee aT tat Veda eee ee ee Librarian and Editor Vilas OI eee ae a ee es eee A EAT “Lalir ata hed ile. a Sh 5 | ee ene eaene ese ae oe oareias Plereulturist Emmet J. Layton ______.--------------------------eeneeeeeeeeeeeeeees-------- Landscape Architect ye FE Wat Cle] C50) kno ae a wiaeseaa sO 2S ee eee Assistant Librarian Precerick Gy Meyer... peiabuee ee he. LONG EOIORISe George il. Pring... ee ouperintendent Berry Brien Puce ye ce bees es INE be Ne a ECIOL Bae rates em A Ns a a 8 ae Oe eet Engineer Multa ys) SEGV OPIN AT... oe eI a ie aaeaisy Research Associate Alice F. Teese see de. ee ee _..----------------Research Associate Reoilarwe evan, lt cee oa et a et Asean Citsior of Herbarium CeGree B.2V ail SchaaGK sce oe Acting Curator of Herbarium Roper Ey Woodie, |i ee a Senior Taxonomist SOME FACTS ABOUT SHAW’S GARDEN The Missouri Botanical Garden (the official name chosen by Mr. Shaw) carries on the garden established by Henry Shaw over a century ago at Towrr Grove, his country home. It is a private institution and has no support from city or state. The old stone walls and cast-iron fences, the Linnaean House, the Museum, the Mausoleum, and the Towrr Grove mansion all date from Mr. Shaw’s time. Since his death, as directed in his will, the Garden has been in the hands of a Board of Trustees who appoint the Director. The Garden is open every day in the year (except New Year’s and Christmas) from nine A. M. until seven P. M. (spring to fall) and until six (in the winter time) though the green- houses close at five. Tower Grove, itself, Mr. Shaw’s old country home, is open from one until four, admission twenty- five cents, with special guides. The Garden is nearly a mile long and has several entrances. The Main Entrance, the one most used by the general public, is at Tower Grove and Flora Place on the Sarah bus line (No. 42). The Park Southhampton buses (No. 80), direct from downtown, pass within three blocks of this entrance and stop directly across the street from the Administration Building at 2315 Tower Grove Avenue. The latter is the best entrance for students, visiting scientists, etc. It is open to such visitors after 8:30 A.M., but is closed on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays. The step-in gate (more or less concealed by the big Cleveland Ave. gate, 2221 Tower Grove) is nearly always open, and there is a service entrance on Alfred Avenue, one block south of Shaw Avenue. Since Mr. Shaw’s time an Arboretum has been developed at Gray Summit, Mo., adjacent to State Highways 50 and 66. It is open every day in the year and has two miles of auto roads as well as foot trails through the wild-flower reservation. There is a pinetum and an extensive display of daffodils and other narcissi from March to early May. USSOURI BOTANICAL HN BULLETIN GAIRID CONTENTS The Linnean House In Memoriam Benjamin Minge Duggar The Missouri Botanical Garden Herbarium Late October Flowers in Missouri Rose of Brody: An Outstanding New Daffodil lume XLIV October, 19 56 Korean Lespedeza: Ozark Gold Book Reviews: C. O. Rosendahl’s 7rees and Shrubs of the Upper Midwest— Ladislaus Cutak’s Cactus Guide—John V. Watkins’ 4 BC of Orchid Growing Plants Near a Hot Wall Books Make Excellent Gifts Number 8 Cover: Linnean House in the fall. Photograph by Martin Lammert III. Office of publication: 306 E. Simmons Street, Galesburg, Illinois. 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. 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 toa friend or return it to the Garden. Return postage guaranteed. Missour1 Botanical Garden Bulletin Vol. XLIV OCTOBER, 1956 No. 8 THE LINNEAN HOUSE HE Linnean House was built by Henry Shaw in 1881 and 1882 to house the palm collections and part of the floral displays. This is the only greenhouse remaining which was built and used by Mr. Shaw; and, although it has had many repairs over the years, the house is not greatly different from what it was in 1882. Receipts and ledger entries in the Garden’s collec- tion of Mr. Shaw’s papers show that most of the work on this greenhouse was completed in 1881. By the sum- mer of 1882 it was being used for plants; but it was not until June 22, 1883, that the marble busts of Lin- naeus, Thomas Nuttall, and Asa Gray were unveiled and dedicated before members and guests of the American Association of Nurserymen, Florists and Seedsmen, then holding its annual convention in St. Louis. For many years this was the principal plant house in the Garden. Mr. Shaw must have planned to place other figures or orna- mental features on the corners of the building and on the highest points of the ends, for into the centers of the stones at these points are cut holes for anchoring figures or ornaments. It is possible that vases or rounded stones similar to those used on so many build- ings, walls, and posts throughout the Garden actually were installed, but so far no pictures have been found which show these in place and there are no receipts or entries in ledgers which refer te an additional six ornaments. This summer the north half of the roof of the Linnean House was re- moved, all the wood sheathing replaced with redwood and treated lumber, the framework cleaned, treated and paint- ed, new flashing and roofing applied, and glass installed. This was done with funds raised by the Garden Club of St. Louis during their Spring Garden Tour. It is hoped that next year this work will be continued and the de- cayed windows and frames replaced. Usually the greatest splash of color can be found in the Linnean House in February when the camellias are in flower; but this year there will be an added show. Throughout November bright chrysanthemums will stand out in sharp contrast to the dark green leaves of the ivy, camellia, and the creeping fig which covers the north wall. —H.C.C. (113) 114 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN IN MEMORIAM BENJAMIN MINGE DUGGAR orD has been received from Ws Lederle laboratories at Pearl River, New York, of the death of Dr. B. M. Duggar on September 10, at the age of 84, after a very short illness. Dr. Duggar is remembered at the Gar- den as the Plant Physiologist, in charge of the Graduate Laboratory of the Henry Shaw School of Botany from 1913 to 1927. teacher and during his headship the He was an inspiring School of Botany attained the prestige for which it has since been noted. Among the botanists who received their doctor’s degrees under his tute- lage at the Garden were: A. R. Davis, Henry Schmitz, J. Warren Severy, L. J. Klotz, R. A. Studhalter, Robert W. Webb, George M. Armstrong, Joanne Karrer Armstrong, S. M. Zeller, Taka- hashi Matsumoto, A. F. Camp, W. H. Chambers, G. W. Freiberg, P. L. Gainey, Grace Howard, D. C. Neal, Emery R. Ranker, Fanny Fern Smith Davis, H. C. Young. In 1927 Dr. Duggar left St. Louis for the University of Wisconsin where a special Research Professorship had been created for him. In 1943 when he reached the retiring age he went on to the Lederle Laboratories where he played a leading role in the commercial « development of the “wonder drug” aureomycin. Dr. Duggar was a talented, many- sided person and during his long pro- fessional career he achieved distinction in more than one special field. He was intensely interested in the teaching not only of advanced students but of ele- mentary botany classes and was author or co-author of various textbooks. As a young man he pioneered in the sci- entific breeding of mushrooms and as a kind of hobby wrote the standard book on mushroom growing. While at the Garden he developed and maintained a small business devoted to produc- ing and selling high-grade mushroom spawn, Old-timers at the Garden re- member this enterprise with affection because to produce mushroom spawn effectively one has to raise a lot of mushrooms. Dr. Duggar was not in the business of selling mushrooms and, since he was a most generous man, during those years every one from the janitor to the director enjoyed the surplus crop. Though at the time it looked like a by-path, this experience stood Dr. Dug- gar in good stead when late in life he turned to the commercial production of antibiotics and was faced with the problem of growing various fungi in enormous quantities and as cheaply as possibie. Dr. Duggar and his family were active in the social life of the city and were widely known, yet in his day it was dificult to explain to the public just what he and his students were up to. The mushroom spawn business was understandable but that was just a side- line. With his students he was busy studying the physiology of fungi. Moulds, rots, mildews, rusts (and many a fungus so anonymous to the general public that one can find no common name to tag it with) were MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN Their Pre- cise determinations were made of just in flasks and bottles. diet was scientifically regulated. grown what chemical substances they would feed on; and what they turned this food into was determined in so far as possible. Fungi are remarkable chem- ists; Dr. Duggar and his students took Yet in those days it was almost impossible the lead in establishing that fact. to make his various non-scientific friends understand that he was not just trying to learn how to prevent mildew or kill rusts or save man and his crops attacks of various micro- What he and his students were doing was basic research; they from the organisms. 7 were trying to understand precisely how these organisms lived. Out of this ef- fort have come such things as anti- biotics and the various industrial uses of fungi; but even these advances are only by-products of the central effort he was making. It is significant that even the august YY) j Tg f S 3 ~ i y BULLETIN 115 NEW YORK TIMES, which devoted two eight-inch columns to his obituary, never even mentioned what is probably his most important scientific work, his pioneer studies of virus. Are vi- ruses disease germs or are they just a chemical substance? Dr. Duggar took the lead in establishing with precision something about their exact size and suggested that they were like an hered- itary particle (a gene, perhaps) which had gone off on a career of its own. He viruses, making a direct attack on the was, you see, in his work with study of life itself, a study in which the Henry Shaw School of Botany is still The farther a man is ahead of his fellows, the less are playing a leading role. his efforts appreciated and understood. Dr. Duggar lived long enough for the people to understand some of the bear- ings of his work; but the central core of it is still beyond them—or at least beyond the NEW yorK TIMES, leader though it may be. —EpcGAr ANDERSON. 1Z Nels! r AY be Less Ww ), ; Un 116 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN LATE OCTOBER FLOWERS IN MISSOURI JULIAN STEYERMARK fi Ben latter half of October in Missouri is still a time for wild flowers. Not only do certain flowers normally blooming in the spring, such as False Garlic, Violet Wood Sorrel, and Birdfoot-Violet, put forth blos- soms a second time, but the last shrub of the season, the Eastern Witch Hazel, is in full flower. The asters, golden- rods, and gentians cover the land with white, purple, blue, and yellow; and some Love-grasses (Eragrostis) and Hairgrass (Muhlenbergia capillaris) form rosy patches over the fields and rocky slopes. Altogether, one may find in bloom during the latter part of October as many as 196 different kinds of wild flowers in different sections of the state. Over the hills, fields, and glades, members of many families, in addition to the well-represented Grass family, are conspicuous. Most outstanding, perhaps, are plants of the Sunflower family (Compositae), with its numer- ous asters, goldenrods, sunflowers and coneflowers, but also the Gentians (Gentianaceae) and Spurges (Euphor- biaceae) are well represented. Even members of the Mustard family (Cru- ciferae) , Orchid family (Orchidaceae) , Mallow family (Malvaceae), Violet family (Violaceae), Morning-glory family (Convolvulaceae), Pea family (Leguminosae), and several others, including the late-flowering members of the Lily family such as False Garlic (Nothoscordum) and Wild Onion (Allium stellatum), are to be found in late October. While the species included in the following list represent the majority of those likely to be found in any year in Missouri during the latter half of October, others could be added that are stragglers of earlier-blooming spe- cies, and in some exceptional years it is possible to add still others. Pondweed (Potamogeton illinoensis) Love-grass (Eragrostis spectabilis ) Tall Red-top (Triodia flava, T. elongata, T. stricta) Drop-seed (Sporobolus neglectus, S. canovirens, S. asper) Northern Drop-seed (Sporobolus heterolepsis) Poverty-Grass (Sporobolus vaginiflorus ) Thingrass (Agrostis perennans v. aestivalis) Nimble Will (Muhlenbergia Schreberi) Muhly Grass (Muhlenbergia sobolifera, M. tenuiflora, M. cuspidata, M. mexicana, M. brachyphylla, M. frondosa, M. racemosa) Hairgrass (M. capillaris) Triple-awned Grass (Aristida oligantha, A. pur- purascens ) Poverty-Grass (Aristida dichotoma, A. longe- Spica) Beardgrass (Andropogon Gerardi) Bluestem (A. scoparius) Broom-sedge (A. virginicus, A. Elliottii) Indian Grass (Sorghastrum nutans ) Yellow Nut-grass (Cyperus esculentus) Dayflower (Commelina diffusa) Wild Onion (Allium stellatum ) False Garlic (Nothoscordum bivalve) Nodding Pogonia (Triphora trianthophora) Ladies’-tresses (Spiranthes cernua) Nettle (Urtica procera) Yellow Cress (Rorippa sinuata, R. sessiliflora, R. islandica vy. hispida) Creeping Yellow Cress (R. sylvestris) Watercress (Nasturtium officinale) Alumroct (Heuchera puberula) Grass-of-Parnassus (Parnassia grandifolia) Eastern Witch-hazel (Hamamelis virginiana) Partridge-Pea (Cassia fasciculata, C. nictitans) Red Clover (Trifolium pratense) White Clover (Trifolium repens) Tick-trefoil (Desmodium ciliare, D. marilandi- cum, D. paniculatum, D. perplexum, D. sessilifolium ) Bush-clover (Lespedeza virginica) Yellow Flax (Linum sulcatum) Yellow Wood-Sorrel (Ovalis europaea, O. stricta) MISSOURI Blanche Ames del BOTANICAL GARDEN Ladies’ Tresses BULLETIN 117 118 MISSOURL BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN Violet Wood-Sorrel (O. violacea) Croton (Croton glandulosus v. septentrionalis, C. capitatus, C. monanthogynus ) Three-seeded Mercury (Acalypha gracilens v. monococca, A. rhomboidea, A. virginica) Nettle-leaved Tragia (Tragia urticifolia) Painted-leaf (Euphorbia heterophylla) Spurge (Euphorbia dentata) Milk-purslane (Euphorbia supina) Creeping Spurge (Euphorbia serpens) Yellow False Mallow (Sphaeralcea angusta) Prickly Mallow (Sida spinosa) Rose-Mallow (Hibiscus lasiocar pus) St. Andrew's Cross (Ascyrum hy pericoides) St. John’s-wort (Hypericum mutilum, H. gym- nathum, H. Drummondii) Pansy-Violet or Birdfoot-Violet (Viola pedata) Common Blue Violet (Viola papilionacea) Water-purslane (Ludwigia palustris v. ameri- cana) Evening-Primrose (Oenothera biennis v. pycno- carpa) Gaura (Gaura biennis) Queen Anne’s-lace (Daucus Carota) Suff Gentian (Gentiana quinquefolia v. occi- dentalis ) Downy Gentian (Gentiana puberula) Closed Gentian (Gentiana Andrewsii, G. clausa) Yellowish Gentian (Gentiana flavida) Morning-glory (Ipomoea lacunosa) Love-vine (Cuscuta Polygonorum, C. Cephalan- thi, C. campestris, C. Gronovii, C. glomerata, C. compacta) Fall-Phlox (Phlox paniculata) Heliotrope (Heliotropium tenellum ) Turn-sole (Heliotropium indicum ) False Pennyroyal (Isanthus brachiatus) Bluecurls (Trichostema dichotomum ) Selfheal (Prunella vulgaris v. lanceolata) False Dragonhead (Physostegia virginiana) Dittany (Cunila origanoides) Ground-cherry (Physalis pubescens, P. sub- glabrata) Jimsonweed (Datura Stramonium ) Conobea multifida False Pimpernel (Lindernia dubia) Gerardia (Gerardia tenuifolia, G. Gattingeri) Lousewort (Pedicularis lanceolata) Ruellia (Ruellia humilis ) Buttonweed (Diodia teres) Houstonia (Houstonia nigricans) Hedyotis (Hed yotis Boscii) Bur-Cucumber (Sicyos angulatus) Tall Bellflower (Campanula americana ) Ironweed (Vernonia crinita) Elephant’s-foot (Elephantopus carolinianus) Brickellia (Brickellia grandiflora) False Boneset (Kuhnia eupatorioides v. angusti- folia) Gumweed (Grindelia lanceolata) Broom-Snakeroot (Gutierrezia dracunculoides) Golden Aster (Chrysopsis cam porum) Blue-stem Goldenrod (Solidago caesia) Goldenrod (S. altissima, S. arguta, S. Buckleyi, S. Drummondii, 8. flexicaulis, 8S. Gattingeri, S. graminifolia, 8. gymnospermoides, 8. his- pida, S. nemoralis, S. patula, S. petiolaris and v. Wardii, S. radula, 8. rugosa, S. speciosa v. angustata, S. ulmifolia) Aster (Aster anomalus, A. azureus, A. cordi- folins, A. ericoides, A. laevis, A. lateriflorus, A, linariifolius, A, novae-angliae, A. oblongi- folins, A. patens, A. pilosus and v. demotus, A. praealtus, A. puniceus v. firmus £. lucid- ulus, A. sagittifolius and v. Drummondii, A. sericeus, A, simplex, A, turbinellus, A. vi- mineus v. subdumosus ) Everlasting (Gnaphalius obtusifolium ) Ragweed (Ambrosia bidentata) Cocklebur (Xanthium pensylvanicum, X. chi- nense) Leafcup (Polymnia canadensis) Rosinweed (Silphium integrifolinm ) Cup-plant (S. perfoliatum ) Prairie-Dock (S. terebinthinaceum ) Yerba-de-Tago (Eclipta alba) Coneflower (Rudbeckia missouriensis, R. tri- loba, R. umbrosa) Sunflower (Helianthus grosseserratus, H. hir- sutus, H. Maximiliani, H. tuberosus) Crown-beard (Verbesina virginica) Stick-tight (Bidens cernua, B. connata, B. dis- coidea) Galinsoga (Galinsoga ciliata, G. parviflora) Palafoxia (Palafoxia callosa) Sneezeweed (Helenium autumnale, H. nudi- florum, H. tenuifolium ) Fetid Marigold (Dyssodia papposa) Western Mugwort (Artemisia ludoviciana vy. mexicana, A, ludoviciana vy. gnaphalodes) Fireweed (Erechtides hieracifolia v. intermedia) Thistle (Cirsium altissimum ) Chicory (Cichorium Intybus) Dandelion (Taraxacum erythrospermum, T. of- ficinale) Wild Lettuce (Lactuca floridana) False Dandelion (Pyrrhopappus carolinianus ) Rattlesnake-root (Prenanthes altissima v. cin- namomea ) Hawkweed (Hieracium Gronovii) In this group are found 18 kinds of aster, 17 of goldenrod, four of sun- flower, five of tick-trefoil, six of love- vine, and five of gentian, and at least 29 different kinds of grasses. Of the late-flowering grasses, the most con- spicuous ones are Muhly Grass, Triple- awn Grass, Drop-seed, and Broomsedge or Bluestem. MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 119 ROSE OF BRODY: AN OUTSTANDING NEW DAFFODIL EDGAR We you like to call them “pink” or not, the new varieties of daffodils like Narcissus Mrs. R. O. BACKHOUSE in coloring are a great addition to the spring flower border. Pink really isn’t the word, nor could any one word be found. Part of their charm is that all of them open one shade and then slowly change to another. Sometimes they are almost the color of a muskmelon, sometimes an off-white with a faint wash of ecru, a sort of fading grayish pink. Their color varies with the season and with the part of the world where they are being grown. In all of them which | have seen, the yellow or apricot tone is strongest when they open, and the pink (if we may call it that) gets noticeably stronger as the yellow fades away. Their greatest beauty is shown when three flowers which opened on three successive days are in bloom side- by-side producing a whole series of subtle shadings. For all their charm of color, few of these pink daffodils are really pleasing in form. The first varieties to appear were raggedy by show standards, and most of the newer hybrids have the same set of faults—floppy narrow pet- als, an irregular pinched look in the trumpet, a sort of general air of a beautiful flower made of wax which had softened a little and lost its per- fection of line. With Rose or Bropy all this is changed. It would be a good variety even if it were not pink. The flower is large, the perianth segments ANDERSON are wide, the cup of the trumpet is flaring and beautifuily formed. One only wishes that there would be cool, wet weather every spring to keep the clear lovely tint on the inside of the cup to its full perfection. The trum- pet is wide enough to see into. Look- ing straight down into it is like looking into an exquisite vase of milk-white glass, delicately colored on the inside and deepening in tone toward the base. Rost oF Bropy is a new introduc- tion and I suppose a horribly expensive variety in this year’s catalogues. For- tunately, my bulbs were given to me by a fellow Narcissus fancier. I am happy to report that with me, at least, the variety is a “good do-er”. It grows readily and increases well. The price should come down in a few years’ time. Rose or Bropy 120 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN THE MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN HERBARIUM JOHN D. DWYER W HEN we read about explorers as- cending the snow-studded peaks of the Himalayas or descending to the floor of the dark and voiceless ocean, we are often tricked into forgetting about the serious objectives of most scientific expeditions, so vivid are the word-pictures of the‘author. If there is a botanist in the expedition, he will be studying the plant life, perhaps picking the snow-clad aconite from a mountain slope, or snatching the gelat- inous seaweed from the ocean. These he will carefully press and dry. The author describing the adventure, no doubt, will refer to the hardships in- volved in the collection and the im- portance of the plants, but usually he will give little information as to the destiny of the material being gathered. For an answer to the fate of such materials collected we find ourselves in the Administration Building of the A faint odor of paradichlorobenzene, so com- Missouri Botanical Garden. monly used as an insect repellent in clothes closets, may serve as the first clue to the fact that this building is a treasure house of preserved botanical material; in fact it houses one of the largest collections in the United States, and, for that matter, one of the largest in the world. In addition it contains the library and the ofhces of many staff members and personnel. It is to such places as this in botanical institu- tions all over the world that most plant specimens, whether collected on mountain, in tropical rain forest, on Arctic tundra, or in a waste-lot in the railroad yards of St. Louis, are ulti- mately traceable. If we take the elevator to the second and third floors where the plant collec- tions are stored, the odor of paradi- chlorobenzene becomes stronger. Yet no specimens may be in sight! Steel cabinets about 7 feet high, arranged in rows, occupy much of the floor space. Upon opening one of the cabinet doors we are confronted with shelves of manila folders each bearing a scientific name. If we examine a sheet of paper (slightly smaller than a folded news- paper) in the folder marked, for in- stance, Aconitum (a plant of the Buttercup family commonly called Monkshood), we may find the pre- served plant which once flourished in the melting montane snows. On the label in the corner of the sheet will be the details of the collection: the sci- entific name of the plant, the habitat in which the plant grew, the collector’s name, etc. When the botanist on the alpine slope carefully placed his living speci- men between blotters to be pressed and dried, his reasons for collecting it may have been several. Perhaps, as a spe- cialist on the aconites he sought ad- ditional material for study in the preparation of a monograph (descrip- tions of the species which make up a plant group and their arrangement according to relationships). Perhaps, on the other hand, he wished to fur- nish the biochemist in distant New MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 121 Jersey, studying the powerful alkaloids from the roots of the aconite, with the name of the particular species which is so fruitful in its yield of the drug. Perhaps he felt the urge to add another species to the ever-expanding horizon of the biological world. Wandering through the maze of cabinets we conclude that there must be a great number of specimens in the herbarium (a collection of dried and preserved plant specimens arranged in an orderly fashion for scientific study). In the Missouri Botanical Garden Her- barium there are approximately one and one-half million specimens. These are grouped, with other specimens to which they are obviously closely re- lated, into distinct plant families (e. g. the Rose family, the Orchid family) which are filed in the cabinets in sys- tematic order ranging from the sim- plest to the most complex plant forms. A plant brought into the herbarium for identification is first classified into its family by the use of reference works, then compared with the speci- mens in that family for determination of its generic and specific name. Suc- cess in using this method is, of course, dependent upon the degree to which the herbarium is representative of all plant species. The early history of the herbarium in Shaw’s Garden helps to explain the magnitude of the collections. In ex- amining numerous sheets from various cabinets, for example, we may note the label ““Bernhardi Herbarium” stamped thereon. In 1857 Dr. Engelmann, the eminent botanist and first curator of the herbarium, was commissioned by Mr. Shaw to purchase dried specimens from the equally distinguished bota- nist, Prof. John J. Bernhardi of Erfurt, Germany. Bernhardi had amassed a large herbarium by exchange or by purchase of plants from botanists and collectors active in most areas of the world. In bringing many of the Bern- hardi specimens to St. Louis, as well as in purchasing books to establish a library, Dr. Engelmann laid the foun- dations for the then-infant Missouri Botanical Garden as a center of re- search in systematic botany and related fields. Dr. Engelmann in his lifetime amassed a private herbarium of over 100,000 specimens. These included important collections made by numerous bota- nists from 1838 to 1880, principally in many sections of the United States then virtually unknown from a_ floristic viewpoint. In 1889 Dr. Engelmann’s son presented this priceless collection to the herbarium of Shaw’s Garden. Obviously, such a large herbarium demands expert care and constant at- tention. Dr. George B. Van Schaack, Acting Curator of the Herbarium, in addition to his curatorial duties, must provide for the handling and filing of new accessions of specimens. Special attention must be given to type speci- mens or plants on which the authors of new species or varieties based their descriptions. These specimens, in special folders identifiable by a con- spicuous red edging, are an important source of reference for botanists at- tempting to interpret the original description and concept of the species. To offset the lack of many type speci- 122 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN mens a large collection of photographs of types found in other herbaria is maintained. The value of an herbarium is to be estimated not only by the numbers of specimens on deposit but also by the use being made of them. Perhaps your first clue to the activity of the Garden in this respect would be the large pack- ages frequently seen at the front en- trance of the Administration Building, addressed to herbaria in Europe, Eng- land, China, or perhaps to a little- known college in Pennsylvania. For dried specimens are sent on loan to scientific institutions throughout the World, including those behind the Iron Curtain. In the herbarium itself, bot- anists from all parts of the United States and occasionally from abroad, avail themselves of the opportunity to study the priceless collections. Fre- quently their visits extend over periods of weeks or months. In the herbarium and adjacent of- fices staff members and graduate stu- dents from Washington University are at work on problems involving the nomenclature, classification, and evo- lution of plant groups. Dr. Robert Woodson, Senior Taxonomist, an au- thority on the Milkweed family, and Dr. Rolla Tryon, Associate Curator, a specialist on ferns, are among the well- known staff members. Their training of graduate students serves to perpetu- ate the heritage of a science which is absolutely essential to botanical and scientific progress. Many prominent American taxonomists received their early training at the Missouri Botan- ical Garden and Washington Univer- sity. Through the pages of THE ANNALS OF THE Missourt BOTANICAL GARDEN and similar journals, as well as by teaching and lecturing, they have advanced the knowledge of plant sys- tematics. There is scarcely a univer- sity or botanical garden that has not felt the impact of the botanical work of Shaw’s Garden. Of great importance to the herbar- ium is the large collection of living species maintained at Shaw’s Garden and at Gray Summit.