Missouri Botanical Garden PETER H. RAVEN LIBRARY Pagination Note: Since many of the items lack a specific page number, the page number dispiayed oniine refers to the sequentiaily created number each item was given upon cataloging the materials. 1876 .] ANB HORTIOULTURIST. 5 ment, and might be sent to gymnasiums, or to dyspeptic clergymen, as a means of gentle exer- cise in the garden, of benefit both to body and mind. The machine has been introduced to us by Mr. Thomas Jackson, of Portland, Maine, who is doing good service in distributing it. An Automatic Gate. — We have never seen a gate of this character that did not in time get out of order to an extent that caused an early aban- donment. The idea of a self-opener is too good in a gate to be wholly given up, and we are glad to note that among those who are working on it is our ingenious friend. Dr. Weed, of Des Moines, as we find by the following in an Iowa paper : — “We visited the farm of Dr. James Weed, yes- terday, and inspected his self-opening gate. It works like magic. As you approach in a buggy the gate suddenly parts in the middle (being double) and the two parts turn over backwards, leaving the way clear to drive in, without slack- ing speed, even though your horse should be on the trot, and as you drive along, the gate as sud- denly closes and latches as snugly as it was be- fore you came to it. The principle on which this gate operates is difficult to describe on paper. All the machinery visible above ground is two pieces of rounded iron in the road, one on each side of the gate, about thirty feet from it. This must be run over by the buggy, its weight press- ing the iron down and causing certain motor springs connecting with rods to throw the parts of the gate upward. These parts are steadied by “tortion’’ springs, which counteract the weight of the gate, so that there is no slam or jar as it comes down to the ground. The return of the parts of the gate is caused on the same principle by the buggy running over the other piece of rounded iron inside the enclosure. The ma- chinery is so adjusted that the principle works precisely the same whether going in or out of the enclosure. It is not only a novelty, but a pleas- ure and convenience to ride along and, without moving hand or foot, have the gate open and close for you by some unseen power. Dr. Weed has been experimenting on these gates for sev- eral years, and his latest improvements are. sub- stituting motor springs for gearing, and “ tortion” springs for the former method of balancing the gates with stones of equal weight. He claims that it is now perfect in every particular, and not liable to get out of order in any kind of weather. He secured a patent last year. These gates are rather expensive — $200 — but what is that to a j man who is able and willing to pay for the thing , that suits him? We wish the Doctor success after his long years of patient study in perfecting his invention.” The Tulip Tree in England. — A correspon- dent of Gardener’s Chronicle says : “ There is in Lord Llanerton’s grounds, Woolbeding, near Midhurst, Sussex, ‘ a very fine Tulip tree,’ which was acknowledged by the late Sir Wm. Hooker to be the finest specimen in the kingdom ; and it certainly is a magnificent tree, being one mass of foliage from its sqmmit to the ground. Its measurements in 1871 were as follows : Height, 91 feet 5 inches ; girth at 3 feet from the ground, 17 feet 2 inches ; circumference round the branches, 79 yards. It is in perfect health, and has doubtless increased somewhat in size since the above measurements were taken.” Wintering Echeverias.— Echeverias which have served for borders, beds, or floral inscrip- tions during summer, if potted to pass the win- ter, are liable to rot or spindle up. A method of preserving them, which occupies practically no room whatever, and which avoids the above mentioned inconvenience, is to shake out the earth from their roots when taken up in autumn, and suspend them heels up or anyhow, in small bunches, on strings stretched horizontally, like linen hung on a line to dry, beneath the roof of a cool greenhouse, which just keeps out the frost. — Gardener’s Chronicle. Arundo conspicua. — Vietch says it is very similar in habit to the well-known Pampas Grass (Gynerium argenteum), but blooming about two months earlier than that variety, and lasting much longer in beauty. NEW FLANm Physianthus albens. — The Garden says : — “Those of your readers who are in want of a quick-growing summer climber, foP“ covering a wall or trellis, should procure this interesting Asclepiad. A small plant of it, little more than a foot high, with a few laterals, was turned out against an ordinary wall, with a warm exposure, about the end of May, and now covers five or six square yards of surface, every joint being fur- nished with a raceme of pure white flowers. A month hence the shoots will be pruned back, and the plant potted up for wintering in a warm greenhouse. I have yet to learn what degree of cold it will survive, but probably it would endure mild winters in the southern counties of Eng- [January, TH^^ARDENER'S MONTHLY land and Ireland. An easier plant to cultivate can hardly be imagined.” And we notice it here to say that it is even a better plant for American gardens than for English ones. Last autumn the writer of this saw it in Ellis Park, in Chicago, more handsome than he ever saw it before, cov- ering trellises eight feet or more high with hun- dreds of its large, waxy, white flowers. It is of cruel tastes, however, the flower catching insects without any use whatever, so far as is at present known. Pentstemon humilis.^ — One of the prettiest of the dwarf Pentstemons of the Kocky Mountains, forms the subject of a handsome colored plate in the Florist and Pomologist for November. New Hardy Trees. — From various sources we make up the following, that will probably all prove hardy in our climate : Maakia amouriensis. — We had a specimen of this from the collection of Alfred Cope. The flowers are in close white bunches, and the leaves have much the appearance of a Cladras- tus tinctoria. It will be a good acquisition to our list of hardy trees. Corylopsis spicata. — We have before given some account of this beautiful Japan shrub, one which will probably prove hardy in our country. The Gardener’s Magazine has recently given a wood cut of it, and with the following descrip- tion : “ This interesting hardy Japanese shrub is regarded by hasty observers as a hazel or a near relative of the nut tribe, but as the seed is a hard capsule, those who watch it through its course learn that in one respect at least it is far removed from the hazels. It is, in fact, a member of the Liquidambar family, and its generic name of Corylopsis refers to the striking resemblance of its leaves to those of a hazel, not to its flowers or fruit. Corylopsis spicata is a free-growing shrub pos- sessing considerable beauty, and especially hand- some in the spring when its flowers appear, as they bear some resemblance to the elegant in- florescence of Garrya elliptica, being produced in drooping racemes in the greatest profusion. They appear before the leaves, and are of a pleasing greenish yellow color, pleasantly fra- grant, and attractive to the bees. The leaves which follow are large, subcordate, and of a full green color, like those of the hazel. Those who are now planting will do well to include this use- ful shrub in the list of desiderata for th^e shrub- bery.” Othera japonica. — The English papers say of this, which will perhaps prove hardy in at least our Middle States : “A new and beautiful ever- green shrub. One of the most distinguished Japanese travellers says this is perhaps the pret- tiest evergreen they have in Japan; it grows about twenty feet high, has dark green leaves and a profusion of bright red fruit; it is very effective and perfectly hardy.” A New Strain of Draca:nas. — Mr. Bause, who was the first to break up the old-fashioned Coleus into so many beautiful kinds, and without which our gardens would make now but a poor show, has done the same thing now for the Dracaena. • The new strain is said to be among the most beautiful of leaf plants, quite as striking as the Coleus. No doubt some of our enterprising flor- ists will soon offer them in this country. Pyracantha japonica. — We have not noticed before that there is a Pyracantha under this name in Europe. It appears there are a number of good Japan trees and shrubs in the Old World awaiting introduction here. The Garden says: “In town gardens, Pyracantha japonica is now one of the most attractive of all wall plants. In the Royal Horticultural and also in Kensington Gardens, this plant is now the admiration of all who see it. Crataegus Aronia, in Kensington Gardens, is also just now strikingly beautiful, as is likewise the crimson-fruited Cotoneaster frig- ida, which, as a town tree, ought to be more ex- tensively planted than it is. Styrax japonica. — This hardy deciduous shrub is of dwarf compact growth, with elegantly spreading branches, furnished with bright green elliptic leaves, and gives a profusion of white flowers, somewhat resembling snowflakes. It will be a very useful plant for early forcing along with Deutzias, Spiraeas, &c., and an exceedingly pretty and useful shrub for borders in the open air. It is a native of Japan. — W. Bulk Deutzia crenata candidissima plena.— A n exceedingly free-flowering variety, producing fine large, very double, pure white flowers. It is a very useful winter and spring-blooming plant, and looks extremely elegant when covered with its large bunches of pure white flowers. Weigela Lavallei. — The flowers of this at- tractive variety are of a rich purplish red color, with yellow centres, and are very freely produced in exceedingly long bunches. It is a distinct and handsome variety of robust growth, and is also an excellent plant for forcing. — W. Bull, ' ^ ^ ^ ^ _ _ « (S,^A<3L^ ,y^^ y^ai<*-€^ 2^; s ^yy. . - ^ ^ yvc -/, / M ^- :^ . cyffs - ‘^’^' a.yjf^7 t/-?z e £^^>cz 7^^ /J-7/ £^J^.,^<,yiz-zy7:y ifz < 7f / 7 ^^ ^. c> 2 ^ yT^Tr 777^- '■- iJZ^-^^^ac^ QT^U-rzyar «$£ . ^ yJi^7 ay^Tty^y^ ^ c^ Az^^y ~ y^ (A^. 01 23456789 10 Missouri Botanical cm copyright reserved garden Missouri C. :>i George Ehgelmann Papers -IL ■*; Cl l (J tr^ o/. ^fm 01 23456789 10 Missouri . Botanical cm copyright reserved garden Missouri BoTf.i’icA.i. v -f .GEORGE EKGELMAHN 01 2345678910 Missouri Botanical cm copyright reserved garden 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Missouri Botanical cm copyright reserved garden You are requested to join the Profession Parlor No. 5, Southern Hotel, this evening, from 8 to 10 o’clock, to meet Dr. Marion Sims. Missouri '' *> George <• Drs. Johnson and Moses, vSr., Committee. 01 23456789 10 Missouri Botanical cm copyright reserved garden fi: 1 234567 8 9 10 Missouri Botanical copyright reserved garden 7ae 26^7 Missouri Li^b£LMiUiN FAPEd hS* €>^\rC^ cu-:. 01 234567 8 9 10 Missouri Botanical cm copyright reserved garden 2 3 ■H. W! .‘fi.o \ IM' ■%1 Botanical cm copyright reserved garden Missouri i Gp.orge E 30TAH1CAL PAPE8SI ‘ 7^70 -■X' M l s sou R I BOTAN ICAL Garden 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 cm copyright reserved 0 1 cm -LJ m 6 7 8 9 10 Missouri Botanical copyright reserved garden X- /^j; M l s sou R I BOTAN ICAL Garden 6 7 8 9 10 copyright reserved 2345678910 copyright reserved ^ /- _ . 01 234567 8 9 10 Missouri Botanical cm copyright reserved garden I i 0 1 cm 7 8 9 10 Missouri Botanical copyright reserved garden copyright reserved ['ns ^ ^ K y- '^Ci-^ ^Sr-iJ—ryi ///. ■ ■ copyright reserved /T i. . /,'^X3:-r ^ 7 8 9 10 Missouri Botanical copyright reserved garden cm / v^- /^/y 1 234567 8 9 10 copyright reserved