The herald., 1894-08-19

family having even larger and more
beautiful flowers than the native variety
and having the great advantage that it
blooms when quite small. have now
blooming in my nursery young tree OF
this variety. the graft of which ia one
year old and only II inches in height.
The Grevillea robusta. or silk oak
Of Australia, is q most beautiful
tree, but as there are quite q
number i'll and around Monrovia that
a-e now in full bloom, will not de-
scribe it, as it's beauty must be self-evi-
dent to you all.
The Acacia family also gives US come
very ornamental trees and il properly
pruned will make very good shade trees
They are also quick growers Tne fol-
lowing varieties are most to be recon-
mended:
Acacia decurrans (the black wattle)
has fine, almost fern-liks foliage of q
blush green color and is very pretty in
deed, in spring when it is almost covered
with it's little fluffy balls OF pale yellow
flowers. 1t is also valuable for it's close
grained wood.
Acacia dealbata (the silver wattle)
will make tree 30 feet high at 5 years
old, under favorable conditions.
A. pycuanthus, (the golden wattle) al.
though not making such large tree as
the foregoing. will grow anywhere and
under almost any disadvantages. Ihave
seen some lovely trees of this acacia at
Oceanside, within stones throw OF the
ocean breakers, on unoccupied lots
where they had no irrigation at all and
appeared to have been repeatedly mutil-
ated by stray cattle. When in bloom it
is almost covered by flowers, little fluffy
balls of bright yellow, and is then
sight that challenges description, some
thing like mound of gold. especially
when the full glare of the sun is on it.
There are five decduous trees, of
which one at least of each kind should
be in every ones ornamental grounds.
The best OF all the deciduous shade
trees ia the umbrella tree, Mela speco-
so), than which there is no tree makes
denser shade. 1t is, besides, @ fairly
quick grower, making crown more
than q rod across at years old. In
spring it is literally covered with small
lilac flowers.
Another is the Cstalps, which makes
fine shade and, with little udicieus
pruning, very handsome tree. The
variety known as Teas Hybrid is the
most desirable, es its fowera are much
larger and more fragrant than @. speci-
osa.
For the third 1 want to put in spe-
cisl plea, as it is planted very rarely,
not being sufficiently we'll known to be
properly appreciated. 1t is the Paulow-
MIA imperialis, the empress tree of
Northern India. Its leaves are some.
what similar to. the Catalpa in shape
but huch larger. the leaves OF young
trees being simply immense. 1 have
seen them l5 inches or more ecross.
The leaves fall nearly all at once, carry
ing the leaf stalk with them, this being
great advantage over other deciduous
trees (and most evergreen trees) that
shed their leaves gradually, one clearing
up for the Penlownia being sufficient,
while the cleaning up for others may
last for several weeks. | might add that
the flowers OF the Paulownis are blue
and chapel somewhat like the hoxinia.
The weeping willow should have O
place where good. hH5as B .ra raasaisatffp ffpiia ia
or ii you are blessed with those trouble.
some comforts children-plant one for
them TO play under. II is a graceful
tree, bssides making dense shade.
Last, but not by any means the least
desirable, is the mulberry. The Russian
variety ia the best. If the crown is well
cut in at the fourth or fifth year it
makes almost as dense top as the um
brella tree. The flowers being imper-
feet, fruit ia not to be expected if only
one tree is planted. Il From the Califor-
MIA Cultivator for August.