Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1903-11-06
Some Good Shrubs.

Some Good Shrubs.
Those of our readers that have Visit
ed the Minnesota Agricultural College
will remember the very effective ar.
rangements Of shrubs between and
around the principal buildings. The
shrubs used on this campus are hardy
In almost all portions Of the middle
West. On a recent visit to the col
lege, the writer made note OF some
Of the most beautiful shrubs, which he
felt he could recommend to readers
Of the Farmers Review. Below are
some Of them:
Juneberry (Amelanchier). This Is
plant that has variety Of forms, some
of them mere shrubs and some OF
them trees from twenty-five to forty
feet high. In its different varieties 1t
grows in temperate climates around
the world. The writer saw 1t growing
on the banks Of the Saskatchewan In
British America, where 1t was known
as the Saskatoon. 1t Is there highly
priced for its foliage and fruit. Sas-
katoon berries are very popular To
the writer it seemed to be identical
with the wild sugar plum" Of New
England. The trees or shrubs bloom
very early in the spring, and do well
on a great variety Of soils and situa-
lions. They also succeed well In dry
climates.
Caragana (Caragana arborescens).
This is shrub, or rather tree, from
Siberia. The form mentioned above is
the only one that grows to the size OF
tree. It seems to be very hardy.
It was seen growing in all parts OF
the Canadian Northwest and seemed
to be a general favorite. In some
places where 1t was thriving the rain
fall is only ten inches a year. This
would indicate that 1t can stand both
cold and drouth. It belongs to the
order leguminosae, and some mem
bers Of its immediate family are found
from the Himalayan mountains In
southern Asia to Siberia.
Tartarian Maple (Acer tartarica).
This is a very beautiful maple, the
leaves being long and deeply serrated,
with a tint that draws attention to 1t
in any group of trees. 1t is probably
hardy in nearly all situations.
Dogwood (Cornus sangunea). This
is. one of family of twenty growing
in North America. This one (san-
gunea) has purple or dark red branch
es, which lend charm to the shrub
at any time of year. The flowers
come in May and June and are green
ish-white, growing in dense cymes.
The fr1:it when ripe is black.
Buffalo Berry (Shepherdia argen-
teal. This is one Of the three Ameri-
can plants belonging to Sheperdia.
The leaves, as of the others, are sill.
very. The staminate and pistillate
blossoms are borne on different trees.
Both kinds are grown at the Mime
sofa college. The tree is priced most,
ly for its foliage, but it's berries are
edible. We Lave seen these trees at
Cornell University loaded with fruit
in the fall. The fruit is acid and edi-
BILE. 1t may some day become popu-
lar.
Cut-Leaf Elder (Sambucus Nigra
aurea). This is quite commonly known
as Golden Elder" and is distinguished
by it's golden foliage, as is indicated
by it's varietal name "aurea." 1t Is
very effective when planted in small
masses.
Red Berry Elder (Sambucus race
mosa). This is a variety that is being
quite extensively planted. 1t is nearly
identical with Sambucus pubens. The
red fruit begins ripening in June.
Golden spirea (Physocarpus Opuli-
folius aurea). These are well adapted
to shrubbery formations and are suit
| ed to almost any soil. The leaves OF
this variety are bright yellow at first,
but gradually change to a golden
bronzy yellow.
Sheepberry (Viburnum Lentago).
This is a shrub or small tree that fire.
quently attains height of thirty feet.
It holds it's fruit over the winter till
spring. This fruit is bluish-black,
with quite bloom upon it, and helps
add to the beauty Of the landscape In
which it is found.
Garland Syringa (Philadelphus cor.
onarius), known also as the Mock
Orange. The flowers are creamy white
and very fragrant.
| Individuality in Plants.
The whole tendency of modern plant
breeding, as we have seen, Is to be.
| gin with a plant because 1t has indi
yidual merit rather than because II
represents a particular variety. That
is, we are constantly giving greater
attention to individuality in plants
| This the animal breeder has always
| done. If no two Cuthbert raspberry
bushes and no two early Crawford
peach trees are alike, why not propa
| gate from those that are best?
have an orchard of Crawford peaches
| all purchased from one of the best
| and most reliable nurserymen, but
have at least twenty different kinds
of Crawfords, some of them practically
worthless. If were to plant another
Crawford orchard, l should want to
know what trees the buds were taken
from. If were to propagate indis.
criminately from my own orchard
/ nersons to whom I should sell the