270 TBANSACTIONS OF THE HORTICULTURAL 



white bloom in spriugf, as hardy as an ash tree — to which family it 

 belongs, — should make it a favorite. 



Among the hardy shrubs, in part, will be fouad the following 

 [this article will not allow me to be descriptive with the balance] : 

 Berberries (both common and purple), yellow flowering currant, 

 purple fringe (phus cotinus), snow berry (or wax berry), cornus 

 saugima and the Siberian varieties, nearly all the spireas, and daphne. 



The following have proved half hardy, sometimes enduring a 

 few years, then freezing down, but their roots generally remained 

 ancl grew. Cydonia (Japan quince), European euongmus, prums 

 pissarda, rose accacia, deulgias (grariles, generally hardy), wie- 

 gelia. Among the tender, those that kill top and root, are the 

 altheas, all the flowering currants but the yellow, cormus of the 

 marculate varieties, calycanthus, gorsythias (golden bell), xanthrares 

 and some others. Professor Budd claimes to have both a caly- 

 canthus and tamarisk from the A.mour river, of Asia, that are 

 perfectly hardy. If so they are a fine acquisition. The herbaceous 

 pasonies come so near shrubs, and I have such success with them, 

 I must say a word in their favor. For show, hardiness and longevity 

 nothing can excel them, excelling even rhododendrons. I succeed 

 in having bloom from them for about three months each year. The 

 first to bloom in spring is tennefolia; single, dark crimson flower. 

 It is not unusual for the buds to be formed, and at times, opened 

 before the snow squalls leave us in the spring, mingling crimson 

 buds among the snow. The next to bloom is a dark crimson, the 

 paradoxa, the foliage of this variety dies down in summer. Last 

 come the Chinese varieties. With care and age they make large 

 stools three to four feet high and four to five feet spread across- the 

 tops; with the different colors in bloom at the same time, in one 

 large bed, the sight is grand. I have seen over one thousand buds 

 and flowers, many from four to six inches in diameter, at one time 

 on but twelve stools. The plants should be placed so that they can 

 be spaded around every year, and planted six to eight feet apart. 

 They will have to be hooped, to keep them from spreading and break- 

 ing down, we use iron hoops from large barrels; other plants and 

 bulbs can be placed among them. We use roses, lilies, gladiolus, 

 dahlias, etc., making a constant bloom from the time the frost leaves 

 in the spring, until it returns in the fall. Pieonia tennefola»flori 

 plena is a gem; color dark crimson, color of and a little larger and 

 fuller than the Gen. Jacqueminot rose, a beautiful foliage, fennel 

 leaved, comparable to the down of a chicken recently hatched. In 

 every respect it is rare and fine. It may truly be said of them 

 (pseonia) they are ''as hardy as an oak," needing no protection, 

 always of a vigorous habit and healthy growth. Freedom from all 

 diseases and insects, are important arguments in favor of their culti- 

 vation. It really is a '' fine flower for the million.'" 



