SECRETAKT'S PORTFOLIO. 39? 



may be considerably increased by proper attention to this matter. "A shrub- 

 bery," says Mr. Phillips, "should be planted as a court or stage dress is orna- 

 mented, for general effect ; all harshness should be avoided." By a judicious 

 mixture of shrubs whose colors will blend easily with one another and with 

 evergreens they can be so arranged as to give a pleasing effect. Some recom- 

 mend (I think Downing is one) that we should not only notice the color of the 

 leaves, but also the color of the bark, which will be so varied as to make a 

 pleasant study in winter when the leaves have fallen. The English make great 

 account of the bright green leaves and red berries of the holly for their Christ- 

 mas decorations. We in this northern climate find it too cold for the holly, 

 but we have some kinds of shrubs that have red berries which are very pleasant 

 to see and furnish food for the birds that prefer to remain with us in our cold 

 weather instead of migrating south, thus teaching us another lesson from God's 

 word, — that God careth for the birds. 



Many of us would be surprised to know how many kinds of beautiful shrubs 

 grow wild in our own woods. I think I am right in saying there are thirty 

 kinds of spirea that grow wild, and the dogwood, boxwood, high-bush cranberry, 

 June berry, and many other really beautiful and desirable shrubs, such as we 

 buy of our enterprising gardener, with high-sounding names attached, little 

 thinking we might have had the same without money and without price by 

 transplanting from our woods. Our common sassafras is a beautiful shrub, 

 with umbrella-shaped top and curious leaves, and in autumn gorgeous in color. 



No garden should be without a good selection of ornamental shrubs. To 

 have them yield the largest results, they must be carefully planted in a suitable 

 position. They increase in size and beauty year by year. The time of flower- 

 ing extends over the whole season from April to November, if properly selected, 

 although the greatest show is in the spring. The earliest is the fragrant flow- 

 ering currant, followed by spirea, Japan quince, and many others. The caly- 

 canthis, mock orange, and many others fill our yards with fragrance. The 

 later varieties, such as lilac, tartarian honeysuckle, etc., should be set farthest 

 from the street, or so arranged as to form little vistas for out-looks from the 

 front door or windows of the house to the street. Many of our most desirable 

 shrubs are brought from Japan ; among them the shrub hydrangeas, which are 

 small, but perfectly loaded with large spikes of flowers, very striking in appear- 

 ance ; they blossom in August, and if well manured will last to bloom more 

 than a month. The first I ever saw were in Philadelphia during the centen- 

 nial year. I made many inquiries before I learned the name to be " Hydrangea 

 Grandiflora." Since that time several other varieties have attracted my notice, 

 all very desirable. In September the altheas make our lawns bright with flow- 

 ers. It is true, if set in the foreground, as they sometimes are, the flowers 

 look coarse ; but there is a place for everything, and everything should be in 

 its place. "Order is heaven's first law." Altheas can be planted in clusters 

 or singly; they make a very pretty round-headed tree if planted singly, which 

 I prefer. The list which I have gathered as the most desirable is as follows: 

 Gardoni or flowering currant; Japan quince, both scarlet and white; spirea, 

 many varieties; snow-ball; lilac; dentzias, white and purple; fringe tree; 

 wygelias; altheas; hydrangeas; tartarian honeysuckles ; and last but not least 

 our beautiful roses, from the deepest crimson to the purest white, and the per- 

 fume passeth all understanding. As in other shrubs, so in the rose there is 

 great variety; but as in others, we can obtain the really desirable ones in com- 

 paratively small numbers. 



No garden is complete without its bed of roses. We can have, if we prefer, 



