THE AMERICAN BOTANIST. 83 



tlimgs t"he effect is decidedh' so, A garden in such sur- 

 roundings, planted to other species, is individualized and 

 enhanced in beauty by the contrast. Fortunately, too, 

 the cost of such planting is no greater. There is a long 

 list of handsome flowering shrulis to select from, though, 

 ■at present, even their names have an unfamiliar sound to 

 inan3'. Among the best may be mentioned species of Cory- 

 Jopsis, Exochorda, Shepherdia, Cotoneaster, Kerria, La- 

 ■burnuni, HaIesia,Styrax, Buddleia and Euonv mas, to say 

 nothing of our own species of Rihes, Rubus, Hatnamelis 

 •and Cornus. 



* 

 In Great Britain the rhododendrons, azalias, kalmias, 



■andromedas and other heath-worts are known as Ameri- 

 can shrubs and several species are there cultivated that 

 find scant favor at home. And the British do not stop at 

 our heath-worts but cultivate many another of our native 

 plants. Similarly, they cultivate the plants of Japan, Asia, 

 Australia and other parts of the world. This example 

 might well l^e followed in America, To be sure we are not 

 t^ntirely lacking in these exotic plants, but the cultivating 



of such species is bj^ no means as general as it should be. 



* * 

 » 



Too often, the planter of a garden has a mania for 

 double flowers, but no botanist is likely to plant many of 

 these except for mere decorative effect. When one has 

 come to know the plan of the flower and to understand in 

 a measure why the different parts have the positions and 

 shapes they do, he is likely to resent the gardener's at- 

 tempt to improve upon nature bj^ offering more petals and 

 less stamens. Nor does he look with more favor upon 



any other botanical monstrosity. 



* * 



■X- 



One of the inestimable advantages of a plantation of 

 uncommon shrubs is the opportunity' afforded for study 

 and comparison. One can scarcely make a tour of such a 

 garden without discovering something new. It is like liv- 

 ing in a new country. The garden is of special interest if 



