368 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



to suppose that good early-flowering things were scarce, were we 

 to judge from tlie dull and barren appearance which they present, 

 instead of being as fresh, bright, and beautiful as they might be. I 

 need not dwell at any length upon the beauty of the Horse-Chest- 

 nut ; that, I believe, is sufficiently well known. Where there is an 

 abundance of room, or for avenues, they cannot well be beaten for 

 producing a grand effect. The scarlet variety is very pretty, but I 

 consider the common one to be the best. The Snowy Mespilus, 

 Amelanchier hotrijajmim, has been rightly named, for, when in full 

 flower, it has the appearance of huge masses of snow. This is good 

 up to any height, not exceeding twenty feet. We have some good 

 things amongst the Almonds, with their lovely pink flowers. The 

 common one, Amygdalus communis^ is good for the back part of 

 shrubberies, and the two dwarf kinds, A. nana, red, and A. nana alba, 

 white, are best suited for the front part. All are, when in flower, 

 the most lovely things imaginable. For a dwarf-growing plant to 

 cover low walls, or form dwarf bushes, I know of nothing to equal 

 the lovely Berberis Darwini, with its beautiful, dark, glossy foliage, 

 and sheets of golden flowers, which are succeeded later in the 

 season with purple berries. This is decidedly the best yellow- 

 flowering dwarf shrub with which I am acquainted. B. dulcis is 

 also good, but bears no comparison with the above-mentioned. From 

 the Cherries select Cerasus japonica muUijjlex, semi-double pink, and 

 the white variety of the same. C. padus bracteoso. is a pretty pen- 

 dulous variety, with white flowers. The Thorns should enter largely 

 into the planting of all sorts of shrubberies and park scenery, for 

 fe^^ flowering trees can equal them in point of beauty when in 

 flower. I shall put down the following as the best, as they can be 

 depended upon for producing a good effect : — Cratcegus oxyacantha 

 multiplex, double white ; G. oxyacantha bicolor, double scarlet, tinted 

 with rose ; G. oxyacantha punicea, dark red ; C. oxyacantha ft. plena, 

 double pink ; and by no means fail to add the beautiful double scarlet, 

 sent out a short time since by Paul and Son. The Cydonias are 

 favourites of mine, for they flower as early, and are by no means 

 deficient in beauty. They are best adapted for walls and fences, and 

 I have seen good hedges of them. They are beautiful grown any 

 way. I like the old crimson one best, but the white variety is 

 worth growing for the sake of a change. Amongst Cytissus we have 

 a few valuable subjects, C. laburnum being by no means the least, 

 with its graceful drooping racemes of rich golden flowers. The 

 laburnum is equally at home either in highly dressed or semi-wild 

 shrubberies, and it has nothing of its colour to touch it for pro- 

 ducing a fine eft'ect in park scenery, and is a fit companion to the 

 Thorns. Of the others, C. alius, white ; C. atro-purpureus, dark 

 purple ; G. falcatus, yellow ; G. sessifolius, yellow ; and G. supinus, 

 yellow, are deserving attention. For front rows, Daphne mezereum 

 is a pretty subject, with its pretty pink flowers. Every one knows 

 the lovely Beutzia gracilis, therefore I need not say a word in its 

 praise. That and D. crenata flare pleno, double rose-coloured 

 flowers, and D. scabra, white, are capital subjects for front rows ; 

 and if there is any prospect of there being a dearth of spring 



