THE BEST HARDY SHRUBS. 



513 



tiful as those of many roses. All these 

 double-bloomed fruit trees flower in April 

 and May. 



Common Dogwood, {Comics fiorida.) 

 Though this is plentifully seen in our 

 woods, it well deserves to be more fre- 

 quently introduced into shrubberies. Its 

 flowers and foliage are both excellent ; and 

 the effect of its rich, purplish, autumnal 

 leaf-tint, among other shrubs, is very strik- 

 ing in autumn. May. 



Snowdrop or Silver Bell Tree, {Hale- 

 sia tetraptera.) A large shrub, highly or- 

 namental when clad, in spring, with its 

 myriads of silvery bells. The finest spe- 

 cies is H. diptera. It is rather scarce in 

 the nurseries, but has much larger flowers, 

 and of a purer white, than the other. May. 



Cornelian Cherry, {Cornus mascula.) 

 The bright yellow flowers of this shrub 

 make the garden gay, sometimes as early 

 as March. Its numerous cherry-like fruit, 

 of the colour of cornelian, are also orna- 

 mental ; and its foliage is thick, and of a 

 good dark geen colour. 



Flowering Ash, {Onms eicropcus.) This 

 small tree bears a great abundance of pan- 

 icles of charming white flowers, in clusters, 

 at the ends of the branches, like those of 

 the lilac, and is highly ornamental. June. 



Scarlet Horse-chestnut, {^sculus ru- 

 hricunda.) Unquestionably the finest of all 

 horse-chestnuts, and one of the most orna- 

 mental of all small trees. The flowers are 

 of a rich crimson, and the plant, when 



grafted, begins to bloom when only 3 or 4 

 feet high. There are very fine specimens 

 of this tree in Philadelphia ; and I cannot 

 well understand why it has not been propa- 

 gated and planted more generally. It is 

 very rarely seen in our gardens. 



Venetian Fringe Tree, {Rhus cotiniis.) 

 This popular shrub has a dozen names, one 

 uf the most expressive of which, is that of 

 the French — arbre d perruke, (wig-tree.) 

 From July to October it is covered with the 

 purplish or brown abortive seed plumes, 

 which render it a highly interesting object 

 in the shrubbery. It is very hardy and 

 grows in all soils. 



Laburnums, {Cytissus lahurjmm.) The 

 Laburnum or Golden chain, is an old favor- 

 ite ; and its numerous pendant clusters of 

 pea-shaped blossoms make it a very orna- 

 mental object in May. C. alpiiius, the 

 Scotch laburnum, is rather hardier and finer 

 than the common sort. The oak-leaved 

 and purple laburnums are also both pretty 

 varieties. 



Judas Tree, {Cercis canadensis.) This 

 is the " red-bud" of the western states ; 

 and a very pretty spring flowering tree it 

 is. Shortening-in the ends of its branches 

 ever year, like those of the peach tree, im- 

 proves its foliage and flowers. May. 



Japan Koelreuteria, {K. japonica.) This 

 is a striking shrub of thrifty growth and 

 good foliage. Its blossoms are yellow, and 

 are succeeded by inflated pods of singular 

 structure. July. An Amateur. 



Uses of the Apple. — In the Transactions 

 of the New-York State Agricultural Socie- 

 ty, the Apple Committee speak as follows : 

 " Aside from its edible uses to man, the ap- 

 ple is an important and economical food for 

 most kinds of farm stock. Milch cows thrive 

 upon it, when fed in moderate quantities, 

 VOL. n. 65 



and it adds to the quantity and quality of 

 their milk. It is also an excellent food in 

 making beef. Horses eat it readily ; for 

 them it is a succulent and healthy food. 

 Sheep, swine, and geese, will fatten alto- 

 gether on good apples ; and for all kinds of 

 poultry they are nutritious food." 



