of Rural Art and Taste. 



Ill 



Viburnum plicatum closes our list ; not by 

 any means as the last to be selected, for it is 

 actually one of the first. It is a rare Japan- 

 ese species, with lai'ge globular heads of pure 

 white flowers — in the way of the old Snowball, 

 but vastly better. 



The third and last section, embracing the 

 smaller-sized shrubs, is one of importance. 

 Here, too, we commence with the Dwarf 

 Roses. The Teas, Chinas, and Bourbons may 

 all be kept within bounds by an annual prun- 

 ing ; and they are all free bloomers, especially 

 in June and again in September. 



The native White Azalea [A. viscosa) is a 

 low plant usually, that produces pure white, 

 fragrant flowers. The Dwarf Red Azalea {A. 

 amcena) makes a fine bed by itself or as an 

 outer edge to the taller-growing kinds. The 

 Daphne Cneoriim is a charming little hardy 

 plant, with numerous umbels of pink flowers, 

 and the D. Mezerei/,m, although larger in 

 every way and very pretty, is still its inferior. 

 The Deutzia gracilis^ now very well known, 

 yet retains its popularity as a deserving dwarf 

 shrub. When in bloom, the whole plant ap- 

 pears to be a ball of white bells. The Dwarf 

 Variegated Wiegela is one of the newer little 

 varieties that give universal satisfaction. Its 

 foliage is very agreeably mottled and blotched 

 with yellow and pink and the bloom is equally 

 as attractive as that in the larger kinds. 



Among yellow blossoms there is something 

 exceedingly neat and pretty about the charac- 

 ter of the Hypericum. We prefer the H. 

 prolijicum. and //. Kalmianum. 



And now we call attention to two old 

 friends, the Double Pink and Double White 

 Dwarf Almond. Were it not for an unfor- 

 tunate habit of blighting, they would certainly 

 rank with the most valuable of our dwarf 

 shrubs ; but they are, nevertheless, very 

 showy. A near relative, and one that should 

 by rights be classed with those of medium 

 size, is the Chinese species, Pruuus triloba. 

 It is really lovely when full of double rose- 

 colored flowers. 



SpircBa callosa alba is a new dwarf variety, 

 with very distinct white bloom ; and S. Thun- 

 bergii has also white flowers, of very small 



size and narrow linear leaves. Both are fine 

 for forcing in pots. 



In light, peaty soil the Kalmias are always 

 attractive, although somewhat difficult to man- 

 age ; but in point of beauty they are among 

 the most attractive. 



And thus closes our list of valuable shrubs. 

 That we have omitted very many of great ex- 

 cellence none can doubt ; but, if the foregoing 

 are planted properly and receive careful atten- 

 tion afterward, they will assuredly prove all 

 that the most exacting can possibly desire. 



To our readers, one and all, we say : Plant 

 shrubs, and then take care of them. They 

 will weave an additional charm around your 

 homes the whole summer long, and make you 

 better, mentally and physically, for the battle 

 of life. 



Honeysuckles. 



SELDOM do we see an American article 

 on Honeysuckles, but English gardeners 

 are alive to their beauties, and here is a beau- 

 tiful as well as a practical contribution to 

 the literature of climbing vines, from a con- 

 tributor to The Garden: 



" Everybody loves honeysuckles ; every 

 poet has written of the woodbine ; every posy 

 we receive from the country is sure to con- 

 tain trusses of its flowers ; everybody remem- 

 bers that ' lovely cottage' with the woodbine 

 half choking the doorway, or half smothering 

 the window. The honeysuckle is not at all 

 an aristocratic plant. The day laborer may 

 have one rambling over his little, arbor, and 

 the countess allows another on the summer- 

 house, provided it does not interfere with the 

 'magnolia;' but, on the whole, it is banished 

 from all 'fine gardens.' To nail every shoot 

 of it to the wall, with a multitude of nail and 

 red shreds, is like putting a plant in a straight 

 waistcoat. It must have liberty. There are 

 three modes of growing honeysuckles apart 

 from anything like masonry ; for, as a hedge 

 or bush and a pole or pillar plant, it is ex- 

 ceedingly well adapted. Whenever it may 

 be desired to have a hedge of honeysuckle, 

 either for its own sake or as a screen or a 



