NAT. ORDER. — OLEINE.E. 163 



Scotch arc still larg-er, and the flowers fairer ; it of course makes the 

 best appearance ; the panicles of flowers grow erect, and being- inter- 

 mixed with the bright green leaves, have a fine effect, which, with 

 the fragrance of the flowers, renders it one of the most beautiful shrubs 

 of tlie g-arden. The flowers appear early in May, or towards the end 

 of April, and when the season is cool, continue three wrecks — but in 

 hot seasons soon fade. It is supposed to be a native of Persia. There 

 are several varieties of this species, some with white flowers, blue 

 flowers, and purple flowers, or Scotch Lilac 



Syringa Persica. Persian Lilac. This species is a sln-ub of 

 much lower g-rowth than the common sort, seldom rising more than 

 five or six feet high ; the stems are covered with a smooth brown 

 bark ; the branches are slender, pliable, extend wide on every side, and 

 frequently bend down where they are not supported ; the leavers two 

 and a half inches long-, and three-fourths of an inch broad, and of a 

 deep green color ; the flowers hang- in large panicles at the end of the 

 former year's shoots, as in the former ; of a pale blue color, and having- 

 a very pleasing-, agreeable odor. They appear at the end of May, 

 soon after those of the common sort, and continue longer in beauty, but 

 do not always perfect their seeds in this northern climate. There are 

 also several varieties of this species, such as the common piu'ple- 

 flowered ; white-flowered ; blue-flowered ; and the laciviated, or cut- 

 leaved. 



Propagation and Culture. These plants are mostly raised by 

 suckers or layers, and sometimes by seeds. The suckers should be 

 taken off in the autumn or spring, with root-fibres to them, and be 

 planted out either in nursery rows, to remain a year or two, or where 

 they are to remain. The layers may be made from the young, pliant 

 shoots, and be laid down in the autumn in the usual way, and in the 

 autumn following, taken off and planted out, as in the suckers. 



