416 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



was the snowberry, with its wealth of white berries showy from August 

 until spring. Its near relative, the coal berry, was also valuable, though 

 less showy. Then there was the Wahoo, or burning bush. Its leaves 

 were fiery red in early autumn, and it had a wealth of berries that were 

 quite persistent. The black alder bore loads of scarlet berries that 

 clung to the bushes nearly through December. One of the most 

 beautiful of autumn shrubs or vines was the Staff tree, or bittersweet 

 (celastus scandensj. Under cultivation this bore its yellow, showy, 

 berries very profusely and maintained them far into the winter. The 

 white dogwood, generally known as the red willow, was beautiful all 

 winter for its brilliant scarlet bark, and the yellow willow for its equally 

 showy yellow bark. The sycamore, with its white bark, was valuable 

 in some situations, especially if it could be given a background of 

 evergreens. These were all natives, and in northern Ohio could be 

 procured without the outlay of any money." 



A Hedgre. 



»' 



For a hedge which will be ornamental as well as capable of prov- 

 ing an obstacle to trespassers, partly thorny plants are used. The Py- 

 rus Japonica, the common purple-leaved, and Japan barberries, and 

 silver thorn are used. All of these, in the hands of skillful persons,, 

 can be made so compact that but few persons would care to attempt 

 their passage. As in the case of farm hedges, the greatest care must 

 be used at the start to prune to cause a bushy growth as close to the 

 ground as possible. The Pyrus is a brilliant object in early spring, 

 when full of its bright red flowers. Barberries are well-known shrubs. 

 Their racemes of yellow flowers in spring and red berries in late sum- 

 mer make them much admired. The Japan species is a beauty. Its 

 growth is spreading and dense— just what is required in a hedge plant. 

 The leaves are small, numerous, and turn to a golden yellow color in 

 autumn. In addition to all it bears hundreds of berries of the bright- 

 est scarlet which, during the late autumn months, are most beautiful. 



Besides these, there are hedges formed of almost any shrub. The 

 sweet briar, Spirpea, Athtea, snowball, Japan privet, buckthorn, weigelia, 

 Deutzia and flowering almond are sometimes used. The Japan privet 

 is an especial favorite, growing fast and bearing large bright green 

 leaves, which do not fall till toward spring. 



Joseph Meehan, Pennsylvania. 



