THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 67 



odour. This and the last are two of the most valuable importations 

 from China by the Horticultural Society. 



Prttnus cerasieera. — A hardy tree from five to twenty feet 

 high, of neat, smooth-branching habit, ultimately ramifying into 

 innumerable twig-like branchlets, which produce a sheet of snow- 

 white blossom in March. This is one of the most ornamental early- 

 flowering trees ; it is well adapted for background effect in broad 

 shrubberies. Iu the out-ground plantations of park scenery, when 

 in bloom, it has also a highly picturesque effect. 



Deutzia staminea. — A small dwarf deciduous shrub, from one to 

 three feet high ; its ovate lanceolate leaves are surfaced with a 

 whitish grey nap ; it produces dense clusters of fragrant white 

 syringa-like flowers in May. Ordinary soils suit it. 



Berberis aquifolium. — One of the most ornamental of dwarf 

 evergreen shrubs, having glossy dark green leaves, surmounted by 

 large spikes of bright yellow flowers in March and April. It loves 

 a deep loamy soil, but has the finest eflect in a tolerably deep peat 

 bed. In shallow soils it should be planted on an east or west 

 aspect, or in such a position as to be screened from bright sunlight. 

 It forms admirable cover for game, and its numerous clusters of 

 fruit, surfaced with a rich violet plum-like bloom in autumn, pro- 

 duce a very pretty effect. 



DAPHNE ODORA. 



HE great anxiety manifested now-a-days for the possession 



of plants that are called new, is, I fear, producing, in 



many instances, the effect of pushing aside some of our 



old plants, with which very many of the new ones are 



not to be compared. 



"Without affecting to despise novelties, or to be indifferent to 



subjects of the most recent introduction, I am anxious to call 



attention to some old and valuable, but comparatively neglected 



plants. 



One of this description, I believe, is the Daphne Odora, whose 

 claims on our notice in point of usefulness are perhaps second to 

 none. Flowering at a time when flowers are so much wanted to 

 enliven our conservatories, or for decorating the drawing-room, 

 renders a good stock of it a great acquisition. I am aware that 

 many plants might easily be enumerated, with whose gaudy appear- 

 ance this is not to be set in competition; but among all the winter 

 flowering plants with which I am acquainted, I could not point out 

 another that would more amply repay the labours of the cultivator. 

 And yet if you go into any place where the introduction of new 

 plants is much attended to, the chances are you do not see it at 

 all, and if you do, instead of it occupying the prominent place it 

 deserves, you will generally find it pushed into some out-of-the-way 

 corner of the greenhouse, as if it were an object totally unworthy 

 of our care or attention. In such situations its appearance is just 



March: 



