THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 



161 



mate of the grape. It certainly is not 

 so sweet as the hot-house gi-apes we get 

 in England, but it is beautifully grown, 

 and the fruit ripens in immense and 

 splendid bunches from three to ten 

 pounds in weight." 



ORNAMENTAL TREES AND PLANTS. 



BY OEORQE ELLWANQEK, ROCHESTER. 



THE HAWTHORN.— (CrotoflTtts.) 



This distinct and interesting genus 

 is deserving of far more attention than 

 it has generally received. If nature 

 be taken as a guide in the effects pro- 

 duced by the employment of different 

 varieties of trees in adorning and in- 

 dividualizing sylvan scenery, the Haw- 

 thorn will stand among the best types 

 of arboreal picturesqueness and a cer- 

 tain boldness of beauty. Among orna- 

 mental trees it should be accorded a 

 high rank ; as an English enthusiavst 

 observes, " it brings the fragrant breath 

 of summer — the purity, freshness and 

 perfume of a real June day." No less 

 on account of its beauty of bloom, how- 

 ever, than for its other many valuable 

 characteristics, should it receive acknow- 

 ledgement as an important factor in 

 landscape adornment. All of its many 

 varieties are perfectly hardy, thriving 

 in almost any dry soil. In general they 

 produce fine shaped, low trees, occupy- 

 ing comparatively little space, and wljose 

 wealth of green foliage and compact 

 heads form most pleasing objects, the 

 tree being scarcely less attractive dur- 

 ing winter in its rugged picturesqueness 

 of naked lines. The flowers are con- 

 spicuous, of varied colors, from white 

 to crimson, the single varieties espe- 

 cially possessing a fine aromatic per- 

 fume. 



During autumn and early winter, 

 when the beauty of most deciduous 

 trees remains only as a memory, most 

 of the species stand out in brilliant 

 array, covered with bright red and yel- 

 low fruits. Many garden birds remain 



as long as the berries are plentiful, and 

 on the fruit of trees skirting woodland, 

 the grouse and other birds are in the 

 habit of feeding in the fall. In addi- 

 tion to its other qualities, the thorn is 

 of much value for its wood, which is 

 almost equal to that of the much prized 

 box, and which is even finer in color. 

 No more advantages can be enumerated 

 for any other genus of ornamental trees. 

 The blooms of the double flowering 

 varieties, together with the single scar- 

 let and pink, are very desiraVjle for 

 decorative purposes. They are also 

 fine objects for conservatories, forcing 

 well and flowering finely. For this 

 purpose the Hawthorn has also been 

 unjustly neglected ; and by utilizing it 

 florists might add largely to their store 

 and variety of valuable flowers. 



Among native varieties the scarlet 

 fruited is in particular worthy the atten- 

 tion of the landscape gardener. On our 

 own grounds we have a large tree of 

 this charming variety upon which, per- 

 haps, a hundred summer suns have 

 shone, which nature kindly planted in 

 a corner of a line fence. No tree in 

 our arboretum is more admired when 

 in bloom or in fruit. The flower is 

 large, of a pure white, the berries flash- 

 ing a deep scarlet, and being quite 

 pleasant to the taste. 



The double varieties I have refeired 

 to — Paul's Double Scarlet, the Double 

 White and the Double Pink — are all 

 European sorts of the cratcegus oxya- 

 cantha type, and are specially recom- 

 mended for small town gardens, as well 

 as for large lawns and parks. These 

 are all profuse bloomei-s, coveiing the 

 trees with miniature roses. The Eng- 

 lish, appreciating the beauties of the 

 Hawthorn, employ it for hedges more 

 than any other material ; and any one 

 who has travelled through English lanes 

 in the flowering season will remember 

 with after-delight the pleasing im- 



