22 THE BOOK OF SHRUBS 



high and produces a profusion of pure white flowers 

 similar in form and size to the first-named. 



FORSYTHIAS. A small group of remarkably elegant 

 and free blooming shrubs of great value for enhancing 

 the attractions of the flower garden early in the year. 

 The forsythias are equally adapted for growing in bush 

 form in beds and borders and for training to walls and 

 trellises as they grow freely and bloom profusely in any 

 position that may be assigned them provided they are 

 sufficiently exposed to the direct rays of the sun to 

 ensure the ripening of the wood. When they are grown 

 against walls or trellises the leading branches should be 

 trained fifteen or eighteen inches apart to allow plenty 

 of space for the development of the lateral growths, 

 and to maintain a continuous supply of young flowering 

 wood cut the shoots back to two or three buds from the 

 base. These must be allowed to grow unchecked, as 

 in the following year they will be enwreathed in flowers 

 throughout their whole length. In cultivating the 

 forsythias in bush form they may be arranged in medium- 

 sized beds on the lawn or in groups of three or more 

 plants along the front of the shrubbery border. When 

 so grown the common practice is to restrict the pruning 

 to the removal of the weakly shoots where much crowded ; 

 but the best results are obtained by keeping them free 

 from old wood and cutting the flowering shoots back 

 to within a few buds of the base immediately the 

 flowers have lost their beauty. Following this pruning 

 strong shoots will be produced, and these if allowed to 

 grow unchecked will rise to a height of several feet in 

 the course of the season, will become well ripened, and 

 in the months of February and March will be enwreathed 

 in the elegant nodding flowers. Propagation may be 

 effected by means of cuttings or short firm shoots under 

 glass in summer and well ripened shoots in the open bor- 

 der in autumn and by layering in the last-named season. 



