DECIDUOUS FLOWERING SHRUBS 27 



and western parts of England and in the more favoured 

 parts of Ireland. /. Gerardiana thrives under the same 

 conditions as the white form of /. decora, and should be 

 planted in the warmer parts of both England and Ireland. 

 The flowers are bright rose and borne in short racemes, 

 the flowering season extending from May till August. 



KERRIAS. The handsome Kerria japonica is seldom 

 met with, but its double variety K. japonica fl. pi. , is one 

 of the commonest of shrubs. The species forms a dense 

 bush two or three feet in height and blooms in great 

 profusion, the bright yellow flowers being single, salver- 

 shaped, and about one and a half inches in diameter. 

 The flowers of the double variety are rosette-like and 

 bright orange. This is usually grown against walls, but 

 it forms a handsome bush in the border. Kerrias will 

 thrive in all descriptions of soil, and can be readily in- 

 creased by means of cuttings of the ripened shoots in 

 the autumn. 



MAGNOLIAS. The majority of the magnolias are of 

 arborescent growth and will therefore be included with 

 the small growing trees. There are a few that are 

 strictly speaking shrubs, and three or four are so attrac- 

 tive that they should freely be planted in both large and 

 small gardens. Magnolias should be planted in warm, 

 sheltered positions, and where they will obtain the 

 prominence which, by reason of their great beauty, 

 they so well deserve. A deep rich loam is the most 

 conducive to their welfare, and in all cases the proper 

 preparation of the stations is desirable. " This may be 

 done by marking out a circle three feet or so in diameter, 

 then taking out the soil to a depth of two feet and re- 

 placing with a compost consisting of good turfy loam 

 with which has been incorporated leaf-mould and well- 

 rotted manure, the proportions being one part each of 

 the leaf-mould and manure to six parts of the loam. If 

 the soil of the garden is fairly good it will suffice to 



