102 Ornamental Shrubs. 



PYRUS JAPONICA Japan Quince. 



THIS popular shrub, formerly known as Cydonia 

 japonica, was brought to England as early as 1815, 

 where it was received with much favor and thence 

 distributed on the continent. Wherever it is known, it is 

 recognized as one of the best of the many good plants 

 that the Island Empire has yet given to the western 

 world. Still its merits do not appear to be fully appre- 

 ciated by many, not to say most, of the planters of the 

 present day. Nicholson in his Dictionary of Gardening, 

 quotes approvingly an earlier authority to the effect that 

 .it is "one of the most desirable deciduous shrubs in culti- 

 vation, whether as a bush or on the open lawn, trained 

 against a wall, or treated as an ornamental hedge plant. It 

 has also been trained as a standard, and in this character its 

 pendant branches and numerous flowers give it a rich and 

 striking appearance, especially in spring. It is difficult to 

 unite with its congeners by grafting ; but if it could be 

 grafted high on the pear, the hawthorn, or even the quince, 

 it would form a most delightful little tree. It is readily pro- 

 pagated by layers or suckers, and also grows by cuttings." 

 There are numerous varieties growing from five to eight 

 feet in height, and if trained with that end in view, nearly 

 or quite as many in diameter. Some of these are scarcely 

 known to the general public but all are worthy of considera- 

 tion. Probably the most perfect collection is to be found 

 at the Arnold Arboretum (Harvard University) and they 

 are described in brief by C. J. Dawson, the superintend- 

 ent, as follows : 



