148 Ornamental Shrubs. 



and larger than in most of the other sorts. The flowers 

 are pure white and quite numerous, appearing in early 

 summer, and making it a handsome bush almost certain to 

 attract attention either singly or in the border. It may 

 not be perfectly hardy in the Northern States, but over a 

 large section of the country it can be planted with good 

 results. S. obassia is also a shrub of dwarfish habit, with 

 leaves somewhat like those of the catalpa, and racemes of 

 white flowers six inches in length and much resembling 

 those of the well-known mock-orange. 



S. japonica, or perhaps more correctly, S. serrnlata, is 

 held to be superior to the American species above de- 

 scribed. Though known here for some years, it has not 

 been grown freely in the nurseries, and so has not been 

 widely distributed. But it is, in fact, a very choice shrub 

 or tree, for it may be grown as either, and, whether one 

 or the other, is symmetrical in shape. If left to take its 

 own course, it usually grows with a single, straight stem, 

 branching low and quite freely. The main branches stand 

 out almost horizontally from the stem, while the branch- 

 lets are small, twiggy, and quite numerous. By proper 

 training and cutting out, the tree may be made to take on 

 much the form of a linden or maple, and rise to a height 

 of twenty or thirty feet. But for best floral effects the 

 small twigs should be preserved, as the flowers break out 

 on the whole length of these, and thus almost completely 

 cover the entire framework. They are pure white, about 

 one inch in diameter, and set off by rich yellow stamens. 

 The leaves are small, serrate, sharp-pointed, and rather 

 light green. The plant blooms in early summer, the fruit 



