224 Ornamental Shrubs. 



winter, at Christmas, or at Easter, and can easily be in its 

 perfection at either date. Leon Simon is of all the numer- 

 ous double-flowering sorts one of the very best. The 

 flower clusters are compact, with petals slightly incurved, 

 and of a light purple shade, quite distinct in that respect. 

 The individual blooms are of somewhat unusual propor- 

 tions, and, gathered in the truss, constitute a long and 

 characteristic bunch of the fairest proportions. This 

 variety grows to a medium size and blooms in the height 

 of the lilac season. Alphonse Lavalle is another of the 

 dwarf forms, with double flowers of the old-fashioned lilac 

 color, and in large and dense spikes. It, too, makes an 

 excellent pot plant, and is well suited to forcing. 



BACCHARIS Halimifolia. 



THE baccharis, sometimes known as the groundsel 

 tree, is especially adapted for planting at the 

 water's edge. It is grown freely in salt marshes, 

 and is valuable to planters by the seashore ; and as we 

 have so few plants that will endure in such locations, it is 

 often especially useful. It is a tall, resinous or glutinous 

 shrub, growing sometimes to a height of ten or twelve 

 feet, but usually smaller. It has dark green, abundant 

 foliage, and small heads of white or yellow blossoms. 

 These are not large, or very showy, but they are 

 produced in such leafy panicles at the end of the branches 

 that the plant makes a good appearance late in the season. 

 This is especially the case with the fertile one, for in bac- 

 charis the male and female flowers are borne on distinct 

 plants. The tufts of long, pure white hairs give to the 



