292 Ornamental Shrubs. 



are disposed in racemes two to five inches long. They 

 are pale yellow or lemon in color, and those familiar with 

 them detect the odor of cowslips as nearly as it can be 

 defined in words. These flowers appear before the leaves, 

 and sometimes open in midwinter when the weather is 

 mild for even a brief period. The plant needs to be cut 

 back severely in transplanting, and in the extreme North 

 winter protection will be of service. C. pauciflora is much 

 the same in its general characteristics, but has fewer and 

 smaller flowers, and does not attain to so large a size. C. 

 multiflora comes from the tea districts of China, and is 

 also an interesting plant. It has more rigid leaves less 

 distinctly veined than the spicata, and grayish beneath, 

 and longer and more closely packed racemes of yellow 

 blossoms. The odor is something like that of the tea 

 plant. This species has been so recently introduced that 

 it is scarcely known to the nurserymen. C. himalaya is 

 another promising sort, having lighter-colored blossoms 

 and still longer racemes, but it has not been sufficiently 

 tested as to its climatic range to be advised for general 

 planting. 



HAMAMELIS Witch Hazel. 



THOUGH in the highest sense the witch hazel, as 

 known under ordinary conditions, is scarcely to 

 be included in the list of ornamental shrubs, it is 

 nevertheless an interesting plant and capable of good 

 service. There are only three known species, with per- 

 haps two or three varieties, and these are nowhere largely 

 in use as garden plants. One of the species is of Ameri- 



