. THE EtfGLlSH FLOWER GARDEN. 



HEDERA. 491 



conditions such as they exist, under there 

 are not essential to their well-being. The 

 pure white fragrant flowers open in June 

 and July on pendulous panicles, 6 to 9 

 inches long, that hang in a row beneath 

 the branches, one from each joint. The 

 curious fruits are spindle-shaped and 

 covered with pale brown hairs. This tree, 

 a native of Japan and China, is sometimes 

 called Pterostyrax hispidum, and is, indeed, 

 very distinct from the N. American 

 Halesias of which the Snowdrop Tree is 

 so well known a representative. 



H. TETRAPTERA, VAR. MONTICOLA. 



This grows at low altitudes, and does not 

 appear to ascend to the slopes of the high 

 Appalachian mountains, although the 

 Halesia of those mountain forests was 

 long considered identical with the lowland 

 tree. The Halesia of the high slopes, 

 however, is a tree often 80 or 90 feet high, 

 with a trunk 3 feet in diameter, sometimes 

 free of branches for a distance of 60 feet 

 from the ground. Young trees are clean 

 stemmed with short branches, which form 

 a narrow pyramidal head. The leaves are 

 of rather different shape and less hairy 

 than those of the lowland tree ; the 

 flowers are fully a third larger, and the 

 fruit is nearly twice as large. Trees less 

 than 10 feet high produce flowers and fruit 

 freely. There is now every reason to 

 believe that the mountain Halesia will 

 prove one of the handsomest flowering 

 trees of large size which it is possible to 

 cultivate in this climate. Its tall trunk 

 and narrow head suggest that it may prove 

 a good street and roadside tree. Arnold 

 Arboretum Bulletin. 



HALIMONDENDRON (Salt Tree}. 

 H. argenteum is a small shrub belong- 

 ing to the Pea family, with elegant 

 leaves, silky and whitish, the flowers 

 purplish in early summer ; a native 

 of Asiatic Russia, it is hardy, grows 

 from 5 to 6 feet high, and sometimes 

 is grafted on to the tall stems of 

 the Laburnum. 



HAMAMELIS (Witch Hazel}. 

 Hardy shrub with singular blossoms 

 flowering in winter. They have a 

 peculiar value as winter - flowering 

 shrubs, and several are worth planting 

 in all good gardens. H. arbor ea, or 

 Tree Witch Hazel, does not rise 

 generally above 8 feet high. In Janu- 

 ary, and sometimes before, its leafless 

 branches are covered with flowers, 

 which have twisted, bright yellow 

 petals and crimson calyces, so that a 

 well-flowered plant is very pretty. It 

 is a hardy Japanese shrub, and thrives 

 in most kinds of soil, but must have 

 an open situation. Another Japanese 

 species is H . japonica, a smaller and 



dwarfer plant than H. arborea, and 

 bearing flowers of a lighter yellow 

 colour, while that called H. zuc- 

 cariniana is very similar to it. Though 

 not so showy when in flower as the 

 Japanese species, it is a pretty shrub, 

 and like the others, thrives in any soil. 



H. MOLLIS. The best kind so far. It 

 is hardy in England and grows freely. It 

 differs from the other kinds in its much 

 larger leaves, 5 inches long by 3 inches 

 wide, of a distinct shape, and covered on 

 the under side with a dense felt-like 

 coating of hairs (hence the name). Its 

 flowers resemble those of the Japanese 

 kinds, but the yellow petals are somewhat 

 larger and less waved. The flowers are 

 the brightest of all the forms in colour. 



H. VIRGINICA. The Virginian Witch 

 Hazel, is really a beautiful hardy tree, 

 and charming in October even in poor stiff 

 soil. 



HEBENSTRETIA. Interesting little 

 plants allied to the Sage family, mainly 

 suitable for botanical collections. 



H. COMOSA. A recent introduction 

 from S. Africa, has curiously formed small 

 white flowers, which are disposed in a long 

 slender spike, and the bright orange-scarlet 

 blotches make them interesting when 

 closely examined. It succeeds well as a 

 half-hardy annual, sown outdoors in April. 

 Height, 1 8 inches. It is fragrant in the 

 evening. 



HEDERA (Ivy). H. helix is the 

 most beautiful evergreen climber of our 

 northern and temperate world, and is 

 a noble garden plant that may be 

 used in many 'ways. The common 

 Ivy of the woods is familiar to all, 

 but its many beautiful varieties are 

 not so often seen. All are not of the 

 same vigorous habit, as will easily be 

 seen by cultivating a collection ; but 

 the rich, self, green-leaved kinds are 

 usually as free and as hardy as the 

 wild plant. Although there are many 

 varieties, there are only two accepted 

 species the Australian, that is con- 

 fined to the continent of Australia ; 

 and Hedera helix, which is found wild 

 in the British Isles, and spreads over 

 Europe, reaching into N. Africa 

 and C. Asia. It is under our 

 English Ivy that the large number of 

 forms in cultivation are classed. 

 Although there are only two species, 

 we can classify the Ivies in several 

 groups, after the variation in the 

 leaves. If we want Ivies in their 

 fullest beauty, it is necessary to pay 

 some attention to position, soil, and 

 training. This applies to all kinds, 

 but especially to the more delicate 



