72 A?inals of Horticulture. 



grown for ornament and hedges. The flowers are not showy. 

 Lindera sericea, Blume (Jap., Ktiro-vioji). A deciduous shrub 

 belonging to the laurel family, which is worthy of culture. 

 Its leaves somewhat resemble those of the syringa. The 

 wood is fragrant and is commonly used for tooth-picks. 

 Zanthoxylitm piper itum, D. C. (Jap., Sans ho) ; Z. schi?iifotiu??i, 

 S. and Z. (Jap., Ijiu-sansho) ; Z. ailanthoides, S. and Z., (Jap., 

 Karasu-sansho) ; Z. planispinum, S. and Z. (Jap., Fuyu-sa?tsho). 

 Are all hardy, fragrant shrubs well worth culture. They are 

 all more or less thorny, especially the last two, which also 

 grow to the size of small trees. Varieties of the first named 

 are grown for the seed and for ornament, and some of them 

 are thornless. Hex crenata, Thunb. (Jap., Inu-tsuge), is a box- 

 like evergreen bush of much beauty, and it is worth culture. 

 Lespedeza bicolor, Turcz., Jap., Hagi, Yawa-hagi, is a half- 

 woody shrub much grown for ornament, and is also abundant 

 wild. It sends up from the roots slender, willowy shoots, 

 clothed with feathery foliage and small purple pea blossoms 

 all summer long. It would probably be hardy everywhere in 

 America. Several other species of lespedeza are good fodder 

 plants. 



''Vines. Vitis inconstans, Miq. {]di'^., JVatsii-Zuta, Tsitta.) It 

 seems probable that this very handsome vine, which is so 

 common in Japan, has already found its way to this country, 

 but if so, I have failed to learn the fact. It is a woody vine, 

 which climbs by tendrils like the Virginia creeper, and clings 

 tenaciously to all objects of support, whether trees or build- 

 ings. It is found in abundance in groves and woods every- 

 where in central Japan, and I think it would be hardy any- 

 where in America. The leaves on the young wood are small, 

 those on older wood large, impressing the casual observer with 

 the idea that there are two distinct vines. In shape they re- 

 mind us of the grape leaf, and they are so numerous as to 

 form a "thick carpet on the wall. Earl}^ in the fall the vine 

 turns a brilliant scarlet. It is the handsomest vine for cover- 

 ing buildings that it has been my privilege to see. Akebia 

 lobata, Decaisne (Jap., Mintsba-akebid). This species of the 

 akebia is not known to American horticulture. It is a stronger 

 grower than A. quinata, and I believe hardier. It is common 

 in the mountains of northern Japan, where I have seen some 

 very large vines. The leaves have but three leaflets, and are 



