OCTOBER 109 



the Himalayas is a surprise to all who see it. It lies 

 flat upon the ground, and the smaller branches radiate 

 from both sides of the main branches with such won- 

 derful regularity that they almost resemble the skele- 

 ton of a flatfish. It is not completely evergreen, but 

 the young leaves appear very early in spring, and the 

 whole plant is then covered with pretty red buds, 

 which open into small white flowers, followed by a pro- 

 fusion of bright scarlet berries, which remain for a long 

 time, and are a great ornament. At present the plant 

 is rather scarce, but as it can be raised easily both 

 from seeds and cuttings it will probably soon become 

 common; and having grown it for some years I can 

 strongly recommend it as one of the best shrubs I 

 know for the low parts of a rockwork, or any other 

 place well beneath the eye. 



Then there are the barberries. Our common bar- 

 berry is now considered a native of England, yet 

 Turner, a good observer, writing in 1548, said of it : 

 * Barberries growe wylde in the hedges and woddes in 

 Germany, but in Englande only in gardines'; and, 

 though the name has a very English sound, it is really 

 a corruption from the Arabic name. It once had an 

 evil reputation as producing rust in wheat, but that 

 idea is now exploded, and it may be grown without 

 fear anywhere. Where it grows well its scarlet fruit 



