A Backward Spring 



early (it has been in flower here quite six weeks), 

 and the leaves are covered with curious glandular 

 dots, which make them pretty objects under the 

 microscope. Another shrub or small tree that 

 much interests me is the Parottia Persica, from 

 the Eastern Caucasus, and apparently as hardy 

 as an elm. It is one of the most beautiful shrubs 

 for autumnal foliage, but it is interesting also for 

 its flowers, which appear in this month or earlier. 

 The tree does not flower till it is of some age, but 

 then it seems to flower freely, and the flowers are 

 curious and pretty. They are little balls about the 

 size of a nut, composed entirely of bright crimson 

 anthers. On my own tree there are only these 

 male flowers ; the female flowers I have not seen, 

 and know nothing about them. Close to this I 

 have a shrub of the Cornus Mas. Mine is the 

 variegated form, and it is usually grown for the 

 sake of the variegated foliage, and deservedly so, 

 for sprays of the short branches are excellent for 

 picking, as they last a long time, and are bright 

 and clear in colour. I have found them very 

 useful for altar vases, but at present there are no 

 leaves, yet the shrub is pretty from the multitude 

 of little golden starry flowers with which it is 

 covered. The Garrya Elliptica is very shabby 

 this year, and it would be difficult to gather a 

 good catkin from it, so I pass it by. The Daphne 

 Mezereon is in full flower, and where it does well 

 a large bush is a pretty object, and the scent of 

 the flowers is delightful ; but I have never suc- 

 D 49 



