18 WESTERN HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



SPIRE AS. As far as my experience goes there are only 

 two varieties of this beautiful shrub that are adapted for 

 culture in this climate, viz : Sopulifolia and S. Van Houttee. 

 Mr. Bedford, of the Brandon Experimental Farm, gives a list 

 of six in addition to the foregoing- that have proved a success 

 at the Brandon Experimental Farm, the following are the 

 varieties : Douglasi, Semperflorens, Superba, Billardi, Cali- 

 fornica, Floribunda. S. Van Houttee is the best and most 

 showy of all the spireas. It bloms early, grows to a height 

 of five or six feet with a diameter nearly equal to its height. 

 Flowers pure white in great clusters, foliage a lively green 

 color. 



VIRBURNUN, SNOWBALL OR GUILDER ROSE. 



Common Snowball. This popular old shrub is so per- 

 fectly hardy and so easily cultivated that it should be in 

 every collection. 



Virburnun Opulus. High or Bush Cranberry. This 

 shrub is found wild in the woods on the Assiniboine and Red 

 River, is both ornamental and useful. In flowering time it 

 is a "blaze of splendor," and later in the year when laden 

 with berries is very attractive. 



This completes the list of flowering shrubs that I have 

 experimented with. There are, no doubt, many others that 

 will grow in this climate, and for the benefit of those who 

 desire to make a larger and more varied collection I submit 

 the following varieties that have been favorably reported 

 upon by Mr. Bedford, viz : Southernwood, Russian ; Souther- 

 wood, European ; Cherry, ground or sand ; Siberian Dog- 

 wood ; Caragana Pendula, (Weeping Caragana) ; Caragana 

 Arborescens (Siberian Pea Tree) ; Golden Elder ; Snowberry; 

 Cornus, native ; Olive (Russian) ; Saskatoon, (native). 



In selecting- ornamental shrubs, only such should be 

 taken as grow vigorously and bloom freely. The amateur 

 will get little satisfaction, comparatively, out of a great 

 variety, however interesting it may be to the botanist and 



