Trees, Shrubs and Vines 



resembles that of the silver-bell-tree elsewhere described. 

 Of our three native species, one or two are worthy of 

 cultivation S. grandiflora, about six feet high, and the 

 lower S. obassia, the flowers of both clustered in racemes. 

 But a better species is the one from Japan, S. scrrulata y 

 with finer leaves and larger blossoms, of quite an arboreal 

 figure with spreading branches. Its hardiness and adap- 

 tability also recommend it, with perhaps the only draw- 

 back that its flowering period is very brief. 



The fact that a plant blossoms as late as September or 

 even October attracts attention, and becomes a large in- 

 ducement to its cultivation. We have two such species 

 in the Desmodium genus, both of foreign growth D. 

 penduliflorum, of purplish-rose color, and D. japonicum, 

 with white blossoms. The flowering is profuse in both 

 if well trimmed each year, and the effect of drooping 

 flower-laden branches so late in the season is particularly 

 pleasing. 



Closely allied to the spiraea is a small genus, Exo- 

 chorda, better known as pearl bush, from the tint of its 

 blossoms. It comes from China, and is quite hardy in 

 the Northern States. Properly treated it is orna- 

 mental, but as its foliage is scanty it must be pruned 

 quite close. As in spiraea the beauty is mainly in its 

 bloom. 



A shrub only four or five feet high, but with a single 

 shaft that makes it arboreal, is the leather- wood, whose 

 clustered, greenish-yellow flowers develop before the 

 long and tapering leaves. Its chief interest is the re- 

 markable character of its bark, which is as impression- 

 able as softened wax, but at once regaining its shape 



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