CYDONIA. 233 



their grounds with great facility. If trained as trees, they have 

 an appearance of singular neatness united with a good degree 

 of vigor ; and the readiness with which they are pruned and 

 grafted renders them susceptible of almost any shape which the 

 fancy of the owner would have them assume. Some of the 

 species, native to Massachusetts, often take, even in a state of 

 nature, the shape of handsome low trees. Of these, the 

 flowers and foliage have great beauty, and the scarlet haws, 

 which remain on into winter, till, ripened by frost, they are 

 gathered by the birds, give them additional charms. Into 

 these tall species all the others, very various, and many of them 

 very beautiful, may be grafted ; and not only thorns, but pears 

 and other fruits, may be readily made to grow on the Thorn." 

 The four principal species, natives of our State, are, 

 Cratcegus coccinnea, Scarlet-fruited Thorn ; C. t&mentosa, 

 the Pear-leaved Thorn ; C. crus-galli, the Cockspur Thorn, 

 and C. punctata, the Dotted-fruited Thorn ; all handsome, 

 with white, fragrant flowers, in clusters. 



C. oxyacantha is the common Hawthorn of England, which 

 is also an ornamental shrub, as well as a very important one 

 for the formation of hedges. Of this species there are a num- 

 ber of beautiful varieties, which should be in every collection, 

 viz., rosea, with deep-red flowers ; double-white and double- 

 red, which are very beautiful, besides some others not so well 

 known. 



CYDONIA. 



Japan Quince. 



Cydonia Japonica, formerly Pyriis Japonica, is indigenous to 

 Japan, and embraces two varieties, the scarlet and variegated 

 flowering. When in bloom, there is no plant that equals it 

 in splendor. The Cydonia may be seen budding and bursting 

 into bloom in April. The flowers are in aggregated clusters, 

 along the branches, interspersed with the young leaves. The 

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