306 LAECK'S BOOK OF FLOWERS. 



tune, " it was growing in a Mandarin's garden, on the island 

 of Chusan, and literally loaded with its fine rose-colored 

 flowers, which hung in graceful bunches from the axils of the 

 leaves, and the ends of the branches. Every one saw and ad- 

 mired the beautiful Weigela. 1 immediately marked it as one 

 of the finest plants of Northern China, and- determined to send 

 plants of it home in every ship, until I should hear of its safe 

 arrival. It forms a neat bush, not unlike a Syringa (Philadel- 

 phus] in habit, deciduous in winter, and flowering in the months 

 of April and May. One great recommendation to it is, that it 

 is a plant of the easiest cultivation. Cuttings strike readily 

 any time during the winter and spring months, with ordinary 

 attention, and the plant itself grows well in any good garden 

 soil. It should be grown in this country as it is in China, not 

 tied up in that formal, unnatural way in which we see plants 

 brought to pur exhibitions; but a main stem or two chosen for 

 leaders, which, in their turn, throw out branches from their 

 sides, and then, when the plant comes into bloom, the branches, 

 which are loaded with beautiful flowers, hang down in grace- 

 ful and natural festoons." 



WISTARIA. 



Wistaria. This genus was formerly included in that of 

 Glycine, but has been separated from it, and named by Nuttall 

 in honor of Dr. Caspar Wistar. 



Wistaria Sinensis. The Chinese Wistaria. This is one 

 of the most magnificent climbing shrubby plants in cultivation. 

 It was formerly treated, at the North, as a tender plant, and 

 might be seen trained to the rafters of the green-house, in full 

 flower, in March, with its thousands of rich clusters, or pen- 

 dulous racemes of delicate pale-purple blossoms, so numerous 

 that the whole space it occupied seemed to be covered with 

 them. Each raceme is from ten to twelve inches long, and 

 densely filled with its delicate and richly perfumed flowers. It 

 is easily raised from cuttings, or layers. In the open ground, 



