TECOMA. 301 



of Henry VIII., for in the inventory, taken by the order of 

 Cromwell, of the articles in the gardens of the palace of Non- 

 such, are mentioned six Lilacs, " trees which bear no fruit, 

 but only a pleasant smell." (Loudon.) 



Syringa vulgaris. The Common Lilac. This is so well 

 known that it needs no description. The purple variety is 

 found in almost every garden; the white is more scarce. 

 Grown together, they are very beautiful; and, notwithstanding 

 they are old-fashioned, common, and vulgar, with some people, 

 we esteem them as some of our most valuable and ornamental 

 shrubs of the season. 



S. Persica. Persian Lilac. This species is " far more 

 delicate and pretty than the common Lilacs, both in leaf and 

 blossom. The bunches of flowers are frequently a foot long, and 

 weigh down the tender terminal slender shoots so as to give the 

 plant a very graceful appearance. The white and purple, both 

 beautiful; the Cut-leaved Lilac has interesting and delicate 

 foliage." The Persian Lilac grows about four or five feet high. 

 All the species bloom the last of May and the first of June. 



The common Lilacs are suitable for the back of the shrub- 

 bery. " This was one of the first plants introduced by our 

 forefathers, and is universally found ; often in the front of an- 

 cient houses, growing almost to the size of a tree." To make 

 a small tree of it, care must be taken to destroy all the suckers 

 and keep a clean stem. The Persian varieties are suitable for 

 planting in clumps, or in the front of the shrubbery. Some 

 beautiful new varieties have been imported within a few years, 

 producing immense clusters of flowers. There is one variety 

 with double flowers, but it is not an improvement. 



TECOMA. 



This genus has been separated from Bignonia, and now 

 includes T. radicans and T. grandiflora. 



Tecoma radicans has been described under the head of Big- 

 nonia. 



26 



