ORDER OF ARRANGEMENT. 301 



The lilac family, on the other hand, being in general of a shrubby 

 growth, that is, having several stems springing from the base of the 

 trunk to form a top, will all be described under the general head of 

 Shrubs, although some of them assume a tree-like character. 

 Many of the smaller species of evergreens, like the arbor-vitJEs, 

 tree-box, junipers, and yews, are of shrubby, rather than tree-like 

 appearance ; but as they finally tend to make a single stem, they 

 have by long custom been classed with trees, though some of their 

 smaller varieties are quite diminutive by the side of common garden 

 shrubs. 



It will be seen by these examples that among descriptions of 

 trees are included many of the smallest materials that enter into the 

 composition of shrubberies ; and among the descriptions of shrubs 

 will be many quite tree-like species and varieties of abnormal vigor, 

 which, if classed by their own characteristics rather than of the 

 family to which they belong, would be described among trees. A 

 copious table of contents giving both the popular and the botanical 

 names for all trees and shrubs described, facilitates better than any 

 new classification, a reference to the subject sought. We shall, 

 however, in an appendix, give some tabular classifications on the 

 basis of sizes and forms, for the convenience of those desiring to 

 make selections, who can by this means compare them in abbre- 

 viation. 



We shall begin our descriptions of deciduous trees with the oak, 

 and follow with other trees, somewhat in the order of their size and 

 importance in the common estimation, but do not desire the reader 

 to infer that those which happen to be described towards the last, 

 are therefore o^ ^ess value- for decorative purposes than those which 

 precede them. 



The descriptions will be made in four classes, as follows: 

 Deciduous Trees. 

 Deciduous Shrubs. 

 Evergreen Trees and Shrubs. 

 Vines and Creepers. 



Each of these classes will be the subject of a chapter. 



