CHAPTER IV. 



DECIDUOUS SHKUBS. 



SHRUBS are distinguished from trees by having many stems 

 issuing near the surface of the ground from a common 

 root, instead of having all their branches and foHage sup- 

 ported on a single stem. Among the descriptions of trees 

 in the preceding chapter are embraced many dwarf and shrubby 

 sorts that should rank as shrubs ; such, for instance, as the dwarf 

 white-flowering horse-chestnut, the purple magnolia, etc., which 

 have been described with trees in order not to separate families, as 

 explained in our remarks on the classification of trees and shrubs 

 in Chapter II. of Part II. 



Before proceeding with descriptions, we desire again to call the 

 reader's attention to the fact, that shrubs which are the niost com- 

 mo7ily known, and the cheapest, are generally the finest, or at least have 

 the greatest nimiber of desirable qualities. Now, what are the most 

 essential qualities of shrubs for home embellishment? Before 

 answering this we must demand what kind of a place is to be 

 embellished ; whether large or small, isolated or connected with 

 others ; whether it is to be laid out on a geometric plan, in a gar- 

 denesque manner, or with more simple groupings in miniature 



