DESCRIPTIVE LIST OF FLOWERING SHRUBS. 419 



KERRIA.— Japan Globe-Flo wer. 



INamed in honor of Mr. Kerr, a former superintendent of the botanical gar- 

 den at Ceylon.] 



K^rria Japonica, — formerly called Corchorus Japon- 

 ica — Is an elegant shrub, growing from three to six feet 

 high, and producing a profusion of double-yellow, globular 

 flowers. The branches are bright greeu, and the foliage 

 handsome. In some localities it is a little tender, and the 

 tops are killed down ; but it sends up fresh shoots, which 

 flower the same season. Easily propagated by suckers. 



LAVANDULA.— Lavender. 



flMamed from lavo, to wash, referring to its use in baths.] 



Lavandula spicatai — Spike-flowered Lavender. — This is 

 a most desirable dwarf shrub, with delicate glaucous foli- 

 age, and spikes of blue flowers, in July ; three feet high. 

 The whole plant is delightfully fragrant, but more partic- 

 ularly the flowers. These yield the oil from which the 

 Lavender water is made. In some soils and situations 

 the plant is tender. In cold, moist soil, it is almost sure 

 to be winter-killed ; but, in a dry, loamy, or gravelly soil, 

 it endures our winters with but little protection. We 

 have been successful in the cultivation of it in a soil of 

 the latter quality, and, from the flowers that grow upon 

 the edging of a circular bed, six feet in diameter, obtained 

 more than one ounce of the pure oil, one drop of which 

 would perfume a room. It is sometimes used for e«lgings, 

 in milder chmates, but grows too high for general use. 

 As an edging for a bed of Moss Roses, we have seen it 

 used with pleasing eftect. 



" The agreeable scent of Lavender is well known, since 

 it is an old and still a common custom to scatter the flow- 

 ers over linen, as some do rose leaves, for the sake of 

 their sweet odor." 



