DESCRIPTIVE LIST OF FLOWERIXG SHRUBS. 431 



the flowers are in one large compound bud. resembling a 

 cone, each individual bud being covered by a rhoniboidal 

 bract, which falls off when the flower expands. The co- 

 rolla is monopetalous, (one piece or i)etal,) funnel-shaped, 

 with a short tube, the border divided into five large, un- 

 equal segments. There is but a small chance of plants 

 succeeding which have been taken from swamps. The 

 surest way to propagate it is by seed, from which it read- 

 ily grows, but requires time and patience to bring it into 

 a flowering state. 



Shade and humidity seem almost indispensable to the 

 growth of this shrub. Deeply shaded situations, where 

 the atmosphere is laden with vapors, are most congenial to 

 its growth. It is, therefore, well calculated for the shrub- 

 bery. With a little attention, it may be insured to stand 

 the sun, and then forms a stately ornament for the lawn 

 or grass-plot. The proper soil is a light, rich, peaty loam, 

 with moisture. It will grow, however, in almost any, and 

 flourish on a strong, heavy loam. It may be propagated 

 from cuttings and layers, from young, healthy branches 

 of ripened wood. There are many exotic species, which 

 are beautiftd, and highly ornamental to the green-house. 



R. Catawbiense. — A low species from the mountains 

 of Virginia and southward. It has shorter and more 

 rounded leaves than the preceeding, and large lilac-purple 

 flowers. Quite hardy. 



R. Ponticum. — A native of Asia Minor, where it is a 

 large shrub. Though usually hardy if protected, it forms 

 here only a low bush, with large purple flowers, The>e 

 three species are hardy, and from them have been pro- 

 duced numerous beautiful hybrids, which are equally har- 

 dy, and are among the most interesting and valuable of 

 flowering shrubs. 



My friend, Mr. Robert Murray, Landscape Gardener, 

 Waltham, Mass., has been very successful in the manage- 



