FLOWERING TREES AND SHRUBS 7 



from British America to California. It differs from A. 

 canadensis in having much larger and more brilliant-tinted 

 fruit, and in its shorter and more compact racemes of 

 white flower. The shape of the leaves cannot be depended 

 on as a point of recognition, those before me, collected in 

 the native habitat of the plant, differing to a wide extent 

 in size and shape, some being coarsely serrated while 

 others are almost entire. Light soil suits it well. 



A. CANADENSIS. June Berry. Canada, 1746. Un- 

 questionably this is one of the most beautiful and showy 

 of early flowering trees. During the month of April the 

 profusion of snow-white flowers, with which even young 

 specimens are mantled, render the plant conspicuous for 

 a long way off, while in autumn the golden yellow of the 

 dying-off foliage is quite as remarkable. Being perfectly 

 hardy, of free growth, and with no particular desire for 

 certain classes of soils, the June Berry should be widely 

 planted for ornamental effect. In this country it attains 

 to a height of 40 feet, and bears globose crimson fruit. 

 There are several varieties, including A. canadensis 

 rotundifolia, A. canadensis oblongifolia, and A. canadensis 

 oligocarpa, the latter being by some botanists ranked as 

 a species. 



A. VULGAEIS. Common Amelanchier. South of Europe, 

 1596. This is the only European species, and grows 

 about 16 feet in height. It has been in cultivation in 

 this country for ,over 300 years. Generally this species 

 flowers earlier than the American ones, has rounder and 

 less deeply serrated leaves, but the flowers are much alike. 

 A. vulgaris cretica, from Crete and Dalmatia, is readily 

 distinguished by the soft white hairs with which the under- 

 sides of the leaves are thickly covered. To cultivate the 

 Amelanchiers successfully a good rich but light soil is a 

 necessity, while shelter from cutting winds must be afforded 

 if the sheets of flowers are to be seen in their best form. 



