HARDY SHRUBS. 



243 



E. radicans variegata is usually best known in its place in the shrub- 

 bery, but it is exteusivel" used for a very different purpose, and that is 

 as a carpet bedder. For this work, to fill even a small space, a great 

 many plants are necessary. In public parks and gardens the same 

 plants may be used several seasons, or the growing points may be 

 rooted afresh each Fall. The shoots are collected in bundles of 50 or 

 100 together, and with a strong knife they are cut to a uniform length 

 4 or . r > inches. The lower leaves are stripped and the cuttings put very 

 thickly together in boxes of sand, and placed in a cool frame, where they 

 root freely. This species is also used tu cover low walls. 



EXOCHORDA QRANDIFLORA (Pearl Bush). The only fault with this 

 plant is its short blooming season, which is during the month of May, 

 but it is exceedingly handsome while it lasts. It is a native of China. 

 Although sent out in the early seventies it is still by no means common, 

 owing to its propagation by the usual methods being somewhat diffi- 

 cult. In several localties it has ripened quantities of seed for several 

 years, and when seed is obtainable no difficulty is experienced in raising 

 plants, as the seeds germinate very evenly. Severe pruning, such as this 

 plant is likely to get from cultivators, on account of the desirable sprays 

 for cut flowers, evidently works against the setting of seed, for the 

 specimens which have borne abundant crops of seeds in this locality are 

 those which have never been touched by the knife. This plant was sent 

 out under the name of Spiraea grandiflora, which c!ings to it yet in some 

 places. 



FORSYTHIA. Japanese shrubs, usually covered with bright yellow 

 flowers very early in Spring, There are two well-known kinds in culti- 

 vation. F. suspensa has long, drooping branches, while F. viridissima 

 is more erect in growth. Nothing in the shrub line is easier to increase. 

 All that is necessary is to cut the previous season's growths into lengths 

 of 8 or 10 inches and heel them in deeply in a protected piece of ground, 

 covering during hard weather with leaves or loose litter. November is 

 the month for this operation. The cuttings will also root in a very 

 Hhort time, if put in moderate heat in March. Both kinds flower before 

 the leaves make their appearance, a day or two of warm sunshine being 

 sufficient to bring them out. The plants should be pruned only after 

 they are done flowering, as the flowers are produced directly on the 

 wood made the preceding Summer. 



GORDONIA (Loblolly Bay). -These plants thrive in this locality when 

 given a deep, sandy soil and well supplied with moisture. They produce 

 their large cauiellia-like flowers from July till frost. They are propa- 

 gated by layering, allowing the layers to be well rooted before remov- 

 ing. G. pubescens and ft. lasiantha are the species grown. The last- 

 named has pure white flowers, about 4 inches in diameter. 



HALES1A (Snowdrop Tree). These shrubs, or small trees, are in full 

 flower before the leaves are fully developed. In this section H. Meehani 

 forms a very symmetrical, small-sized tree. H. diptera and H. tetrap- 

 tera differ from each other in the number of wings to the fruit. All of 

 the kinds are raised from seeds, which sometimes remain in the ground 



