ORNAMENTAL DECIDUOUS SHRUBS. 97 



confined situations, and its blossoms are followed by fruit often 

 very palatable in the month of June. 



There is also a variety of this with the youjig wood of a dark 

 red or blood color, but its flowers and fruit are less abundant. 

 Any good soil not wet suits them. 



The BERBERRY Berberis. There are quite a number of 

 varieties of the barberry, all pleasing, ornamental shrubs growing 

 from four to ten feet high, but bearing the shears so well that 

 they may be kept at just any height desired. Massed in a group 

 composed of the varieties, and planting the purple-leaved as the 

 center or background, and interspersing occasionally the varie- 

 gated-leaved, a good effect is produced without the aid of other 

 shrubs. In spring, or the month of May, their flowers are yellow 

 or deep orange, borne in pendant racemes, followed by bright 

 Scarlet or purple fruit, which if left will hang on nearly or quite 

 all winter. As a fancy screen hedge the barberry answers 

 admirably, and a pretty effect is created by interspersing along 

 the row an occasional plant of the purple-leaved, variegated- 

 leaved, etc. A rich deep loam is best fitted for the barberry, 

 but it will grow anywhere if the soil is not wet. 



The BUCKTHORN Rhamnus.-^A.s a hedge plant, the buck- 

 thorn rhamnus catharticus has no superior, if indeed it has 

 an equal. The plant is perfectly hardy ; never suckers ; roots 

 extend but a little distance, and being of fibrous nature do not 

 interfere with the growing of anything even to within a foot of 

 the hedge. It grows in any soil, and no animal, unless it is the 

 goat, feeds upon its leaves ; nor is it attacked by insects. Its 

 foliage is of a dark rich green, put on early in spring and 

 retained late in autumn. As an ornamental plant for large 

 groups, or even planted singly, it is very desirable from the 

 habit it can be made to take ; the dark rich green of its leaf, 

 the white clusters of flowers in spring, and the dark blue fruit 

 of autumn often hanging into winter. Besides the common 



5 



