76 THE UNHEATED GREENHOUSE 



European species, C. Emerus, which blooms in the spring, 

 yet its fresh, blue-green leaves and numerous heads of pale 

 yellow flowers for six dull weeks are not to be despised. To 

 complete the trio, we have the winter-flowering Jasmine 

 (J. nudiflorum), so often cut off by unkind frosts in the midst 

 of its bloom. Grown in a lo-in. pot and fastened not too 

 strictly to a pillar or rafter to allow scope for its pendent 

 branches, it is very effective under glass. It may be used also 

 as a fountain plant for a corner and made to droop over a 

 low trellis-like contrivance, which "suits its habit better than 

 being treated as an upright semi-climber. It must be carefully 

 cut back, however, soon after flowering. Laurestinus of 

 which Viburnum lucidum is the best species is also very 

 welcome. For this season, too, a curiosity may be grown in 

 the Glastoribury Thorn (Cratsegus monogyna prsecox), for 

 though it might be risky to predict that it would actually open 

 its blossoms on Christmas Eve, according to tradition, yet it 

 is, in truth, a winter-flowering Hawthorn, and might very 

 probably keep up its reputation. Many kinds of hardy spring- 

 flowering shrubs, such as Hawthorns, Wistaria, Malus flori- 

 bunda, Prunus, and others, may be educated to flower in pots, 

 year after year, at a very early season. The main secrets are 

 to keep such things in compact form by skilful pruning and 

 to ripen the wood thoroughly in open-air quarters during the 

 summer. Any amateur can try his hand at the cultivation of 

 such shrubs for this purpose, for they are all worthy in their 

 way and not difficult to manage, but they are mainly grown 

 by professional gardeners who have large conservatories to 

 " furnish " a term not congenial to the true lover of plants. 

 Prunus japonica fl. pi., however, with double white flowers, is a 

 very charming shrub, adapted for either a small or large green- 

 house, for, by frequent transplanting when young to keep it 

 within due limits, it may be flowered in a 6-in. pot. It is 

 naturally of low-growing, bushy habit, and will, after pruning, 



