TRUNUS. 



THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



747 



mentioned that with double flowers, another 

 with yellowish-white fruits, and a third with 

 red fruits. 



P. JACOUEMONTI. A pretty shrub, native 

 of Northern India, where it is found at altitudes 

 from 6,OOO to 12,000 ft., with flowers of a 

 bright rosy pink, about half an inch across, 

 but borne in great abundance on the growths 

 of the previous summer. The Chinese P. hu- 

 milis is nearly related to this. 



P. JAI'OMCA (Double Chinese Plum). 

 This is one of the most lovely of spring-flower- 

 ing shrubs. The single form probably not in 

 cultivation ; the double one has white flowers 

 with a more or less rosy tint, some, indeed, of 

 a distinct rose colour. The flowers, each about 

 I ^ in. across, are borne thickly on short stalks 

 from the slender shoots of the previous year. 



Prunus Japonica. 



It can be struck from cuttings, but it is better 

 to layer the shoots of an old plant. In that 

 way nice flowering plants can be obtained in 

 two years. Grafted plants neither grow nor 

 flower so well, and a constant watch has to be 

 kept for suckers. Syn., P. sinensis. 



P. LAURO-CERASUS (Cherry Laurel). A 

 noble evergreen tree often overplanted and 

 misused, and where this is so Cherry Laurels 

 have to be continually cut back to keep them 

 within bounds, and their hungry roots prevent 

 the cultivation of better things anywhere near. 

 Several varieties are in cultivation, the best of 

 which are colchica, caucasica, and rotundifolia, 

 all with broader, larger leaves than the common 

 Laurel and preferable to it on account cf their 



hardier constitution. Salicifolia, angustifolia, 

 and parvifolia are narrow-leaved varieties, the 

 last being often grown under the name of 

 Hartoghia capensis. A new variety from the 

 Shipka Pass (shipkaensis) is said to be the 

 hardiest of all. 



P. LUSITANICA (Portugal Laurel). A noble 

 evergreen rarely seen in its full beauty, because 

 it is nearly always choked with other things in 

 the shrubbery. It is as an isolated bush or 

 group, and allowed full freedom of growth, 

 that its value both as a winter and summer 

 shrub is seen. But like the Cherry Laurel it 

 is often over-planted. Var. myrtifolia has 

 smaller leaves than the type and its branches 

 are of more erect growth. Being dwarfer it is 

 also better suited for shrubberies. Var. azorica 

 has much larger leaves and fewer, but larger 

 flowers on the raceme. Spain, Portugal, and 

 the Azores. 



P. MAHALEB (the Mahaleb). None of the 

 European Cherries surpass this in its spring-tide 

 beauty. The Mahaleb is a native of Central 

 and Southern Europe, perfectly hardy in 

 England. Reaching a height of 20 ft. to 30 

 ft. , of free graceful growth ; especially is this 

 the case with the variety pendula, which, al- 

 though not strictly weeping, is of looser, laxer 

 habit than the type. The leaves are each 2 in. 

 long, and the pure white flowers appear in 

 rather flat racemes in May. 



P. MUME. Under the hands of the Japan- 

 ese cultivators this has varied into numerous 

 forms, and there are now at Kew varieties 

 with flowers red and white, single and double, 

 as well as one of pendulous habit. The wood 

 resembles that of the common Apricot. The 

 plant is leafless at the time of flowering. It 

 has been in cultivation for some years both 

 here and on the Continent, but disguised under 

 other names, one of which is Prunus Myro- 

 balana fl.-roseis. Corea. 



P. NANA (the dwarf Almond). This, a 

 native of Southern Russia, is one of the dwarf - 

 est of the Almonds, being from 2 ft. to 5 ft. 

 high. It flowers during March and April 

 when the leaf-buds are only beginning to 

 burst, the flowers being of a lively rose colour 

 and about three-quarters of an inch across. 

 The leaves are narrow, smooth, dark green, 

 and glossy. It is a charming shrub, and can 

 be easily and quickly propagated by layering. 

 The species will thrive in a dry situation better 

 than most Almonds. There is a pretty double 

 form. 



P. PADUS (the Bird Cherry). This beautiful 

 tree, a native of Britain as well as of North 

 and Central Europe and Asia, is often 40 ft. 

 high, the flowers borne in drooping racemes, 

 in the commonest form being 4 ins. to 6 ins. 

 long. There are varieties, however, finer both 

 in the flowers and racemes. A double-flowered 

 variety (flore-pleno) recently obtained from the 

 Continent is the most striking I have seen. 

 A variety also worth special mention is- the 

 Manchurian one, with fine racemes, but chiefly 

 notable for coming into flower early in April, 

 and, therefore, long before our Bird Cherry is 



