SHRUBS THAT ARE PERFECTLY HARDY. 77 



pods are also interesting. C. arborescens has dark brown and 

 3'ellow flowers, and several varieties have flowers from orange to 

 pale lemon colors. 



Halimodendron argenteum is a neat shrub from Asiatic Russia, 

 with clusters of purple flowers in June ; it forms a handsome shrub 

 when grafted on Caragana arborescens. 



The Caraganas are a very ornamental class of shrubs from 

 China, Siberia, and Dahuria — all perfectly hardy and free flower- 

 ing. The species are arborescens^ ai-enaria, and arborescens pen- 

 dula. Arborescens and all its varieties attain a good size. C. 

 frutescens and its variety, grandijlora, are medium-sized shrubs, 

 with bright yellow flowers. The low-growing species are C. Alta- 

 gana, Chamlagu, pygmoea, and spinosa, with some intermediate 

 varieties. C. spinosa is well adapted for small hedges on account 

 of its long thorny branches. The dwarf and trailing varieties 

 make nice heads when grafted high on G. arborescens. 



In the plum family we have a large variety from which to 

 choose. All are more or less beautiful, and many are exceedingly 

 handsome. The Kansas Sand plum, said to be a variety of 

 Prunus angustifolia, is a neat low shrub from two to four feet high, 

 and is densely covered with white flowers in early spring, which 

 are followed by yellow, red, and nearly purple fruit in abundance. 

 This species should attract the attention of our fruit growers, as it 

 begins to bear when less than eighteen inches high. 



P. emarginata, from California, is very similar to our wild 

 *ed cherry. P. Pennsylvanica, P. Virginiana, and a variety 

 with semi-double flowers, are well worth a place in the garden. 

 The Siberian apricot, P. Sibirica, stands well here, and is a fine, 

 sturdy plant, very striking even when out of leaf, on account of 

 its curious colored bark. The varieties of P. Persica are 

 short lived when budded on the peach, but are very handsome. 

 They make neat plants and live much longer when worked on the 

 plum. P. Pissardi is also a good addition to our gardens where 

 purple foliage is required. P. Simoni is a fastigiate tree, with 

 light rose colored flowers and large purple fruit like an apricot. 

 P. Davidiana is a rare species from China, with pink flowers. P. 

 Americana and its varieties are desirable for large shrubberies ; 

 -they are beautiful in early spring, and by judicious pruning can be 

 -kept at any desired height. Of P. pumila we have two forms ; 

 one from the great lakes with willow-like foliage, growing five or 

 ^ix feet high, and covered in spring with small white flowers and 



