86 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETT. 



Kettledrum, H. W. Sargent, President Lincoln, and others of 

 which I have not made note. I have no doubt that many of our 

 rhododendrons are hurt b}- the drying winds in March more than 

 b\' the extreme cold, for in all situations where buildings or trees 

 cut off the keen winds many varieties grow well without any 

 protection. Rhododendron Dauricum, variety sempervirens, 

 stands well without protection. 



Of the Azalea section we have calendulaceum, with bright 

 orange and flame colored flowers ; Bhodora, purple ; ai'horescens, 

 white and pink ; viacosum, white ; and nndijlorum, rose ; beside the 

 Ghent varieties, which are. h3'brids between R. Jiavum and R. 

 calendulaceum. 



The Clethra alnifolia does well in all situations, from the hill- 

 side to the swamp, and is covered with its fragrant flowers during 

 July and August. 



Symplocos paniculatus is a new shrub from Japan, with clusters 

 of small white flowers in June, and in autumn with bunches of 

 berries of an ultramarine blue. I have never seen the fruit of 

 an\' shrub with so fine a. color. 



Halesia tetraptei'a, the Silver-bell, is a desirable native shrub ; 

 nothing can be more beautiful or graceful than a large plant of it 

 in full bloom. 



Of the Styrax family, Styrax Americana is the best ; it is a 

 neat round-headed shrub, with drooping white flowers. 



The Forsythias, with their golden flowers in early spring, are 

 well worth a place in every one's garden. The species are 

 suspensa, viridissima, and Fortunei. 



CMonanthxis Virginica, with long bunches of fringe-like white 

 flowers, is also a good hardy plant. 



Every one loves the lilac ; it seems as if it were the special 

 spring flower. It has been worked over so much that there is no 

 end to its varieties, both double and single. To name the whole 

 of these would require almost a catalogue by itself ; so I will only 

 call your attention to a few varieties : Alba grandiflora, Albert 

 the Good, Caerulea superba, Charles X, Marie Lagrange, Verscha- 

 feltii, and Philomel. So far as I have seen the last one is the 

 finest dark variety of the Syringa vxdgaris. Other species are 

 ^S. Emodi, a coarse growing variety with purplish flowers ; S. 

 Josikcea, with very dark purple flowers, borne after most of the 

 other species are done ; S. villosa, from China, a shrub of medium 



