LILACS. 



S. v. Madame Abel 

 Chateau. This is perhaps 

 the finest of all the flowers 

 yet produced at Ottawa 

 in this wonderful group 

 of lilacs. The panicles 

 are large and the individ- 

 ual flowers of unusual 

 size, of a pure white very 

 double and of great sub- 

 stance. It is also a free 

 bloomer. A single clus- 

 ter is shown in Fig. 1588. 



Syringa Josikea, Jos- 

 iha's Lilac. This is a 

 robust growing species, 

 a native of Hungary, * 

 which was introduced 

 into cultivation in 1588 

 and is now very widely 

 distributed. Its leaves 

 are large glossy and of 

 great substance of a deep 

 green color above and 

 paler below. This shrub 

 is well worth growing for 

 its foliage alone. The 

 flowers which appear from 

 ten days to a fortnight later than Syringa 

 vulgaris, are of a bluish purple, the 

 clusters are smaller than those of the 

 common lilac, they also lack perfume. 

 When well established this variety blooms 

 very freely and attains a height of from 

 6 to 10 feet. It makes a beautiful 

 hedge, its rigid habit and glossy laurel- 

 like leaves produce a fine effect. For 

 this purpose young plants should be 

 chosen and put out in a single row about 

 15 inches apart. 



Syringa Persica, the Persian Lilac. 

 This species is a native of Persia and 

 was introduced in 1640. It is a shrub 

 smaller in size and less robust in habit 

 than most of the other species, growing 

 usually from four to six feet in height. 



Fig. 1583. — S vclgakis Emile Lemoine. 



The flowers which are borne freely in 

 good sized clusters. are bluish purple; 

 another variety of the Persian lilac 

 produces white flowers j both these 

 forms are common in cultivation. This 

 species is not quite so hardy as most of 

 the other lilacs. A cut leaved form 

 S. P. laciniata has also been produced. 

 Syringa Chinensis known also under 

 the name of S. Rothamgensis or Rouen 

 lilac. This is a very desirable shrub, 

 well known and much appreciated. It 

 was introduced into cultivation in 1795 

 and is said to be a hybrid between 

 S. vulgaris and S. persica which was 

 raised at Rouen by Mr. Varin then 

 director of the botanic garden there. 

 This variety is loose and graceful in 



171 



