220 GARDENING FOR BEGINNERS 



a Japanese shrub, is the choicest member of the genus, and in February 

 carries sweet-scented yellowish flowers in drooping spikes. G. himala- 

 yana is taller and more vigorous than the last named, and C. pauciflora 

 is not, as its name leads one to suppose, shy flowering. It is a wel- 

 come free-flowering shrub. 



Cotoneasters. Here we have a group of useful trees and shrubs, 

 thoroughly hardy, free in growth, and charming when laden with their 

 clusters of richly-coloured berries in autumn. Ordinary soil suits them. 

 The vigorous C. buxifolia has small deep green box-like leaves, bears an 

 abundance of white flowers in clusters, and bright red berries in autumn. 

 C. rotundifolia, a Himalayan species, grows about six feet high, is rather 

 slow in growth, free in blossom, and retains its richly-coloured berries 

 throughout the winter. C. microphylla, also from the Himalayas, is a 

 close growing evergreen shrub of excellent habit, and the best of the 

 Cotoneasters for clothing ugly walls. Its leaves are small, very deep 

 green, and its delicate blush white flowers are succeeded by attractive 

 berries. G. frigida is very pleasing in flower as well as in fruit. It 

 forms a small tree. C. Simonsi, also free in growth, is another con- 

 spicuous autumn shrub. Its berries are bright red and borne in great 

 profusion; a most useful kind for town and country gardens. (7. 

 horizontals is more beautiful in autumn than all its brethren. It bears a 

 quantity of bright berries, and the foliage dies off with resplendent hues. 

 It is of low-spreading habit, and delights in a sunny spot to bring out its 

 leaf colours. 



CrataegUS (Thorn). A lovely group of free-growing small trees, 

 well adapted for the small garden. They vary considerably in 

 habit of growth, as well as in the colour and size of flower, and are 

 essentially spring-flowering. Few trees of similar growth are more 

 effective at that period of the year. Many of them, too, bear a profusion 

 of brilliant fruits in autumn and winter. C. Crus-galli (Cockspur Thorn), 

 from North America, has long stiff spines, with which the branches are 

 beset. Its large flowers are white, and succeeded by numerous clusters 

 of crimson fruits, which are sometimes retained upon the leafless 

 branches until spring. The brilliant tinted foliage also hangs upon the 

 trees for a long time. The varieties prunifolia and ovalifolia are also 

 showy autumn shrubs. G. Aroma makes an admirable specimen for 

 the lawn, being of graceful habit and flowering after many of the 

 Thorns have lost their blossom beauty. Its large yellow fruits are 

 showy and borne with great freedom. C. pinnatifida begins growth 

 early in spring, and in autumn its deeply cut leaves are heavily suffused 

 with orange-yellow. Its fruits are large and handsome. G. coccinea, 

 the North American scarlet-fruited Thorn, grows freely in moist soil, 

 forming a well-balanced head, and when laden with its white flower- 

 clusters in April and May it is strikingly beautiful. It seldom grows 

 more than twenty-five feet in height, and its rich green leaves change 

 in autumn to brilliant crimson, at which time its showy fruits appear 

 in profusion. The variety macrantJia is another very fine autumnal 

 tinted tree. G. Azarolus is of free, almost erect, growth, with sweet- 

 scented white flowers, succeeded by orange-red fruits. G. heterophylla, 



