HARDY SHRUBS. 173 



SHEPHERDIA ARQENTEA (Rabbit Berry)— Under favorable conditions 

 this species grows into a small tree. I'he leaves, owing to the presence 

 of an immense number of small silvery scales, are almost white on both 

 sides, and from a distance the plants look as if they were covered with 

 white flowers. The blooms are small, produced singly or in pairs in the 

 axils of the leaves; they are exceedingly fragrant. S. canadensis is a 

 smaller species, reaching a height of 6 feet. Both are easily raised from 

 seeds. 



SPIRvCA— The shrubby species worth growing; are too numerous to 

 mention here. One of the earliest to flower, and a favorite kind, is S. 

 prunifolia; S. Reevesii and its double form are both popular. S. Thun- 

 bergii blooms very early in the season when there are but few leaves 

 on the plant; the flowers are small, but they make up in numbers for 

 what they lack in size. All of the above have white flowers. S. salici- 

 folia and its varieties bloom in dense panicles late in the season. This, 

 with S. paniculata rosea, another late bloomer, has pink flowers. S. 

 Van Houttei is one of the best kinds which flower in May or June; it 

 makes a good forcing plant. S. Bumalda and S. B. Anthony Waterer 

 have the flowers disposed on the ends of the shoots of the current year's 

 growths, in flat heads, several inches in diameter. In S. Bumalda the 

 flowers are rose colored; its variety has dark crimson blossoms. Both 

 are dwarf, but very vigorous and easily propagated from the young 

 wood. S. sorbifolia, S. grandiflora and S. L.indleyana are distinct from 

 the others in having odd-pinnate leaves and the flowers arranged in 

 large panicles, produced late in the season. S. sorbifoha dies down to 

 the ground each season, and during extra hard Winters the other two 

 behave in a similar way; but they make growth enough the following 

 Summer to flower. S. Lindleyana is useful for planting in large groups. 

 A native of the Himalayas it is probably unsuited for Northern sections 

 unless well protected. All three are easily raised from seeds, or by 

 division. 



STAPHYLEA (Bladder Nut)— S. colchica and S. Bumalda bloom very 

 early in the season. They have the reputation of being the easiest 

 shrubs to bring into flower under artificial conditions. They belong to 

 the Maple family, and are natives of Japan and Europe. S. colchica has 

 fairly large-sized racemes of almost pure; white flowers, very agreeably 

 scented. Young plants with flowering wood can be got up in two years 

 by taking cuttings of dormant wood in Autumn, heeling in moss, intro- 

 ducing them to gentle bottom heat in March. 



SYMPHORICARPUS RACEMOSUS (Snowberry)— This species is grown 

 on account of the large white fruits which hang from the ends of the 

 branches during the Autumn and Winter months. S. vulgaris has red 

 fruits, but much smaller than those of S. racemosus. They are propa- 

 gated by seed, cuttings, or by division. 



SYRINGA (Lilac)— About a dozen species of this popular genus are in 

 cultivation. Most of them, however, are of little value for cut bloom. 

 They are handsome while in flower, but they do not pay to grow along- 

 side of the varieties of the common species, S. vulgaris. Of these there is 



