174 HARDY SHRUBS. 



an abundance to choose from. S. chinensis, a small-leaved kind, is valu- 

 able on account of the long stems which support the flower heads. S. 

 persica, the Persian lilac, and S. p. laciniata make rather handsome 

 bushes, -v^hich is more than can be said of most of the kinds, as they are 

 decidedly unsightly when out of bloom compared with the majority of 

 ornamental shrubs. They are all natives of the old world. S. vulgaris 

 is indigenous of central Europe. Some of the finer varieties are as fol- 

 lows: Alba grandiflora and Marie Legraye, both large flowered and 

 pure white forms; Louis Van Houtte, dark red; Dr. Lindley, purplish 

 lilac; Charles X., reddish-purple; Leon Simon, double, bluish-crimson; 

 Emile Lemoine, double, rosy -lilac; Mme. Lemoine, double white. Propa- 

 gation is effected on in a variety of ways— seeds, suckers, layering, cut- 

 tings from half ripe or dormant wood, budding and grafting. Raising 

 plants from seeds is practiced for producing new varieties and for sup- 

 plying stocks. The best stock is the Californian Privet, Ligustrum ova- 

 lifolium. Layering is a sure method, and when a limited number of 

 plants is wanted it is the one which should be practiced. 



TAMARIX — All of the species give little trouble in their propagation. 

 If cuttings 6 inches long be made from the previous year's wood, and 

 put in gentle heat in the early Spring, they will root in a few days. Out- 

 door propagation will require the cuttings to be made nearly a foot 

 long. 



ULEX EUROP^EUS (Whin, Qorse, Furze)— Although this beautiful 

 shrub frequently gets winter-killed with us, yet we would not think of 

 doing without it. It is useful for planting in the front of a shrubbery, 

 in sunny places. It starts into active growth very early in the season, 

 and late frosts do more injury than the very severe frosts of midwinter, 

 although, like many other things, it does not like rapid thawing and 

 freezing during Winter. Seedlings are easily raised, and with good 

 treatment they will bloom when two years old. 



VIBURNUM, (Snowball, Queder Rose)— Owing to their large and 

 showy heads of sterile flowers, several of the kinds are much grown in 

 shrubberies, in groups on lawns, and for cutting. V. Opulus sterilis is 

 the one most largely cultivated; it comes in earlier than the Japanese 

 species, V. plicatum, ;which is the best for cutting, as the flowers last 

 longer, having more substance to] them. When propagated from cut- 

 tings the growing tips should be taken in Summer; this must be done 

 during a wet spell or from bushes which have been kept watered, other- 

 wise the cuttings are very apt to lose their leaves during the process. 

 V. macrocephalum, as the name implies, has large heads of flowers; in 

 fact, too large to be of much service in cutting. This form is shy in root- 

 ing from cuttings, and is usually worked on seedlings of any of the free- 

 growing species. There are numerous species, but their flowers are not 

 showy. V. reticulatum has very handsome foliage, and forms a neat 

 tall bush. Propagated from green cuttings. V. Tinus is an evergraen 

 species, frequently getting injured here during Winter; there are several 

 desirable forms of it. 



VITEX AQNUS-CASTUS (Chaste Tree)— In this section one of our 

 best late blooming shrubs, surviving the Winter without protection. 



