66 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



ing even if its fragrant, pure white flowers do suffer by late 

 frosts. 



In shrubs Spiraea arguta often blooms with thin snow on the 

 ground. The mezereum in its bright purple and pure white 

 varieties braves several degrees of frost that it may be foremost 

 in the ranks of showy, berry-bearing shrubs. The lily of the 

 valley tree {Andromeda florihunda) and its Japanese cousin 

 have been patiently waiting all winter with half-opened buds for 

 an opportunity to display their wealth of bloom, and, \ri%\x the 

 Cornish heath {Erica vagans), are most welcome in their early 

 bloom. Fothergillas, Cydonias or Japan quinces, Japanese 

 hazels ( Corylojysis), leatherwoods {Dirca), golden bells or For- 

 sythias, shrub yellow-roots {Xanthorrhiza), Thunberg's spiraeas, 

 and Chinese wistarias all compete with each other to make a 

 glorious show before May overtakes them. 



Our native Hepatica or liver-leaf generally leads in herbs, and 

 yet the rivalry for precedence of Claytonias, bloodroot {Sangui- 

 naria), wind anemones (A}iemone nemorosa), squirrel corn, 

 and wake-robins tend to give that peculiar interest to our wood- 

 land rambles. In the gardens crested and vernal iris {Iris 

 cristata and /. verna) are racing. Lungworts {Mertensia), 

 alpine rock-cress {Arabis)^ moss pinks {Phlox subulata), speed- 

 wells ( Veronica), hardy candytufts {Iberis), golden yarrow 

 {Achillect totnentosa), the Geneva bugle {Ajuga Ge?ieve7isis) , 

 madworts {Algssum), alpine gentians ( Gentiana), and creeping 

 forget-me-nots ( Omplialodes) are striving to outdo their country 

 cousins, and trying madly to keep in advance of the oriental and 

 alpine poppies {Papaver), the Christmas roses {Helleborics), and 

 the English cowshps and polyanthus {Primulas). The leopard's 

 bane {Doronicum) holds forth its heads, a reminder of the innu- 

 merable cousins of the composite family to follow. 



In the meantime the innocence of the pastures and meadows 

 {Houstonia), while insignificant in size, more than makes up this 

 deficiency by its prolific abundance sufticient to color the land- 

 scape. Bulbs, too, have been contributing their share ; snow^drops 

 have fought with Siberian squills {Scilla Sibirica) and they with 

 Puschkinias from Asia Minor and glory of the snows {Chiono- 

 doxa), to see Avhich could outstrii) the tulips and narcissi. The 



