10 SOME FLOWERING SHRUBS 



LI 



A memorable summer, this of 1904, whereof wiseacres 

 should take account, were it only for the general 

 Flowering rout, capsize, and confutation of confident fore- 

 cast. Not forecast in strict meteorological 

 sense; ten per cent, of that must continue to miscarry 

 among us islanders until our Weather Bureau gets into 

 regular wireless touch with mid-Atlantic ; but forecast of 

 another kind, founded on thoughtful observation of many 

 bygone summers. 



In this wise: which of us who busy ourselves with 

 green things of the earth was not ready to predict 

 nay, did not roundly affirm that after the dripping sun- 

 less summer of 1903 would follow a season of famine in 

 flowers on shrub and tree? If there was one point on 

 which cultivators were agreed, it was that well-ripened 

 growth was the chief essential to floral abundance, and 

 what wood could have ripened fairly under the cold, 

 sloppy skies of 3 Edward vn. ? In effect, however, the 

 growth of 1903, be it ripe or raw, has burst into such pro- 

 fusion of blossom as the oldest gardener in the land hath 

 not seen surpassed. The summer display in woodland, 

 hedgerow, and garden has been something to date from ; 

 woe unto those who have had to spend the shining 

 months wrangling over Publicans' Compensation and 

 Immigrant Aliens ! for it may be they shall never see 

 the like again. 



Rhododendrons, of course; but we are overdone with 

 rhododendrons of the baser sort. The common R. 

 ponticum has been allowed to sprawl over too much 

 good ground, ousting or throttling delicate native under- 



