EVERGREEN SHRUBS. 225 



mention some of the more delicate sorts which may 

 be selected for growing within the defence: phylerea, 

 of several varieties ; alaternus, gold and silver va- 

 riegated, grows by layers certainly, by slips pretty 

 well; arborvitse, easily propagated in the same way, 

 and which will grow a large tree where it has room, 

 but having no beauty except in good shelter; of the 

 same character the yew, glorious for its country's 

 defence, and though venerable in years, looking 

 young with berries of brighter hue than polished 

 coral ; the evergreen thorn, which, with the help 

 of a wall, though it can stand alone, will glow all 

 winter with an. incredible profusion of scarlet fruit 

 it agrees ill with lifting, but is easily propagated 

 by layers ; various kalmias, pretty, but tender, 

 requiring shelter and peatmoss, which last is not 

 thrown away on the rhododendrons, or on the aucuba 

 japonica, of olive green and spotted leaf, very foreign 

 and tender looking, but growing surely from slips, 

 and more hardy in the spring frosts than common 

 laurel ; the arbutus, having red bark, a beautiful 

 evergreen, to which a fixed place should be assigned, 

 as it cannot endure flitting; the sweet bay, requir- 

 ing the best of shelter, and not very patient of re- 

 moval ; the ilex or evergreen oak, not remarkably 

 beautiful, but interesting on account of the diffi- 

 culty of getting it to grow; 1 the pyrus japonica, 



1 To overcome the shyness of these oaks which yet grow to large 

 forest trees, it has of late been found wise, as often not one in ten 

 outlived transplanting, to rear the seedlings in flowerpots. By no 

 means have one from a nursery unless it come in a pot ; and if the 



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