CHAPTER VIII 



FLOWERING SHRUBS (Continued) 



DAPHNE 



OF this, the earliest flowering and sweetest shrub in England, there 



are but few varieties which need concern us. It is not a conspicuous 



plant at any time, but, like the violet, betrays its 



presence by the sweetness of its perfume. Its 



classic name is evidence of the esteem in which 



it was held long years ago, and we think it was 



never more esteemed than it is at present. 



Mezereum, in its pink and white forms, is the 



one familiar to most people and is probably the 



best of the hardy varieties, though " ponticum," 



useful as a shrub, is also well known. 



The daphne was known as far back as the days 

 of " Good Queen Bess," and has always been 

 cherished by cottagers and in what we call old 

 English gardens. We believe it to be a native, 

 though that point is questioned. Its numerous 

 flowers are followed by berries, some varieties 

 red, some yellow ; but these berries, while they 

 form an autumn attraction, are gathered and sown 

 as seed as soon as they are ripe, for it has the 

 peculiarity of taking two years to germinate if 

 the berries are allowed to dry in the way most 

 seed-berries are. 



DEUTZIA 



We need glance only at three varieties, viz. 

 gracilis, lemoinei and crenata flore plena. The 

 first is the most valuable of the dwarf-growing 

 varieties and is grown by thousands for forcing 

 purposes, its pure white racemes of bloom, pro- 

 duced in great abundance, making it one of the FlQ ^Spray of 

 best of plants for indoor decoration in early spring. Daphne Mezereum 



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