SPRING-FLOWERING TREES AND SHRUBS 177 



long, cylindrical catkins which are clustered together 

 near the ends of the twigs, and examination will show 

 that the stamens are brightly colored. The Pussy 

 Willows (Salix) are the most noticeable and most ap- 

 preciated of plants which in early spring produce 

 their flowers in catkins. The Poplars (Populus) also 

 bear their blossoms in a manner similar to the Wil- 

 lows and in certain species the stamens are hand- 

 somely colored. 



But before the earliest Silver Maple or Pussy Wil- 

 low shows any signs of welcoming spring by putting 

 forth blossoms the Witch Hazels (Hamamelis) have 

 expanded their flowers and most of the petals have 

 fallen. This small group of shrubs deserves to be 

 much more widely known, for it possesses attractions 

 that are absolutely unique among hardy plants. 

 The native H . virginiana, so common in woodland and 

 copse, is the last of shrubs to blossom in the autumn, 

 when its yellow star-shaped flowers are hidden midst 

 a mass of yellow-tinted foliage. As the leaves fall the 

 flowers are seen to better advantage, and individual 

 bushes may be found in December with a few odd 

 flowers bravely facing the first strong blasts of winter. 



The other three species open their flowers in Jan- 

 uary and February, when the twigs are bare and when 

 snow carpets the ground and all around is dreary and 



