358 HORTICULTURAL MANUAL. 



in the dry air of the prairie States, planted in lime- 

 stone drift soils, they are all failures except in parts of 

 Wisconsin, where the granitic soil permits the thrifty growth 

 of the mosses and the cranberry and huckleberry (277 and 

 280). The holly-leaved Mahonia (Mahonia aquifolium} 

 as found native in the Black Hills and in the Lake Supe- 

 rior region does well in half shaded and sheltered positions 

 in the prairie States and well across the continent. Its 

 handsome glossy foliage, neat habit, and bluish berries 

 render it popular where the other broad-leaved evergreens 

 fail. The Savin, prostrate juniper, Pinus pumilio, and 

 Pinus muffho also are used at the West for covering rock- 

 work, giving variety to tree groups, and sometimes as single 

 specimens. 



340. The Hydrangeas. The only truly hardy species of 

 this quite extended family is known as Hydrangea panic- 

 ulata grandifiora. (Fig. 99.) It is hardy even in Min- 

 nesota, but it does not endure protracted drought as well 

 as most other shrubs. Its great panicles of remarkably 

 durable flowers show to best advantage when planted quite 

 thickly in front of banks of shrubbery. It is also useful 

 for groups in certain positions and as single specimens. 



With some protection in winter, or as grown in large 

 pots sunk in the lawn in summer and kept indoors in 

 winter, such varieties of the Japan hydrangeas as Hor- 

 tensia and Thomas Hogg are much used for lawn decora- 

 tion. In the South these fine varieties are hardy without 

 winter protection. 



341. The Tamarix. The hardiest and most beautiful 

 species is Tamarix Amurensis. In the West this will thrive 

 on dry knolls where no other graceful shrub will live. Its 

 foliage has some resemblance to that of the heath. The pink 

 flowers are in lateral spikes, and the Amur species flowers 

 often three or four times during the summer. If kept in 



