362 



TREES. 



THE BEST HEDGE PLANTS. 



I. THE BUCKTHORN. 

 Rhamnus catharticus. L. 



Fig. 1. The Buckthorn. 



The buckthorn is 

 a deciduous shrub 

 growing from ten to 

 fifteen feet high, 

 bushy, or with nu- 

 merous branches. 

 The bark is grayish 

 brown ; the leaves 

 are about an inch 

 or an inch and a half 

 long, dark green, 

 smooth, ovate, and 

 notched or serrated 

 on the edges, and 

 are placed nearly 

 opposite each other 

 on the branches. 

 There are no inde- 

 pendent thorns, pro- 

 perly speaking, but 

 the end of each 

 year's shoots termi- 

 nates in a sharp 

 point or thorn. (See 

 fig. 1.) The blos- 

 soms are small and 

 yellowish green. 

 They are succeeded 

 by numerous round, 

 black berries, which 

 ripen in autumn, 

 and hang till frost, 



