Scrubs anti Clfmbers. 233 



spikes, its neat habit, and its florescence when 

 most other shrubs have passed, it should be 

 seen much more frequently in the choice shrub- 

 bery. The button-bush (Cephalanthus occiden- 

 talis), which often keeps the Clethra company, 

 is a desirable shrub, with attractive foliage, and 

 round heads of sweet-scented white flowers ap- 

 pearing at the same period. 



Kalmia latifolia, a member of the ornament- 

 al heath tribe, would be one of the most desira- 

 ble medium-sized shrubs if it could be grown as 

 it grows itself. But I find it useless to attempt 

 in western New York, where artificial culture is 

 entirely unsuited to it, under whatever condi- 

 tions of soil and position it may be tried. The 

 leaves of the Kalmia are said to be poisonous 

 to some animals, and the honey derived from it 

 has been known to prove fatal in several in- 

 stances. It is always well to try new plants 

 which one admires, or plants that have been 

 recommended ; but, when one does not aspire 

 to having a botanical collection, it is also well to 

 drop all subjects that one does not admire, or 

 that prove themselves ill adapted to the climate. 

 Still, a plant may be well worth cultivating in 

 one climate and worthless in another I might 

 almost say, successful in one's neighbor's gar- 

 den and a failure in your own, or vice versa. 

 16 



