246 HARDY SHRUBS. 



of October, most of them will root by the end of February. Suckers, 

 with small roots attached, may be lifted and potted in Spring. The 

 most certain method is to layer the lower branches, allowing them to 

 remain at least a year before removing. Seeds are not always obtaina- 

 ble, but they germinate readily in sandy soil covered with finely screened 

 sphagnum. 



H. paniculata grandiflora is one of the best of the late blooming 

 shrubs. The flowers are creamy-white, in large pyramidal heads, ter- 

 minating the current year's growths. It comes into bloom, according 

 to locality, from July to September. It is grown both in bush and 

 standard form. In propagating green cuttings may be taken during 

 the first part of July. Select a dull day for the operation. Take those 

 shoots which are net too robust and only the ends ; shorten back the 

 leaves one-third and put in sand, t i'n a cool, humid atmosphere. Cuttings 

 of the dormant wood may be made 8 or 10 inches long and inserted, 

 either in the Fall, or kept heeled in, or buried in a cold frame during 

 Winter, putting them in rows in the open as soon as weather will per- 

 mit. Cover thinly with spent hops, or old manure, in either case. 



HYPERICUM (St. John's Wort) H. kalmianum is the species most 

 commonly seen in cultivation; it thrives in almost any soil and in a 

 sunny position. H. patulurn, a Japanese species, forms a bush from 4 

 to 6 feet in height, in favorable situations. H. Moserianum is not so 

 tall as H. patalum, but the flowers are larger; both of them are apt to 

 be hurt in Winter in exposed situations. Cuttings root quickly at any 

 time during the Summer months. H.calycinumis one of the handsomest 

 and most useful of the dwarf evergreen shrubs. It forms dense clumps 

 of growths, not over a foot high, with very large, bright orange-yellow 

 flowers; much used for the front portions of shrubberies. Increase is by 

 division. In parts of the country where the Winters are too severe it is 

 easily protected by branches of evergreens, or rough stable litter. 



ILEX (Holly). I. aquifolium, the English Holly, is, unfortunately, ten- 

 der in the Northern States. Philadelphia is said to be the northern 

 limit of its hardiness. Around Washington it is perfectly hardy, but it 

 is much shorter lived than our native species, I. opaca. Except with 

 comparatively small specimens of the English species on which the fruit 

 is in larger clusters and brighter colored, the native one is to be pre- 

 ferred for specimen plants. Several specimens in the parks here are 

 over 40 feet high, and not much inferior as berry-bearing plants to the 

 English one. I. opaca is very common in a wild state in the woods 

 here; but I have never seen what could be termed a presentable plant. 

 They are generally found in the shade of other trees, conditions which 

 make them scraggy looking. When grown in the open, in prepared 

 ground, their appearance is quite altered ; the branches grow close to- 

 gether, and the outline of the tree is rather conical, not spreading as in 

 I. aquifolium. Ilex cornuta, from Japan, is a very satisfactory species, 

 but the berries, of which there is a plentiful supply, do not ripen until 

 after the time when they would be most welcome. The English species 

 takes well on stocks of I. opaca. The operation should be done indoors 

 either before growth is active in Spring, or after the wood is fairly ripe 



