niE CANADIAN" HORTICULTURIST. 53 



when the time of the singing of birds is come, as they return from 

 their long visit to the lands of the south, how the eye lights up with 

 gladness at the sight of the first opening flower, and the heart prizes 

 the first heralds of returning verdure and beauty. These early fiowere, 

 what a charm they have; what pleasing thoughts they waken, touch- 

 ing alike the chords of memory and hope. The homestead that has 

 none of these to feast the eye and cheer the heart, must be to its 

 inmates the very castle of giant despair, whence hope has fled, and 

 where memory is weaving garlands of withered leaves. 



There is a goodly number of these early blossoming shrubs which 

 can be planted about the home, some of them sufficiently hardy to 

 endure the rigors of our colder sections, while others of them, espe- 

 cially those of the Almond family, can only be grown successfully in 

 our milder districts. One of the most showy and hardy of these is the 

 Japan Quince, Cydonia Japonica. It has been called by some the 

 burning bush, for the scarlet variety when covered with its bright 

 glowing flowers, is indeed an apt reminder of that which burned but 

 was not consumed. It is a shrub of great beauty, putting forth its 

 large blossoms in great profusion early in the spring, before the leaves 

 are grown. Standing alone, or when used as a dividing garden hedge 

 it presents a most charming appearance. AVhen the flowers are faded, 

 the neat, glossy green leaves are pretty, and as Autumn approaches 

 the golden fruits shine brightly beautiful among the foliage. 

 There is a variety which produce."^ delicate pink flowers, or light 

 salmon color, shading to white ; but the flowers are not so profusely 

 abundant as those of the scarlet. There is also another variety witli 

 very brilliant rosy red flowers, which are produced in great abundance, 

 and whose fruit is larger and more showy than that of the scarlet. In 

 striking contrast to the crimson and scarlet of the Japan Quince stands 

 the beautiful snow white Plum-leaved Spirea, Spirea prunifoUa 

 jlore pleno. This is the most attractive of all the Spireas; graceful in 

 outline, abundant in flowering, every branch a bridal wreath, each 

 flower a perfect rosette ; in the purity of its whiteness; and elegance of 

 its grace it is the acknowledged queen of the race. Nor is it beauti- 

 ful only when the slender branches are wreathed throughout with 

 white roses in miniature ; all through the Summer bright glossy 

 leaves clothe its graceful form, which change when Autumn comes on 



