DIRCA 



297 



by preserving the dried flcnver-buds. This spiny shrub (3 feet) is sometimes 

 cultivated in greenhouses North. Leaves deciduous, roundish, entire. 

 The white wavy-petaled flowers (2 inches broad) with numerous stamens 

 are borne singly in the axils of the alternate leaves. 



[Seeds ; twig cuttings.] 



Benzbin. Spice Bush or Benjamin Bush (518) —Benzoin pestivale (B. 

 Benzoin B. odorif erum) , — is a very aromatic smooth shrub, to 15 feet, 



Olive-like Daphne. 



Fig. 525. — Hybrid Daphne 



with alternate simple entire deciduous leaves and oblong red 1-seeded fruit 

 a half inch long. The oval leaves are 3 to 5 inches long. The small yellow 

 flowers expand in very early spring. This is practically the only species 

 of the genus in cultivation, and it is not often found in*shrubberies. The 

 bark is peculiarly spicy. [Fresh seeds ; layers ; twig cuttings.] 



Dirca paliistris. Leatherwood, Moosewood, or Wicopy (519) is a 

 small tree-like shrub, 2 to 6 feet high, with yellowish green twigs, 

 tough bark, and alternate.simple oval entire deciduous leaves. The fruit 

 is an oblong red drupe ^ inch long. The flowers are small in umbel-like 

 clusters in early spring, April. May. It is rare in cultivation, but grows 

 wild in shady places from Canada south. [Seeds ; layers.] 



