17-4 HIE CANADIAX HORTICULTURIST. 



THE WHITE FRINGE TREE. 



This excellent shrub is considered a tree by many. Twenty years old, 

 •and ])lanted singly where it has room to develop, it becomes as much a ti'ee 

 as the ash, to which, indeed, it is related. Grouped in masses with other 

 shrubs or plants of its own kind it assumes the habit of a bush. Singly, 

 ^Iso, it looks like a bush during its earlier days, being of slow growth and 

 given to rounded forms. Related to the tree-like ash on the one side, it is 

 •as nearly allied, on the other, to the shrub-like lilacs, forsythias and privets. 



The white fringe, thcugh not exactly rare, is thoroughly choice in every 

 way. There is not a quality about it from the crown of its head to the 

 sole of its foot that is not rich or very good. The bark of the trunk or 

 stem is smooth and light colored, and the leaves good sized and shining — 

 quite as interesting*as those of the lilac, which is saying a good deal. Even 

 the twigs group themselves in picturesque fashion. But the " crown of its 

 head" bears its richest endowment after aj^l. Its flowers are indeed unique. 

 There is nothing at all like them in the great variety of infloresenco dis- 

 played by a largo list of lawn plants. They make up wreaths, and clouds, 

 and piles of lace, snow-white and dazzling. Plucked from the bush they 

 are nothing ; crowning the bush they are exquisite. 



We recall a specimen that stands on the border of a walk near a pictur- 

 esque bit of rock-work, with green turf, and great Norway spruces in the 

 background. It would be impossible to describe the charming etfect this 

 crown of white fringe produces in such a setting. Looking down the vista 

 •and beyond, one could almost fancy for a moment that he saw a mass of 

 cirrous clouds floating near the earth. It is worthy of the most distinguished 

 position, not- too near the house or other prominent objects, but out on the 

 farther side of a bay of greensward near a background of contrasting dark 

 ■evergreens. 



Plants of the Chionnnthus are readily raised from seed, but are very 

 slow in growing to any size. Perhaps the best plan is to graft wood of the 

 Chionanthus Virginica, or white fringe on the common ash. What do you 

 think of a strong, sti-aight stem of ash crowned by a great mass of white 

 fringe flowers. The very vigor of the stock as well as the effect of grafting 

 will throw the buds ot the graft quickly into flower, and tend to sustain a 

 healthy, rai)id growth thereaftci'. 



The habit of the white fringe is so regular and rounded that it scarcely 

 ever needs pruning, unless some part of it happens to break or bc-come 

 diseased. If you must prune, prune in winter or early spring. The Chion- 

 anthus is a ]dant that likes good soil and repays good feeding by extra 

 growth and beauty ; but forced to occupy spots of moderate fertility and 

 even bleakness, it will do quite as well as mo^t o'Jier deciduous shrubs. 



There are few shrubs that appear well iii so many ditferent places. 

 But the slow growth of the white fringe wliile young, and its ultimate 

 magnitude of age, fit it alike for the small door-yard or extended lawn, 

 while its unique and beautiful foliage as well as flowers make it distinguished 

 in the choicest assemblage of trees and shrubs. — Rural New Yorker. 



