ROSE FAMILY 



closely allied to the spirasas than to the cherries or the 

 roses. The buds look like buttons ; the flowers come 

 out about the middle of May, and there is a charm- 

 ing contrast between the tender green of the young 

 leaves and the snow white of the abundant bloom which 

 crowds upon the end of every twig. Mr. 

 J. G. Jack, writing of Exochorda, says : 

 " It is sometimes complained that the 

 flowers lack individual interest, are cold 

 and without anything to excite sentiment 

 or admiration, except by the almost daz- 

 zling effect of the full bloom. But al- 

 though the blossoms are formal and al- 

 most bold in effect and lack agreeable 

 ^to^/Mon^ 3 ' f ra g" ran ce, they appear after apple blos- 

 soms have faded and before Deutzia and 

 Philadelphus flower, and certainly at this season we 

 have nothing surpassing them in beauty. The flowers 

 themselves are most interesting just as the buds are 

 opening." 



The fruit of Exochorda is composed of five small 

 bony carpels adhering, in the form of a star, around 

 the central axis. Young plants are often sterile, but as 

 they get older they fruit abundantly ; the seeds ger- 

 minate quickly. 



KERRIA. CORCHORUS. GLOBE FLOWER 



Kerria japonic a. 

 Named after Bellenden Ker, a British botanist. 



This is the old-fashioned Corchorus of our gardens, a 

 name originally applied through a misapprehension of 



134 



