December 28, 1876. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



547 



Grape (I think this has been partially alluded to before)? 

 or, In the absence of that, is it owing to some particular mode 

 of culture that success is attained ? The first question I intend 

 settling for myself by obtaining some eyeB from Vines on which 

 I have seen Grapes well coloured. I shall then be able to prove 

 them side by Eide with my own. I Bhall also commence ear- 

 lier this season, and see what the effect will be, as I believe 

 Mrs. Pince, lite Gros ColmaD, requires a long season to finish 

 off properly. Mrs. Pines is a very superior Grape to Lady 

 Downe's as far as flavour is concerned, but it is evident that 

 it will not give satisfaction under the same treatment. I should 

 he glad to hear the opinions of others, whioh may perhaps 

 enable ns to arrive at the proper treatment this otherwise 

 excellent Grape requires to make it presentable at table with 

 as much credit as we can always accomplish with its com- 

 panion, Lady Downe's. — J. Anderson, Hill Grove. 



DECIDUOUS TEEES AND SHRUBS.— No. 6. 



Flowebing Shrubs. — The Guelder RoEe (Viburnum opulus) 

 is a fine old common shrub that does well in moorland near 

 water, and is not at all particular as to soil ; and the same re- 

 mark applies to the Wayfaring Tree (V. Lantana), of which 

 there are both dotted (punctata) and striped (marginalis) 

 varieties. V. macrocephalum has splendid heads or balls of 

 white flowers ; V. plieatum, with its downy-leaved variety 

 tomentosum, are very fine, aho V. dentatum. All have white 

 flowers in May or June. V. plieatum and its variety require 

 moderate shelter. 8 to 10 feet. 



Mock Orange has pretty white flowers and sweet, filling the 

 air with fragrance, which is grateful at a little distance, but 

 very powerful when closely inhaled. The common is best re- 

 presented by its double form (Philadelphus coronariu3 fiore- 

 pleno) ; P. Eeteleeri flore-pleno is equally good or better. 

 P. Gordoniana with its variegated variety are fine ; but the 

 finest of the genus is P. grandiflorus speciosus. They flower 

 in early Jane, and ought to be represented in every garden, 

 succeeding in any soil. 8 to 10 feet. 



Snowdrop Tree (Hilesiatetraptera) is highly ornamental with 

 its white flowers, which are freely producedin May. 6 feefc. 



Flowering Currants yield to no other shrubs in beauty and in 

 the abundance of their flowers during April and May. Any 

 soil will grow them well ; all they need is an open situation. 

 The Blood-flowered Ribes sanguineum in it3 varieties album, 

 atrosanguineum, and plenum are the most desirable ; but 

 R. aureum is a pretty early yellow variety. R. Gordonianum 

 also has yellow flowers and is very good. 6 to 8 feet. 



Lilacs, common as they are, are exceedingly beautiful and 

 succeed in any soil. In May or early June their fine heads 

 of sweet-scented flowers are much admired. Some of the best 

 varieties of Lilac (Syringa) are vulgaris, lilac ; Charles X., 

 purple; alba, white; rubra, reddish — all S to 10 feet. Of 

 dwarf er growth are the Persian Lilacs (Syringa persica), bluish, 

 and its varieties alba, white, and carnation (diantliEefiora), 

 striped, with the pretty cut-leaved variety — all 4 to 6 feet. 

 The Siberian (S. sibirica, syn. rothomagensie) , purple, is later 

 in flowering. 



Kerria japonica plena has double yellow flowers in June, 

 doing well in a sheltered situation in light soil. Its variegated 

 form is very ornamental. 3 to 5 feet. 



Honeysuckles are well represented in Lonicera tatarica 

 " alba, white ; and in L. tataiica rosea grandiflora, rose, in April. 

 8 to 10 feet. L. Lsdebourii flowers in summer, being yellowish 

 red. 3 feet. 



Sumach, especially the Venetian (Rhus Cotinu3), is note- 

 worthy, its flower-heads having a light elegant appearance, 

 and are valuable for cutting. In autumn the whole aspect of 

 the plant is very beautiful. R. glabra laciniata has its leaves 

 so finely divided as to be very ornamental, especially from its 

 rich tints in autumn. 6 to 8 feet. 



Meadow Sweets. — Being alike free in growth and flowering 

 these shrubs deserve to be more frequently cultivated than 

 they are at present ; their clusters of splendid flowers entitle 

 them to a foremost rank amongst shrubs. Spirsa arifefolia is 

 perhaps the prettiest, having long spikes of white plume-like 

 flowers in June and July. S. callosa, rose, and S. callosa alba, 

 white, are dwarf and profuse-floweriog, 3 feet. S. bella, ross, 

 3 feet ; S. corymbosa, white, 3 feet ; S. Lindleyana, white, 

 6 feet ; S. Donglasii, pink ; S. Nobleana, pink, 3 feet ; and 

 S. ulmifolia, white, very good, 3 to 5 feet ; all flowering between 

 June and August. S. prunifolia flore-pleno has yehow flowers 

 in early summer, 4 to 5 feet ; and S. Reevesii flore-pleno, yel- 



low, flowers in April and May, 3 feet. S. Thunbergii is of 

 graceful habit, having white flowers in June, 3 feet. Spirseas 

 like a free, open, and tolerably moist soil. 



Weigelas flower in April to June, and are very beautiful and 

 sweet. They like a free open soil, and do well in peat. 

 W. amabilis, rose, and its vars. alba, Granewegeni, Van Houttei, 

 both pink or rose, with Stelzneri, red, are the best varieties, 

 but are not so neat in habit as W. rosea, which flowers later. 

 TV. hortensis nivea has fine white flowers, and the variety of 

 rosea, Madame Couturier, white, is very fine. All 4 to 6 feet. 

 W. rosea nana variegata is beautifully variegated and dwarf, 

 2 to 3 feet ; TV. arborescens versicolor is desirable for its striped 

 flowers, and W. multiflora for its free-flowering, deep scarlet. 



Forsythia Fortunei and F. viridissima afford yellow j asmine- 

 like flowers in spring before the leaves, and are very desirable. 

 6 feet. 



Deutzia gracilis is very beautiful in April from its white 

 blossoms, and is well known as a fine forcing plant. In an ex 

 posed situation outdoors it doe3 not succeed, and prefers free 

 open soil ; 2 to 3 feet. D. erenata flore-pleno is very pretty 

 from its double pink flowers profusely produced in Jane. It 

 grows very freely, even in an exposed situation ; 4 to 6 feet. 

 The double white, D. candidissima flore-pleno, flowers abun- 

 dantly ; 4 to 6 feet. D. scabra grows even more freely, and 

 may be mentioned as suitable for moist soils. 



Cydonia japonica, red, and its varieties candidissima, white; 

 lutea viridis, yellow ; alba, pinkish ; and plena, double red, 

 produce their flowers from February to May, most profusely in 

 April, their high-coloured large flowers having a fine appearance. 

 They like a free open soil. 4 to 6 feet. 



Daphne Mezereum, pink, and its red and white varieties, 

 with D. Fortunei, lilac, are very desirable from their early 

 flowering (February to April) and fragrance; 4 to 6 feet. They 

 bloom very freely in a young state. 



Hydrangea hortensis and H. japonica vara., unfortunately, 

 are not hardy, except in warm sheltered situations ; but where 

 they do succeed no other shrabs have such magnificent heads 

 of flowers. In exposed situations the plants are herbaceous. 

 They are not recommended only for warm situations, but 

 H. paniculata grandiflora has a very ligneous growth, and is 

 very much more hardy. Its flowers, or rather bracts, are pro- 

 duced in very large heads, creamy white in colour, blooming 

 in late summer and autumn, having a fine effect. H. Otaksa 

 has very large rosy heads of bloom, very fine. Hydrangeas 

 generally are more intense in colour when grown outdoors, 

 and plants after flowering indoors will, if placed outdoors, 

 have the bracts changed to a bright red. 3 feet. 



Althsea frntex or Hibiscus syriacus is very free late summer 

 and autumn-flowering shrub, which requires a sandy soil and 

 an open yet warm sheltered situation. Good varieties are 

 azurea plena, elegantissima, Leopoldii, purpurea flore-pleno, 

 Due de Brabant, Dachesse de Brabant, Lady Stanley, ardens, 

 speciosa plena, carnea tricolor, and ranunculiflorus plena. 6 to 

 8 feet. In cold situations they do not succeed, otherwise they 

 are very desirable from their late blooming. 



Barberry (Berberis vulgaris) will grow in almost any soil, 

 and is very hardy ; the flowers are yellow, very pretty in 

 spring, and the fruit is not less bo in late summer. The 

 variety alba has white fruit, lutea yellow fruit, and purpurea 

 has purple leaves. 6 to 8 feet. 



Calycanthus macrophyllue, or the American Allspice, has 

 chocolate-coloured flowers, and sweet throughout the greater 

 part of the summer. 6 to 8 feet. 



Bladder Sennas are handsome shrubs which need a free 

 open soil and shelter from winds. Colutea arborescens with 

 yellow flowers, and C. cruenta, scarlet, are most desirable. 

 8 feet. 



Clethra alnifolia is a very pretty dwarf shrub, having clusters 

 of white flowers in August. 3 to 4 feet. It prefers peat soil. 



Scorpion Senna (Coronilla Emerus) i3 attractive from its 

 yellow flowers in May, and i3 also elegant in habit. 4 to 

 6 feet. 



Edgworthia chrysantha, a low-growing sbrnb with golden 

 balls at the end of the shoots in June, is worthy of mention. 

 It is of doubtful hardiness in any but sheltered situations and 

 well-drained soils. 3 to 4 feet. 



Fachsias in all but sheltered situations and dry soils are 

 herbaceous, nevertheless they ought to be in every garden. 

 F. pumila, F. Riccartoni, and F. virgata are good. 



St. John's-wort is very useful in dry soils or banks. Hy- 

 pericum oblongifolium has fine yellow flowers in late summer. 

 H. floribundum and H. hircinum are also good. 3 feet. 



