Ligustrum — Privet. 57 



uses, as it grows on gravelly banks and in sterile soils 

 where little else will thrive. Its hardiness is proverbial, 

 as it holds its own against the most adverse influences. 



LIGUSTRUM— Privet. 



THE privets are among the most useful as well as 

 most ornamental of the small trees or shrubs 

 known to cultivation. They belong to the olive 

 family, Oleacecz, and comprise from twenty-five to thirty 

 species with numerous varieties of especial value. Some 

 are natives of Europe, others of temperate and tropical 

 Asia, and still others of Australia and the South Sea 

 Islands. Those most familiar to our northern gardens 

 are nearly all deciduous, but farther south the evergreens 

 predominate. In either case, the bright green foliage and 

 somewhat conspicuous white blossoms and berry-like 

 fruit show to advantage. Few plants are adapted to a 

 wider climatic range or will thrive under such diverse con- 

 ditions. All the species are of easy growth and compara- 

 tively indifferent to soils and situations, though as they 

 are rapid growers they should be supplied with plenty of 

 vegetable food for best effects. It is claimed that they 

 are especially indifferent to the smoky atmosphere of 

 large towns and cities where so many others fail, and this, 

 taken in connection with the fact that they are notably 

 free from insect pests and from disease, suggests their 

 more liberal planting in such locations. 



L. vulgare is the common privet or prim of the old 

 English gardens, and is still largely in use for hedges and 

 fencing. It is a native of Europe, including the British 



