Philadelphus — Syringa — Mock Orange. 295 



ties that commend them for garden cultivation throughout 

 the temperate zones, where alone they are supposed to 

 thrive. Without exception they are of easy cultivation, 

 and few shrubs make so good returns, in both foliage and 

 blossom, for the outlay expended upon them. As the 

 flowers are produced on wood of the last year's growth, it 

 is well to cut the shrub back sharply immediately after the 

 flowering season. If this is not done it is liable to become 

 a straggling bush, bare near the main stem, and somewhat 

 coarse. By cutting, the number of flowering branches is 

 multiplied, and, though the bush becomes large, every part 

 will prove floriferous. The popular name, syringa, should 

 be abandoned, as that belongs to the lilac. Philadelphus 

 is as easily remembered, and it is better to call things by 

 the right names. 



The best known of the species is P. coronarius, and 

 there is reason for speaking of it as the mock orange 

 because of the resemblance of the flower, and of the fra- 

 grance of the entire shrub, to that of the real orange tree 

 of the South. Under favoring conditions it grows to a 

 height of twelve feet. It is compact if properly handled 

 in cultivation, but if left to itself it is sometimes far from 

 symmetrical, though never ugly. The leaves are ovate, 

 sharply pointed, and serrate. The flowers are creamy- 

 white or light straw-color, and are possessed of a pungent 

 fragrance. They appear in May, and in great abundance. 

 There are several varieties, one of which, flore pleno, has 

 double flowers of the same color and with similar fra- 

 grance. Another, argentia marginata, has the foliage bor- 

 dered with white, and is quite distinct and beautiful. It 



