328 Ornamental Shrubs. 



foliage of hardy plants. The most familiar example of 

 this rich chord of color is found in the autumn tints of the 

 swamp, or falsely named scarlet, maple, Acer rubrum. 

 . . . The scarlet or red maple is the richest in autum- 

 nal color of all maples ; I was about to say of all trees. 

 It seldom fails during any autumn to change more or less 

 splendidly ; and therefore deserves to stand out a single 

 flaming monument in the van of all autumnal color. There 

 is something quite indescribable in the glow and intensity 

 of tint often displayed by this maple. Is it ignorance or 

 the want of seeing eyes that causes its lack of employ- 

 ment on the lawn ? It is true the scarlet maple is slower 

 growing than the sugar-maple, of less regular and pleas- 

 ing outline, and certainly less beautiful and satisfactory at 

 other seasons of the year. But in fall it 

 simply reigns supreme." 



As is well known, the catalpas flower 

 in midsummer, and are as handsome as 

 the horse-chestnut, the blossoms some- 

 what resembling those of that 

 well-known species. One of 

 the best forms of the smaller 

 kinds is C. bungei, 

 which comes from 

 China, and grows 

 only from three to 

 five feet in height. 

 Its foliage is large and glossy. 

 It fails to be a first-class 

 CATALPA BiGNONioiDEs. bloomer, but should not be 



