362 



THE BEST HEDGE PLANTa 



I. THE BUCKTHORN. 



Rhamrms eatharticus. — L. 



Fig. 1. ' The Buckthorn. 



The buckthorn is 

 a deciduous shrub 

 growing from ten to 

 fifteen feet high, 

 bushy, or with nu- 

 merous branches.' 

 The bark is grayish 

 brown; the leaves 

 are about an inch 

 or an inch and a half 

 long, dark green, 

 smooth, ovate, arid 

 notched, or serrbted 

 on the edges, and 

 are iplaced nearly 

 opposite each other 

 on the branches. 

 There are no. inde- 

 pendent thorns, pro- 

 |)erly speaking, but 

 the end of each 

 year's shoots termi- 

 nates in a sharp 

 point or thorn. (See 

 fig. 1.) The blos- 

 soms are small and 

 yellowish green. 

 They are succeeded 

 by numerous rouial, 

 black berries, whiuli 

 ripen- in autumn, 

 and hang, till frost, 



