160 THE PARKS AND GARDENS OP PARIS. [Chap. X. 



The numerous free-growing trees of the Eose order, from the 

 Chinese Pear and the Almonds that illuminate our groves with 

 masses of light rosy flowers in earliest spring, to the dwarf 

 double Prunus, all grow healthfully in our parks; and though 

 unfit for street-planting as streets are at present, are worthy of the 

 highest attention both for small gardens in towns, and for squares, 

 public gardens, and parks. 



Tha group near the museum in the Botanic Gardens in the 

 Eegent's Park proves that the Hawthorn family will succeed 

 perfectly on the worst kind of soil — the deep bed of clay on the 

 north side of the city. The Hawthorn family furnish a greater 

 number of hardy ornamental dwarf trees than any other known to 

 us. They are not only pretty and fragrant in flower, but the 

 aspect of the fruit in autumn — borne in showers of bright red, 

 yellow, black, and scarlet — is of itself a recommendation which 

 should entitle them to general cultivation, even if the bloom and 

 fragrance were of that obscure type which never attracts the 

 attention of any one but a botanist. 



Of tribes that may be associated with the Hawthorns there are 

 the Cotoneasters — the freely flowering and fruiting deciduous 

 species ; the Almonds and Peaches, double and single ; the various 

 double Cherries and Plums ; Amelanchiers (Snowy Mespilus) ; the 

 Bird Cherry and the Weeping Cherry; the Judas-tree; the 

 Quinces and Medlars (particularly Mespilus Smithii) ; the varieties 

 of the Scotch and common Laburnums ; the Daphnes, the Deutzias, 

 the various kinds of Lilac, and numerous other rather dwarf 

 shrubs for the embellishment of the margins of groups, etc. ; the 

 various kinds of Pyrus from the great P. vestita to the handsome 

 Chinese Pear and Japan Quince. 



The common Stag's-horn Sumach succeeds so well in the small 

 town-garden that it deserves a word of praise. It does not grow 

 so gross as to require clipping, and retains its verdure without 

 taint long after the Lime ; but it is apt to produce suckers too 

 abundantly. Amongst deciduous flowering shrubs, the Althea 

 would seem to be the best. With attention it should form 

 a telling object in all parts where the bottom is dry. By 

 " attention," is' meant planting it so as to develop it into a speci- 

 men, and not thrusting it promiscuously amongst rough and 

 mixed shrubs, which may obscure it from the sun or tend to rob it 

 of nutriment at the root. 



