Trees, Shrubs and Vines 



it ought to become widely popular, especially as its 

 bloom is among the earliest. 



One would not naturally think of selecting the swamp 

 blueberry, Vaccinium corymbosum, for ornament ; and 

 he will usually be surprised at the attractive appearance 

 it can be made to present, when properly trained, in its 

 abundant array of greenish-white heath-like blossoms, in 

 early spring. The time of year is half the secret of it. 

 Although rather coarse-natured as a whole, the hungry 

 eye is almost as delighted at seeing it as if it were some 

 rare exotic. It is too shrewd to display its limited 

 charms in June. It is quite a large and conspicuous 

 object in the "Ramble," and several of its fellow- vac- 

 cinia are distributed in the Park. 



One of the choicest evergreen shrubs is the English 

 holly ; and a handsomer effect in vegetation is rarely 

 seen, when its dark, thick, glossy foliage is illuminated 

 with an abundance of bright red berries ; in leaf and 

 fruit it is distinctly finer than our native species. A 

 bewildering number of varieties, many of them with 

 curious effects of mottled foliage, is catalogued, but it 

 is unnecessary here to describe their shght differences. 

 The Japanese species. Ilex latifolius, is considered by one 

 Japanese traveller to be the finest evergreen of its sort in 

 that country, its leaves not less than six inches long, 

 more glossy, if possible, than in the English holly, and 

 the berries more brilliant ; unfortunately it is not hardy 

 enough for the Northern States. I. crenata, said to be 

 the most popular holly in Japan, has leaves only about 

 one inch long, finely serrate, and black fruit. Our 

 own holly, I. opaca, ignobly brings up the rear, 

 i66 



