Trees, Shrubs and Vines 



pleasing feature ; but in hedge-form, when the new 

 shoots are closely cropped, there is little opportunity for 

 blossoming. The commonest is the English privet or 

 prim, in two or three varieties, with berries black or 

 yellow, and leaves box-like or variegated. The so- 

 called California privet is a case of false credit, as it 

 really originates in Japan. This is quite a feature in the 

 Park, especially on the south declivity of Bolivar hill, 

 on the extreme west side, where it forms a miniature 

 grove, most noticeable in fall, when its remarkable 

 foliage retains all of its spring freshness. 



Not to be confounded with viburnum is laburnum, the 

 latter a leguminose genus, whereas viburnum is in the 

 honeysuckle family. Laburnum has no American rep- 

 resentative, but two or three beautiful foreign species 

 are in the Park, with pinnate leaves and yellow flowers 

 in long pendent racemes, whence the name of golden- 

 chain. They are upright, arborescent shrubs, of fem- 

 inine figure, and an effective growth amid sturdier 

 forms. 



Another leguminose genus is Colutea, with bright- 

 green compound leaves, and making a brave show of 

 yellow blossoms that are followed by almost translucent 

 bladdery pods, so hardy as to grow at the very summit 

 of Mt. Vesuvius. The commonest species is called 

 bladder -senna. 



The thorns — Cratcsgus — are often classed as shrubs, 

 assuming indifferently the forms of shrub and tree ; but 

 having already been considered as trees, they may here 

 be passed over. 



No lawn should be without a Kerria japonica, also 

 i68 



