ROSE FAMILY 



Flou'ers. — Alay, June; when leaves are full groun. Perfect, white, 

 two-thirds of an inch across. Borne in many-Howered thin branched 

 racemose coryniljs, the lower branches iVom the axils of lea\es. 

 Pedicels slender, one- half to one inch in length. Bracts and bract- 

 lets acute, half an inch long. 



Calyx. — Urn-shaped, narrow, fi\e-lobei.i ; lobes linear-lanceolate, 

 serrate, finally refic.xed, persistent, imbricate in bud. 



Corolla. — Pctjls five, round, white, mserted on the caly.x tube, 

 imbricate in bud. 



Sfit'jio/is, — Ten, inserted with the petals ; filaments short ; anthers 

 introrse, two-celled ; culls opening longitudinally. 



Pistil, — Ovary of two or three carpels inserted in the bottom of 

 calyx tube and united with it ; styles two ; stigmas capitate ; o\ules 

 two. 



Fruit. — Drupe-like pome with bon\- stones, globular or pyriforni, 

 one-third to one-half an inch long, crowned with the calyx lobes, 

 dull red ; flesh thin, dry ; nutlets one-fourtli of an inch long, rounded 

 at both ends, two to three-grooved on back. September; remains 

 on the tree until spring. 



"When it was made certain that the Hawthorn, C. oxwioantha, 

 which makes up the great body of the hedges of England, 

 really would not llouiash in this cotnitry, the attention of 

 farmers and gardeners was turnetl toward our native thorns 

 to see if any of them were available as hedge plants. The 

 Cocksptir Thorn is the only one tliat has at all proved ilseif 

 equal to the requirements, yet since the introduction of the 

 Osage Orange it has fallen into disuse. Puit cultivated as an 

 ornamental tree it is particnlaidy attracti\-e. It flowers 

 late, after its large and shining leaves are fully developed, 

 grouping in this res|-)ect with the Morse-chestnut, the Lo- 

 cust, and the Catalpa. Then its fruit hangs red upon the 

 tree all winter long : in autumn the leaves turn a Ijright 

 orange and scarlet, and when the tree stands leafless the 

 spread of its liranches is verv beautiful. 



The leaves of the Cockspur Thorn are likely to vary con- 

 siderably on different individuals and not infrequently on the 

 same individual. .Six varieties are reported to be in cul- 

 tivation, each distinguished bv its leaf. 



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