SPRING EFFECTS ON THE LA WN. 41 



beautiful things that do not fiaunt their charms before the 

 eye of the passei'-b_y, it has been simply overlooked. Ex- 

 quisite as all its tints are, they are yet (^uiet, Quaker-like, 

 and almost neutral in effect. The slender stems or branches 

 are a delicate drab, and the flowers have that tender violet 

 or mauve tint so difficult to desci-ibe and yet so charming 

 to dwell on minutely. These flowers 

 are numerous and appear early. 

 When we light, therefore, unex- 

 pectedly on a cluster of rhodoras in 

 some retired nook, they impress us 

 as one of the most exquisite indica- 

 tions of settled spring. 



Only less dainty than the rhodora 

 is the Daphne Mezereum, bearing 

 many early small flowers on brown 

 erect stems. The color of these 

 flowers is also neutral, a violet 

 purple, very different and less ex- 

 quisite than the rhodora. Very 

 different, too, are the leaves. In- 

 deed, the entire plant is less choice 

 in every way, but, bearing flowers very early, before the 

 leaves appear, it forms on the outskirts of deciduous 

 groups, or better still, standing alone, a noteworthy feature 

 on the lawn. 



Smaller and more exquisite is the Japan Daphne Genhwa, 

 another, but more dwarf, slender-growing shrub, with nu- 

 merous long downy twigs, which in early spring, before the 

 leaves appear, are thickly garnished with violet-colored 



DOUBLE-FLOWERINQ APPLE. 



(PYRUS SPECTABILIS.) 



