SPRING EFFECTS ON THE LA WN. 51 



with their delicate purple and white masses. The odor at 

 such times perfumes the air delightfully. Lilacs' leaves, 

 however, suffer from scale and are often unhealthy. The 

 narrow-leaved Chinese and Persian sorts have been usually, 

 in my experience, the healthiest. 



While speaking of 

 the double-flowering 

 fruit trees I failed to call 

 attention to the double- 

 flowering almond, which 

 is a very different plant 

 from the double-flower- 

 ing peach, though nearly 

 related. It is dwarf with 

 slender-growing stems 

 and erect habit, bearing 

 in early spring wreaths 

 and masses of small 

 white or pinkish flowers. 

 Although an old and 

 well-known shrub, the 

 double-flowering al- common purple lilac. 



\j.v>iJ.i^J.v^iJ.v^'i 5-, (SYRINGA VULGARIS.) 



mond is a gem in its Avay and has already attained great popu- 

 larity. Its flowers belong to the time of spring when the 

 Japan quince and Forsythia are in their full glory. Only by 

 severe pruning immediately after the bloom can the flower- 

 ing almond be constrained to bloom freely year after year. 

 In other words, it is a poor plant without pruning, and 

 this remark applies to the Forsythia and many other 

 shrubs. 



