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PB ACTIO AL GUIDE TO GARDEN PLANTS bbrbeeis 



emarginate leaflets. It produces its small 

 violet or purplish sweet-scented flowers in 

 early summer, in drooping racemes. 



Culture a/nd, Propagation. — This orna- 

 mental plant is fairly hardy in sheltered 

 sunny spots near London, but is much 

 more at home in the south and west where 

 the climate is milder. It raay be trained 

 on walls, arbours &c., and thrives best in 

 a mixture of weU-drained sandy loam, 

 peat, and leaf soU. New plants may be 

 obtained by dividing the roots in spring, 

 or by cuttings of the half-ripened shoots 

 in sandy soil under glass. 



BERBERIDOPSIS.— A genus con- 

 taining only one species described below. 



B. corallina. — A handsome evergreen 

 climbing shrub, native of ChUi, with 

 alternate, simple, leathery, oblong, heart- 

 shaped leaves about 3 in. long, and furn- 

 ished with spiny teeth on the margins. 

 The scarlet or crimson-red flowers are 

 borne in axillary clusters on slender 

 drooping stalks during the summer, and 

 look very handsome and brilliant. Each 

 blossom consists of 9-15 sepals and petals 

 scarcely distinguishable from each other, 

 and 8-9 free stamens in the centre. 



Culture a/nd Propagation. — This is a 

 fine plant for training on a south wall and 

 is fairly hardy round London. It is, how- 

 ever, more suited for warmer localities. 

 It will grow in ordinary good and well- 

 drained garden soil, but prefers a rich 

 sandy loam. Seeds are produced in good 

 seasons and in favourable localities, and 

 may be sown as soon as ripe or in spring 

 under glass to obtain new plants. The 

 branches may also be layered in the 

 autumn ; and cuttings of the young shoots 

 may be inserted in sandy soil in spring. 



BERBERIS (including Mahonia).— 

 Baebbeey. — A genus of about 100 species 

 of erect or straggling yellow-wooded 

 shrubs, with simple or compound leaves, 

 often spiny or reduced to spines. Flowers 

 yellow or orange, racemose or rarely 

 solitary, or fascicled. Sepals 8-9, petal- 

 like. Petals 6, slightly smaller, rarely 

 larger than the sepals, often connivent, 

 imbricated in 2 rows, and often with 2 

 glands at the base. Stamens 6, free. 

 Carpel 1, with a peltate stigma. Fruit 

 a juicy indehiscent berry. 



Culture a/nd Propagation. — Most of 

 the Barberries are easily grown in any 

 garden soil, and in almost any situation. 



They, however, prefer a rich and well- 

 drained sandy loam, with the addition of 

 a little peat or leaf mould, in which their 

 roots love to ramble. Many kinds assume 

 brilliant tiQts in autumn and are very 

 effective at this season if they have been 

 planted in bold masses. 



The plants may be increased readily 

 by means of layers and suckers in late 

 summer or autumn. Cuttings of the 

 ripened shoots may also be rooted in 

 sandy soil under handhghts or cold frames 

 in autumn. The plants may be trans- 

 ferred to the open ground the following 

 spring in mild showery weather. 



Seeds may also be sown as soon as 

 ripe. They must be cleaned from the 

 juicy pulp, and sown thinly in sandy soU, 

 but it is likely they wiU not sprout till 

 the following spring. When large enough 

 to handle easily the seedhngs may be 

 given a little more room in the seed beds, 

 and by the autumn or following spring 

 wUl be fit for another transplanting. 



B. Aquifolium [Mahonia aqudfolia). 

 Holly-lea/ved Barberry. — A well-known 

 shrubbery plant, 3-6 ft. high, from N. 

 America, with HoUy-like oddly-pinnate 

 leaves which in a young state are various 

 shades of pale green, brown, and purple. 

 The yellow flowers appear in March and 

 April in nearly erect and much-crowded 

 racemes. Fruits deep purple with a 

 ' bloom,' useful for jam making. 



Cultu/re So. as above. This species is 

 probably grown in larger numbers than 

 all the others put together. Young plants 

 are extensively used in autumn and winter 

 for the decoration of window boxes and 

 small gardens. Larger plants are valu- 

 able for shrubberies, banks, or, in fact, in 

 any part of the garden where any other 

 plant wUl not thrive. It stands the drip 

 of overhanging trees well, and is equally 

 'i^PPy ™ the shade or open simshine. 

 It is a most good-tempered plant, and 

 will grow in the worst of soUs. The 

 foliage is largely used by florists, either 

 in its natural state or artificially tinted a 

 deep wine-red. 



B. aristata. — This Himalayan Bar- 

 berry is also known in some places as B. 

 macrophylla. It grows 3-6 ft. high, and 

 has more or less oboval, oblong or lance- 

 shaped leaves with four or five spiny 

 teeth, the lower spines being 3-parted. 

 The numerous yeUow flowers appear in 

 March and April in drooping clusters and 



