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PBACTICAL GUIDE TO GARDEN PLANTS 



HALBSIA 



ripened young shoots inserted in sandy- 

 soil under handlights in autumn ; or by 

 means of seeds which should be sown in 

 cold frames as soon as ripe, if they can be 

 obtained. Plants obtained from seeds 

 ripened in the open air in our climate are 

 more likely to stand the winter than those 

 raised from imported seeds or from cut- 

 tings. ' 



S. cratsgoides. — This species is found 

 from the Himalayas to Japan and in a 

 wild state attains a height of 40 ft. It is 

 only a' dwarf shrub, however, in our 

 climate with more or less elliptic lance- 

 shaped leaves about 2^ in. long, and 

 closely serrated on the margin near the 

 apex. The small white Hawthorn-like 

 flowers appear in April or May and are 

 borne in panicles 3-6 in. long. 



Culture dc. as above. This species 

 ripens seeds fairly freely. 



S. japonica {S. l/ucida). — A pretty 

 Japanese tree or shrub, growing about 

 6-10 ft. high, with smooth oblanceolate 

 leaves about 2 in. long, and serrated on 

 the edges. The pale yellow almost stalk- 

 less flowers appear in June, in short 

 racemes in the axils of the leaves. 



Culture lie. as above. 



S. tinctoria (Horse Sugar; Sweet 

 Leaf). — This shrub is a native of the 

 Southern United States, and grows in our 

 climate 3-6 ft. high. It has oblong lance- 

 shaped thickish and somewhat downy 

 leaves, 3-5 in. long, obscurely toothed on 

 the margins. The sweet-scented yellow 

 flowers, 6-14 in a cluster, appear in 

 April. 



Culture dc. as above. The leaves of 

 this species when dry assume a yellow 

 colour and are used for dyeing. In a 

 green state they are sweetly flavoured and 

 much eaten by cattle. 



HALESIA (Silver Bell or Snow- 

 drop Tree). — A genus of deciduous 

 shrubs or small trees, with alternate 

 membranous entire or finely toothed 

 leaves. Flowers white, showy, drooping 

 on slender stalks, in clusters or short 

 racemes from the axils of the fallen 

 leaves of the preceding year, sometimes 

 from the ends of branches of the current 

 year. Calyx tube adnate to the ovary, 

 4-5- or 10-ribbed, 5- lobed or toothed. 

 Petals or corolla lobes 4 or 5, very slightly 

 lanited at the base or ahnost free, erect, 

 spreading. Stamens 8, 10, or 12, almost 



free from the petals, or united in a ring 

 at the base of the coroUa. Ovary mostly 

 inferior, 3-5-celled. Drupe rather dry, 

 long-beaked, crowned with the calyx- 

 teeth, 4-5-winged, containing by abortion 

 1-3 seeds. 



Culture and Propagation. — Halesias 

 flourish in deep sandy moist soU, and 

 form ornamental objects on the lawn or 

 in the shrubbery. They may be raised 

 from seeds sown in gentle heat in spring ; 

 by layers made diuing the autiimn ; or by 

 cuttings of the roots inserted in sandy 

 soil with bottom heat in early spring. 



Although not yet very well known in 

 private gardens the Halesias or Snowdrop 

 trees deserve to be grown in all large gar- 

 dens where spring-flowering trees and 

 shrubs are admired. During the winter 

 months the soil may be given a top dress- 

 ing of well-decayed manure. 



H. corymbosa {Pterostyrax corym- 

 hosiim). — A Japanese tree 10-12 ft. high, 

 with hairy, ovate, abruptly pointed, 

 sharply serrate leaves. Flowers in June, 

 white, tinted with red or yellow, in 

 corymbose panicles. 



Culture dc. as above. 



H. diptera [H. reticulata). — A North 

 American tree about 10 ft. high, with 

 large ovate acute serrate leaves. Flowers 

 in May and June, white, rather larger 

 than those of H. tetraptera, and with 

 longer and more acute petals. Fruits 

 with 2 large opposite wings, hence the 

 specific name. 



Culture dc. as above. 



H. hispida {Pterostyrax liispidum). 

 A pretty Japanese tree or shrub, with 

 large heart-shaped leaves on stout stalks. 

 Flowers in early summer, white, freely 

 produced in corymbose racemes, suc- 

 ceeded by fruits densely covered with 

 stiff hairs. 



Culture dc. as above. 



H. parviflora. — A shrub about 10 ft. 

 high, native of Georgia and Florida. 

 Leaves downy, ovate-oblong, acute, 

 almost entire, glaucous beneath. Flowers 

 in May, white, drooping, In panioled 

 racemes. Fruit club-shaped, slightly 

 4-winged. 



Culture dc. as above. Requires some- 

 what sheltered situations. 



H. tetraptera {Snowdrop Tree). — A 

 beautiful N. American tree, 15-20 ft. 

 high or more, with ovate lance-shaped. 



