638 



PRACTICAL GUIDE TO GARDEN PLANTS 



SYEINGA 



F. suspensa {F. Forttmei ; F. Sie- 

 boldi). — A graceful Chinese and Japan- 

 ese shrub with long twiggy branches bear- 

 ing both simple and 3-foliolate toothed 

 leaves, the central leaflet of which is 

 about 6 times larger than the other 

 two. Flowers in February and March, 

 yeUow, drooping, arranged along the 

 stems for a considerable distance. 



Culture d'-c. as above. May be 

 grown as a bush or against a wall. 

 Plants in pots are easily forced for green- 

 house and conservatory decoration early 

 in the year before the natural blooming 

 period out of doors. 



F. viridissima is a Japanese shrub 

 about 10 ft. high, and is unsuitable for 

 climbing up walls. Its leaves are all 

 simple, entire, linear lance-shaped or 

 oblong acute. The yellow flowers appear 

 in March, in great profusion on very short 

 stalks. 



Culture dc. as above. To obtain the 

 best results this species should be grown 

 in spots where there is a free circulation 

 of air and plenty of sunshine. 



SYRINGA (Lilac; Pipe Tree).— A 

 genus of well-known ornamental smooth 

 or downy shrubs, with opposite, entire, 

 or rarely pinnately-out, deciduous leaves. 

 Flowers in three-forked panicles or 

 terminal clusters, the lower or outer ones 

 open first, but sometimes the inner ones. 

 Calyx bell-shaped, irregularly toothed. 

 Corolla tube cylindrical, rarely shortened, 

 with 4 lobes. Stamens 2, attached be- 

 neath the top of the tube. Ovary 2-celled. 

 Capsule leathery. 



Culture and Propagation. — From 

 Easter to Whitsuntide the Lilacs are the 

 finest and showiest flowering trees of the 

 British landscape, the deep glossy green 

 foliage often being almost hidden by the 

 immense nximber of trusses of bloom, the 

 individual blossoms of which are, com- 

 paratively speaking, very small. The 

 plants thrive in almost any soil, but 

 become luxuriant in deep rich loam. 

 Unfortunately they are often neglected 

 and allowed to becpme choked with 

 suckers which shoot up in great numbers 

 from the base. These should be re- 

 moved every year, as they simply way- 

 lay a good deal of the nourishment which 

 would be of more use to the main plant. 

 If fresh plants are required the rooted 

 suckers may be used, and planted out 

 by themselves in autumn in a spare piece 



of ground until they become established 

 and fit for transplanting to their per- 

 manent positions. Lilacs are often 

 grafted or budded on the common Privet 

 or common varieties, but after a few 

 years many of them show signs of decay, 

 and this practice is never to be recom- 

 mended except when plants cannot be 

 readily obtained otherwise. Cuttings of 

 the half-ripened shoots inserted in sandy 

 soil in summer under handlights or 

 cold frames will root, if kept shaded and 

 moist for a time. The ripened leafless 

 wood may also be cut into lengths of 8-9 

 in. and inserted in the autumn 3 or 4 in. 

 deep. In frosty weather they should be 

 protected by having the soil covered with 

 litter or short manure to prevent the 

 ground cracking. Many of the beautiful 

 varieties so much used for forcing early 

 in the year have been raised from seeds, 

 but are now grafted or budded on com- 

 moner stocks and extensively grown on 

 the Continent, whence they are imported 

 every year to this country. Many of 

 them have the flowers artificially 

 blanched by being grown in dark sheds 

 or cellars from which light is excluded. 

 The temperature is kept up to about 55° 

 or 60° F. by means of stable litter, leaves 

 &o., and the atmosphere is always kept 

 fairly moist. As green leaves cannot 

 form in the dark for reasons explained 

 at p. 22, the flower trusses alone are 

 produced, and used in a cut state with 

 foliage from other plants exposed to the 

 light, and gently forced in greenhouses. 



When grown in large bold masses or 

 beds in the outdoor garden, Lilacs make 

 effective pictures on the landscape. The 

 different varieties may be grouped to- 

 gether, or judiciously mixed, not only as 

 regards height but also colour. 



S. amurensis (Ligustrina amurensis). 

 A handsome Chinese and Japanese 

 shrub about 5 or 6 ft. high, with broadly 

 ovate pointed leaves, rounded or wedge- 

 shaped at the base, smooth above, midrib 

 and veins downy beneath. Flowers in 

 early summer, creamy white, in dense 

 rounded trusses. 



Culture (fc. as above. 



S. chinensis (S. ihihia ; S. rothomn- 

 gensis). — This is known as the Chinese 

 or Eouen Lilac, and is considered by 

 some to be a hybrid between S. persica 

 and S. vulgaris, having originated at 

 Eouen. It is a shrub 4-6 ft. high, with 



