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PBACTIGAL GUIDE TO GABDEN PLANTS qubbcus 



here that all the Hazels flourish in deep 

 rich loamy soil, well-tilled and manured, 

 and they enjoy a rather dry and open 

 sunny situation, although they also thrive 

 in partially shaded spots. They may he 

 increased by means of seeds sown when 

 ripe, and also by layering the branches in 

 autumn. As ornaments for the park or 

 garden they are of great value, and some 

 of them look well in beds and groups on 

 grass by themselves. In the autumn 

 they are remarkable for the beautiful 

 mellow colouring of the foliage. 



C. americcina (Americam, Hazel). — A 

 shrub 4^8 ft. high, native of the shady 

 woods from Canada southwards to Florida. 

 Leaves roundish, heart-shaped, taper- 

 ing. Flowers in April, males greyish, 

 females criJnson. Nuts brown, ripe in 

 October, enclosed in a roundish bell- 

 shaped toothed and serrate involucre. 



Culture lie. as above. 



C. Avellana {Cofnmon Hazel or Fil- 

 bert). — A well-known British tree 20 ft. or 

 more high, with roundish heart-shaped 

 doubly serrate abruptly pointed leaves 2-4 

 in. long, unequal at the base, and shortly 

 stalked. Flowers in April, males greyish, 

 females crimson. Nut brown, ripe in 

 October ; involucre bell-shaped rather 

 spreading, torn at the edges. The variety 

 purpurea, known as the ' Purple Hazel,' 

 is a beautiful shrub with large rich 

 lustrous purple leaves resembling those 

 of the Purple Beech. By cutting it back 

 every year when dormant, strong shoots 

 and large leaves are produced. Other 

 varieties are aurea, with yellowish 

 leaves ; contorta, with curiously distorted 

 branches ; heterophylla (also known as 

 urticcefoUa and laoimata), a handsome 

 form, the leaves of which are cut into 

 pointed lobes with sharply and irregu- 

 larly toothed margins ; and pendula, a 

 weeping variety which looks graceful 

 drooping from the top of a standard stem. 



Culture do. as above. 



C. Colurna {Conatamtvnople Hazel). — 

 A large ornamental tree from Turkey and 

 Asia Minor where it grows 60 ft. high. 

 It has whitish flaky bark and roundish 

 heart-shaped leaves, with lance-shaped 

 taper-pointed stipules, and masses of floral 

 catkins as in the Common Hazel, but 

 larger and longer, and giving quite a dis- 

 tinct appearance to the tree. 



Culture Sc. as above. This species 

 is best increased by means of layers made 

 in autumn. There is a very fine speci- 

 men in the Botanic Gardens at Oxford. 



C. heterophylla. — A distinct shrub or 

 small tree from E. Asia with broadly 

 obovate irregularly toothed 5-7-lobed 

 leaves, unequal or heart-shaped at the 

 base. This species is not yet very well 

 known, and should not be confused with 

 the variety of the Common Hazel bearing 

 the same name. 



Culture da. as above. 



C. maxima. — A native of S. Europe, 

 closely resembling the Common Hazel in 

 appearance and foliage, but of somewhat 

 taller growth. There are many varieties 

 or forms of it, one of which (ftoree- 

 lonensia) yields the well-known Barcelona 

 Nut of commerce. For decorative gar- 

 den purposes, however, the most attract- 

 ive variety is that known as atropur- 

 pwrea, which is remarkable for its 

 beautiful bright purple leaves. 



Culture dc. as above. 



C. rostrata. — A bushy shrub 4-5 ft. 

 high, found from Canada to Carolina, 

 and closely resembling the British Hazel. 

 Leaves ovate oblong taper-pointed, with 

 linear lance-shaped stipules. Flowers and 

 nuts like those of the British Hazel. 

 Involucre bell- shaped or tubular, with two 

 inoised-toothed divisions. 



Culture dc. as above. 



QUERCUS (Oak).— A genus of de- 

 ciduous and evergreen trees, rarely shrubs, 

 with alternate entire toothed or lobed 

 membranous or leathery feather-veined 

 leaves. Flowers monoecious. Male ones 

 in loose slender catkins, with a beU-shaped 

 4-7-, often 6-, lobed perianth. Stamens 

 numerous, often fewer than 6, sometimes 

 10-12, with slender protruding filaments. 

 Female flower solitary, with a 3-8-lobed 

 perianth, and enclosed in imbricating 

 bracts and scales. Fruit a nut or glans 

 seated in a cup formed by the hardened 

 bracts and scales. 



There are about 300 species of Oak 

 altogether, distributed chiefly over the 

 north temperate regions, while a few are 

 found on the mountains of some tropical 

 countries. The Oak is essentially a forest 

 tree, and from a gardening and picturesque 

 point of view is suitable only for parks 

 and very large gardens. Many of the 



