DIRCA 



297 



by preserving the dried flower-buds. This spiny shrub (3 feet) is sometimes 

 cultivated in greenhouses North. Leaves deciduous, roundish, entire. 

 The white wavy-petaled flowers (2 inches broad) with numerous stamens 

 are borne singly in the axils of the alternate leaves. 



[Seeds ; twig cuttings.] 



Benzbin. Spice Bush or Benjamin Bush (518) — Benzoin aestivale (B. 

 Benzoin B. odoriferum) , — is a very aromatic smooth shrub, to 15 feet, 



FiQ. 524. — Olive-like Daphne. 



Fig. 525. — Hybrid Daphne. 



with alternate simple entire deciduous leaves and oblong red 1-seeded fruit 

 a half inch long. The oval leaves are 3 to 8 inches long. The small yellow 

 flowers expand in very early spring. This is practically the only species 

 of the genus in cultivation, and it is not often found in shrubberies. The 

 bark Is peculiarly spicy. [Fresh seeds ; layers ; twig cuttings.] 



Dirca paliistris. Leatherwood, Moosewood, or Wicopt (519) is a 

 small tree-like shrub, 2 to 6 feet high, with yeUovrish green twigs, 

 tough bark, and alternate simple oval entire deciduous leaves. The fruit 

 is an oblong red drupe } inch long. The flowers are small in umbel-like 

 clusters in early spring, April, May. It is rare in cultivation, but grows 

 wild in shady places from Canada south. [Seeds ; layers.] 



