22 THE BOOK OF SHRUBS 
high and produces a profusion of pure white flowers 
similar in form and size to the first-named. 
ForsyTHias.—A small group of remarkably elegant 
and free blooming shrubs of great value for enhancing 
the attractions of the flower garden early in the year. 
The forsythias are equally adapted for growing in bush 
form in beds and borders and for training to walls and 
trellises as they grow freely and bloom profusely in any 
position that may be assigned them provided they are 
sufficiently exposed to the direct rays of the sun to 
ensure the ripening of the wood. When they are grown 
against walls or trellises the leading branches should be 
trained fifteen or eighteen inches apart to allow plenty 
of space for the development of the lateral growths, 
and to maintain a continuous supply of young flowering 
wood cut the shoots back to two or three buds from the 
base. These must be allowed to grow unchecked, as 
in the following year they will be enwreathed in flowers 
throughout their whole length. In cultivating the 
forsythias in bush form they may be arranged in medium- 
sized beds on the lawn or in groups of three or more 
plants along the front of the shrubbery border. When 
so grown the common practice is to restrict the pruning 
to the removal of the weakly shoots where much crowded; 
but the best results are obtained by keeping them free 
from old wood and cutting the flowering shoots back 
to within a few buds of the base immediately the 
flowers have lost their beauty. Following this pruning 
strong shoots will be produced, and these if allowed to 
grow unchecked will rise to a height of several feet in 
the course of the season, will become well ripened, and 
in the months of February and March will be enwreathed 
in the elegant nodding flowers. Propagation may be 
effected by means of cuttings or short firm shoots under 
glass in summer and well ripened shoots in the open bor- 
der in autumn and by layering in the last-named season. 
