320 



THE GARDENER'S ASSISTANT. 



R. villosus. — Several varieties of this are cultivated for 

 their fruits in North America, but in this country they 

 have not proved a success except when grown for their 

 flowers. These are large, pure- white, and very abundant. 

 The habit is erect. North America, 1777. 



Ruscus. — A peculiar genus of shrubs with leaf-like 

 branches, white or greenish flowers, and red berries. 



R. aculeatus, Butcher's Broom. — Grows well under trees 

 and in town gardens, as the stems are renewed every 

 second year. Flowers solitary on the upper surface of 

 the dilated branches. The two sexes are borne on 



separate plants, hence the rarity of the berries in some 

 plantations. British. 



R. hypoglossum. — A dwarf plant 12 to 18 inches hi^h; 

 the leaf -like branches are oblong, 3 to 5 inches long, and 

 pointed. Mediterranean region, 1640. 



R. racemosus, Alexandrian Laurel. This is a hand- 

 some shrub 3 or 4 feet high, with glossy dark-green 

 leaves (branches), and terminal racemes of small flowers. 

 Portugal, 1739. 



Salix. — The Willows are valuable for planting in wet 

 places, are very tenacious of life, and will grow in soil of 



Fig 884.— Ski 



almost any description, and under conditions that few 

 other trees would endure. They include some of the 

 most graceful of weeping trees. Where not stated other- 

 wise, they are indigenous. 



S. cUba.—A large tree 60 to 80 feet high. Cricket-bats 

 are made from the wood. 



S. babylonica. — This is the old Weeping Willow, believed 

 to have come originally from China. 



S. Caprea, Goat or Sallow Willow. — A small tree with 

 broad, rough foliage. It grows in a saline atmosphere 

 better than most other plants. The variety pendula is 

 the Kilmarnock Weeping Willow. 



S. fragUis, Crack Willow.— A tall tree 60 to 90 feet 

 high, with narrow, glossy leaves. 



S. incana (S. rosmarinifolia). — A very handsome small 

 tree, with long, narrow leaves. 



S. pentandra, Bay Willow. — About 20 feet high, with 

 broad, smooth, shining leaves. Flowers later than any 

 other British species. 



S. purpurea. Purple Osier. — A small tree or shrub, with 

 reddish or purple bark. The "American " Weeping Willow 

 of nurseries is a form of this. 



S. vitellina, Golden Osier. — A yellow-barked variety of 

 «S. alba. Valuable for producing colour effects in winter. 

 It should be pruned back hard every spring so as to in- 

 duce a free growth of long shoots. There is also a red- 

 barked variety. 



Sambucus nigra, Elder. — This succeeds well on a 

 chalky soil, and withstands the smoky atmosphere of 



towns. The variety laciniata has deeply-cut leaves, and 

 aurea is a fine golden-leaved variety. 



aS'. racemosa. — This is most deserving of a place in a 

 shrubbery, its foliage being much less coarse than the 

 common variety and its fruits of a bright-scarlet. Southern 

 Europe, 1596. 



Santolina Chamcecyparissus, Cotton Lavender. — A 

 dwarf compact shrub 2 to 3 feet high, with small dense 

 linear leaves clothed with a close hoary pubescence, and 

 furnished with four to six rows of short teeth projecting 

 in all directions. The yellow flower-heads are borne on 

 stalks from 6 to 12 inches long in June or July. Succeeds 

 in a poor dry soil. S. squarrosa, incana, &c, are varieties. 

 Southern Europe, 1573. 



Schizandra chinensis {Maximoiviczia chinensis). — A 

 handsome climbing shrub attaining a height of 20 feet. 

 Leaves simple, furnished with pellucid dots ; flowers 

 bright rosy-carmine succeeded by scarlet berries which 

 are persistent during a greater part of the winter. 

 Northern China, 1860. 



Shepherdia argentea, Buffalo-Berry. — A shrub or small 

 tree, with narrow silvery leaves, yellowish-white flowers, 

 and scarlet fruits. Allied to Elseagnus. North America, 

 1818. 



Skimmia. — Dwarf shrubs with alternate glabrous leaves, 

 having numerous transparent dots and terminal panicles 

 of fragrant white flowers succeeded by red berries. There 

 are three species in cultivation, and numerous seedling 

 forms and hybrids have been raised. 



