FLOWERING TREES AND SHRUBS 17 



catkins, very effective in late February and early March 

 woodland and wayside landscape. 



Early Flowers, other than Yellow, 



produced before the leaves appear, are Daphne Mezereuniy 

 Prunus Davidiana, and Cydonia japonic a ^ all good, but 

 decidedly headed by the very fragrant and gaily 

 flowered 



Daphne Mezereum 



or mezereon, always a small shrub, but when well 

 grown, a much branched one. The leafless branches of 

 the normal type are covered with many flowers of a 

 rather dull purple-pink colour. There are, however, 

 two, if not more, red coloured spring varieties, the 

 lightest coloured being the best, as it is brighter. Better 

 than either, perhaps, is the white flowering form, quite 

 as free as the preceding. The above varieties usually 

 flower from February onwards, but the deep hued variety 

 autumnalis or grandiJJora blooms from late autumn into 

 January and should be far oftener planted. Autumn, 

 as their leaves fade, is the best time to plant these fragrant 

 shrubs. The mezereon is usually so freely cut that 

 pruning is unnecessary. Small plants are sometimes 

 very gaunt, but improve with age, although in some 

 gardens this shrub does not appear to be long lived. 

 Seedlings can be plentifully and quickly raised if the seed 

 is sown directly when gathered, and serve as stock for 

 summer grafting the white, pink, and autumn flowering 

 forms upon. The berries of the mezereon, when 

 plentiful, are a midsummer attraction by themselves. 

 The red forms have red berries- — the white, yellow. 



The Scarlet-Flowered Japanese Quince 



Pyrus (Cydonia^ japonic a produces its fine scarlet flowers 

 almost every month, the earlier ones not excepted. 



