CHIEF BERRIED TREES AND SHRUBS 9 



Among Berried Dwarf Shrubs 



Skimniajaponica is the best, and retains its small pea-like 

 red berries well. The flowers are very sweetly scented. 

 Skimniajaponica is very suitable for rock gardens. Ruscus 

 aculeatus, the butcher's broom, is one of the few shrubs 

 useful for dry places in the shade of trees. If you only 

 have the male plant you will not know of the attractive 

 red berries which are absent. In Britain, however, it 

 seldom comes up to its Italian, etc., beauty, and the 

 same may be said of various ephedras, seldom well 

 berried here, but which are well worth trying, especially 

 on walls. 



The Strawberry Trees 



are hardy enough in most places, but their fruit is only 

 perfected in warm spots. Arbutus Unedo is the famed 

 tree of Killarney, and has fruit an inch or so across, 

 that Gerard describes as *' of a gallant red colour, 

 in taste somewhat harsh and in a manner without 

 any relish, of which thrushes and blackbirds do feed 

 in winter." 



Cornus capitata or Benthamia fragifera loses its foliage 

 early in the year. The fruits are very showy, but it is 

 hopeless to expect them save in favourable localities. 

 This and arbutus prefer sandy peat, and must be very 

 carefully transplanted, with roots intact and soil adhering, 

 else they die. 



Of the Yew 



too well known to need much mention, and thriving 

 almost anywhere, there is a fine yellow fruited form — 

 Taxus b ace at a fructo-luteo . 



