6 THE BOOK OF THE WINTER GARDEN 



should be thinned out in March (if needful), leaving a 

 layer of shoots, which should be tied or nailed in just 

 thick enough to hide the wall. Many years elapsing 

 before a small plant covers a house front, or other large 

 space, other plants quicker in growth, such as Virginian 

 creeper or ivies, may be placed between and run up to 

 cover the upper space, always taking care to secure 

 headway for the advancing thorn. The red berries, 

 borne in clusters, are very bright, and being firm, are 

 long lasting, *^ always providing," as an old writer 

 sagely remarked, '^ that they be not eaten up by birds." 

 The variety Lelandi fruits when quite small, and is 

 recommended for its orange berries, while those of the 

 variety crenulata are yellow. 



Deciduous Thorns 



with less permanent fruits are : the cockspur (Crataegus 

 Cms Gallt)y scarlet, C. coccinea, and C tanacetifoliay with 

 large yellow edible haws, approaching in appearance the 

 crabs, of which there are also several. They, however, 

 seldom last far into the winter. These deciduous thorns 

 are small trees for the open. 



COTONASTERS 



are very serviceable. C. thymifolia^ C. congesta, and 

 C. microphylla, with small leaves and pea-like scarlet 

 berries, plentifully produced on the rigid branches, are 

 capital evergreens for clothing low walls and rockwork. 

 The strangely spreading C. horizontalis is not evergreen, 

 and the berries are soon demolished by birds, as are also 

 those of the taller tree species, such as C. frigida and 

 C. Simonsii. C. pannosa is as yet little known in this 

 country. I have seen it abundantly berried in France. 

 C. rotundifolia, growing only 3 or 4 feet high, with 



