THE STRAWBERRY TREE, 



373 



them find extra nourishment and as a result 

 give better timber. Thereisnoharm in straight 

 lines for these rides when the ground is level : 

 in diversified ground they should follow the 

 lines of easiest grade, which are often alsu the 

 most beautiful lines. The rides should be laid 

 out for the ground and on the ground without 

 any reference to plans or paper, or any adhe- 

 rence to a formula such as we see in many 

 French woods, and which is against all beauty 

 of effect. 



THE STRAWBERRY TREE 



[Arbutus). 

 After the Holly and the Firethorn 

 {Crataegus pyracanthd) there is per- 

 haps nothing more beautiful in southern 

 gardens at this bleak season than the 

 Strawberry Tree. This was strikingly 

 brought home a few days ago in com- 

 ing face to face with two fine shrubs in a 

 tiny suburban garden. One was loaded 

 with ruddy fruit, the other crowned at 

 every tip with clusters of flower, making 

 a cheerful display in striking contrast to 

 the dingy Privets and Laurels on either 

 hand. The one fault of the Arbutus is 

 that it will not thrive everywhere, and 

 for this reason it is never given a trial 

 in many places now filled by worthless 

 shrubs, which it might brighten at mid- 

 winter with its flowers and fruit. Given 

 an open spot in light porous soil, this 

 fine shrub will do well in most gardens 

 of the south and west, not even disdain- 

 ing chalk, though in sandy soil upon 

 rock or gravel the finest growth is made. 

 In severe winters the plant is not safe 

 from frost when far inland, but even if 

 cut down, the stems spring again as 

 cheerfully as ever with the coming of 

 warm days, and though growth in its 

 early stages is somewhat slow, when well 

 established its fruit and flowers may be 



freely cut for winter decoration, or the 

 plants trimmed when too large without 

 fear of harm. The cheerful dark green 

 leaves are handsome at all seasons and 

 free from the insects that worry other 

 shrubs. The clusters of Heath -like 

 flowers, pale green or white, shaded 

 with pink or even scarlet, hang for many 

 weeks during midwinter and last long 

 when cut, and the clusters of bright 

 yellow or crimson fruit are without rival 

 among winter berries. The rich red 

 colour of the stems of some kinds is 

 also fine in effect as the plants develop; 

 even around London this is sometimes 

 well seen. Unless pruned to a stem the 

 Arbutus is apt to assume bush form, 

 but few shrubs are more easily trained. 

 Though fine trees 20 to 30 feet high 

 are seen in many parts, particularly 

 around Bath and in South Wales, the 

 Strawberry Tree is nowhere found wild 

 in these islands save around Killarney, 

 where it is plentiful even to the hilltops. 

 This fact has given rise to some discus- 

 sion, but is not so strange in view of the 

 fact that (according to geologists) the 

 south of Ireland was at one time joined 

 to the mainland, and that other plants, 

 common to Spain and Western Europe 

 are also found there. Though it creeps 

 far up the Atlantic coast of France it is 

 in the region of the Mediterranean that 

 the Arbutus attains full beauty as a low, 

 round-headed tree, common upon every 

 sunny hillsideof sandy soil, and resplen- 

 dent in late autumn when full of flowers 

 and fruit. The blossoms of many of 

 these wild trees are more or less tinged 

 with red,and the berries, larger and more 

 fleshy than those borne further north, 



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