EVERGREEN TREES AND SHRUBS?. 



42<5 



graceful. The happiest use I have seen made of this 

 Cotoneaster is where it has heen planted so as to grow 

 over an iron fence. This it now completely hides, and its 

 long snake-like branches, standing prominently out hum 

 the main bodv of the plant on both sides, give as light and 

 elegant an effect as it is possible for an evergreen to 

 produce. 1 ' 



Crataegus Pyracantha. -This, which is known as the 



Fire Thorn, is generally treated as a \\ ;i 1 1 plant, in which 

 position its bright orange scarlet berries form a cheerful 

 winter feature. It also does well as a hush in the open 

 ground, and may be grown from seed treated in the same 

 way as recommended for the Cotoneasters, or fron> cuttings 

 about lft. long 

 and inserted 

 firmly for two- 

 thirds (jt their 

 length in a 

 sheltered spot 

 in the o p e n 

 ground. 

 Ltelandi is a 

 h a n d s o m e 

 variety. 



Dabcecia poli- 

 f o 1 i a . — A 



lovely upright- 

 growing shrub 



that reaches a 



height of I ft. 



to 2ft. The 



flower spikes 



are erect, and 



the droopin g 



bell - shaped 



blossoms, 



which are larger 



than those of 



any other hardy 



Heath, are in 



the common 



kind purple, 



but there is a 



form (alba) with 



white, and one 



(bicolor) will) 



both purple 



a n d w h i t e 



flowers mingled 



on the same 



plant. Th i > 



little shrub will 



flower con- 

 tinuously from 



May to Octo- 

 ber. It is 



readily in- 

 creased by 



seeds, which 



should be sown 



in spring in 



peaty soil, and 



placed in an 



ordinary garden 



frame. In every good garden the Daboecia should be 



shown in bold groups or breadths. 

 Daphne. — A pretty class of low-growing free-flowering 



shrubs, the flowers of which are deliciously scented. 



The Daphnes are increased by layering the lowermost 



branches, which may be carried out in the spring, but it 



will be two years before they are sufficiently rooted to be 



taken off. A selection of the best is as follows : 

 D. Blagayana. — A spreading bush, with ivory white 



blossoms in spring, very suitable for the rock garden, and 



succeeding in well-drained soil. It is hardy and straggling 



in growth. 



D. Cneorum (Garland Flower). — This is not more than 

 I ft. high, but of trailing habit, with small deep green 



ULhAklA M.^LUOhVMA 



leaves and dense clusters of pink highly- fragrant blossoms. 

 It is a little shrub that needs a peaty soil, and a cool 

 moist situation. 



D. COllina. — An upright shrub not more than 2ft. high, 

 and bearing its clusters of pink blossoms throughout the 

 winter months. 



D. Laureola (Spurge Laurel). — An evergreen bush, with 

 very deep green leaves and sweet-scented greenish yellow 

 flowers that open in February. Though the blossoms are 

 less showy than those ol other kinds, it is valuable as a 

 subject that will grow well under the shade of trees. 



D. pontiea. — This is similar to the preceding, but not so 

 vigorous, while the flowers, which are of a richer yellow, 



are later in 

 expanding. 



Elaeagnus. — 



The Elaeag- 

 nuses are a 

 highly orna- 

 mental, quick- 

 growing group, 

 the evergreen 

 species of which 

 are natives of 

 Japan. Cut- 

 tings about 6in. 

 long taken in 

 August, put 

 into pots of 

 sandy soil and 

 kept close in 

 an ordinary 

 garden frame, 

 will root with- 

 out difficulty. 

 The y o u n g 

 leaves of all of 

 them are 

 r e m a r k able 

 from the fact 

 that they are 

 clothed with 

 small scurf-like 

 scales, which 

 lessen in num- 

 ber as the shrub 

 develops. 



E . macro- 



phylla is fur- 

 nished with 

 ovate leaves 

 abi mt din. long, 

 deep green 

 above a n d 

 intense silvery 

 beneath. When 

 stirred by the 

 wind the con- 

 trast between 

 the two sides 

 of the leaf is 

 very marked. 

 This will form 

 a large speci- 

 men 6ft. to Sft. high. This shruh should be more 

 frequently planted in gardens, as it is of distinct appear- 

 ance and in every way desirable. 



E. putlgens. — The leaves of tlvs are not so large as those 

 ol E. macrophylla, nor so silvery underneath, but it forms 

 an equally handsome shrub. There is a variety, aurea, 

 in which the centre of the leaf is of a golden yellow ; and 

 another, variegata, which has a margin of white. This 

 species and its varieties are very beautiful, and shrubs that 

 should certainly be more grown in English gardens. 



Ei'ica. — See Heath. 



Escallonia. — All handsome shrubs, most of which are, 

 however, rather tender, except in the South and West of 

 England. Cuttings of the growing shoots taken about 



