EVERGREEN TREES AND SHRUGS. 



427 



July, and inserted into pots of sandy soil, will, if put in a 

 close frame and shaded from the sun, soon root. The 

 best are : 



E. macratltha. — A stout bush, 6ft. or so in height, 

 clothed with deep green glossy leaves. The bright 

 crimson Fuchsia-like flowers are l> irne throughout the 

 summer months, and often well oh into the autumn. 

 This forms quite a hedge in the South of England and 

 Ireland, and frequently may be seen clothing the fronts 

 of houses. It is a very charming shrub when the climate 

 is suitable. 



E. montevidensis is an interesting kind, with white 

 flower clusters. 



E. Philippiana.- A slender and spreading, yet freely- 

 branched shrub, clothed with small deep green leaves 

 and in July absolutely laden with myriads ol tiny white 

 flowers. It is the hardiest of all the Escallonias. 



E. rubra. This is altogether smaller than E. m.rcrantha, 

 but a charming free-flowering shrub. 



Euonymus japonieus. — This species ofEuonymus and 

 its numerous varieties are among the mo.it popular of 

 evergreen shrubs, one reason being the fact that I hey 

 succeed under so many and varied conditions. As ever- 

 greens for the seacoast, even within the range ol the salt- 

 laden spray, they are unsurpassed ; and in shady spots 

 they hold their own remarkably well, while in smoky 

 districts, even in the heart of London, good specimens 

 may be met with. In pots and tubs for corridors, bal- 

 conies, and w indow sills these Euonymuses are very use id, 

 and they are also well adapted for clothing walls, etc. 

 They are very easily increased, as cuttings about Gin Ion ; 

 put in a frame will soon root at any season, ex ept the 

 depth of winter. Besides the ordinary green-leaved form 

 there are varieties in which the leaves are marked with 

 white and yellow respectively. These are less robust 

 than the green-leaved kind. 



E. radicanS is a rambling or creeping shrub, with small 

 deep green leaves. It is not generally met with, but its 

 vaiiegated variety is universally cultivated. It is decidedly 

 ornamental as a shrub, is a first-rate wall plant, and may 

 be used as an edging after the manner of Box. 



Fire Thorn. — See Crataegus Pyracantha. 



Garrya elliptiea. — The leaves of this Califomian shrub 

 remind one of some form of the Evergreen Oak. It is a 

 somewhat upright bush, 6lt. high, and produces a pro- 

 lusion of long yeilowish green pendulous catkins during 

 the winter months. It is fairly hardy, but in some dis- 

 tricts is greatly benefited by the protection of a wall. 

 The catkins are the male flowers, and at pear on separate 

 plants Irom the female, this latter being less ornamental 

 than the other. Cuttings should be treated as recom- 

 mended for Escallonia, but they take longer to root. The 

 long catkins or tassels are a delightful winter indoor 

 decoration. 



Gailltheria. — Peat-loving plants, of a tufted or spreading 

 habit of growth, and may re increased by division carried 

 out in the winter. 



G. proeumbens (Creeping Winter Green). — A spreading 

 plant, a few inches only high, that will carpet a surface 

 with its deep green leaves, which acquire a bronzy hue in 

 winter, at which season the bright red berries nestling 

 among the foliage ate very attractive. An excellent little 

 shrub to form a groundwork for taller things, such as the 

 Iiamamelis or Wych Hazel. 



G. Shallon. — This forms a dense mass, usually about Iyd. 

 high, clothed with heart-shaped leaves, while the spikes 

 of while bell-shaped flowers appear in the summer. 

 It is in some districts used as a covert plant. 



Heaths. — Besides the true Heaths, which belong to the 

 genus Erica, there are included under this comprehensive 

 title the Ling, or Heather (Calluna vulgaris, which see), 

 with its innumerable forms, and Saint Dabcec's Heath 

 (Dabcecia polifolia). Hardy Heaths are a beautiful class 

 of low-growing shrubs, and if a good selection is made a 

 succession of bloom may be maintained almost through- 

 out the year. They all prefer a soil containing a fair 

 amount of peat, or, failing this, a mixture of leaf mould 

 is almost as good. The uses to which Hardy Heaths 



may be put are numerous, as in the first place permanent 

 beds planted with them are always attractive; next, 

 owing to the low stature of most of them, they are useful as 

 an edging to some of their larger-growing allies, such as 

 Rhododendrons, Kalmias, etc., that require the same kind 

 of soil. Besides this, sloping banks and similar spots 

 may often be rendered attractive by planting the least 

 fastidious of our hardy kinds. Most of them, being of a 

 lo.v tufted habit of growth, can be readily increased by 

 division, that is, the plant or tuft may be dug up in the 

 winter and pulled into several pieces with roots attached 

 to etch, as is often done in the case of many herbaceous 

 subjects. The few that are of a more tree-like growth 

 and cannot be split up in th s fashion may be propagated 

 by cuttings of the young shoots taken in the autumn 

 and inserted very (irmly into pots of sandy peat. A 

 length of 2 in. is suitable for the cuttings, and the leaves 

 should be taken oil t e lower half to allow of their being 

 buried in the soil. These must be kepi in a close frame 

 till rooted. The principal hard}' Ericas are : 

 E. arb.rea (Tree Heath). — The largest of all the Heaths, 

 reaching a height of 8 ft to loft. It forms a somewhat 

 upright bush, clothed wilh tiny leaves, and early in the 

 spring is studded with sin ill while bell-shaped blossoms. 

 It is rather tender. This Heath is a native ol the 

 Mediterranean region, and its wood is largely sent to this 

 country to make the so-called Briar-root pipes, the name 

 of Briar being simply a corruption of the Trench word 

 Bruyere (Heath). 



E. earnea, or herbacca.— The earliest of all the 



Heaths to flower, as its bright rosy red blossoms begin to 

 open soon after Christmas. This is a low-growing plant, 

 being seldom more than bin. high. There is a variety 

 (alba) with while blossoms. Few of the Heaths are 

 more beiuti.ul than this, or so bright in mild winters. 

 E. CiliariS. — Distinguished by its hairy leaves, this little 

 Heath may be met with on some ol our commons, where, 

 during August and September, its rosy red blossoms are 

 very attractive. Few things are more precious in the 

 garden. 



E. Cinerea. — The typical form with purplish flowers is 

 one ol our commonest native Heaths, but there are 

 several varieties, differing widely Irom each other in 

 colour, lor among them we have white, crimson, deep 

 purple, bright red, and pink flowers. They are all very 

 1 eautiful and valuable Irom the fact that they are at their 

 best about midsummer, and serve to maintain the Heath 

 season until the Heather flowers. 



E. CCdOIlOdBS is now called E. lusitanica. It is some- 

 what in the way of E. arborea, but not so large a grower, 

 and produces its tiny bell-.Tiaped pinkish blossoms as 

 early as February in mild winters. A species for all 

 good gardens, and fairly hardy. It is a native of Spain 

 and Portugal. 



E. mediterranea. — A graceful bush, 4 ft. to 6ft. high, 



and its rosy red blossoms are produced from March to 

 May. There are numerous varieties, such as alba, 

 atropurpurea, atro-sanguinea, anil rosea. 



E. multiflora. — This grow s about iyd. high, and its small 

 red blossoms appear more or less freely during the 

 a it umn and winter months. 



E. Tetl'allX. — The cross-leaved Heath is a British species 

 which grows about I ft. high. The flowers are pale 

 red Irom July to Sepleml er. It ii a very charming 

 species, and appreciates moisture, hence it is often found 

 luxuriating in boggy spots. Alba and lubra are distinct 

 varieties. 



E. Vagans (the Cornish h'oor Heath). — This bears, in 

 August and September, dense spikes of pale purplish red 

 blossoms. It grows about ift. high, and flowers in great 

 profusion. 



Here also is included Calluna vulgaris, the Ling or 

 Headier. In its ordinary form it is known to everyone, but 

 a lai I not so generally recognised is that there are many 

 beautiful varieties, di ering widely Irom each other and 

 from the type. They are alba minor, alba pumila, alba 

 rigida, alba Searlei, alba Hammondi, all white ; Alporti, 

 crimson ; rosea, pink ; tenuis, scarlet. In aurea the 



