Ornamentals. 



37 



well planted place there in summer, or in winter, is mostly in 

 the absence of blossoms in winter. So great a part of their 

 shrubbery is made up of such plants as rhododendrons, that 

 it is always green as far as the general effects go. This is 

 not quite so easy to accomplish in our hotter summers and 

 colder winters, but still it can be done by using plentifully the 

 few shrubs that meet all these conditions, as our native 

 rhododendrons and kalmias do so perfectly for mos.t_-sec^ 



Turning from the general aspects of the case to some of the 

 details, we find that the past few years have seen the introduc- 

 tion of many trees and plants of great interest to all cultiva- 

 tors. We are still learning what use to make of them, and 

 need a long time to find out their true values in our land, with 

 its widely differing conditions of climate. Among the most im- 

 portant of these newer species, which have just come into 

 limited use with us, is the Syringa Japonica, or " tree 

 lilac." This is the only species of the lilac group that really 

 makes a considerable tree. Its native habit is the northern 

 portion of Japan, where it is not very abundant, except in cer- 

 tain locations. A full botanical description of this remark- 

 able tree can be found in Garden and Forest of July, 1889, 

 with a good photogravure illustration. Its general appear- 

 ance is that of a robust upright tree with a trunk closely re- 

 sembling that of a fine, smooth, Morello cherry tree. Its 

 foliage is half as large as that of an ordinary catalpa, thick 

 and dark green, never diseased or injured by insects. Its 

 blooms are individually smaller than those of the common 

 lilac, but are produced in such great masses as to make a 

 show not equalled by any other tree. 



Spikes of its white, odorless flowers two feet long and 

 eighteen inches broad have been measured on young trees 

 near Boston. It is not known how large this noble species 

 will grow in this country, but already some of the first raised 

 here have reached the height of nearly twenty feet, with a 

 diameter of seven inches. The highest authorities on trees 

 have expressed the opinion that this is the most ornamental 

 and valuable tree introduced for many years. It is, like 

 all lilacs, extremey hardy, and not particular as to soil, while 

 its vigorous and erect habit of growth in the nursery will be a 

 recommendation with nurserymen. It shows no disposition 



tions. 



