THE SHRUBBERY. 



787 



pagated readily by cuttings and also by layers, 

 requiring slight protection during winter, thriv- 

 ing in any good garden-soil. 



Garrya. — Evergreen shrubs of moderate 

 growth, propagated by cuttings set in sand in 

 August, and covered with a hand-glass; also by 

 layering in autumn. Soil, sandy loam. In very 

 cold situations a little shelter is required, but in 

 ordinary climates they stand our winters with- 

 out injury. 



Genista. — Low shrubs producing abundance 

 of yellow blossom; propagated by seed, which is 

 abundantly produced, and also by cuttings set 

 in sandy soil, and covered with a hand-glass. 

 They are difficult to transplant when large, 

 therefore should be set in their final situation 

 while about two years old. Growing them in pots 

 is practised as a remedy for this, but the conse- 

 quences are similar to those in the case of coni- 

 ferous plants so treated, vide p. 369. 



GUditschia. — Exceedingly ornamental deci- 

 duous trees, propagated by seeds imported from 

 America and the south of France. The seeds 

 are very hard, and should, therefore, be soaked 

 in warm water for a few hours previous to sow- 

 ing, which operation should be performed in 

 March, in common garden-soil. The finer varie- 

 ties, when seed cannot be obtained, are grafted 

 on the most common, such as G. tricanthits, of 

 which there is no difficulty in procuring seed. 



Gonolobus. — The hardy species, which are 

 deciduous twiners, are propagated by seed, and 

 prefer a dry sandy soil. 



Halesia. — Deciduous shrubs of moderate 

 growth, propagated by seed sown in spring, by 

 layering, and by cuttings of the roots, either in 

 spring or autumn. A deep sandy humid soil is 

 the most favourable for them, and in such they 

 often attain a large size. 



Halimodendron. — Deciduous shrubs, propa- 

 gated by seed, by layers, and by cuttings of the 

 roots, and sometimes grafted on the laburnum 

 standard high, in which state they form interest- 

 ing lawn plants. A light sandy rich soil is suit- 

 able for them. 



Hamamelis. — Deciduous shrubs, producing 

 their yellow flowers during winter after the 

 leaves have fallen ; propagated by layers and 

 seeds, which latter require two years to vege- 

 tate ; they are also increased by cuttings of the 

 roots, and require a sandy moist soil. 



Hippophae. — Deciduous shrubs, readily pro- 

 pagated by suckers, layers, seeds, and cuttings of 

 the roots. Excellent for forming shelter from 

 the sea-breezes, as well as for fixing the drifting 

 sands, particularly when intermixed withCarexes 

 and other sea- side grasses. 



Hydrangea. — Deciduous fine-flowering shrubs, 

 of moderate growth, sufficiently hardy to stand 

 our ordinary winters in sheltered gardens, par- 

 ticularly near the sea. Propagated chiefly by 

 cuttings of the half and fully ripened shoots. 

 To produce plants of H. hortensis to flower the 

 summer after the cutting has been planted, they 

 should be taken off in August, choosing the 

 terminal shoots, but without shortening them. 

 If set in single pots in sandy soil, they will root 

 before winter sets in, and if kept in a cool pit 

 till spring, and then shifted into a 4-inch pot, 



each will produce a head of bloom, the diameter 

 of which will be nearly equal to the height of 

 the plant. In this way many thousands are 

 annually propagated for the London market. 

 These plants, after flowering, and^having their 

 leading bud destroyed and again shifted, will 

 send out several shoots, and become good-sized 

 plants by the next season of flowering, produc- 

 ing a bloom in general at the point of each 

 branch. While grown in small pots they re- 

 quire abundance of water, and maybe set for days 

 together in pans filled with that element. When 

 grown in the open borders, even in the south of 

 England, they are occasionally cut down to the 

 ground by frost ; the roots, however, are seldom 

 injured, especially if a little dry littering mat- 

 ter, or a few inches of sifted coal- ashes, has been 

 laid on the surface of the ground as far as the 

 roots extend. The only culture required is to 

 thin out all the weak shoots as they appear, and 

 to supply them with water during dry weather. 

 We grow some very large specimens in tubs 2 

 feet in diameter, supplying the plants liberally 

 with liquid manure, and, with the exception of 

 our equally large scarlet geraniums, we know of 

 few plants that can rival either in appearance 

 from June till November. Much has been said 

 about changing the flowers of H. hortensis to a 

 blue colour. In some districts we find the ma- 

 jority of the blooms blue, while in others they 

 are all pale rose. " Notwithstanding all the ex- 

 periments that have been made," it is remarked in 

 the Cottage Gardener's Dictionary, " there is still 

 a little doubt as to the cause that produces the 

 change. When iron filings and a solution of 

 alum are used in some soils, the blue colour is 

 produced, while the same means will not pro- 

 duce it in others ; and other soils will almost in- 

 variably produce this blue colour without any 

 particular matter being added. The loams at 

 Kenwood, at Hampstead Heath, and Stanmore 

 Heath, and the peats at Wimbledon, as well as 

 some bogs near Edinburgh, are famous for pro- 

 ducing this blue in the hydrangea. When try- 

 ing artificially with iron filings and alum water, 

 we have had diffei'ent colours on the same plant. 

 This variation is merely temporary — it cannot be 

 propagated like a variety ; a cutting from a blue 

 plant will produce a rose one, unless the pecu- 

 liar treatment be continued." Our own experi- 

 ments have alike failed, and even the application 

 of nitrate of silver for two successive seasons 

 had no effect. An amateur friend has, however, 

 recently assured us that using water in which 

 guano has been dissolved invariably, with him, 

 produced the effect desired. 



Hypericum. — The hardy section of this family 

 that are of a shrubby character contains both 

 deciduous and evergreen species. Most of them 

 are readily increased by subdivision of the plant, 

 and also by seeds. They luxuriate in almost 

 any soil and situation, and enliven the shrub- 

 beries with their fine yellow flowers. 



Jasminum. — The majority of the hardy spe- 

 cies are deciduous, and are readily increased by 

 cuttings, layers, or suckers ; the former set in 

 sandy soil under a hand-glass, and the operation 

 performed when the side-shoots are half-ripened. 

 Layering may be done in autumn, winter, or 



