DAPHNE CNEORUM 



^ I 'HE ease or difficulty of propagation makes plants common 

 ^ or rare. It also largely determines the price of plants, 

 those difficult of propagation always costing more than those 

 which may be readily multiplied. Unfortunately on this ac- 

 count, some of our most beautiful garden plants are rare or not 

 as well known as they deserve to be. Dapluic cncoruiii is one 

 of these. It belongs to that select little family Thymelaeaceae, 

 one of the few families of plants that "hasn't any poor rela- 

 tions." It has but one protoplasmic relative, in the Eastern 

 States at least, and that is the leatherwood or wicopy (Dirca 

 palusfris. ) 



DapJuic ciiconini is a native of the mountains of middle 

 Europe and, like many plants which hail from high altitudes, 

 is of a low, prostrate or spreading habit. It is an evergreen 

 and shrubby in character. The branches are supple and in- 

 clined to be leathery and are well clothed with small, narrow 

 sessile leaves, oblanceolate in outline and alternately arranged. 

 The bright pink, deliciously fragrant flowers are produced in 

 terminal clusters abundantly in May (often earlier) and con- 

 tinue more or less freely till September or October. It does 

 not appear to produce seeds in this country, probably because 

 we have not the insect to bring about fertilization. The 

 method of propagation most commonly practiced is layering 

 which should be done in June. 



Dapline cue or u in has proved perfectly hardy in INIassachu- 

 setts. It thrives in any fairly good soil but prefers a rich peaty 



