358 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



be taken at a short distance for one of the Caraganas. It has pretty pink 

 flowers in May-June. 



L. alpigena has short stout twigs, and when its showy red fruit is 

 not in evidence few would label it as belonging to this family. The 

 same remark applies to the evergreen L. pileata, which bears fruit of 

 a pleasing violet colour, and at a careless glance might easier pass for 

 a Ligustrum. 



Peraphyllum ramosissimum produces flowers like a small apple 

 blossom in early summer, and is a hardy and desirable member of the 

 family of Rosaceae, with willow-like leaves. 



Caesalpinia japonica is of low growth, covered with thorns, and 

 bears bright yellow racemes and elegant foliage. The finest plant I have 

 seen in this country is in the Bath public gardens. 



Abelia chinensis (A. rupestris) is not, certainly, very rare, but its 

 mass of pink-flushed white flowers against the dark myrtle-like leaves, 

 blooming as they do as late as October, make it a most valuable 

 acquisition for any garden ; it is a pity that our climate is too cold for its 

 congener, A. floribunda. 



Skimmia japonica Veitchii has a much larger leaf than the type and 

 is decidedly handsome. 



Grewia parviflora is a curious Chinese shrub belonging to the same 

 genus as the lime, which it closely resembles in the fruit ; its interest is 

 mainly botanical. 



Stephanandra flexuosa has very delicate foliage, which at a distance 

 recalls some of the Japanese maples ; it is liable, however, to get badly 

 burnt in hot, dry summers. S. Tanakae has bolder, coarser leaves, and 

 attractive red twigs ; both plants require plenty of room, as their charm 

 is quite destroyed if they are cut back. 



Tamarix Pallasii rosea (usually known as T. hispida aestivalis). — 

 This is far the best of all the Tamarisks ; it has glaucous foliage and bears 

 its deep pink flowers later in the season than any others of its family. 



F other gilla alnifolia is worth growing for its fine colour in the 

 autumn ; it prefers a moist, peaty soil, but does very fairly well with us. 

 It bears conspicuous white, sweet-scented flowers in May before the 

 leaves are out. 



Davidia involucrata. — This is quite a new introduction to English 

 gardens, and we have only a small though healthy specimen ; it is said to 

 be very striking when its large white bracts are developed, but this only 

 takes place when the plant is ten or twelve years old. 



Among laurels we have Prunus Laurocerasus parvifolia, which is 

 quite distinct, but a very slow grower, and P. Laurocerasus Zabeliana, 

 with sharp pointed leaves and spreading habit, the white flowers in May 

 covering the bush. This is, I think, superior to either of the varieties 

 serbica or Bruanti, though they are not without merit. Of Portugal 

 laurels, Prunus lusitanica azorica has very handsome shell-like foliage, 

 and P. lusitanica myrtifolia is more refined and elegant than the type. 



Photinia serrulata. — We only grow this handsome, shining, half-hardy 

 evergreen and the variety rotundifolia against a wall, whilst P. japonica, 

 the well-known 1 Loquat ' of South Europe, will not stand our hard 

 winters, though it does pretty well in our London garden. 



