5G JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



The old order was " battle, murder, and sudden death," but 

 science is really " Peace on earth and goodwill to all mankind ! " 

 There are to-day hundreds of men ready to storm a breach or to 

 lead a forlorn hope in scientific research, and for a beautiful 

 thing, living or dead, they will ransack the remotest ends of the 

 earth, regardless alike of dangers and privations of all kinds. 

 Be it bird or beetle or butterfly, or Orchid, Palm, or Pitcher- 

 plant, it is all the same to them. There is nothing sordid or 

 self seeking about the real explorers or collectors — they are 

 impelled by inner and not by outer considerations — and they are 

 amongst the real soldiers of science, who take their lives in their 

 hands, determined to do their best, not for themselves alone, but 

 also for the benefit of humanity at large. 



FLOWERING TREES AND SHRUBS. 



By Mr. George Nicholson, A.L.S., F.R.H.S., Curator of the 

 Royal Gardens, Kew. 



[Read June 12, 1894.] 



Within the limits of half an hour it is manifestly impossible 

 to do more than call attention to some of the less known trees 

 and shrubs which can be grown in the open air in this country. 

 A mere list of names could be drawn up which would occupy 

 most of the time at my disposal, but such a list — though, perhaps, 

 useful for purposes of reference — would be very tiresome to read, 

 and much more tedious to listen to. I shall, therefore, confine 

 myself for the most part to ornamental trees and shrubs which, 

 in my opinion, are well worthy of much more extended cultiva- 

 tion than they now enjoy. Unless specially singled out for 

 comment in the way of hardiness, it may be taken for granted 

 that the plants are hardy in the neighbourhood of London and 

 in the South of England generally. In all probability a large 

 proportion would prove hardy much farther north, but I have 

 not sufficient data to enable me to speak with certainty as to the 

 behaviour of many of them except at Kew and in the neighbour- 



