6 
JOUENAL OF THE EOYAL HOKTICULTUEAL SOCIETY. 
good bushes. The single scarlet, double pink, and Paul's double scarlet 
are the best, while the common white ' May' is worth a position. 
Early in May Magnolias claim attention. We have Lenne with its 
vase-like flowers, pale within, shaded without by rich purple, glorious and 
distinct among the deciduous sorts. Conspicua (Yulan) is smothered in 
its snowy white blossoms, always beautiful. Soulangeana and Norbertia 
are good and alike, with large flowers more or less shaded, and popularly 
known as Tulip Magnolias. All these are fine as shrubs and worthy of 
the protection of a wall where their handsome large foliage is useful for 
contrast. M. purpurea is much dwarfer, and has smaller flowers later in. 
the season. Leaving blossoms for a moment, the most conspicuous tree^ 
at this time is Acer (Sycamore) Prince Hendjery. The foliage is a re- 
markable combination of greens, browns, and orange, and altogether 
most attractive as a shrub or small tree. Spiraea opulifolia aurea is- 
remarkable now for its ''old gold" foliage, and S. Fortunei macro- 
phylla for the rich claret of its young foliage. Cornus Spathi is at its 
best with its virgin foliage, yellow, orange, and red, and is now one of the 
most conspicuous things. Berberis vulgaris purpurea is also very rich 
with its claret blue foliage, a singular combination of colour ; in masses 
most desirable. The golden Laburnum is, perhaps, best in its young state,, 
and forms a striking contrast to its surroundings. Piptanthus Nepa- 
lensis, with its curious foliage, has now masses of yellow flowers. 
Staphylea colchica is come with its creamy-white clusters of blossom ; 
having now some foliage it is prettier than when forced. The delicate 
strands of the white Portugal Broom (Genista alba) are in full glory, and,, 
backed by the purple Berberis, are exquisite. Kibes aureum, with very 
sweet-scented yellow flowers, appears, and the so-called Tartarian Honey- 
suckles (Chamaecerasus), its twin flowers, are only conspicuous from, 
their numbers, but the white variety, Morrowi, cannot be recommended. 
Acer Woorleyii is now in full glory, while its primrose fohage makes it 
worthy of larger culture as a Sycamore-like park tree. The golden- 
leaved Mountain Ash is also pretty, and the golden Privet very distinct 
in its first spring shoots (Ligustrum ovalifolium aureum). The purple- 
leaved Filbert is a very fine dark fohage plant. Corylopsis spicata and 
C. paucifolia are interesting shrubs, producing long golden catkins. As a- 
front row shrub the silver variegated Corchorus is pretty. Toward the 
end of May we have a galaxy of Lilacs, and, to say the least, a garden 
could scarcely be called such without Lilacs. The newer introductions- 
are greatly in advance of the older varieties, and in the singles, alba magna 
(virginalis), is certainly the largest and most beautiful ; the panicles are 
large and spreading, and the flowers stout and enduring. Souvenir de 
Louis Spath is the finest dark variety : the panicles are long and elegant. 
Next is Croix de Brahy which has more violet in its colouring ; then 
comes the older and cheaper Charles X. ; Corinne has a reddish tint, very 
distinct, with large trusses. For grace and beauty scarlet Persian or 
Siberian is the best of its class. The white Persian is pretty but washy 
in colour. It is, however, when we come to the double Lilacs that the 
greatest advance is noted. The panicles are massive and the flowers very 
lasting. The double white Marie Lemoine is by far the best. In the 
double purples, so far, Pyramidahs, which has very long upright panicles 
