224 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



of a distinct and handsome group, the leading characteristics of which 

 are small, dull grey-green leaves, pale yellow flowers, and red (usually 

 coral-red) fruits. So far as one can tell at present, none is finer than 

 B, Wilsonae itself, with its neat habit, its profusion of berries, and 

 the beauty of its autumn tints. But the others, like suhcaulialata 

 and Stapfiana, are of taller, more graceful growth, and suhcaulialata 

 especially is valuable for retaining its fruits in high colour until 

 November and December. Berheris Prattii, B. polyantha, and B. hrevi- 

 paniculata are three closely allied species, of great beauty in flower 

 and fruit. All these are deciduous. 



Turning to evergreen Barberries, none is more interesting than 

 B. verruculosa, a name that refers to the small warty excrescences 

 on the twigs. This Barberry, with its dense, compact shape, its 

 ghttering black-green foUage, its large golden-yellow blossom and 

 purple berries, is one of the most pleasing of dwarf evergreens. 



Berheris Sargentiana is of taller, more vigorous growth, and belongs 

 to the same section of Barberries as the Himalayan species, Wallichiana 

 and Hookeri. I mention it as a very promising evergreen for the 

 more inclement parts of our islands. In the winter of 1908-9, a 

 very trying one in the south for evergreens, Berheris Hookeri and 

 Berheris Knightii were killed back to ground level, but B. Sargentiana 

 was quite unaffected. At the Arnold Arboretum in Massachusetts, 

 where they have much greater winter cold than anything we ever 

 experience, this Barberry has proved to be hardy, and the only hardy 

 evergreen one. Two other species that look vigorous and promising 

 are B. levis and B. Gagnepainii. 



A wonderful crowd of Maples has been found in Western and 

 Central China — too many, in fact, for the average garden to 

 accommodate, but there are a few of more than ordinary interest. 

 Acer Davidii, for instance, has its two-year and three-year old wood 

 beautifully striped with blue-white lines, and promises to be as remark- 

 able in this respect as Acer pennsylvanicum — the Moosewood of 

 North America. Acer griseum, too, is very highly spoken of by Wilson. 

 Its trunk peels Uke that of a Birch, reveahng bark which when newly 

 exposed is of a rich brownish red ; the foliage also is said to turn a 

 rich red before falHng in autumn. Altogether, Wilson collected some 

 forty species of Maple. 



Of the Climbing Honeysuckles none is more beautiful than Lonicera 

 tragophylla, but in my experience it does not thrive well in cultiva- 

 tion. Mr. Wilson told me he beheved it dishked fierce sunshine, 

 and would be found to succeed best in partial shade. It would be 

 interesting to hear of other cultivators' experience in this matter. 



Evergreen climbers are so scarce that Lonicera Henryi may prove 

 useful in its vigorous growth, but it has not as yet shown any 

 particularly striking quaHties in flower or in fruit. Turrxing to the 

 shrubby sorts, I think the best will prove to be Lonicera Maackii var. 

 podocarpa, a vigorous bush, bearing its scented white and yellow 



