128 
FLORA AND SYLVA 
which the flowers open one at a time so as to 
still appear solitary), and fading away with a 
rosy tinge. The fruits are like those of the 
Thorn, indeed, except while in bloom, the tree 
is hardly to be known from a Thorn-tree. Its 
precise origin has long been in dispute, for, 
while it has been found wild in the mountains 
of the Caucasus, it is also said to have occurred 
in various parts of France as a natural hybrid, 
and to have been produced by artificial cross- 
ing also. 
The above very awkward name is an example 
of the perverted inventiveness of persons of 
botanico-technical mind, and shows little evi- 
dence of poetry or grace. The invention of 
such names for any reason is not a thing one 
should be proud of, and is indeed a nuisance. 
Nor is it right even from the point of view 
of botanical terminology, as it would surely 
be much better to class such hybrids under 
the natural species which they most resemble. 
In this case we should group them as forms 
of the Medlar, or hybrid Medlars. 
THE CHINESE CHESTNUT 
(Xanthoceras sorbij-olid). 
Thirty years have passed since seeds of 
this httle tree were first distributed in 
Europe, but it is still uncommon in 
gardens, though oftener seen in collec- 
tions of forced shrubs. Nor is it common 
in its own country, Chinese Tartary, 
where it makes a tree of about 20 feet, 
with an erectly-branching head, and 
somewhat suggestive of a Chestnut in 
general appearance. Abbe David, a 
French missionary, sent seeds to the [ 
Museum of Paris in 1868, and though j 
the young plants grew well, all attempts 
to increase them failed until fruit ripened 
in 1874, when it was found easy to do 
so. Though hardy in our climate it is | 
not happy in all gardens alike, growing ; 
best in a light soil, with a sunny aspect, 
and some shelter from cold winds. Its j 
own country is far colder than ours in 
winter, but, when the frost once breaks, 
it gives place to a genial and constant 
warmth, so that growth is maintained 
without a check : to plants from such 
a climate the constant changes of our 
spring months are a severe trial, and it 
is the cold days of May after growth has 
well begun, that often spoil its charms, 
and this must be borne in mind when 
planting. A second point is that among 
seedlings there are inferior varieties with 
small and dingy flowers, so that it is well 
to select plants while in bloom, for their 
beauty and size of flower. 
When suited as to soil and surround- 
ings few shrubs bloom more freely even 
while quite small, growing as a little 
tree-like shrub with stout, straight bran- 
ches, and coming into beauty during 
April or May. The leaves are of bright 
green, 8 to 1 2 inches long, and cut like 
those of the Service Tree into coarsely- 
toothed leaflets. The flowers appear 
with the opening leaves, in dense spike- 
like clusters of 4 to 8 inches or more, 
the blooms about an inch across, com- 
posed of five crisped, creamy-white 
petals, opening with a greenish tinge at 
the base which deepens with exposure 
to copper-red, and then to deep crimson 
or violet-purple before fading. Perfect 
and imperfect flowers occur on the same 
plant. The finest spikes of flower are 
always at the tips of the shoots, the side 
clusters coming smaller. It will be found 
that whereas these fine terminal clusters 
contain perfect flowers, the smaller side- 
shootsbearonlysterileblossoms in which 
the pistils is undeveloped. There are 
often a few sterile flowers at the base of 
the perfect clusters, or a few perfect 
