59 
fruit in small erect clusters, and dark red-purple autumn leaves; and 
C. modesta, a shrub not often more than twelve or eighteen inches 
high, first noticed on a hill near Rutland, Vermont, but now known to 
grow in many places in southern New England and to range into east- 
ern Pennsylvania, and conspicuous in the autumn with its bright scar- 
let leaves and green, yellow or orange and red fruits. Two of the 
southern Appalachian species, (/. Buckleyi and C. Boyntonii, are small 
trees rather than shrubs and in the Arboretum have grown into pyra- 
mids now ten or twelve feet tall and are still covered with dark green 
leaves which later turn to shades of orange and scarlet. 
As a general rule the bright colors appear earlier in the autumn on 
eastern American than on allied Asiatic species, but there are a few 
conspicuous exceptions to this rule; and in addition to the Phelloden- 
dron during the last week or ten days Acer ginnala, Evoiiymus alatus 
and Rhodendron {Azalea) japonicum have perhaps been the most bril- 
liant plants in the Arboretum. The Maple is a small shrubby tree 
sometimes thirty or forty feet high, with pointed deeply divided leaves, 
and compact clusters of fragrant flowers. A native of eastern Siberia, 
where it is common in the neighborhood of Vladivostok, it was one of 
the first plants introduced into the Arboretum whence it came from 
St. Petersburg. No American tree assumes more brilliant tones, but 
the brilliancy lasts only for a few days and the leaves fall early. 
Evonymus alatus from Japan is without a rival in the brilliancy of the 
deep rose color passing to scarlet of its autumn leaves. The habit of 
this shrub is excellent when it has an opportunity to spread out in the 
sun but the flowers and fruit are inconspicuous. The value of the 
Burning Bush as a decorative plant is now appreciated and it is found 
in many American nurseries, but it must not be forgotten that it re- 
quires a large space in which to develop its greatest beauty. A form 
of this shrub raised from seeds collected in Korea by Mr. Jack with its 
larger fruit and even more brilliant autumn foliage is handsomer even 
than the Japanese form. In their autumn color of old gold the 
leaves of Rhododendron japonicum are more beautiful than those of 
any others in the collection, and its autumn color greatly adds to the 
ornamental value of this shrub which when in flower is the handsom- 
est of the Asiatic Azaleas which are hardy in this climate, with the 
exception of the Korean Rhododendron Schlippenbachii. 
Sorbus alnifolia of the section Micromeles of the genus is perhaps 
the most satisfactory of the Mountain Ashes with entire leaves which 
can be grown here. It is a common Japanese tree and occurs also in 
Korea, in northen and central China, and sometimes in its native coun- 
try grows to a height of sixty feet. Several specimens have been grow- 
ing in the Arboretum since 1893 and are now from twenty to thirty 
feet tall. These trees are pyramidal in habit with pale smooth stems, 
upright branches which form a broad, compact, symmetrical head, and 
dark green leaves three or four inches long, small white flowers in from 
six- to twelve-flowered clusters, and abundant lustrous scarlet or orange- 
colored fruit which remains on the branches after the leaves and until 
eaten by birds which are fond of the fruit of all the species of Sorbus. 
The leaves turn bright clear yellow about the middle of October and 
soon fall. Mountain Ashes thrive only in well-drained rich soil and 
