48 
which have been opening during the last three months. Laspedeza for- 
mosa, also collected by Wilson in western China, is the handsomest of 
the late Autumn-flowering shrubs in the Arboretum. Its arching stems, 
light green leaves, and innumerable small pea-shaped rose-colored flow- 
ers, make it a beautiful object at this season of the year. Often con- 
founded with other species and burdened with an almost hopeless load 
of synonyms, Indigofera formosa appears to be little known in gardens. 
Autumn Foliage. The Autumn change of color in the trees and 
shrubs is later this year than usual and, owing to the dry summer, 
will probably be less brilliant than usual. As a general rule the bright 
colors appear earlier in the autumn on American than on allied Asiatic 
plants, but there are exceptions, of course, to this phenomenon; and 
the three plants in the Arboretum which have been most brilliant dur- 
ing the last week are Acer ginnala, Evonymus alatus, and Rhododen- 
dron {Azalea) japonicum. The Maple is a small, shrubby tree, some- 
times 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 Siberian plants introduced into the Arboretum from whence 
it came from St. Petersburg. The leaves of no American tree assume 
more brilliant tones, but this brilliancy lasts only for a few days for 
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 foliage. The habit of this shrub is excellent when it has an 
opportunity to spread out in the sun but the flowers and fruits are in- 
conspicuous. The value of this 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 requires a large space in which to de- 
velop its greatest beauty. A form of this shrub raised from seeds 
collected in Korea by Mr. Jack is handsomer even than the Japanese 
form with its larger fruit and even more brilliant autumn foliage. In 
their autumn color of old gold the leaves of Rhododendron japoni- 
cum are more beautiful than those of any of the Azaleas in the Col- 
lection, and this autumn color greatly adds to the ornamental value of 
this shrub which when in flower is the handsomest of the Asiatic 
Azaleas which are hardy in this climate. 
An illustrated guide to the Arboretum containing a map showing the 
position of the different groups of plants has been published. It will be 
found useful to persons unfamiliar with the Arboretum. Copies of this 
guide can be obtained at the Administration Building in the Arbor- 
etum, from the Secretary of the Massachusetts Horticultural Society, 
300 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston, from The Houghton, Mifflin Com- 
pany, 4 Park Street, Boston, and at the office of the Harvard Alumni 
Bulletin, 18 Plympton Street, Cambridge. Price, 30 cents. 
