Mains Niedzwetzkyana, from Russian Turkestan, is remarkable in the 
red color of the flowers, branches, leaves and fruit. This is probably 
only a variety of the common Apple, for among a number of seedlings 
raised at the Arboretum more have green than red leaves. The Ameri- 
can Crabapples, with the exception of Mains fusca, from the northwest 
coast, and a hybrid of this species, Mains Dawsoniana , will not be in 
bloom for another week. 
The Lilacs should be at their best by the end of the week. The earliest 
in the collection, the white-flowered Syringa affinis, is already in bloom. 
This slender shrub with fragrant flowers is a favorite ornament of the 
gardens of Peking. Nearly as early is another north China Lilac, Syr- 
inga oblata, with large pale purple, fragrant flowers. The broad, thick, 
leathery leaves of this shrub, unlike those of other Lilacs, turn deep 
bronze red in the autumn. Nearly as early to flower as these two Chin- 
ese species is Syringa hyacinthiflora , a hybrid between Syringa oblata 
and the Common Lilac. This hybrid grows to a large size, and the small, 
blue-purple double flowers are very fragrant. It is interesting as one of 
the early hybrids in this genus. More beautiful and in every way a more 
useful garden plant is another hybrid, Syringa chinensis, raised many 
years ago in France. The name is unfortunate for its parents are Syr- 
inga vulgaris , now known to be a native of the Balkan Peninsula, and 
Persian Lilac. The flowers of this hybrid are produced in long clusters 
which are so heavy that they become semi-pendant on the slender 
branches. There are varieties with rose-colored and with pale nearly 
white flowers. Another Chinese species, Syringa pubescens, will soon 
be in bloom. This has small leaves, and small, long-tubed pale purple 
flowers which are produced profusely in small clusters. The value of 
this plant is in the delicate perfume of the flowers. The collection of the 
Common Lilacs has been much enlarged and now contains nearly all the 
principal varieties, although some of the plants are still too small to 
flower. 
Many of the Bush Honeysuckles (Lonicera) are coming into bloom. 
Large plants of some of the best of these will be found on the right-hand 
side of the Bussey Hill Road opposite the Lilacs; and in the Shrub Collec- 
tion there is a large number of species, varieties and hybrids. All the 
varieties of the Tartarian Honeysuckle and many of the hybrids raised 
from it are hardy, desirable garden plants, with small, handsome flowers 
followed by showy fruits which ripen in early summer. One of the most 
interesting of the rare Honeysuckles now in bloom in the Arboretum is 
Lonicera syringantha var. Wolfii from western China with small clusters 
of purple fragrant flowers. 
Many of the Currants and Gooseberries (Ribes) are now in bloom in the 
Shrub Collection and in the supplementary collection of these plants in 
the border opposite the Administration Building. Perhaps the handsom- 
est of these in bloom this week is the white-flowered Ribes nivenm from 
northwestern North America. 
