from seeds brought from Japan by Professor Sargent in 1892 and have 
grown more rapidly and to a larger size than any of the plants of that 
collection. This is a good time, too, to examine the Willows as many of 
the shrubby species are in flower on the walk which starts from a path 
opposite the Administration Building and follows along the eastern 
boundary of the North Meadow. 
The first plant to bloom in the Shrub Collection is Daphne Mezereum 
where the white flowered form has been flowering for more than a week. 
This small shrub, of which there are several forms in cultivation, is a 
native of the mountains of Europe and Western Asia. It is valuable for 
its very early fragrant flowers, appearing with or before the leaves, and 
for its showy scarlet fruits. 
On the right-hand side of the Bussey Hill Road, opposite the end of the 
Lilac Group, are large masses of two native shrubs. The first, the Spice 
Bush ( Benzoin aestivale), is a common inhabitant of northern swamp 
borders. It is a tall shrub with slender branches oh which the small 
yellow flowers are now opening. The male and female flowers are found 
on different individuals, so that only some of the plants bear the small, 
bright scarlet, shining fruits which are so attractive in the autumn. 
The leaves, which are fragrant like those of its relative the Sassafras, 
are uninjured by insects and turn bright yellow before falling. This is 
one of the common shrubs which should be better known by gardeners. 
Just above the Spice Bushes is a group of the Leatherwood ( Dirca Palus- 
tris), which in the perfection of its specimens is one of the most success- 
ful groups in the Arboretum. The Leatherwood is valuable for its small 
but very early and abundant yellow flowers which appear before the 
leaves and will soon be fully open. It owes its common name to the 
toughness of the bark of the branches. The geographical distribution of 
the genus is unusual, as of its two species one is widely distributed in the 
eastern United States and the other is found only in California. 
An illustrated guide to the Arboretum containing a map showing the 
position of the different groups of plants has recently been published. It 
will be found useful to persons unfamiliar with the position of the differ- 
ent groups of plants. Copies of this guide can be obtained at the Admin- 
istration Building in the Arboretum, from the Secretary of the Massa- 
chusetts Horticultural Society, 300 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston, from 
The Houghton, Mifflin Company, 4 Park Street, Boston, and at the Old 
Corner Bookstore, Bromfield Street, Boston. 
The Arboretum will be grateful for any publicity 
given these Bulletins. 
