of exceptional value. It may be seen among the other species and hy- 
brids in the rear of the bank of Forsythias on the left hand side and at 
the lower end of the Bussey Hill Road. 
Many of the species of Ribes (Currants and Gooseberries) in the Shrub 
Collection are already covered with nearly full grown leaves; and a few 
of them, including the Rocky Mountain R. cereum, are in flower. 
In the Rhododendron collection at the base of Hemlock Hill a number 
of plants of R. praecox, Little Gem, are covered with clusters of pale 
lilac colored flowers. This plant was raised several years ago in the 
Vietchian Nursery in England by crossing the Siberian R. dahuricum 
with R. praecox, R. praecox being a hybrid between R. dahuricum and 
the Himalayan R. ciliatum. The Little Gem Rhododendron is a 
dwarf and perfectly hardy plant, and the earliest of the evergreen Rho- 
dodendrons in the collection to flower. It blooms, however, so early that 
unless an exceptionally favorable place can be secured for it the flowers 
are too often ruined by frost. 
Two American shrubs which have been used largely in the Arboretum 
for ground cover are now in flower and may be seen along the borders of 
several of the drives. They are the Fragrant Sumach ( Rhus canadensis 
or aromatica) and the Yellow Root ( Zanthorhiza apiifolia). The former 
is rather a straggling plant with slender stems sometimes three or four 
feet high, although in one of its forms this plant grows much more 
compactly. The flowers are bright yellow in small axillary clusters 
which appear before the three-lobed leaves. This has been found a use- 
ful plant in the Arboretum, although as a ground cover it has not proved 
as successful as the Yellow Root. This does not grow so tall, and spread- 
ing rapidly by underground shoots soon thickly covers the ground with 
its erect stems. The small purple flowers are produced on terminal erect 
or spreading racemes and open before or with the unfolding of the pin- 
nate leaves, which become clear bright yellow in the autumn. On the 
whole this is the most satisfactory shrub, for covering the ground among 
trees and larger shrubs, which has been tried in the Arboretum. 
The careful examination of the opening buds and unfolding leaves of 
trees and shrubs can give much pleasure and greatly help to an accurate 
knowledge of these plants. Nearly every species differs in the color of 
the very young leaves and in the nature and amount of the hairs which 
protect them in the bud. At this time the young leaves of the Horse- 
chestnuts or Buckeyes, of the Shadbushes, of several Maples, and especi- 
ally of the Moosewood ( Acer pennsylvanicum), of the Viburnums, and of 
many other plants in the Arboretum, are, if carefully examined, objects 
of great beauty; and in the young leaves are often found important char- 
acteristics for distinguishing species. All the American Oaks, for exam- 
ple, differ in their very young leaves, and some of them, like the Black 
and Scarlet Oaks, which are often difficult to recognize by their fully 
grown leaves, are easily distinguished by their very young leaves. All 
the American Oaks which are hardy in New England can be seen in the 
valley between the upper end of the Bussey Hill Road and the Valley 
Road, and in a few days their young leaves will be in condition to study. 
The flowers of the Chinese Magnolias, Forsythias, Asiatic Cherries, 
and early Plum-trees and the expanding buds of a large number of trees 
and shrubs make this a good time for an early spring visit to the Arboretum. 
The Arboretum will be grateful for any publicity 
given these Bulletins. 
