in the form of a large shrub rather than a tree, it is perfectly hardy 
in the most exposed positions. The flowers are small and the hairy 
stems of the fruit, which form the conspicuous “smoke” of the Old- 
World Smoke-tree, do not make much show; but the leaves are large and 
of a pleasing shade of green, and in the autumn turn orange and scarlet, 
making this one of the handsomest October plants in the Arboretum. 
This plant was introduced into cultivation by the Arboretum many years 
ago from northern Alabama and it is now often cultivated and much 
valued in Europe where it appears to be better known than in the United 
States. The bright orange-colored heartwood is very durable and yields 
an orange dye used in the south during the Civil War when most of the 
large trees were destroyed. 
In the Shrub Collection the leaves of two currants are just turning 
scarlet. These are Ribes curvatum and the Chinese form of Ribes fas- 
ciculatum. Ribes curvatum is a little known plant found a few years 
ago in the neighborhood of Stone Mountain in central Georgia. It has 
long white flowers gracefully drooping on long stems and in cultivation 
has proved to be one of the attractive plants in the large collection of 
this genus. The beauty of the Chinese Currant at this season is in- 
creased by the bright red fruits which are still on the branches. It is 
the only representative of the genus in the collection with fruit which 
ripens in the autumn, and is well worth a place in every collection in 
which handsome autumn fruits are valued. 
The Japanese and Chinese Wistaria, W. sinensis, is the species which 
is commonly cultivated in this country. The leaves are usually destroyed 
by frosts while they are still green, but the leaves of another Chinese 
species, W. multijuga usually turn a brilliant clear yellow before falling. 
This species, which is less commonly found in American gardens than 
W. sinensis, blooms later than that species and has longer flower 
clusters on which the flowers are set further apart and are more fra- 
grant. It is a form of this species w T ith abnormally long flower clus- 
ters which is so highly valued and so often cultivated by the Japanese. 
There are forms with pale blue, white and rose tinted flowers. This 
Chinese vine appears to be hardier than W. sinensis. 
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, at the Old Cor- 
ner Bookstore, Bromfield Street, Boston, and at the office of the Harvard 
Alumni Bulletin, 50 State Street, Boston. Price, 30 cents. 
The Arboretum will be grateful for any publicity 
given these Bulletins. 
