Amelanchiers, of some of the Forsythias, and of other plants which 
are now only just beginning to enlarge their buds. A week later the 
Japanese Euptelea polyandra was in flower, and the branches of the 
Chinese Prunus tomentosa were already covered with its handsome 
flowers. 
In spite of the lateness of the season several trees and shrubs, how- 
ever, are already in flower. The branches of the White Elm, Ulmus 
americana, the earliest of the Elm trees to open its buds here, have 
been brown for several days with the clusters of its small flowers, and 
the Scarlet Maple ( Acer rubrum ) is gay with its crowded flowers which 
cover its otherwise naked branches and are on some individuals scarlet 
and on others pale red or yellow. 
The earliest exotic tree to flower this year is the European Dogwood 
or Cornel, Cornus mas , often called the Cornelian Cherry. The small 
bright yellow flowers in dense clusters now cover the leafless branches 
and make the plants conspicuous in early spring. The leaves, which 
will unfold as the flowers fade, are abundant, of good size and pleas- 
ant color, and the bright scarlet lustrous fruits, which are the size of 
large cherries but oblong in shape, hang gracefully on slender stems 
and are very ornamental. This small tree is perfectly hardy and prob- 
ably was better known and more generally planted fifty years ago than 
it is now. The plant in the Arboretum in the Cornel Group, at the 
foot of the Bussey Hill Road, is not flowering particularly well this 
year, but many specimens can be seen in the shrubberies of the Bos- 
ton parks now in full flower; and there is an exceptionally large and 
shapely tree on the Boylston Street side of the Boston Public Garden 
near the entrance to the Subway. 
Many of the Alders are in flower and their delicate blossoms will 
well repay careful examination. The flowers of several Willows in the 
collection planted along the eastern border of the great meadow are 
now open, and during the next two weeks others will appear in suc- 
cession. It is at this period that these trees and shrubs are seen in 
their greatest beauty and are most interesting to the student. 
The Spice Bush (. Benzoin aestivate ) is just opening its flowers and can 
be seen to advantage in the large group on the right hand side of the 
Bussey Hill Road opposite the end of the Lilac Group. This is a native 
of the eastern United States and an inhabitant of the borders of 
swamps where it sometimes grows to the height of ten or fifteen feet. 
The flowers are small, bright yellow, and the male and female flowers 
are produced on different individuals, so that some of the plants only 
bear the small, scarlet, shining fruits which contrast so well with the 
bright yellow autumn foliage. The leaves are fragrant like those of 
its relative, the Sassafras, and are not injured by insects. The Leath- 
erwood Group ( Dirca palustris ) which can be seen on the right-hand 
side of the Bussey Hill Road just above the Spice Bushes, is now covered 
with its beautiful small yellow flowers. This is one of the most suc- 
cessful groups in the Arboretum and should be visited by persons 
interested in early spring flowering shrubs of good habit and entire 
hardiness. 
The earliest Magnolias are just opening their flower-buds in the neigh- 
borhood of the Administration Building. These are two Japanese spe- 
cies, Magnolia stellata, M. kobus and its northern form var. borealis. 
These plants, like many other Asiatic species, open their flowers before 
