61 
PARK AND CEMKTERir. 
Pathway Planting^, WissahicKon ParK, Philadelphia. 
Happening in the vicinity of the park attached to 
the Wissahickon Inn, Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia, in 
early spring, I was pleased to find it to be the time 
when hosts of the earliest spring flowering shrubs 
were in bloom, and knowing the desire of your read- 
ers to have such sights represented, the photograph 
of the accompanying illustration was taken. My chief 
object was to catch the display of the golden bell, the 
Forsythias, which were then in their prime, and which 
I do not think I ever saw in such good condition. The 
group on the left of the path, the first group, is com- 
posed entirely of this shrub, and planted as they are, 
in masses, they are most effective. In fact, one of 
the prettiest features of this park is the grouping of 
the trees and shrubs. The park itself is extensive, 
giving ample room for the use of a great variety of 
subjects. Following the line of golden bells, for in- 
stance, there can be seen in the distance the advance 
tree of the white dogwood group, and just beyond 
these trees are a number of the red-flowered horse 
chestnut, Aesculus rubicunda, in line for flowering ; 
and still not far away are the pink flowered dogwood — 
one of the grandest of early flowering small trees. 
Commencing on the right hand of the path, the first 
shrub is Cornus alba, the famed red-twigged dog- 
wood of winter. Its flowers are in flat heads, white ; 
and the berries are white when ripe. But its merits 
are chiefly its blood-red shoots in winter, almost as 
striking as a bush full of red flowers. 
The next bush in flower, following a deciduous tree 
just leafing out, is the European wayfaring bush, Vi- 
burnum lantana. It has flat heads of white flowers 
m early spring ; later on large bunches of red berries 
follow. Altogether it is a desirable early-blooming 
shrub. And bear in mind, if necessary, it is the very 
thing for a limestone soil. 
Next to this Vfiburnum is the Spiraea Thunbergii, 
one of the first, if not the very first, of Spiraeas to 
flower in spring. Its branches are very slender, and 
when clothed with their white flowers are beautiful 
and of much use for cutting for vases of flowers. Its 
leaves are uncommonly long for a Spiraea. 
Following the path which swings to the right we 
come on a group collection of fire bushes, Pyrus Japon- 
ica, in fine display of bloom. Besides the common 
scarlet one, there are the white, salmon, pink flowered 
and others. These are always effective when in bloom, 
and being hardy and regular bloomers, they are in all 
collections. Then their prickly character makes them 
useful for planting where would-be intruders would 
like to tread. 
At the far end of the main path shown is^ a group 
of the Japanese Judas tree, Cercis Japonica, and not 
far away are some of the native ones, C. Canadensis. 
The Japanese is the dwarfer one, but has the deeper 
pink flowers. An odd feature of both these Judas 
trees is that the small bunches of flowers come out 
year after year on old shoots as well as in great abun- 
dance on newer ones, and they are always sure to 
flower. Joseph Meehan. 
PATHWAY PLANTING, WISSAHICKON PARK, PHILADELPHIA. 
