EVERGREEN SHRUBS. 
87 
the yew is used more or less for hedges ; but as a hedge plant, 
except in positions shaded from the mid-day sun, and for the 
purpose of variety, its use in this country is not advisable. 
Ash Berberry — Mahonia. — Among all the shrub evergreens, 
the mahonia for general use is, without exception, one of the 
most valuable. In general appearance of leaf it much resembles 
the European holly, a plant that is not hardy in the Northern 
or Middle States ; it is of the easiest possible culture, growing 
freely in any soil not wet. Besides its glossy foliage, in spring 
it gives a profusion of bright yellow flowers, followed w T ith rich 
purple berries, making it ever attractive and ornamentally beau- 
tiful. Our drawing represents a bush of the variety aquifolium , 
with a cluster of flowers. This is the most common sort, and 
is, perhaps, the best for masses or low hedges; but where a 
single plant only is to be grown, we should select the fascicularis 
as being more unique in form of foliage, and more subdued in 
the tone of color. In fully exposed positions facing south, the 
mahonia occasionally browns and loses its foliage ; but we have 
never known the plants to kill, and early in spring it puts on 
new leaves and comes forward rapidly, blooming as if it had 
suffered no loss. 
Box Tree — Buxus. — The common dwarf box — buxus suffruti- 
cosa — is well known, for it is, perhaps, the very best dwarf 
edging plant for flower-beds and borders that is known. It 
should always be transplanted early in the spring, and, by 
a clipping with shears from year to year, never permitted to 
grow above six to eight inches in height. The tree box — buxus 
sempermrens — forms a pretty dwarf ornamental tree for decorating 
small lawns or grass-plots, or for rounded points of pathways, 
etc. There are several varieties among them, comprising 
latifolia , or broad-leaved, wdiich is the best; the mystifolia , very 
narrow-leaved; the aurea , or golden variegated-leaved; the 
argenteci , or silvery variegated-leaved. A sandy or light gravelly 
