CALENDAR FOR DECEMBER. 
291 
CALENDAR FOR DECEMBER. 
If we examine the component plants in an ordinary shrubbery, 
no matter whether in a large or small place, we find the number 
of distinct species surprisingly few; and to this rule the excep¬ 
tions are so few as hardly to be worthy of consideration. That 
an improved taste on this point is gaining ground is true, but it 
is at a very slow rate. The planting of public arboretums, where 
the plants are kept properly named, has no doubt done good in 
this way; and no new park should be laid out, either in the' 
neighbourhood of London or elsewhere, without this point being 
specially attended to. Until within these few years, and even now 
to a considerable extent, few nurserymen thought of forming a 
collection of trees and shrubs, but contented themselves with 
growing those most in demand, and thus new or rare plants were 
seldom seen, and still less often inquired for. But let us hope 
this state of things is rapidly passing away, and that many of the 
fine things introduced of late years will become as common as any 
of our old favorites. 
In planting shrubberies, especially in small places, where large 
masses are neither proper nor practicable, there is no reason why 
nearly every tree or shrub should not be different, and thus pre¬ 
sent so many different objects of interest, instead of the dull 
monotonous repetition of laurels and lilacs, of which so many 
shrubberies are chiefly composed. Why should two common of 
hawthorns be allowed, when there are so many better varieties 
itself, independent of the finer and larger species from the south 
of Europe and North America? Why have we so many common 
lilacs, as is usually the case, when so many varieties now exist, 
besides species of considerable interest ? With the Syringa, or 
Mock Orange, again, it is the same, while numerous other species 
of Philadelphus and Deutzia are to be had as cheap. Who would 
think of ordering a hundred Roses of one sort for a small place, 
when he can have as many varieties for the same money ? and so 
it is with trees and shrubs. 
As this is a proper time for planting, as long as the weather is 
sufficiently open, it may be as well to state that almost the only 
extra trouble or expense incurred in having a great variety of 
