CHAPTER IV. 
DECIDUOUS SHRUBS. 
S HRUBS are distinguished from trees by having many stems 
issuing near the surface of the ground from a common 
root, instead of having all their branches and foliage sup¬ 
ported on a single stem. Among the descriptions of trees 
in the preceding chapter are embraced many dwarf and shrubby 
sorts that should rank as shrubs; such, for instance, as the dwarf 
white-flowering horse-chestnut, the purple magnolia, etc., which 
have been described with trees in order not to separate families, as 
explained in our remarks on the classification of trees and shrubs 
in Chapter II. of Part II. 
Before proceeding with descriptions, we desire again to call the 
reader’s attention to the fact, that shrubs which are the most com¬ 
monly known , and the cheapest , are generally the finest, or at least have 
the greatest number of desirable qualities. Now, what are the most 
essential qualities of shrubs for home embellishment ? Before 
answering this we must demand what kind of a place is to be 
embellished ; whether large or small, isolated or connected with 
others ; whether it is to be laid out on a geometric plan, in a gar- 
denesque manner, or with more simple groupings in miniature 
