DECIDUOUS SHRUBS. 
495 
PTELEA OR SHRUBBY TREFOIL. Ptelea trifoliata. 
This is a thin wild shrub, which can be trained into a miniature 
tree six to ten feet high. Leaves of three ovate acute leaflets, on 
long stalks; they turn to a clear yellow in autumn. Fruit winged, 
and in clusters, like those of the Halesia tetraptera , Fig. 143. 
THE QUINCE. Cydonia. 
The Common Orange Quince, Cydonia vulgaris , is sometimes 
one of the prettiest of shrubby trees. But it is so commonly seen 
crowded into some corner of 
the garden, or neglected grassy 
ground, that the idea of its being 
classed with favor among orna¬ 
mental trees for small grounds will 
seem to some persons almost ludi¬ 
crous. Yet we have seen young 
quince trees loaded with large 
white blossoms, slightly tinged 
with pink, standing near masses of the finest varieties of lilacs, and 
in full view of blossoming magnolias, horse-chestnuts, and apple 
trees, and though lowly and shrubby compared with them, it was 
yet not inferior to any in the beautiful profusion of its bloom, and 
the pleasing setting that its polished young leaves make for their 
flowers. Fig. 164 is a sketch of a pretty young quince tree of this 
sort. When grown in the moist rich ground which it requires, the 
foliage is always fine, and its low broad form is well adapted to 
gardenesque grounds. Its great golden fruit in autumn is among 
the most showy of fruits while hanging on the tree, as well as the 
most fragrant of native conserves. It grows quickly to the height 
of six or eight feet, and afterwards gains more in breadth than 
height, so that in ten or twelve years it forms a tree about eight or 
ten feet high, and twelve or fifteen feet diameter of head. It is 
best grown with a single stem, and allowed to branch about two 
Fig. 164.. 
