THE LADIES' FLORAL CABINET. 
103 
and makes a beau¬ 
tiful specimen, as 
o u r figure demon¬ 
strates. 
The leafage is co¬ 
pious and forms an 
elegant groundwork 
for the flowers, which 
rise to the height of 
two feet or more 
when tlie plant is in 
happy circumstan¬ 
ces. 
The flowers are 
of a pale blue color, 
and their great 
size renders the m 
peculiarly attrac¬ 
tive and pleasing. 
Any fairly good 
border will suit this 
fine plant, and we 
shall, perhaps, not 
easily find a place 
that is too cold for it; 
at all events, in 
heavy soil in the 
northern suburbs of 
London, it is as 
hardy as any of the 
great class of 
plants it worthily rep¬ 
resents. 
The common Sweet 
Scabious, an old 
favorite with the 
growers of annuals, 
should never be for¬ 
gotten when we 
have to speak of the 
genus in connection 
with the garden. It 
is a first-class border 
flower, and its pecu¬ 
liar sweetness adds 
to its value.— 
The Gardeners' Mag¬ 
azine. 
NEW AND USEFUL SHRUBS. 
Extracts from a paper read before the Massachusetts Horticultural Society. 
BY W. C. STRONG, ESQ. 
Mr. Strong mentioned first the Japanese maples of 
the polymorphum type, which may be properly classed 
as shrubs. There can be but one opinion as to the ex¬ 
ceeding beauty of many of them. The variety known 
as atrosanguineum purpureum is perhaps the best for 
our climate. But it is greatly to be feared that none of 
these are likely to prove vigorous, though it is probable 
they will withstand our winters if they mature a healthy 
summer growth. The difficulty is with our hot suns. 
On the estate of Mr. Hunnewell, where they have the 
benefit of shelter and moisture, they seem to thrive, and 
are superlatively beautiful. But at Messrs. Parsons’ 
nursery in Flushing, where they have been largely pro¬ 
pagated, they do not get from the frames to the open 
ground to any extent. The general experience is that 
they will require such careful nursing as will unfit them 
for ordinary cultivation. . 
Azalea mollis, also from Japan, might have been 
called new here half a dozen years ago. At the Arnold 
Arboretum it endures the winter quite as well as the 
Ghent Azaleas, and flowers superbly and promises to 
supersede them, the flowers being finor in size and form. 
At the aboretum a large number of seedlings have been 
raised, from which we may expect plants every way 
suited to our climate. Another Japanese shrub is the 
Red Bud ( Cereis Japonica), which differs from our 
American species in being much more dwarf and flower¬ 
ing profusely when not more than a foot in height, and 
the flowers are much larger and richer in color. Mr. 
Strong here pointed to specimens exhibited by him, cut 
from a bush placed in the greenhouse six weeks ago. 
Many of the large class of evergreen shrubs known as 
Retinosporas or Japan cypress, are quite hardy here if 
planted in soil and position adapted to their wants. The 
heath-leaved variety ( ericoides ) is not hardy with the 
the speaker, but plumosa, plumosa aurea, squarrosa, 
filifera, obtusa, obtusa nana, and lycopodioides have 
endured in exposed positions. They are very diverse 
in form and foliage, and of great importance for lawn 
decoration. Probably the golden plumosa and the 
silvery and dewy squarrosa would be chosen as most 
useful and contrasting. Tamarix plumosa, from Japan, 
seemed more hardy and was certainly more erect and 
plume-like and richer in foliage than the previously 
known species, but its hardiness is yet doubtful. Rosa 
ragosa, from Japan, gives several shades of color in the 
flowers, the dark red being perhaps the best. The 
flowers are single, and of much beauty when partly 
open. But the bush has great merit as a shrub, with 
very luxuriant, dark, rich green foliage, and in winter 
is crowned with numerous scarlet seed vessels. It is a 
real acquisition. 
Cornus Siberica foliis albo-marginatis, probably a gar¬ 
den variety, has very distinct white variegation, with 
shades of pink, in clear contrast with vigorous green, 
giving a lively and very attractive appearance to the 
bush. It has the same scarlet wood for winter effect as 
the CornuS sanguinea, and is a very promising shrub.' 
A new plum from Persia, called Fissardii, bag at¬ 
tracted much attention at French exhibitions the past 
season. It is said to have “ splendid foliage, of a blood- 
scarlet color, keeping so until the leaves fall in Novem- 
