April  17,  1902. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
337 
Spring  Flowering  Shrubs. 
Although  cold  and  gloom  may  yet  intervene  to  mar  the  fair 
•promise  of  a  year  of  unusual  brightness  and  abundance,  it  is  veil 
to  note  some  of  the  prevalent  characteristics.  Of  flowering  trees 
and  shrubs  mention  may  be  made  of  the  profuse  production  of 
the  vei'y  ornamental  long  pale  green  catkins  of  Garrya  elliptica, 
and  also  of  the  charming  yellowed  sprays  of  Jasininum  nudiflonun, 
both  alike  good  in  the  open  as  against  walls,  though  the  latter  is 
the  preferable  position  on  account  of  their  flowering  in  winter. 
The  finest  examples  are  where  the  shoots  have  been  allowed  to 
grow  out  from  the  wall  to 
the  extent  of  .several 
inches,  or  even  two  or 
more  feet,  pruning  being 
deferred  until  after 
flowering.  Lonicera  fra- 
grantissima,  with  its  de¬ 
liciously  sweet  flowers, 
may  be  regarded  as  the 
first-bom  flowering  shrub 
of  the  year,  and  quite 
hardy,  and  suitable  for  the 
shmbhery  border,  it  bear¬ 
ing  c  u  1 1  i  n  g  -  i  n  well . 
Strangely,  the  Laurus- 
tinus  has  not  been  one 
mass  of  peai'ly  flowers,  ’ts 
buds  not  expanding  dur¬ 
ing  the  early  spring 
months.  Chimonanthus 
fragrans,  as  usual,  la- 
dened  the  air  with  fra¬ 
grance,  its  flowers  being 
produce  d  profusely 
a  g  a  in  s  t  a  wall  with 
southern  aspect,  and  in 
the  open  Mezereums,  red 
and  white,  produced  their 
fragrant  flowers  in  the 
usual  profusion. 
Forsythia  viridissima  is 
now  (April  12)  very  full 
of  bloom,  much  more  than 
usual,  even  on  spurred-in 
plants  not  more  than  a 
yard  in  height,  and  the 
charming  surface  cover¬ 
ing  Berberis  Aquifolium 
has  its  abundant  massive 
flower  clusters  fast  open¬ 
ing  intO'  full  beauty. 
Berberis  dulcis  has  its 
graceful  flower  sprays  well 
advanced  for  display, 
while  the  deep  orange- 
coloured  flower  buds  of 
B.  Darwini  cluster  thickly 
upon  its  deep  green  foli- 
aged  graceful  sprays,  and 
has  a  few  with  open 
,  flowers.  It  does  best  on 
a  deep,  rich,  light  soil, 
and  is  seen  to  best  ad¬ 
vantage  on  grass.  Tower¬ 
ing  overhead  are  the 
Almonds,  still  gay  with  a 
profusion  of  blossom. 
Level  with  the  eye  is  seen 
Ribes  prsecox  in  full 
beauty,  and  the  deeper- 
hued  R.  sanguineum  are 
charming  in  bud,  and 
partly  developed  racemes. 
At  our  feet  appear  the 
very  beautiful  deep  pink 
cushions  of  Erica  camea, 
and  near  by  the  white  Heath-like  blossoms  of  Androniieda 
floribunda. 
Upward,  spreading  wide,  appear  the  pretty  white  flowers  of 
Pmnus  Pissardi,  soon  to  be  followed  by  its  lovely  deep  reddish 
purple  leafage.  Double-flowering  Sloe,  in  bridal  pearl,  lighten 
up  the  shrubbery,  and  Gorse  in  matchless  golden  sheen  gladden 
the  eye  on  wayside  and  waste,  no  plant  so  glorious  in  garden  as 
Double  Gorse.  Indeed,  all  Nature  seems  to  be  springing  into 
gloiy,  the  rich  purple  opening  buds  of  the  purple-leaved  Berberrv. 
and  the  still  more  royal  purple  of  the  purple-foliaged  Hazel, 
surpassing  in  richness  the  to-come  leafage  of  the  Purple  Beech. 
How  beautiful  are  the  expanding  leaves  of  the  Golden  Privet,  its 
warmth  of  yellow  having  a  particular  glow  in  front  of  red  brick 
walls,  hence  is  a  particular  favourite  in  urban  and  suburban 
gardens,  being  very  tractable,  and  is  as  good  for  division  hedges 
as  the  common  or  even  oval-leaved  green  forms.  Of  course  the 
Golden-leaved  Elder  takes  the  “cake”  as  the  finest  golden 
foliaged  shrub  or  low  tree  in  either  the  “  heaid.  ”  of  towns  or  the 
country-side,  and  it  gives  pi'omise  of  great  beauty. 
The  Maples  are  budding,  and  showing  the  rich  tints  of  their 
leafage.  Mhat  more  beautiful  than  the  variegated  Negundo? 
On  grass  it  is  charming  as  a  bush,  bearing  cutting  to  any  extent, 
and  the  flne.st  leafage  is  produced  on  vigorous  growths,  it  making 
but  a  stniued  subject  as  a  standard,  except  in  good  .soil  and  warm 
situation.  With  the  red  Colchic  Maple,  and  the  other  red  and 
purple  leaved  Maples  the 
variegated  Negundo  is 
unquestionably  the  best 
contrasting,  as  well  as  a 
single  ornamental  object, 
the  most  beautiful  of 
variegated  trees.  The 
twigs  of  the  yellow  and 
red-twigged  Limes  are 
singularly  effective,  as 
the  buds  start  into 
growth,  and  the  silver 
sheen  of  the  Avhite  Lime 
trees’  opening  buds  light 
up  the  reddish  hues  -of 
the  Sycamores.  Lighte.st 
green  is  seen  nowhere  as 
m  the  graceful  Larch,  so 
graceful  and  feathei-y ; 
while  the  Queen  of  the 
Woods,  the  charming  de¬ 
pending  lightness  and 
grace  of  the  Birch,  3s 
delightful.  Silver  is  the 
sheen  of  the  wliite 
Poplar,  delightful  con¬ 
trast  with  the  bronze  if 
the  Canadian  Poplar,  and 
this  with  the  Golden¬ 
leaved  Poplar,  the  green 
of  the  Hawthorn  is 
notable,  anon  to  receive 
its  pearls  of  white  or  of 
ruby  blossoms.  Even  the 
Lilacs  are  bursting  forth, 
showing  grand  clusters  of 
to-be  colour  and  fra¬ 
grance.  Not  least  is  the 
promise  held  forth  of  a 
galaxy  of  golden  chains 
on  the  now  light  or 
white  swelling  buds  of 
Labunium.  Even  the 
buds  of  the  great  Pear  or 
Pyrus  family,  are  swelF 
ing  a  great  promise  f 
blossom ;  the  Prunus 
genus  fast  advancing  to¬ 
wards  blossoming,  indeed 
some  Plums  against  walls 
have  been  in  blossom 
some  time,  and  the 
Gooseberry  bushes  are 
well  clad  in  leafage,  soon 
to  be  hummed  into  fruit 
by  the  bees.  Ti-uly  the 
“time  of  the  singing  of 
birds  is  come,”  and  the 
welcome  call  of  the 
cuckoO'  has  been  heard  in 
our  land. — G.  Abbey. 
Angrascum  sesquipedale. 
I  nited  Kingdom  in  Victorian  butter, 
meat,  rabbits,  hares,  poultry ;  also 
Products  from  Victoria. 
A  large  export  trade  is 
being  developed  with  the 
cheese,  grain,  flour,  frozen 
wines,  fruit,  fruit  pulp, 
honey,  tobacco,  &c.  In  view  of  a  still  greater  expansion  ot  is 
export,  business,  it  is  desirable  that  the  British  trader  and  con¬ 
sumer  should  be  furnished  with  some  information  wnceraing 
these  productions  of  Victoria,  and  of  the  concerted  action 
taken  by  the  Government  and  producers  of  it,  so  as  to 
produce  but  that  of  the  highest  quality  and  standard.  Hit  ■ 
aim  in  view,  Mr.  J.  M.  Sinclair,  Superintendent  in  London,  j 
exports  for  the  Victorian  Government,  has  prepared  a  leaflet 
which  briefly  treats  in  turn  of  the  articles  mentioned  abo-ve.  n 
another  issue  we  hope  to  print  extracts  from  the  leaflet  snowing 
the  extent  to  which  the  fruit  industry  has  developed. 
