J A x. A J 51:l?l A \ V BY iMmi: This book was presented by Alfred B. Yeomans (yC482 K27 /V This book is due on the date indicated below and is subject to an overdue fine as posted at the Circulation Desk. SCRIBNER'S BOOKS FOR NATURE LOVERS By FRANCES THEODORA PARSONS According to Season TALKS ABOUT THE FLOWERS IN THE ORDER OF THEIR APPEARANCE IN THE WOODS AND FIELDS With 32 full-page illustrations in colors, from drawings by Elsie Louise Shaw, ^1.75 net (postage 14 cents). " It is a privilege to own such a book for its artistic charm, and its con- tents well deserve their setting." — The Dial. " The charm of this book is as pervading and enduring as is the charm of nature." — ^V. V. Times. " Delightful talks upon the beauty of the changing year, and the parts contributed to such pleasures by forest, grove, and stream." — T/te Interior. By MRS. WILLIAM STARR DANA (FRANCES THEODORA PARSONS) How to Know the Wild Flowers With 48 colored plates and new black and white drawings, enlarged, rewritten, and entirely reset. Sixtieth thousand. Crown 8vo, $2.00 net. " I am delighted with it. . . . It so exactly the kind of work needed for outdoor folks who live in the country but know little of systematic botany that it is a wonder no one has written it before."— /^i7«. Theodore Roosevelt. "It is not often that a book so suggestive of pleasure, pure and simple, comes our way. So far as we recall books on flowers, it is the first that makes country walks an intelligent joy for those who know nothing of botany and who have eyes to see and minds to question."— r//^ New York Times. " Every flower-lover who has spent weary hours puzzling over a botanical key in the eff"orl to name unknown plants, will welcome this satisfactory book, which stands ready to lead him to the desired knowledge by a royal road." — The Nation. (ovkr) SCRIBNER'S BOOKS FOR NATURE LOVERS By FRANCES THEODORA PARSONS (Mrs. DANA) How to Know the Ferns With 150 full-page illustrations. Crown 8vo, $1.50 net. " This is a notably thorougii little volume. The text is not voluminous, and even with its many full-page illustrations the book is small; but brevity, as we are glad to see so many writers on nature learning, is the first of virtues in this field. . . . The author of ' How to Ktiow the Ferns ' has mastered her subject, and she treats it with authority." — ISlew York Tribune. "The inspiration that entered into and made 'How to Know the Wild Flowers ' so deservediv popular has not been lost in ' How to Know the Ferns.'" — New York Times. By JOHN B. GRANT Our Common Birds and How to Know Them With 64 full-page plates. Oblong T2mo, $1.50 net. PARTIAL LIST OF PLATES: hoot owi,, belted kingfisher, whip- poor-will, KINGBIRD, PHCEBE, BLUE JAY, BOBOLINK, MKADOWLARK, ORCHARD ORIOLE, PURPLE FINCH, RED CROSSBILL, SNOWFLAKE, SNOWBIRD, SONG SPAR- ROW, CARDINAL, SUMMER RED BIRD, CEDARBIRD, MAGNOLIA WARBLER, BROWN 1HRU3H, WINTER WREN. WOOD THRUSH, ROBIN, and 42 Others. "The book is learned, but not too much so for common use, and, if care- fully studied, it will introduce the student into that interesting world cf bird life where a few favored mortals, such as the author, Bradford Torrey, Olive Thorne Miller, and a small handful more, have won their way and brought back so much of delight. The book has more than sixty plates of the com- moner American birds, with descriptioTis, and a very enjoyable and instructive introductory essay." — The Congregafiojialist. " It gives plain, practical illustraticni regarding birds and how best to study them in their haunts and homes in the woods and fields. The plates adorn the pages and give value to the concise, clearly written text." — Chicago Inter-Ocean. CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS, Publishers 153-157 Fifth Avenue, New York OUR NORTHERN SHRUBS Panicled Dogwood, Cormis caudidissima. OUR NORTHERN SHRUBS AND HOW TO IDENTIFY THEM 91 |)anUt)0ofe for i\)t J^aturc^lotjcr By HARRIET L. KEELER AUTHOR OF " OUR NATIVE TREES WITH 205 PLATES FROM PIIOTOGRAPHS AND WITH 35 ILLUSTRATIONS FROM DRAUIXGS CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS NEW YORK :::::::::::: 1903 Copyright, 1903, by CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS Published, April, 1903 TROW DIRECTORY ?RINTING AND BOOKBINDING COMPANY NEW YORK PREFACE The shrubs described in this volume are those which find their most congenial home in the region extending from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mississippi River, and from Canada to the northern boundaries of our Southern States ; together with those imported shrubs which have so long adorned our yards and gardens that we have almost forgotten their foreign origin. The volume is prepared not only for the amateiir botanist who seeks a more complete description of plants than the text-books in common use afford ; not only for the lover of nature who desires a pei'sonal ac- quaintance with the bushes that grow in the fields and the fence corners ; but also to serve those who are engaged in the establishment and decoration of city parks, roadways and boulevards; those who are seek- ing to beautify country roadsides, school-yards and railway stations, as well as those who, in the decora- tion of their own home grounds, would gladly use our native shrubs were their habits and character better understood. It is hoped that this volume may lead to a clearer appreciation of the wonderful varietv, the exquisite beauty and the real value of that neglected part of our native flora, the shrub. 88818 PREFACE The author is glad to acknowledge her indebtedness to the following books of reference : Britton and Brown's "Illustrated Flora of the United States and Canada," Bailey's *' Cyclopedia of American Horticul- ture," Emerson's Report on the Trees and Shrubs of Massachusetts, Gray's " Manual of Botany," Britton's " Manual of the Flora of the Northern States and Canada," Bailey's ** Evolution of Our Native Fruits," Card's '' Bush Fruits," and the magazine Garden and Forest. The extracts from the works of Lowell, Emerson, Whittier, Torrey, Thoreau, and Higginson are used with the permission of the publishers, Messrs. Hough- ton, Mifflin & Co. ; that from Fred W. Card, with the permission of the Macmillan Co. ; that from Joseph Y. Bergen, with the permission of Ginn & Co. The quotations from the writings of Professor L. H. Bailey, Mr. J. G. Jack and Mr. Jackson Dawson are made by the kind consent of the authors. Especial acknowledgment is due to Professor Charles S. Sargent, who so generously placed the magnificent resources of the Arnold Arboretum at the service of the author ; and also to Mr. Alfred Rehder, whose ex- pert knowledge has been invaluable in deciding every case of doubt. The full page illustrations are from photographs, many of which were made by Mr. Alfred Rehder of the Arnold Arboretum, the remainder by Decker & Co., and by the Edmondson Studio Co., both of Cleve- land, Ohio. The outline pictures are the work of Miss Mary Keffer of Lake Erie Colle2:e, Painesville, Ohio. PREFACE Thanks for specimens kindly sent upon request are due to Mr. Watson of Plymouth, Mass. ; Gen. G. W. Shurtleff, of Oberlin, Ohio, and Mr. Michael H. Ho- varth, landscape gardener and forester of the parks of Cleveland, Ohio. CONTENTS Page Preface v Genera and Species ...... xi Illustrations xix Guide to the Shrubs xxv Introduction — The Shrub ..... xwii Description of tlie SJirubs j Glossary of Botanical Terms .... 499 Glossary of Latin Specific Terms . . -507 Index of Latin Names 5// Index of English Names 5/6 GENERA AND SPECIES Ranunculace/e Xanthorrhiza apiifolia MAGNOLIACEvt . Mag?iolia conspicua Magnolia obovata . Magnolia soulafigea?ia Magnolia stellata . Magnolia kobiis Berberidace^ . Berberis vulgaris . Berberis canadensis Mahonia aquifolia CISTACE.+: . Hudsonia tomentosa Hudsonia ericoidts IlYPERICACE.l^: Hypericum proliJicu))i Hypericnm densijloruni HyPericufn kabnianuni Ascyrum stans Ascyrum crjix-andrete THEACE/E . Stiiartia pentagyna Gordonia pubescens Malvace.e . Hibiscus syriacus . Crowfoot Family PAGE Shrub Yellow-root • 3 Magnolia Family Yulan Magnjlia . 6 Purple Magnolia . 8 Soulange's Magnolia . 8 Star Magnolia . . 8 Kobus Magnolia . lO Barberry Family Common Barberry . 12 American Barberry . 14 Mahonia . . i6 Rock-rose Family Woolly Hudsonia Heath-like Hudsonia . St. John's-wort Famil\ Shrubby St. John's-wort Dense-flowered St. John's- wort Kalm's St. John's-wort St. Peter's-wort . St. Andrew's Cross . Tea Family Stuartia Ciordonia . Mallow Family Shrubby Althaea ^3 ^4 26 28 28 34 GENERA AND SPECIES Tamarisce^ . Tamarisk Family PAGE Tamarix Tamarisk .... 39 RUTACE/E .... . Rue Family Xanthoxylum americayimn . Prickly Ash 43 Ftelea trifoliata . Wafer Ash 45 ILICACE/E .... . Holly Family Ilex verticillata Winterberry 48 Ilex Icrvigata . Smooth Winterberry 52 Ilex glabra . Inkberry .... 54 Ilicioides niucronata . Mountain Holly 56 CELASTRACE/E . . Staff-tree Family Euonymus obovatus . Running Strawberry Bush . 58 Euonyimis a?nerica?ins . Strawberry Bush 60 Rhamnace^ . Buckthorn Family Rhamnus alnifolia Alder-leaved Buckthorn 62 Rhammis lanceolata Lance-leaved Buckthorn 62 Rhain7ius cat hart tea . Buckthorn .... 64 Rhamn us frangula . Alder Buckthorn 68 Ceanothus americanus . New Jersey Tea 68 Hippocastanace^ . Horse-chestnut Family Aescnlus parvifiora Dwarf Buckeye . 71 Staphyleace.^ . . Bladder-nut Family Staphylea trifolia . . American Bladder- nut 74 ANACARDIACE/E . . Sumach Family Rhus glabra . . Smooth Sumach 78 Rhus copallina . Dwarf Sumach . 80 Rhus vernix . . Poison Sumach . 82 Rhus r ad leans . Poison Ivy ... 84 Rhus ?nicrocarpa . . Northern Poison Ivy . 86 Rhus aromatica Fragrant Sumach 88 Rhus triloba la . Ill-scented Sumach . 90 Cotinus cotinus . Smoke-tree 90 Papilionace/E . . Pea Family A morpha fruticosa False Indigo 95 Amorpha canescens . Lead Plant 98 GENERA AND SPECIES PAPILlONACEyE — Coilthlllt'd. Genista tine tori a . Robin ia hispid a Laburnum vulgare DRUPACE/E . Prunus maritima . Frunus gravesii Prunus spinosa Prunus pumila Prunus euneata Prunus virginiayia Prunus Japoniea . ROSACE.E Spireea salicifolia . Spireea tomentosa . Spircca thunbergii Spireea prunifolia . Spireea vanhouttei Spinea anthony-ivaterer Opulaster opulifolius Exochorda grandifiora Kerr ia japoniea Rub us . Rubus odoratus Rubus strigosus Rubus oecidentalis Rubus nigrobaccus Rubus randii Rubus argutus Rubus eanadensis . Rubus allegheniensis Rubus proeumbens Rubus hispidus Potentilla frutieosa Rosa Rosa se tig era Rosa blanda . Rosa arkansana PAGF Woad Waxen . I GO Rose Acacia 103 Golden Chain . 103 Plum Family Beach Plum 108 Graves' Beach Plum . 110 Blackthorn no Sand Cherry no Appalachian Cherry . 1 12 Choke Cherry . 1 12 Flowering Almond . 114 Rose Family Meadow Sweet . iiS Steeple-bush 120 Thunberg's Spiraea . 125 Plum-leaved Spiraea . 126 Van Hout's Spiraea 126 r Anthony Waterer's Spiraea 126 Ninebark . 129 Exochorda • 132 . Kerria • 134 Bramble 136 Purple-tlowering Raspbern i 137 Wild Red Raspberry . 140 Black Raspberry . 143 . High-bush IMackberry . 146 Rand's Blackberry . 153 Lcafy-bracted Blackberry . 154 Thornless IMackberry • 154 . Mountain Blackberry . . 156 Dewberry . . 15S . Running Swamp Blackbcrr V 158 . Shrubby Cinquefoil . . 161 . Rose . 163 . Climbing Rose . . 164 . Meadow Rose . . 167 . Arkansas Rose . . 68 GENERA AND SPECIES RoSACEiE— Continued. PAGE Rosa Carolina . Swamp Rose 170 Rosa huynilis . Pasture Rose • -i^n Rosa lucida . . Glossy Rose 176 Rosa nit id a . Northeastern Rose 176 Rosa rubigitiosa . Sweetbrier 178 Rosa canina . . Dog Rose . 181 Rosa rugosa . . Japanese Rose . 184 Rosa wichiiraiafia Trailing Japanese Rose 184 POMACE/E .... . Apple Family Aronia arbntifolia Red Choke-berry . 187 Aronia atropurpurea . Purple-fruited Choke-berry . 190 Aronia nigra . Black Choke-berry 190 Amelanchier botryapium . Shadbush . 192 Amelanchier spicata Low June-berry . 196 Amelanchier oligocarpa . . Oblong-fruited June-berry 196 Cotoneaster Pyracatithus . Evergreen Thorn 198 Pyrus japonica . Japan Quince . 200 Calycanthace^ . Strawberry-shrub Family Btiineria fiorida . . Strawberry-shrub 203 Biitneria fertilis . . Strawberry-shrub 204 Hydrangeace^ . . Hydrangea Family Hydrangea arborescens . Wild Hydrangea 208 Hydrangea pa?ticulata . . Hardy Hydrangea 210 Philadelphus coronarius . Syringa . . . . 212 Philadelphtis grandijlorus Great-flowered Syringa 216 SAXIFRAGACEiE . . Saxifrage Family Dentzia gracilis . Deutzia 217 Deutzia scabra . Deutzia . 217 ITEACE^ .... . Virginia Willow Family Ilea virginica . Virginia Willow 221 GrOSSULARIACE/E . Gooseberry Family Ribes cynosbati Wild Gooseberry 224 Ribes uva-crispa . . Garden Gooseberry . 228 GENERA AND SPECIES Grossulariace^e — Continued, Ribes rotundifolium Ribes oxyacanthoides Ribes lacustre Ribes prostratum . Ribes f'ubrufn Ribes fioridum Ribes aureutn HAMAMELIDACEvE Hamatnelis vir^iniana CORNACE^ . Cornus . Corfiusflorida Cor tins circinata . Cornus a mo mum . Cornus asperifolia . Cornus stolonifera Cornus candidissitna Cornus bailey i Cornus alternifolia Cornus alba . Caprifoliace^ . Sambucus canadettsis Sambucus pubens . Viburfium alnifolium Viburnum opulus . Vibur7ium opulus sterilis Viburnum acerifolium Viburnujn pubescens Viburnu7n dentatum Viburnum cassinoides Viburnum lantana Symphoricarpos racemosus . Symphoricarpos symphoricar- pos . . . . . Lonicera . . . . Lonicera oblong^ifolia Lonicera coerulea . PAGE Eastern Wild Gooseberry . 228 Northern Gooseberry- . 229 Swamp Gooseberry . . 231 Fetid Currant . = 231 Red Currant . 232 Wild Black Currant . ' 233 Golden Currant . « 235 Witch Hazel Family Witch Hazel . . .238 Dogwood Family Dogwood . . . .241 Flowering Dogwood . . 244 Round-leaved Dogwood . 246 Silky Dogwood . . . 248 Rough-leaved Dogwood . 250 Red-osier Dogwood . .251 Panicled Dogwood . .254 Bailey's Dogwood . .256 Alternate-leaved Dogwood . 256 Red-stemmed Dogwood . 258 Honeysuckle Family American Elder . . 262 Red-berried Elder . . 266 Hobble-bush . . . 270 Cranberry-tree . . . 273 Snowball .... 275 Maple -leaved Viburnum . 278 Downy Viburnum . . 280 Arrow-wood . . . 282 Withe-rod . . . .284 Wayfaring Tree . . .285 Snowberry , . . 287 Indian Currant . . . 290 Honeysuckle . . . 292 Swamp Fly-honeysuckle . 294 Mountain Fly-honeysuckle 296 GENERA AND SPECIES Caprifoliace/e— G;;///;///^^/. Lonicera ciliata Lonicera tartarica Lonicera involucrata Diervilla die?-znlla Diervilla rosea RUBIACE^ . Cephalanthus occidentalis Composite . Baccharis halimifolia VACCINIACEiE Gayhissacia frondosa Gaylussacia resinosa Gayhissacia dumosa Gaylussacia brachycera Vacciniujn pennsylvatiicum Vacciniiun vacillajis Vacciniu7n corymbostim Vaccinium ccespitoswn . Vaccijtitim uliginosum . Vitis-IdcBa vitis-idcBa Polycodium stamineum Chiogenes hispidula Oxycoccus macrocarpus Ericace^ .... Ledu?n groenlandicutn . Azalea nudifiora . Azalea canescens . Azalea lutea . Azalea arborescens Azalea viscosa Rhodora canadensis Rhododendron maxitnum Menziesia pilosa Dendriujn buxifolium . ChamcEcistus procumbens Kalmia latifolia . Fly-honeysuckle . . 298 Tartarian Honeysuckle . 300 Involucred Fly-honeysuckle 302 Bush Honeysuckle . . 304 Weigela . . , , 306 Madder Family Button-bush 308 Composite Family Groundsel-tree 311 Huckleberry Family Dangleberry 318 Black Huckleberry . 320 Dwarf Huckleberry . 322 Box Huckleberry 323 Dwarf Blueberry 324 Low Blueberry . 328 Swamp Blueberry 329 Dwarf Bilberry . 334 Bog Bilberry 334 Mountain Cranberry . 335 Deerberry . 340 Creeping Snowberry . 341 American Cranberry . 341 Heath Family Labrador Tea . 343 Wild Honeysuckle 346 Mountain Azalea 350 Flaming Azalea 352 Tree Azalea 354 Clammy Azalea . 354 Rhodora . 360 Great Laurel 362 Alleghany Menziesia 364 Sand Myrtle . 366 Trailing Azalea 367 Mountain Laurel 367 XVI GENERA AND SPECIES E R I C A C E /K — Con tin ued. Kalmia angustijolia Kalmia glaiica Phyllodoce coeridea Cassiope hyp7ioides Leiicothoe racemosa Leucothoc Catesbcei Andromeda polifolia Pieris Jloribunda . Pieris mariana Xolisma ligustrma Chamcedaphiie calyculata Epigaa repens Gaulthcria prociunbens Arctostaphylos uva-iirsi Mairajiia alpiiia . CLETHRACE/E CUthra ahiifolia . Oleace^ . Syringa vulgaris , Syringa persica Syringa josikcea Ligustrtim vulgare Forsythia viridissima For syt Ilia suspensa LAURACE.E . Benzoin benzoin . Thymeleace^ . Dirca palustris Daphne mezereiun . Daphne C7ieoruni , EL.EAGNACE/E Elceagnus argentea Elceagnus aiigustifolia Lepargyrcea argentea Lepargyma canadensis I'AGK Lambkill . . . . 370 Swamp Laurel . 372 Mountain Heath 374 Moss Plant 375 Swamp Leucothoe 375 Catesby's Leucothoe . 378 Wild Rosemary 380 Mountain Fetter-bush 384 Stagger-bush 386 Privet Andromeda 388 Cassandra . 390 Trailing Arbutus 392 Wintergreen 395 Red Bearberry . 396 Black Bearberry . 400 Heather 400 White-alder Family Sweet Pepperbush 402 Olive Family Lilac .... 406 Persian Lilac 408 Josika's Lilac . 408 Privet . 410 Forsythia . . 412 Forsythia . • 413 Laurel Family Spice-bush . 415 Mezereum Family Leather-wood . 419 Mezeron . . 422 Daphne . 424 Oleaster Family Silver Berry . 427 Garden Elasagnus . 4:^8 Buffalo-berry . 430 Canadian Buffalo-berry • 432 GENERA AND SPECIES LORANTHACE^ . Phoradendron fiavescens Myricace^ Myrica gale . Myrica carolinejisis Comptonia peregrina Fagace/e Castanea piimila . BETULACEiE Coryhis amcricaiia Corylus rostrata Behda pumila Betiila grandtdosa Alnus incana Almis rugosa Almis alnobeUda . Salicace^ . Salix balsajfiifera Salix glaticophylla Salix corda/a Salix adenophylla Salix my7'tiUoides Salix hu mills Salix tristis . Salix Candida Salix sericea . Salix petiolaris Empetrace^e Empetrum nig?'7tm Corenia conradii Taxace^ . Taxiis canadensis Taxus baccata Mistletoe Family PAGE American Mistletoe . • 434 Bayberry Family Sweet Gale • 437 Bayberry . . 440 Sweet Fern . 443 Beech Family Chinquapin Birch Family Hazel-nut . Beaked Hazel-nut Low Birch Glandular Birch Speckled Alder . Smooth Alder . Mountain Alder . Willow Family Balsam Willow . Broad-leaved Willow Heart-leaved Willow Furry Willow Bog Willow Prairie Willow . Dwarf Gray Willow Hoary Willow . Silky Willow . Slender Willow . 446 449 454 456 458 460 464 468 • 472 . 474 . 476 . 477 . 478 • 478 . 482 . 484 . 486 . 486 Crowberry Family Black Crowberry . . 488 Conrad's Broom Crowberry 492 Yew Family American Yew European Yew 493 495 ILLUSTRATIONS Panicled Dogwood, Frontispiece Shrub Yellow-root, Flowering Spray of, 2 Soulange's Magnolla, Flowering Spray of, 7 Star Magnolia, Flowers of, 9 KoBUs Magnoll\, Flower of, 9 Common Barberry, Flowering Spray of, 13 American Barherkv, Fruiting Spray of, 15 Mahonia, Fruiting Spray of, 17 Downy Hudsonia, Tuft of, 21 Shrubby St. John's-wort, Flowering Spray of, 25 Kalm's St. John's-wort, Flowering Spray of, 27 St. Andrew's Cross, Flowering Spray of, 29 Stuartia, Flowering Spray of, 32 Gordonia, Flowering Spray of, 33 Shrubby Alth.^a, Flowering Spray of, 37 Tamarisk, Flowering Spray of, 41 Prickly Ash, Leaf of, 43 Prickly Ash, Flowering Spray of, 44 Wafer Ash, Samaras of, 45 Wafer Ash, Flowering Spray of, 46 Black Alder, Flowering Spray of, 49 Black Alder, Fruiting Spray of, 51 Smooth Winterberry, Fruiting Spray of, 53 Inkberry, Flowering Spray of, 55 Mountain Holly, Fruiting Spray of, 57 Running Euonymus, Fruiting Spray of, 59 Alder-leaved Buckthorn, Spray of, 63 Common Buckthorn, Flowering Spray of, 65 Alder Buckthorn, Fruiting Spray of, 67 New Jersey Tea, Flowering Spray of, 69 Dwarf Buckeye, Flower Spike of, 73 American Bladder-nut, Flowering Spray of, 75 American Bladder-nut, Fruiting Spray of, 77 Smooth Sumach, Spray of, 79 Mountain Sumach, Fruiting Spray of, 81 Poison Sumach, Fruiting Spray of, 83 ILLUSTRATIONS Poison Ivy, Plant of, 85 Northern Poison Ivy, Thicket of, 87 Fragrant Sumach, Spray of, 89 Ill-scented Sumach, Spray of, 91 Smoke-tree, Flowering Spray of, 93 Sweet Pea, Flower of, 94 Sweet Pea, Banner, Wings, and Keel-petals of, 94 Sweet Pea, Stamens and Pistil of, 94 Sweet Pea, Young Pod of, 94 False Indigo, Flowering Spray of, 97 Lead Plant, Flowering Spray of, 99 WoAD Waxen, Flowering Spray of, loi Rose Acacia, Flowering Spray of, 104 Golden Chain, Flowering Spray of, 105 Beach Plum, Flowering Spray of, 109 Beach Plum, Leaves of, no Sand Cherry, Fruiting Spray of, in Appalachian Cherry, Spray of, 113 Choke Cherry, Flowering Spray of, 115 Flowering Almond, Flowering Spray of, 117 Meadow Sweet, Flowering Spray of, 119 Steeple-bush, Flowering Spray of, 121 Thunberg's Spir^a, Flowering Spray of, 123 Plum-leaved Spir^a, Flowering Spray of, 124 Van Hout's Spir^a, Flowering Spray of, 127 Anthony Waterer's Spir^a, Flowering Spray of, 128 Ninebark, Flowering Spray of, 130 Ninebark, Fruiting Spray of, 131 Exochorda, Flowering Spray of, 133 ExocHORDA, Leaf of, 134 Kerria, Double Flower of, 135 Kerria, Single Flower of, 135 Purple-flowering Raspberry, Flowering Spray of, 139 Red Raspberry, Fruiting Spray of, 141 Black Raspbbrry, Flowering Spray of, 145 High-bush Blackberry, Flowering Spray of, 147 Leafy-bracted Blackberry, Flowering Spray of, 151 Leafy-bracted Blackberry, Fruiting Spray of, 155 Dewberry, Flowering Spray of, 157 Dewberry, Leafy Spray of, 159 Running Swamp Blackberry, Leafy Spray of, 160 Shrubby Cinquefoil, Flowering Spray of, 162 Michigan Rose, Flowering Spray of, 165 Early Wild Rose, Flowering Spray of, 169 Swamp Rose, Flowering Spray of, 171 Rose-hips, 172 Pasture Rose, Flowering Spray of, 174 ILLUSTRATIONS Glossy Rose, Flowering Spray of, 175 Northeastern Rose, Flowering Spray of, 177 SwEETBRiER, Flowering Spray of, 179 Dog Rose, Flowering Spray of, 182 Japanese Rose, Flowering Spray of, 183 Japanese Trailing Rose, Flowering Spray of, 185 Red Choke-berry, Flowering Spray of, 188 Purple-fruited Choke-berry, Flowering Spray of, 189 Black Choke-berry, Fruiting Spray of, 191 Shadbush, Flowering Spray of, 193 Low June-berry, Flowering Spray of, 195 Oblong-fruited June-berry, Flowering Spray of, 197 Evergreen Thorn, Flowering Spray of, 199 Japan Quince, Flowering Spray of, 201 Strawberry-shrub, Flowering Spray of, 205 Smooth Strawberry-shrub, Fruiting Spray of, 207 Wild Hydrangea, Flowering Spray of, 209 Hardy Hydrangea, Flowering Spray of, 211 Syringa, Flowering Branch of, 213 Large-flowered Syringa, Flowering Spray of, 215 Deutzia, Flowering Sprays of, 218, 219 Itea, Flowering Spray of, 222 Wild Gooseberry, Fruiting Spray of, 225 Eastern Wild Gooseberry, Fruiting Spray of, 227 Northern Gooseberry, Leafy Spray of, 230 Red Currant, Leaf of, 232 Wild Black Currant, Flowering Spray of, 234 Golden Currant, Flowering Spray of, 237 Witch Hazel, Flowering and Fruiting Sprays of, 239 Dogwood. Flower of, 242 Flowering Dogwood, Flowering Spray of, 243 Round-leaved Dogwood, Flowering Spray of, 245 Silky Dogwood, Flowering Spray of, 247 Rough-leaved Dogwood, Flowering Spray of, 249 Red-osier Dogwood, Flowering Spray of, 251 Panicled Dogwood, Flowering Spray of, 253 Bailey's Dogwood, Flowering Spray of, 255 Alternatf-leaved Dogwood, Flowering Spray of, 257 Red-stemmed Dogwood, Flowering Spray of, 259 Red-stemmed Dogwood, Fruiting Spray of, 261 American Elder, Flowering Spray of, 263 Red-berried Elder, Flowering Spray of, 267 Viburnum, Flower of, 269 Hobble-bush, Flowering Spray of, 271 High-bush Cranberry, Flowering Spray of, 274 Snowball, Flowering Spray of, 275 Maple-leaved Viburnum, Flowering Spray of, 277 ILLUSTRATIONS Downy Viburnum, Flowering Spray of, 279 Arrow-wood, Flowering Spray of, 281 Downy Viburnum, Leaf of, 282 Withe-rod, Fruiting Spray of, 283 Soft-leaved Viburnum, Leaf of, 284 Large Withe-rod, Leaf of, 285 Wayfaring Tree, Flowering Spray of, 286 Snowberry, Fruiting Spray of, 289 Indian Currant, Fruiting Spray of, 291 Swamp Fly-honeysuckle, Flowering Spray of, 293 Blue Fly-honeysuckle, Leafy Spray of, 295 Fly-honeysuckle, Leafy Spray of, 297 Tartarian Honeysuckle, Flowering Spray of, 299 Tartarian Honeysuckle, Fruiting Spray of, 301 INVOLUCRED Fly-Honeysucklk, Leaf of, 302 Bush Honeysuckle, Flowering Spray of, 303 Weigbla, Flowering Spray of, 305 Button-bush, Flowering Spray of, 309 Groundsel-tree, Sprays of Flowers, 313 Groundsel-tree, Fruit of, 314 Dangleberry, Fruiting Spray of, 317 High-bush Huckleberry, Fruiting Spray of, 319 Dwarf Huckleberry, Fruiting Spray of, 321 High-bush Huckleberry, Flowering Spray of, 322 Box Huckleberry, Flowering Spray of, 323 Dwarf Blueberry, Fruiting Spray of, 325 Dwarf Blueberry, Flowering Spray of, 326 Low Blueberry, Fruiting Spray of, 327 High-bush Blueberry, Fruiting Spray of, 331 Dwarf Bilberry, Leafy Spray of, 333 Bog Bilberry, Flowering Spray of, 334 Mountain Cranberry, Fruiting Spray of, 337 Deerberry, Fruiting Spray of, 339 Creeping Snowberry, Trailing Stems of, 341 American Cranberry, Sprays of Fruit and Flowers, 342 Labrador Tea, Flowering Sprays of, 345 Wild Honeysuckle, Flowering Sprays of, 347 Wild Honeysuckle, Leaves of, 348 Mountain Azalea, Flowering Spray of, 349 Flaming Azalea, Flowering Spray of, 351 Tree Azalea, Flowering Spray of, 353 Clammy Azalea, Flowering Spray of, 355 Rhodora, Flowering Spray of, 359 Rhodora, Leaf of, 360 Great Laurel, Flowering Spray of, 361 Hybrid Rhododendron, Flowers of, 363 Sand Myrtle, Flowering Spray of, 365 ILLUSTRATIONS Mountain Laurel, Flowering Spray of, 369 Lambkill, Flowering Spray of, 371 Swamp Laurel, Flowering Sprays of, 373 Mountain Heath, Flowering Spray of, 374 Cassiope, Flowering Tuft of, 375 Swamp Leucothoe, Flowering Spray of, 377 Catesby's Leucothoe, Flowering Spray of, 379 Wild Rosemary, Flowering Sprays of, 381 Mountain Fetter-bush, Flowering Spray of, 383 Stagger-bush, Flowering Spray of, 385 Privet Andromeda, P'ruiting Spray of, 387 Cassandra, Flowering Spray of, 389 Trailing Arbutus, Flowering Spray of, 393 Wintergreen, Flowering Stems of, 395 Red Bearberry, Leafy Spray of, 397 Heather, Flowering Tuft of, 399 Clethra, Flowering Spray of, 403 Lilac, Flowering Spray of, 405 Persian Lilac, Flowering Spray of, 407 Privet, Flowering Spray of, 409 FORSYTHIA, Flowering Spray of, 411 Forsythia, Leaves of, 413 Spice-bush, Flowering Spray of, 416 Spice-bush, Fruiting Spray of, 417 Leatherwood, Fruiting Spray of, 421 Mezeron, Flowering Spray of, 422 Mezeron, Leafy Spray of, 423 Daphne, Flowering Spray of, 425 Silver Bkrry, Leafy Spray of, 429 Garden El.^agnus, Flowering Spray of, 431 Buffalo-berry, Fruiting Spray of, 433 Mistletoe, Cross-section of Root, 435 Mistletoe, Fruiting Spray of, 436 Sweet Gale, Fruiting Spray of, 438 Sweet Gale, Flowering Spray of, 439 Bayberry, Fruiting Spray of, 441 Sweet Fern, Leafy Spray of, 445 Chinquapin, Fruiting Spray of, 447 Hazel-nut, Fruiting Spray of, 450 Hazel-nut, Catkins of, 451 Hazel-nut, Winter Branch of, 452 Beaked Hazel-nut, Fruiting Spray of, 453 Low Birch, Fruiting Spray of, 455 Dwarf Birch, Leafy Spray of, 457 Speckled Alder, Fruiting Spray of, 459 Speckled Alder, Catkins of, 461 Smooth Alder, Fruiting Spray of, 465 ILLUSTRATIONS Mountain Aldkr, Fruiting Spray of, 467 Pussy Willow, Catkins of, 470 Balsam Willow, Leafy Spray of, 471 Broad-leaved Willow, Leafy Spray of, 473 Heart-lbaved Willow, Leafy Spray of, 475 Bog Willow, Leafy Spray of, 479 Prairie Willow, Leafy Spray of, 480 Dwarf Gray Willow, Leafy Spray of, 481 Hoary Willow, Leafy Spray of, 483 Silky Willow, Leafy Spray of, 485 Slender Willow, Leafy Spray of, 487 Black Crowberry, Fruiting Branch of, 489 Conrad's Crowberry, Leafy Branch of, 491 American Yew, Fruiting Spray of, 494 European Yew, Fruiting Spray of, 49^ GUIDE TO THE SHRUBS Leaves deciduous, compound a. — Stems with spines or prickles, b. — Stems without spines or prickles, Leaves deciduous, simple, opposite on the stem.. ^Raspberries Blackberries Roses Prickly Ash \Rose Acacia Sumachs Elders Pea Family Shrub Yelloiv-root Bladder-nut Dwarf Buckeye Wafer Ash Shrubby Ciftquefoil r Dogwood Family Honeysuckle Family Staff'-tree Family St. Johns-worts St} a wberry-sh? ' ub Button-bush ^Oleaster Family Leaves deciduous, simple, alternate on the stem : a. — Stems prickly ; flowers yellow or greenish, S Barberries \ Gooseberries i Magnolias b. — Flowers large, white or purplish, solitary } Stuartia ( Gordo nia -Flowers white, clustered, in umbels or corymbs or spikes [Plums Cherries Choke-berries Exochorda ^Clethra ^.—Flowers white, pale pink or greenish, i Huckleberry Family bell-like or urn-shaped ^ Many genera of the ( Heath Family e. — Flowers white, pink or yellow ; each corolla dJlacs made up of a tube and a spreading bor- der Prii'et Azaleas Rhodora Mezeron GUIDE TO THE SHRUBS f. — Flowers yellow : Appearing late in autumn Witch Hazel Appearing very early in spring Spice-bush g. — Fruit conspicuous, persistent : Scarlet Holly Family Gray, covered with wax Bay berry ' Willows Birches h. — Flowers in catkins. Alders Hazels Chestnut Bay berry Family Shrubs with alternate leaves not mentioned above : Hudsonia, Tam- arisk, Deutzia, Forsythia, Althaea, Japan Quince, Currants. Leaves evergreen : ,. S Vew Family a.-Ycry narrow ^ Croivberry Family b. — Large: Flower azalea-like Rhododendron Flower saucer-shaped Kalmias c. — Two to three inches long ; woolly beneath .... Labrador Tea C Phyllodoce d. — Arctic-alpine plants < Cassiope I Alpine Azalea (Mayflower ..-stems creeping or trailing X^BZlZ'y \ Cranberry f. — Flowers bell-shaped or urn-shaped Several genera of the Heath Family Plants with evergreen leaves not mentioned above : Inkberry, Ever- green Thorn, Daphne cneorum. Sand Myrtle. SIGNS USED IN THIS BOOK. (') Acute accent over a vowel marks the short sound. (^) Grave accent over a vowel marks the long sound. (") The sign of degree is used for feet. (') When used with figures means inches. INTRODUCTION THE SHRUB The dividing line between tree and shrub is of little importance botanically ; it is simply a matter of one stem or many stems. Rising from the ground, the tree uplifts its branches, leaves, flowers and fruit upon its trunk, a massive, single shaft. A shrub rises from its roots with a group of stems whose number forbids to any one of them the attainment of great size. Be- cause of this unity of central structure a tree has an individuality which is denied to a plant that may have five stems one year and ten the next. The position of the shrub is distinctly secondary ; and the burden of the inferior race is upon it. A tree may be valued for what it is, but a shrub is rated for just what it can do. It must render a service to com- pensate for its cultivation. This service may be one of beauty, through its flowers ; or of use, by its fruit ; or its foliage or habit of growth may be especially attractive, or of such a nature as will give it value as a shield or a cover for waste and barren places. A shrub which cannot render some such service is held to be a cumbcrer of the ground. The economic value of the slirub upon the forest- floor is very great. It holds the fallen leaves in place INTRODUCTION against the force of the wind ; it conserves the water supply ; under its protecting and fostering care the wreckage of the forest is transformed into vegetable humus, an almost indispensable constituent of a fertile soil. Probably because it has not yet been made the sub- ject of careful study, the duration of life, even among those shrubs that have been longest in cultivation and are best known, is not very well understood. The short generation, however, implies a relatively short life period. This short generation tends to the multi- plication of species. Seed variations can more easily perpetuate themselves. Bud variations, technically known as sports, in the case of cultivated shrubs, can be readily observed and reproduced within a rea- sonably limited time. So that the limited life of the shrub serves both as an aid and a reward to the ob- servant gardener in multiplying the variants of the most valued species. Our northern climate is so favorable to the growth of hardy shrubs that if their value were fully and gen- erally comprehended they would play a much more important part than they now do in lawn and park decoration. Their beauty, unfortunately, is often les- sened, if not wholly destroyed, by careless or igno- rant pruning. Severe pruning tends to enfeeble both shrub and tree, and the removal of large branches usu- ally interferes with the natural and therefore more graceful lines of either. Shrubs will be in their best form and vigor the year through when no pruning is attempted beyond the thinning out of the weaker and overshadowed branches. Moreover, shrubs have a INTRODUCTION winter beauty that severe priining^ entirely destroys. In the leafless season, a mass of shrubbery is envel- oped with a hazy mist of delicate color which comes from the coalescence of the different tints of the barks of the small branches ; and this color, together with the fine tracery of the spray, adds much to the winter landscape. When shrubs are planted for mass effect, the treat- ment of the group differs from that given to a single bush, but even then the plants should not be cut back so far as to impair their vigor. The proper time for pruning depends upon the habit of the plant. Those which bloom early on wood of the previous year's growth should not be pruned in autumn or in early spring ; for this removes all the flower buds, and con- sequently no flowers are produced. These shrubs should be pruned immediately after the blooming period. On the other hand, shrubs which bloom late, on wood of the current year, should be pruned after the leaves fall in autumn, or in early spring before growth begins. In view of the great sums expended by towns and cities in the care and decoration of roadways, park lanes and boulevards, in order that they may be shrub- bordered and tree-shaded, it is difficult to comprehend why our country roadsides are so generally forlorn, cheerless, barren, and desolate. Were the wild growth of shrubbery encouraged, cared for and properly con- trolled, nature would decorate the country roadside with a generosity that no Park Commissioner could emulate. With very little or no expenditure of money, and with a minimum of intelligent care and INTRODUCTION protection on the part of the owners of the land, the country roadside might be a source of pleasure to all who pass, as well as a most valuable arboretum of its native flora. Yellow-root, Xantbonhiia apiifolia. -eaves 3' to (/ long. Flowers ^V across. RANUNCULACEyE— CROWFOOT FAMILY SHRUB YELLOW-ROOT XanthorrJiiza apiifblia. XantJiorrhiza, compounded of two Greek words, xanthos^ yellow, and rhisa, a root. Apiifolia, leaves like those of celery. A low shrub of upright stems, two to three feet high, growing along the shady banks of streams in Pennsylvania and New York and in the mountains of the South. Suckers freely ; roots long, slender, deep yellow ; from their bitter juice the Indians procured a yellow dye. Bark. — Outer bark yellowish brown ; the inner bark yellow ; branchlets pale greenish gray. Winter buds. — One slender, pointed, terminal bud about an inch long crowns the stem ; two or three small, lateral buds appear somewhat below. Lea7'es. — Alternate, pinnately compound, sometimes bipin- nate, three to six inches long; leaflets five, ovate or oblong, in- cisely cleft or divided, and coarsely toothed, sessile, wedge- shaped at base, one and one-half to three inches long. They come out of the bud involute, pale green, hairy, and shining ; when full grown are bright green above, paler beneath. Au- tumnal tints are either bright yellow, or a glowing reddish pur- l)le, melting from dark bronze into ])aler tints ; two plants may stand side by side, one purple, the other yellow. Petioles long, slender, clasping. D. H. HILL LIBRARY North Carolina State College CROWFOOT FAMILY F/oivers. — April, May, with or before the leaves. Small, starlike, prune-purple shading to brown ; in compound drooping racemes which are produced, together with the leaves, from the terminal bud. Calyx. — Sepals five, petaloid, ovate, acute, imbricate in bud. Corolla. — Petals five, hypogynous, much smaller than the sepals, dark prune, obscurely two-lobed, slightly concave, raised on a claw. Stamens. — Five to ten, hypogynous, filaments short; anthers large for the size of the flower. Pistil. — Carpels five to fifteen, entirely distinct, sessile, pointed with curved styles, two-ovuled ; one ovule aborts, making the pod one-seeded. Fruit. — Follicles, borne in small clusters along the axis of the raceme, greenish yellow, inflated, one-seeded, curved at apex, minutely beaked, inconspicuous. August. This tiny shrub is not very well known, there is so lit- tle about it to attract attention. A botanist finds it in- teresting because it belongs to the Ranunculacec^, whose genera are chiefly herbs. The landscape gardener val- ues it for its hardy, free-growing habit, both in sun and shade; and uses it as a dwarf undershrub to clothe the ground under trees or to carry up the line of green from the grass to the higher plants. In winter, each stem and branchlet bears one terminal bud with two or three small lateral ones. Late in April or in early May, this terminal bud opens and there comes forth, together with the leaves, a cluster of racemes — sometimes single and sometimes compound — of tiny, five-pointed, prune- colored stars, each with a golden centre. The central stem of the flower cluster, and the short stems that bear the blossoms are all of the same rich purple color. Botanically the points of the stars are sepals ; the co- 4 SHRUB YELLOW-ROOT rolla is so small that it must be searched for; and the stamens make the o^olden centre. The leaves crown the stem, and as they are long; and the stem is short the effect is that of full foliage. The autumnal tints vary from deep purple to glowing yellow and the leaves persist until beaten off by the storms of winter. MAGNOLIACE^—MAGNOLIA FAMILY MAGNOLIA Magnolia. Named after Pierre Magnol, professor of medicine and di- rector of the botanic garden at Montpellier, France, from 1698 to 1715. The early flowering magnolias must surely be counted among the pleasant sights of the spring-time. Natives of China and Japan, they have readily accepted new conditions and, perhaps, are better known to the general public than are our own species. They ap- pear in the original types, together with a goodly number of hybrids ; and, showy and striking, com- mand attention wherever seen. The Chinese White Magnolia or Yulan, Magnolia conspiciia, was the first of the Asiatic magnolias to bloom in English gardens. Introduced in 1789, it made its way slowly because it was not considered hardy. It has, however, proved itself hardy both in England and in this country. This is our common white magnolia; often shrub-like in youth, but at ma- turity becoming a tree. The flowers open as great cups, are produced most abundantly, and at their best quite cover the tree. This magnolia has been 6 MAGNOLIA Soulani;'e's Maiinoli:i, Mjifuolia SokLjihtcwlj. Flowers 3' to 5' across MAGNOLIA FAMILY cultivated in China for more than a thousand years and is there considered a symbol of candor and of beauty. The Purple-flowered Magnolia was the second im- portation, introduced by Thunberg, who discovered it in Japan and brought it into England in 1790. Rela- tively this is a small shrub with slightly obovate or acuminate leaves and fragrant flowers. The flowers have small yellowish or yellow-green sepals and large acuminate petals which are deep purple on the exterior and cream-white on the interior face. This is Magnolia obovata, also known as ]\Iagnolia purpurea and JMagnolia discolor. Although perfectly hardy it is now seldom seen in gardens, having given way to a race of hybrids of which it is one of the parents. One of the best of these hybrids dates from 1826. It sprang from a seed of Magnolia conspicua, in the garden of M. Soulange-Bodin, of Fromont, near Paris, the flowers of which, it is believed, had been accidentally fertilized with the pollen of Magnolia purpurea. The plant is known as Magnolia soulangeana and is almost intermediate between the two parents except in habit, which is arborescent. It is thoroughly hardy and produces fertile seeds. The flowers are white with a dash of purple, and appear a week or ten days later than those of Magnolia eonspicua. There are several other hybrids of these species offered by the trade, of which one of the best is Magnolia lennei, whose flowers are deep crimson without and cream-white within. Our gardens were enriched a few years ago by the introduction of the shrubby Magnolia stellata, which 8 MAGNOLIAS Two upper, Magiiolt'j stellata. The lower, Mji^uolu kohiis Flowers of M. s/iZ/.j/.i, y across : tliose ul A/, koluts. 4' to 5' across. MAGNOLIA FAMILY is indeed most rightly named — a star. Perfectly hardy, it blooms the earliest of all the magnolias, com- ing into flower with the forsythias. The blossom is pure white, and deliciously fragrant ; the petals at first spread into a star but later become reflexed. Ex- tremely beautiful, it needs but to be known to be highly valued. Other magnolias have come, and others, no doubt, are yet to come, from that great storehouse of the East, China. A recent arrival is Magnolia kobus, a small bushy tree which is perfectly hardy but whose flowers are not so fine as those of Magnolia stcllata. The family characteristics of all the magnolias are the leathery texture of the petals, and the successive rows of stamens packed around the prolonged recepta- cle which is crowned with pistils, also packed in rows and closely cohering with each other. The fruit is a fleshy cone containing brilliant scarlet seeds. In order that a magnolia should do well it ought to stand by itself in the open, so that it may have an abundance of light and air ; otherwise the flowering wood does not properly ripen. The secret of transplanting magnolias is to do it as the leaves are opening ; that is, in the case of these Asiatic species, after the flowers have fallen. This seems rather astonishing, but the reason lies in the character of the roots, which are large and fleshy and which decay rapidly when cut or bruised. They con- sequently do not recover from transplanting unless moved at a time when they are in active growth and so in a condition to make new root growth rapidly. All the magnolias love moisture, and grow best in lO MAGNOLIA peat soil, or sand and turfy loam, in the full sunlight. It is now well known that the Chinese magnolias grow more rapidly and make better plants for us if they are grafted on some of the strong-growing American species, preferably Magnolia acuminata or Magnolia tripctala. II BERBERIDACE/E— BARBERRY FAMILY COMMON BARBERRY Bcrberis vulgaris. The derivation of Berberis is very greatly in doubt ; it has been referred to the Arabic, to the Greek, and to the Hindoo, but its origin is lost in the mists of antiquity. Thorny, three to ten feet high, introduced from Europe, and hardy throughout our northern range. It suckers freely; is long- lived ; grows rapidly when young but slowly afterward ; prefers a soil with lime. Wood is yellow ; roots are long and crooked ; berries, leaves, and roots are acid and astringent. Leaves. — On fresh shoots of the season the leaves are scattered, mostly reduced to sharp, triple or branched, slender spines ; from whose axils, in the next season, proceed rosettes of obovate leaves of varying sizes. Finally, by annual growth a short, stout, little branch is formed in the axil of each bunch of spines and at the apex of these tiny branches the leaves appear, really alternate, but so crowded as to look like rosettes. The thorns are from three- eighths to one inch long. Leaves are oval to obovate, one to one and one-half inches long, pointed at the base, rounded at the apex, bristly toothed, pinnately veined. They come out of the bud yellow-green, glabrous, when full grown are bright green above, i)aler beneath ; in autumn they become a dull purplish green, or fall unchanged. Floioers. — May, June. Perfect, yellow, borne in drooping, many-flowered racemes. Calyx. — Sepals six, in two rows, hypogynous, imbricate in bud, roundish, with two to six small bracts beneath. 12 COMMON BARBERRY w ^•tf^M i r 7^ ' i^. ^^^jjHr ^^^^^ ^'^JT Jmi jB^^^ "^A^^^i^ ^^StKt^ -'^ iJE JS^^S^^^tr ^'JPJi ^V^l^f iW wnt&t »..' across. t>. H. HILL LIBRARY North Carolina State College ST. JOHN'S-WORT FAMILY KALM'S ST. JOHN'S-WORT Hypcriciun kabnianuin. Named in honor of Peter Kalm, the Swedish botanist who discovered it, probably at Niagara Falls, in 1750. Low, one to two feet high, freely branching, very leafy, branches four-angled ; twigs flattened and two-edged ; bark red- dish, exfoliating. Ranges from Ontario and w^estern New York to Wisconsin and Michigan. Leaves. — Opposite, simple, one to two and a half inches long, oblong-linear, or oblanceolate, sessile or narrow^ed into a short petiole, entire, obtuse or acute at apex, rather thick, dark green above, paler or sometimes glaucous beneath ; midvein prominent, secondary veins obscure. Generally with tufts of smaller leaves in the axils of the larger ones. In autumn they turn a greenish yellow. Flowers, — August. Perfect, golden yellow, one-half to one inch across, borne in few-flowered terminal cymes. Calyx. — Sepals five, oblong, acute, leaf-like, persistent, one- half the length of the petals, imbricate in bud. Corolla. — Petals five, golden yellowy convolute in bud. Stamens. — Very numerous, distinct, conspicuous ; filaments yellow, slender ; anthers orange, two-celled. Pistil. — Ovary superior, five-celled ; styles five. Fruit. — Capsule, ovoid, five-lobed, five-celled, many-seeded. This St. John's-wort was first discovered upon the wet rocks at Niagara Falls and finds its most con- genial home in the region about the Great Lakes. It is rather a rare plant. The chief botanical distinction between Hypericum kabniannvi and Hypericum pro- lificuni lies in the five styles and five-celled capsules of the one, and the three styles and three-celled capsules of the other. In cultivated seedlings, however, these distinctions are not constant and sometimes the cells vary from three to six. 26 KALM'S ST. JOHN'S-WORT Kalm's St. John's-wurt, Hvpcnnun kaUniannm. Leaves i' to z%' long. Flowers \.' to \' jcioss. ST. JOHN'S-WORT FAMILY ASCYRUM. ST. PETER'S-WORT Ascyriwi stdns. Ascyriun, an ancient Greek name of an unknown plant ; without special significance here. A small, stout shrub, one to two feet high, in dry or sandy soil, found frequently in pine-barrens. Ranges from Long Island along the coast to Florida and Texas. Stem smooth, erect and straight, two-edged or slightly winged. Leaves. — Opposite, simple, pinnately veined, oval or oblong, one to one and a half inches long, sessile at base, somewhat clasping, entire, rounded at apex. When full grown, rather thick, pale green, black-dotted. Flowers. — July, August. Perfect, showy, bright yellowy about an inch across, borne in terminal few-flowered cymes. Pedicels half an inch long, tw^o-bracted below the middle. Calyx. — Sepals four; in pairs, the outer round-cordate, the inner lanceolate. Corolla. — Petals four, obovate, very deciduous, convolute in bud. Stamens. — Many, hypogynous, distinct or slightly clustered. Pistil. — Ovary superior, one-celled ; styles three or four. Fruit. — Capsule, ovoid, one-celled; seeds many. ST. ANDREW'S CROSS Ascyrum hypericoides. Ascy7'um crux-dtidrece. Low, much branched and decumbent, six to ten inches high; found in dry sandy soil; stem smooth, flattened and two-edged. Ranges from Massachusetts to Florida, westward to Illinois and Nebraska and southwest to Indian Territory and Texas. Leaves. — Opposite, simple, pinnately veined, one-half to an inch and a half long, narrow-oblong or obovate, narrowed at 28 ST. ANDREWS CROSS base, entire, rounded at apex; when full grown, thin, pale green, black-dotted, usually two glands at base. /P/„7cu'rs.~)u\y, August. Perfect, regular, yellow, terminal and axdlary, one-half to three-fourths of an inch across. Pedi- cels short, two-bracted. C(i/)'x. — Sepals four ; the two outer very broad and Icafdike; the inner much smaller, imbricate in bud. Co/v/Ai. — VcVdh four, oblique, bright vellow, hypogynous convolute in bud, oblong-linear, about the length of the outer sepals, approaching each other in pairs in the form of St Andrew's cross. Sfamrns. — Many, hypogynous, scarcely in clusters. I'l'sfi/. — Ovary superior, one-celled, styles two. Fna'L — Capsule, one-celled, many-seeded. Among the different crosses known in the symbol ism of the Christian church that of St. Andrew is clis tinguished by its oblique arms which are arranged in the form of an X. This little shrub gains its specihc as well as its comnnjn name be- cause its four petals make a very perfect St. Andrew's cross. The ])lant is not very gen- erally known, although it is rather common in the pine- barrens of New Jersey, and not rare along the coast. Closely related to the St. John's-worts, it differs in having four petals instead of hve; in its four unequal sepals, and its numerous 29 St. Andrew's Cross, - 4scyrinii kvper- icoiJcs. Leaves %' to ij^i' long. Flowers J^' to ,\' across. ST. JOHN'S-WORT FAMILY distinct, not clustered stamens. The bloom continues through the better part of the summer, and the habit of the plant is to spread into broad mats, no stem ris- ing higher than four or live inches. Although a plant of the sands it does very well in rock gardens. 30 THEACE/E— TEA FAMILY STUARTIA Studrtia pentdgyna, Stiiartia, in honor of John Stuart, Marquis of Bute, who was characterized by Linnaeus as " a most knowing bota- nist." An erect, sturdy shrub six to twelve feet high, native to the mountains of Virginia and southward. The leaves are large, frequently five inches long, rather thick and heavy ; the margins slightly serrulate or entire. The plant is really one of the most attractive of summer blooming shrubs. It has been cultivated for more than a hundred 3'ears ; is fairlv hardv at the north, perfectly so at the Arnold Arboretum, vet is virtuall}^ unknown in northern gardens. The liowers are solitary, borne in the axils of the leaves : the blooming i)eri()d extends through julv and August. The buds are large, round and fully an inch in diameter before they expand. The flowers are cream-white, three to foin- inclies across and look not imlike a single camellia. Each flower has five petals normally, though sometimes there are more, and each petal is one to one and a half 31 TEA FAMILY Stuartia, Stiiartia pentaffyna. Leaves 3' to 3,' long. Flowers 3' to 4' across. GORDONIA Gordonin. Gordonij pnhcsict'us. Leaves 3' to O' long. TEA FAMILY inches broad and two inches long ; the edges are some- what crimped and scalloped. In the centre of the flower is a cluster of many stamens with large orange- colored anthers. In full bloom the plant is an object of surpassing beauty. GORDONIA Gordbnia pubesccns. Gordbnia altamaha. Named in honor of James Gordon, a London nurseryman. Gordo)iia pubesccns has a unique history, for so far as known the species at one time consisted of a single individual ; and all the plants of the species now ex- isting are the offspring of that ancestor. The original form was discovered in Georgia and planted in the Bartram Gardens near Philadelphia in 1790. Since that time all efforts to rediscover the tree have been futile and it is now believed that no other wild speci- men exists. Either by mere chance a species Avas res- cued as it was upon the point of extinction, or the in- dividual discovered w^as a hybrid of a different species. The plant is a fairly hardy shrub eight to ten feet high in the Arnold Arboretum ; at the south it be- comes a small tree. The bright shining foliage is very liandsome, and ere the leaves fall they assume a rich crimson tint. The blossoms are pure white, deliciously fragrant, three inches across, with a cluster of bright yellow stamens w^ithin. The petals do not continue very long, falling usually upon the second day. The high personal value of the shrub rests upon the fact that it is an autumn bloomer. The flowers appear 34 GQRDONIA early in September and continue throughout October. Severe early frosts will blast the buds, but usually the bloom is sufficiently abundant to repay for all care that has been expended. The original tree in the Bartram Gardens has re- cently died, but it lives in the persons of hundreds of descendants. A fine specimen is reported as growing in Lafayette Square, Washington. 35 MALVACEJE— MALLOW FAMILY ROSE-OF-SHARON. SHRUBBY ALTHAEA Hibiscus syriacus. Hibiscus, a classical name of unknown meaning. Alth^a, given in allusion to the supposed healing properties of the species. An erect shrub, ten to twenty feet high, received from Europe, but a native of Asia ; thoroughly acclimated in northern gardens. Leaves. — Alternate, simple, palmately three-nerved, two to three and a half inches long, obovate or rhomboidal, almost three-lobed, wedge-shaped at base, coarsely and irregularly ser- rate, entire from middle to base; when full grown bright green, and glabrous above, paler green beneath. In autumn they turn a clear yellow, or fall without chajige, remaining on the branches until late. Flo%vers. — August, September. Showy, abundant, looking like hollyhocks, in color ranging through rose, scarlet and ma- genta to white, perfect, solitary or two or three together, odor- less, nectar-bearing. Calyx. — Five-lobed, surrounded by a whorl of slender, linear, pointed bractlets, persistent, valvate in bud. Coj'olla. — Petals five, veiny, short-clawed, rose, scarlet, ma- genta, white, often with an eye of different color from that of the petal, convolute in bud. Stamens. — Many, monadelphous in a column formed by the union of the filaments, united at base with the claws of the 36 SHRUBBY ALTHi^A Shrubby Althii'a, Hihtsms syrucus. Leaves 2' to }^/i' long. Flowers :.' to }' across. MALLOW FAMILY petals; anthers kidney -shaped, one-celled; cells opening along the top. Pistil. — Ovaries several, united in a ring, forming a five- celled pod. Fruit. — Capsule, ovoid, five-lobed, five-celled, many-seeded. Seeds kidney-shaped. A stranger from a far-off land, the Althcea has bloomed in English gardens for three hundred years and has been in America at least one hundred. It is here proving itself an excellent city plant ; flourishing even where soft coal is burned and where the atmos- phere is laden with gas and smoke. Its habit of mid- summer bloom makes it a favorite, together with its remarkable freedom from insects' attacks and fungus enemies. One characteristic of the bush is very noticeable. The stem and larger branches of a thrifty individual are apparently directly clothed with leaves ; really the little groups of leaves are borne at the summit of dwarfed branchlets, not more than an inch long and frequentl}^ shorter. In winter these are ver}' apparent. The varieties of Althaeas offered by the dealers are legion. Plants with green leaves and plants with variegated ones ; flowers single and flowers double ; light-eyed or dark-eyed, ranging through purple, ma- genta and rose to white. The plant is a mallow, be- longing to the family of which the hollyhock is the type; and the single flowers look like hollyhocks. When the flower doubles, the additional petals spring from the central column of united stamens. Linnaeus supposed the plant was a native of Asia Minor; it is now believed to be of Chinese origin. 38 TAMARISCEiE— TAMARISK FAMILY TAMARISK Tdmarix. So called, according to some, from the plants growing on the banks of the river Tamaras, now Tambra, on the bor- ders of the Pyrenees ; or according to others, from the Hebrew word tamaris, cleansing, on account of their branches being used for brooms. The Tamarisks are a group of tall shrubs inhabit- ing: a broad continental belt extendino^ from Central Europe to the China Sea. In fava^ring- climates they are subevergreen, with us they are frankly deciduous. We have no native shrub that in any way resembles them. The stems are erect but so slender that the whole plant sways with the wind. The branchlets and spray are so delicate and at the same time so abun- dant that the effect of the plant is that of a green feath- ery mass. Moreover, this effect is produced by the spray alone, for although leaves are present in great numbers, they are minute green scales, closely imbri- cated and scarcely separable from the bark. The flowers are small, usually pink, borne in racemes or in terminal panicles which give a charming effect among the soft foliage. The fruit is a small capsule. 39 TAMARISK FAMILY The Tamarisk is especially recommended for sea- side planting-, as it is perfectl}^ hardy there, will grow and flourish even under the wash of the salt sea spray. The minute leaves and pliant stems enable the plant successfully to withstand a storm that would rend another one in sunder. The African Tamarisk, Taniarix parvifolia, Taniarix tetrandra, Taniarix africaiia, is perhaps the earliest species to bloom ; the small pink flowers appearing in great abundance along the slender branches of the previous season's growth in May or early in June. The French Tamarisk, Tauiarix gallica, a native of the Mediterranean regions of Europe, has long been in cultivation. It attains the height of eight or ten feet. Its small pink flowers appear in slender spikes at the end of the slender branches. The twiofs and branches are conspicuous because of their copper- colored or reddish bark. The plant is very tolerant of the knife and can be trained to almost any desired form. The late-flowering Tamarisk, commonly known as Taviarix indica, unlike those already named, blooms on wood of the same season. Flowering profusely in August and September, it ranks with the Althsea as a desirable autumn plant. Seine form of the Tamarisk has been in cultivation from most ancient times. It seems to have been highly valued among the ancient Arabians for its medicinal qualities. The plant is mentioned by many of the ancient poets ; Homer makes it the tree against which Achilles laid his spear before he plunged into the Xanthus to pursue the flying Trojans ; Theocri- 40 TAMARISK 'rani.iii^k. TAMARISK FAMILY tus in his Pastorals, Virgil in his Eclogues, and Ovid in several of his poems, all refer to this plant. Evelyn speaks of it as a tree accursed; and says that the Romans wove wreaths of it with which they crowned their criminals. 42 RUTACEyE— RUE FAMILY PRICKLY ASH Xa7iih6xylum avicriianidn . Derived from two Greek words, .xanthos, yellow, and xylou^ wood. Low branching, sometimes becoming a small tree, usually four to twelve feet high ; growing in rocky woods and on river banks. Ranges from Quebec to Virginia esi)ecially along the mountains, west to Minnesota, Ne- braska, and Missouri. Eark, leaves, and fruit pungent and aromatic ; stems and often leaf- stalks i)rickly ; wood pale, yellowish brown. Bark. — Eranchlets pale brown, downy ; later smooth, light gray ; finally dark gray. Winter buds. — Round, reddish brown, with two, short, sharp prickles just beneath. Leaves. — Alternate, ])innately com- pound, dotted with oil glands ; leaflets five to eleven, nearly sessile, one and one-fourth to two inches long, ovate or ovate - oblong, wedge-shaped or rounded at base, entire or crenulate, acute at apex ; when full grown are ,,,.f of Prickiv Ash. Leanets dark green above, pale green and ■' lo 2' long. 43 RUE FAMILY Frickly Ash, Xanthoxj'liim ameiicanum, in flower. WAFER ASH downy beneath. Autiunnal tints arc scarlet touched witli yel- low. Two stout prickles are on the stem just below the clusters of leaves and flowers. Floivcrs. — April, May, before or with the leaves. Diiccious, small, greenish white, borne in short umbels in the axils of the leaves. Sepals four to five or obsolete ; petals five ; stamens four to five; ])istils two to five, with slender styles slightly united. C'apsules ellipsoid, thick and fleshy, on short stalks, two-valved, one to two-seeded ; seeds black, smooth, shining. The common name of Prickly Ash explains itself; the stem of the shrnb is prickly and its leaves resem- ble those of the ashes. There the likeness ceases. The small greenish flowers are inconspicuous and appear early. All parts of the shrub are pung-ent and aromatic ; when the leaves are crushed they yield a strong lemon-like odor. WAFER ASH. HOP-TREE Ptclla trifoliata. Ptella, the Greek name of the elm-tree, transferred to this genus because of the similarity of the fruits. Wafer refers to the size and shape of the fruit. Hop re- calls the fact that the leaves have been sub- stituted for hops in the making of beer. The Wafer Ash, though small, is arborescent in habit and properlv de- scribed as a tree; but it consorts with the shrubs and is grouped with them samams of the wafer for landscape effects. The green dow- ers, though abundant, are inconspicuous and the ])lant does not become noticeable before midsummer ; then the winged seed vessels mature and form great green- 45 RUE FAMILY Water Ash, Ptelea trifohata. Leaflets i' to 5' long. WAFER ASH ish white clusters well scattered among- the foliage, sometimes fairly overpowering it. This unusual com- bination of the pale green of the samaras with the dark green of the leaves gives the plant its decorative value. The name of Wafer seems to refer to the size and form of the fruit ; and Hop-tree indicates that the leaves have been used instead of hops in the manufacture of beer. 47 ILICINEtE— HOLLY FAMILY WINTER-BERRY. BLACK ALDER Ilex vcrticillata. Ilex, an ancient Latin name, here probably misapplied. A handsome shrub, varying from five to ten feet high, con- spicuous for its clusters of bright scarlet berries which cling to the branches well into the winter ; found in low grounds, moist woods, and swamps. Ranges from Nova Scotia to Florida, west to Ontario, Wisconsin, and Missouri. Bark. — Dark clouded gray ; branchlets at first yellow green, later become grayish brown, finally dark gray; bitter and as- tringent, medicinal. Winter buds extremely minute. Leaves. — Alternate, simple, pinnately veined, two to three inches long, oval, obovate or oblong-lanceolate, wedge-shaped at base, serrate, acute or acuminate at apex. They come out of the bud involute, yellow green, smooth above, densely hairy be- neath ; when full grown are bright green, thick, glabrous above, somewhat downy beneath ; midvein and primary veins dei)ressed above, prominent beneath. In autumn they darken or fall with little change of color. Petiole one-half an inch long, grooved. Floivers. — May, June. Polygamo-dioecious, greenish white, small. The staminate are in crowded clusters of three to twelve in the axils of the leaves ; peduncles short with small brown scales at the base. The pistillate are solitary or clustered. Parts of the pistillate flowers are in fours, fives or sixes ; those of the staminate commonly in sixes. Corolla rotate, segments imbri- cate in bud ; stamens inserted on the base of the corolla; an- thers large, brown, two-celled. 48 BLACK ALDER Black Alder. Ilex vntidlLUa. Flowers lo' lo /*' across. HOLLY FAMILY j^riiit. — Berry-like drupe, one-fourth to five-sixteenths of an inch in diameter, globular or slightly depressed, solitary or in clusters of two or three, scarlet, rarely yellow ; sits in the per- sistent calyx and is crowned with the remnants of the stigma. Pulp yellowish, nauseous ; seeds three to eight. Remains long after the leaves have fallen. September. And I will trust that He who heeds The life that hides in mead and wold, Who hangs yon alder's crimson beads, And stains these mosses green and gold, Will still, as He hath done, incline His gracious care to me and mine. — John G. Whittier. * * * With coral beads, the prim black alders shine. — James Russell Lowell. I see where a mouse, which had a hole under a stump, has eaten out clean the inside of the little seeds of the Prinos verticillata berries. What pretty fruit for them, these bright berries ! They run up the twigs in the night and gather this shining fruit, take out the small seeds and eat these kernels at the entrance to their burrows. The ground is strewn with them. — Henry D. Thoreau. Notes written November 19, 1857. One often feels that a plant is not without honor save in its own country. Here is a native Holly which equals if it does not surpass in brilliancy and beauty of fruit coloring any imported plant in our garden, and yet it is virtually unknown. Its charm lies in its abun- dant scarlet berries which cling to the branches in the axil of every leaf and after the leaves fall still cling to the naked stems. At the north they fall by midwinter, in the south they remain until pushed off by the grow- ing buds of spring. The birds, it seems, will have none of them, the thin flesh is too nauseous, and the nutlets are too many ; but the field mice are not so particular. In northern Ohio the Winter-berry adorns the 50 BLACK ALDER Bliick Aldci-. IL'x irrfiri/Litj. Leaves 2' lo y long. Fruit >^' to j'';,' in diamett-r HOLLY FAMILY swamps and lowlands in company with the Carolina rose. In June the rose has the advantage, but when October comes and the Winter-berry stands clothed in scarlet, aflame to the utmost tip of its tiniest twig, it, too, has its day. In cultivation the bush properly belongs to the group of plants prized for the distinctly effective color- ing of their fruit; such as, the snowberries, the barber- ries and the burning bushes. SMOOTH WINTER-BERRY Ilex IcEvigata. A very pretty shrub, six to ten feet high ; found in deep wet swamps, from Maine to Virginia. Bark. — Twigs and branches smooth brownish green ; stems grayish, frequently the host of many gray lichens. Leaves. — Alternate, sometimes in tufts, simple, pinnately veined, oval or oblong, two or three inches long, acute at base and apex, obscurely serrate, often slightly revolute ; when full grown are thin, light green, shining above and beneath, glabrous, sometimes hairy along the veins beneath. In autumn they turn bright yellow. Petioles short. Floivers. — May, June. Perfect or dioecious, small, white, one- fourth of an inch across, borne in the axils of the leaves. The staminate are scattered or in twos, on very slender pedicels. The pistillate are solitary, sessile or short-stalked. Fruit. — Berry-like drupe, bright red, one-fourth to one-third of an inch in diameter; falls earlier than that of Ilex verticil- lata. September. The Smooth Winter-berry should be better known ; for although native to the swamps it does not disdain a garden home. Often confounded with the Black Alder, it may be distinguished from it ; in the spring 52 SMOOTH WINTER-BERRY SniiM.ih WinUM-benv. Ilex laTigjfj. Leaves i' \o V long, liuil l^' to j'o' in diameter. HOLLY FAMILY by the longer stalks of the sterile flowers; in autumn by its leaves which turn bright yellow before they fall. Possibly, the fruit is not quite so abundant as that of Ilex vcrticillata; does not cling to the branches quite so late ; and on the average is larger and more scattered. INKBERRY. EVERGREEN WINTER-BERRY Ilex glabra. Slender, delicate-looking, evergreen, two to six feet high, growing in sandy soil ; found mainly near the coast from Nova Scotia to Louisiana. Leaves. — Evergreen, alternate, simple, oblong or oblanceolate, one to two inches long, wedge-shaped at base, serrate with two or three teeth toward the apex, or entire, apex obtuse or acute ; when full grown dark green, leathery, shining above, paler and black-dotted beneath. Petioles short. Flo7vers. — June. Perfect or dioecious, small, white, six- pointed, borne in the axils of the leaves. Staminate in few-flow- ered cymes; pistillate generally solitary, sometimes two or three together ; pedicels slender. Fruit. — Berry-like drupe, black, globose, one-fourth of an inch in diameter ; six-seeded ; nutlets smooth. This broad-leaved evergreen of the United States has been cultivated in England for more than a hun- dred years, but has not yet made its way into our own gardens. Its natural habit is rather tall and straggling, but under cultivation the bush assumes a more compact form. The leaves remain bright green and glossy throughout the winter, while the shining black ber- ries give an added grace. It is a beautiful plant and should be cultivated both for its summer and for its w^inter beauty. 54 INKBERRY Inkbcnv, IL-x olahi.i. Leaves i' to 2.' long. Fruit %' \n diaiiu-tor. HOLLY FAMILY MOUNTAIN-HOLLY Ilicioides mucronata. Nemopdjithes fascicularis. Ilicioides, resembling holly. Nemopanthes, flower with a slender peduncle. A slender shrub, varying in height from six to twelve feet. Found in swamps and low wet woods from Nova Scotia to western Ontario and southward to Virginia, Indiana, and Wisconsin. Bark. — Greenish gray or ashen gray, often the host of many lichens ; shoots glabrous, reddish brown. Leaves. — Alternate, sometimes tufted, simple, pinnately veined, one-half to two inches long, elliptic or obovate, rounded or acute at base, entire or obscurely serrate, acute or mucronate at apex ; w^hen full grown are light yellow green, glabrous ; mid vein and primary veins prominent. Petiole grooved, red- dish, about one-fourth to one-half an inch long. Floivers. — May, June. Polygamo-dioecious, white, small, on long slender pedicels in the axils of the leaves ; staminate flow- ers solitary or two to four together; pistillate solitary. The parts of the flowers vary from three to five. Fruit. — Berry-like drupe, sub-globose, bright red, one-fourth of an inch in diameter; nutlets four to five. September. The Mountain Holly is the one species of its genus. The leaves often grow in tufts on short lateral branches and so give a leafy effect to the tree. Com- pared with other species of the Holly family it falls far below them in attractiveness. 56 MOUNTAIN HOLLY A'iountain Holly, Unioidi-s niiiaonjta. Leaves J'2' to 2' long. Fruit \^' in diameter. CELASTRACEiE— STAFF-TREE FAMILY RUNNING STRAWBERRY BUSH. RUNNING EUONY- MUS Euonymiis obovatus. Euonymus^ of Greek derivation, signifies good repute. Low, straggling, decumbent, the main stems lying on the ground and rooting at the nodes ; upright stems rarely more than one foot high ; found in low woods and wet places. Ranges from Ontario to Pennsylvania and westward to Indiana and Kentucky. Branches green, four-angled or slightly winged. Leaves. — Simple, opposite, pinnately veined, one to two inches long, obovate, or oblong, wedge-shaped at base, finely crenulate-serrulate, obtuse at apex, glabrous, thin, dull green above, paler green beneath. Flowei's. — April, May. Perfect, purplish green ; pedicels solitary, long, slender, one to four-flowered, borne in the axils of the leaves. Calyx. — Four to five-cleft ; lobes spreading. Corolla. — Petals five, nearly orbicular, crenulate or erose, with scarcely any claw, inserted beneath the five-lobed disk. Stamens. — Five, inserted on the disk. Pistil. — Ovary sessile, three-celled ; stigma three-lobed. Fruit. — Fleshy, dehiscent, two-celled, rough, warty capsule, borne on a long drooping pedicel ; when mature is crimson and white, and opens to discharge two to three white oval seeds en- closed in a scarlet aril. Beautiful, persistent. September. 58 RUNNING EUONYMOUS Runnini; tiiunymous, Enonymus obcrcatus, in truit. Leaves i' to 2' long. STAFF-TREE FAMILY The Running Euonymus was long regarded a va- riety of Euonymus aniericamis, but is now considered a distinct species. It is an admirable carpet shrub to cover waste places, as it will flourish, both in sun and in shade, and looks bright and fresh and green late into the autumn. It is well placed upon a bank, its scarlet and crimson fruit makes a beautiful combination with the green. It seems to be immune to the attacks of insects, probably because of the acrid character of its juices. The chief attraction of all the burning bushes is the unique and beautiful fruit which ripens in early autumn and hangs upon the branches long after the leaves have fallen. While there are minor differences which are considered specific characters, the family fruit is a fleshy capsule more or less lobed, sometimes warty and sometimes smooth, becoming crimson when ripe and finally opening to discharge beautiful, bright scarlet seeds, so that the effect is a brilliant scarlet-crimson combination ; and as many species fruit abundantly the plants are sought whenever late autumnal effects are desired. The burning bushes rank with the barberries, the snowberries and the winter-berries as decorative shrubs. The Strawberry Bush, Euonymus amcricanus, is a native of low woods, ranging from southern New York to Florida and westward to Nebraska, and Texas. It certainly is not as abundant in the middle west as Euonymus obovatus. It is an erect shrub growing two to six feet high, with four-angled and ash-colored twigs ; the branches set upon the stem at wide angles. The leaves are opposite, thick, almost sessile, crenu- 60 RUNNING STRAWBERRY BUSH hitc, bri<^ht screen, varyini^ from ovate tcj oblcjiii;- laiiccolatc, acute at apex. The flowers are g-reen with a suggestion of pinkish purple, borne on peduncles in the axils of the leaves; parts mostly in fives. The fruiting capsule is rough, warty, depressed, crimson when ]"ii)e, and o})ens to dischjse its scarlet covered seeds. Euoiiynius anicricaiiiis and Enojiymus obovatus are alike in their fruit; the chief specihc difference lies in their habits of growth. Wahoo, Burning Bush, Euoiiyiniis atropurpiircus, is a shrub at the north, but easily becomes a tree and is described among the trees. The plant is very exten- sively cultivated and is worthy of all the attention given it. The small flowers are purple, not green, the fruit is deeply three to four-lobed, and smooth, not warty. When ripe the purplish scarlet capsule opens to discharge the crimson covered seeds. Like all its famil}' it holds its fruit late into the autumn. 61 RHAMNACEiE— BUCKTHORN FAMILY ALDER-LEAVED BUCKTHORN Rhdmnus alnifblia. Rhammis is the ancient Greek name, with no obvious sig- nification. A stout leafy shrub, two to three feet high, growing in clumps on moist lands and in swamps. Ranges from New Brunswick to British Columbia, south to New Jersey, west to Illinois, Ne- braska, and Montana. Leaves. — Alternate, simple, pinnately veined, two to four inches long, ovate, acute or rounded at base, serrate, acute at apex ; midvein or primary veins prominent. They come out of the bud plicate, yellow green, shining, smooth above, some- what hairy below, shining and glabrous ; when full grown are dark green. Petioles one-fourth to one-half an inch long. This native of swamps, like so many of its compan- ions, takes kindly to cultivation, and in the garden makes a clump of erect stems and handsome foliage. Neither the small yellow flowers nor the black fruit are conspicuous. The plant is used by landscape gar- deners as a border shrub. LANCE-LEAVED BUCKTHORN Rhdmnus lanceolata. Tall, erect, growing on hills and on river banks. Ranges from Pennsylvania to Alaliama, west to Iowa and Nebraska, south 62 ALDER-LEAVED BUCKTHORN V #!y 9^B^|H^^2/ '"'<"• ' • ^^^IfcfcL "^^ •^'" ^t^ • 1 Akk'r-leaved Buckthorn, R/mdn/hs jlinfolu. Leaves 2' to 4' long. BUCKTHORN FAMILY to Texas. Stems thornless, with smooth grayish bark ; branch- lets hairy; juices bitter and astringent. Leaves. — Alternate, simple, one to three and a half inches long, ovate-lanceolate, acute or rounded at base, finely serrate, obtuse or acuminate at apex. Flowers. — May, June, just after the leaves. Polygamo-dicje- cious, small, yellowish green, axillary, two or three together, fragrant. Calyx. — Tube urn-shaped; four-lobed ; lobes ovate, acute, valvate in bud. Corolla. — Petals four, narrow, deeply notched, inserted on the calyx di.sk. Stamens. — Four, inserted with the petals and opposite them. Pistil. — Ovary free from calyx, two to four-celled, styles three to four-cleft. Fruit. — Berry-like drupe, globose, black, shining, one-third of an inch in diameter, nauseous. This shrub bears flowers of two forms on distinct plants, both perfect ; one with short pedicels, clustered in the axils of the leaves and with a short included style ; the other with pedicels oftener solitary, the style longer and exserted. COMMON BUCKTHORN RJuiDums cat heir tica. Tall, upright, six to twenty feet high, bearing leafy thorns ; cultivated for hedges; naturalized from Europe and sparingly escaped from cultivation. Stems brownish gray with a silver light. Leaves. — Alternate, often seeming to be opposite, simple, one to two and a half inches long, broadly ovate or elli])tic, rounded or acute at base, crenate or crenulate, acute or obtuse at ai)ex ; almost five-nerved, midvein and primary veins depressed above, 64 COMMON BUCKTHORN CoiiiiiKMi Ikicktlioni. Rhjiiiiius i\it/.\irtii\i. Leaves i' to 2J2' long. BUCKTHORN FAMILY very prominent beneath. They come out of the bud involute, bright green, shining, densely covered with white hairs beneath ; when full grown are smooth, dark green above, paler and some- what downy below. In autumn they fall with little or no change of color. Floiucrs. — May, with the leaves. Dioecious, yellowish green, borne on short pedicels, in dense umbellate clusters, usually terminal on short branchlets. The terminal bud that produces the flower cluster also produces a growing shoot which comes out of the centre of the cluster. Calyx. — Salver-shaped, four-lobed ; lobes as long as the tube, acute. Corolla. — Petals four, minute, reddish brown, inserted on the calyx-tube, alternate with its lobes. Stame7is. — Four, inserted with the petals ; anthers white. Pistil. — Ovary free, three to four-celled. Fruit. — Berry-like drupe, black, shining, nauseous, medicinal ; nutlets two. The Common Buckthorn is sometimes found sfi'ow- ing wild in New England and the Middle States. It is a tall erect shrub, whose lower branches are short and stiff, nearly horizontal and often ending in such sharp points that though leafy they are virtually thorns. The plant flowers in May, producing abundant clusters of tiny green stars which are followed by shining black berries; these berries were once used medicinally but are now discarded for less violent remedies. The juices of all the buckthorns are capable of pro- ducing dyes. The pigment known as Chinese green is obtained by treating the juice of the ripe berries of Rhaiiinus catJiartica and other species with alum and gum arabic. The Avignon berry, which seems to be a name given to the fruit of several species of buck- 66 ALDER BUCKTHORN Alder Bucktlioni, Rb^inuiis Jraiionlj. Leaves I Jj' to '-,' loiii;. BUCKTHORN FAMILY tlnjin, is used to give the 3'ell()\v color to leather. Tur- key morocco is supposed to be dyed by this pig^ment. Rhanuius catJiartica is an excellent hedge plant. It is perfectly hardy, never suckers ; its roots extend but little way, and being fibrous do not interfere with other plants ; is free from insects' attacks ; the foliage is a rich dark green and held late in autumn. The Alder Buckthorn, Rhamnus frangiila, is a hand- some lawn shrub, introduced from Europe, which has sparingly escaped in some localities of the Eastern States. It is well formed, compact, and often ten feet high. The flowers are inconspicuous, but its shining foliage and purple black berries give it a certain dis- tinction. NEW JERSEY TEA. RED-ROOT CciUibthus ainericajius. An ancient name of a different plant ; of no significance in its present use. A shrub of upright stems one to three feet high, found in dry open woods. Ranges from Ontario to Florida and from Mani- toba to Texas. Branchlets downy ; root deep red. Leaves. — Alternate, simple, two to three inches long, ovate or oblong-ovate, rounded or slightly heart-shaped at base, serrate, acute or acuminate at apex ; three-nerved, ribs and primary veins deeply depressed above, prominent beneath. They come out of the bud involute, clammy, shining, smooth above, densely covered with white hairs beneath. Petiole short, downy. Sti- pules minute, awl-like. Flowej's. — June, July. Small, white, in little umbel-like groups which form dense panicles or corymbs at the summit of naked flower-branches on leafy shoots of the year ; calyx and slender pedicels white. 68 NEW JERSEY TEA New Jersey Tea, Ccaiiotbiis aniiihwiii.s Leaves i-' to 3' long. BUCKTHORN FAMILY Calyx. — White ; tube globular ; border five-lobed ; lobes in- curved. Corolla. — Petals five, white, hooded, on slender claws, inserted under the disk. Stamens. — Five ; filaments thread-like. Pistil. — Ovary immersed in the disk, and joined to it at base, three-lobed ; style short, three-cleft. Fniit. — Nearly black, three-lobed, dry, splitting into three carpels when ripe. The leaves of this plant, according- to tradition, were used as a substitute for tea during the tea-less days of the Revolutionary War. There is no tradition, how- ever, that an3'body drank the decoction after it ceased to be unpatriotic to drink tea. The red bark of the roots has astringent qualities and has been used me- dicinally; with a proper mordant it will dye wool a cinnamon color. As a flowering bush the Red-root may very properly claim a place on our lawns. In the blooming season every stem is tipped with clusters of delicate white flowers, which, massed as they are, produce a most charming effect. Smaller Red-root, Ceanothus ovatiis, is a western spe- cies with narrow, oval leaves, and denser panicles of flowers. Found on the prairies and in dry^ rocky places. Fruit like that of Ceanothus americanus. 70 HIPPOCASTANACEyE— HORSE-CHESTNUT FAMILY DWARF BUCKEYE. DWARF HORSE-CHESTNUT ALsculus parvijlbra. yEsciilus viacrosidchya. yEsculus, derived from esca, nourishment. The Dwarf Buckeye is an effective shrub in mid- summer, blossomini^ profusely in July and August, after the majority of woody plants have passed into the fruiting stage. Its natural habit is to spread broadly ; the stems are numerous, the outermost and lowest often becoming horizontal and resting upon the ground, so tliat a well-grown plant assumes a dome- like form. The brandies which rest upon the ground readily form roots, and thus new plants are established which blend with the old ones until the plant is en- larged about its entire circumference. Crowning the upright stems and borne above the dome of foliage appear the erect panicles ol flowers. The flowering axis is eight to sixteen inches long, thickly studded with buds arranged in little grou}is oi whicli the lowest group is the hrst to expand, the others following in due order. This arrangement greatly lengthens the flowering period. 71 HORSE-CHESTNUT FAMILY The flower has a tubidar ealyx, four or five white petals, and kjiig thread-like stamens with white fila- ments, which give the whole a singularl}- light and feathery aspect. The flowers are slightly fragrant and attractive to many kinds of insects. There is no great production of nuts ; each spike produces one or two fruiting balls which are smooth outside, not prickly, and each generally contains a single seed. The leaves borne on long and rather slender petioles are of the typical horse-chestnut form ; the five to seven leaflets are oblong-ovate, finely serrate, glabrous above and pubescent beneath. In autumn they become dull yel- low before they fall. The plant is a native of the southern states, but is perfectly hardy throughout the north, and is espe- cially valuable for lawn clumps. ^92 DWARF BUCKEYE Dwuit Buckeye, .-Esailiis parvijlora. Flower spikes h' to lO' long. STAPHYLEACE/E— BLADDER-NUT FAMILY AMERICAN BLADDER-NUT Staphylea trifblia. Sfaphylea, cluster, referring to the flowers. Tall, handsome, quick growing, eight to fifteen feet high, with spreading branches; found on the borders of damp woods. Ranges from Quebec to Minnesota, south to South Carolina, and Missouri. Suckers freely; wood yellowish and close-grained. Bark. — Light, greenish gray with linear white cracks. Branchlets at first pale green with white lenticels, downy; later brownish purple ; finally ashen gray. Leaves. — Opposite, pinnately compound, borne on long peti- oles. Leaflets three, terminal leaflet long-petioled ; the others short-petioled, ovate or oval, two and one-half to four inches long, wedge-shaped or rounded at base, finely serrate, acuminate at apex ; midvein and primary veins depressed above, prominent beneath. They come out of the bud involute, bright green, shining, covered with white hairs beneath ; when full grown are pale green, smooth above, slightly downy below. In autumn they turn a pale dull yellow. Stipules and stipels fugacious. Petioles angular and grooved. Flowers. — April, May. Perfect, abundant, bell-shaped, white, borne in terminal or axillary drooping comi^ound racemes, with small bracts at the base of the partial footstalks. Pedicels jointed. Calyx. — Five-lobed ; lobes oblong, acute, imbricate in bud, persistent. The calyx, often tinged with rose-color, folds around the petals so as to form an imperfect tube. 74 AMERICAN BLADDER-NUr American Bladder-nut, St.iphr/c-j trifolia. Leaves 2jj' lo 4' long. Racemes >' to 4' long. BLADDER-NUT FAMILY Corolla. — Petals five, white, spatulate, inserted on the margin of a disk at the base of the calyx, imbricate in bud. Stamens. — Five, alternate with the petals, filaments thread- like ; anthers introrse, two-celled. Pistil. — Ovary of three carpels united in the axis, superior ; styles three, slightly cohering ; ovules many. Fruit. — An angular, pale green capsule, one and a half inches long and three inches in circumference ; made up of three mem- branous pods grown together, each ending in a sharp point. Seeds two to five, brown, ovoid, flattened. September. The extraordinarily inflated seed pods are the dis- tino^uishino: characteristic of the Bladder-nut, and it requires ver}^ little imagination to make them look like tiny balloons. Many of the ovules abort, but there are usually one or two that mature in each cell of the capsule. The seeds when ripe break loose from their attachments and rattle about when the pod is shaken. They are brown, shining, and bony ; those of a Euro- pean species are often strung as rosary beads. While the individual blossom is not very attractive, the full-flowered drooping racemes which cover the bush in the spring give a very pretty effect. The plant improves greatly under cultivation ; flowers more abundantly, grows more luxuriantly and in more symmetrical form than its wild relatives. A late blooming species from Caucasus, Staphylca colcJiica, has lately been introduced. It is a handsome bush with trifoliate leaves and many white flowers which exhale a fragrance suggestive of orange-blos- soms. 76 AMERICAN BLADDER-NUT Fruitiiii; Capsules of Anu'ticaii BladdL'i-iiui. ANACARDlACEyE— SUMACH FAMILY SMOOTH SUMACH. SCARLET SUMACH Rhiis glabra. Rhus is by some referred to a Celtic word meaning red ; others derive it from the Greek word meaning run, be- cause the roots spread underground to a considerable dis- tance from the trunk ; still others refer it to a Greek word which indicates its value medicinally. Sumach is derived from Simaq, the Arabic name of the plant. Low growing, spreading, with irregular branches and rather unshapely form ; rarely becoming a small tree ; the twigs and branchlets glabrous and more or less glaucous. Found in dry soil from Nova Scotia to British Columbia and south to Florida, Mississippi, and Arizona. Foliage sometimes used for tanning. Leaves. — • Alternate, pinnately compound, eight to fifteen inches long ; leaflets eleven to thirty-one, sessile, lanceolate or oblong-lanceolate, three to five inches long, on a large smooth stalk, round and often oblique at base, serrate, acuminate at apex, rachis not winged ; when full grown are dark green above, whitish beneath ; in autumn they turn a brilliant scarlet and orange. Flowers. — June to August. Polygamo - dioecious, small, green, borne in densely flowered terminal spikes. Calyx five- cleft, persistent; corolla, of five petals, imbricate in the bud; stamens five, inserted on a disk ; ovary one, and styles three. Ff'uit. — Drupe, small, one-seeded, sub-globose, red, covered with short, crimson, acid hairs ; borne in dense terminal spikes. 78 SMOOTH SUMACH Smooth Sumach, Rhus oljhra. Leaflets 5' to 5' long. SUMACH FAMILY It often liappens that the Smooth Sumacli aiul the Stagliorn Sumach, Rhus Jiirta, make thickets togethei: Both love sandy soil, the gravelly upland, the neg^ lected corners of fields ; and by means of their deep- ly extended roots are able to take possession of and to hold large tracts to the exclusion of other plants. These sumachs cannot be distinguished by the differ- ence in size alone, for the young Staghcjrn before it completes its growth is often just the height of its smaller brother. But the twigs and petioles of RJnis Jiirta are always clothed in velvet, while similar twigs and petioles of RJuis glabra are without hairs and fre- quently covered with a pale bloom. In autumn the stems are crowned by pyramidal heads made up of velvety red berries ; these remain on the bush but slightly changed in color throughout the winter. The autumnal coloring of the leaves is a most brill- iant scarlet and crimson, brightened with yellow and orange. A variety, RJnis glabra laciniata, the Fern-leaved Su- mach, is believed to be a sport of Rhus glabra. It is a very satisfactory shrub for lawn or garden planting. The foliage is finely cut and in autumn as its feathery leaves take on the crimson hues of its type the effect is excellent. DWARF SUMACH. MOUNTAIN SUMACH Rhiis copaWina. The Mountain Sumach is a tree ; but most gardeners think it a shrub, misled no doubt by its name of Dwarf. It is usually planted in lawns and gardens upon the 80 MOUNTAIN SUMACH A\. lunlain Sumach, Rh/is iopjllii/a. I.i-atlfts V to s' long. SUMACH FAMILY supposition that it is a shrub. Whatever form it may have upon mountain tops, — when transferred to the lowlands, given a rich soil and opportunity to grow, it proceeds forthwith to become a tree, and is reduced to a shrub by main force alone. This beautiful creature, clothed in the summer with foliage of dark glossy green, bearing its great clusters of red fruit throughout the winter, showing in autumn the most superb combination of the hues of crimson and scarlet, pays the price of its beauty and is cut and mutilated out of all semblance of nature in order to make it a shrub. Long ago Horace told us, '' Though you drive out nature with a fork, yet will she always return." And the Dwarf Sumach is and will continue to be a tree, notwithstanding the knife and the pruning shears. The blooming period is late, sometimes in early Au- gust. The panicle of sterile flowers is twelve to eighteen inches long, while that of the fertile ones is three to six. A persistent character is the winged petiole by which it is readily distinguished from other sumachs, POISON SUMACH Rhus vernix. RJnis vcnoiata. The Poison Sumach is in its best estate a tree, but it occurs so frequently as a shrub, and is really such a menace where it grows, that the fc^rm of its leaves and the general appearance of the plant can not be made too evident to the community at large. It is often con- tused in the popular mind with the other sumachs of many-foliate leaves, RJiu,^ Jnrta, RJnis glabra, and Rhus 82 POISON SUMACH Poison SuiiiACh. Rhus Vc'/iiix. Leallets 2' to 4' long. SUMACH FAMILY copalliiia, and consequently all sumachs are feared. It can, however, be very easily distinguished from them. The leaflets of the great compound leaves of RJnis Jiirta ?i\\(S. RJuis glabra have serrate margins; those of the Poison Sumach are entire. The leaves of RIlus copalliiia might perhaps be mistaken for those of the Poison Sumach were it not for the winged petiole which is a never failing character of the Mountain Sumach. The leaflets of RJms vcrnix are five to thirteen, nearly sessile, var3'ing from ovate to obovate or oval, entire, acute at apex, a beautiful shining green and the autumnal tints exceedingly brilliant. The petiole is often purple and the veins are frequently purplish. The fruit is grayish white, about the size of a pea, destitute of hairs, and borne in loose axillary panicles three to eight inches long. This is the most poisonous woody plant of our flora. Its juices and the effluvium exhaled by it under a hot sun, are extremely poisonous to some persons. There are those who are absolutely immune, others so sensitive that they can not pass the bush with impunit}'. It is very dangerous to experiment with it recklessly. The poison shows itself in painful and long continued swell- ings upon the surface of the body, usually the face and hands. POISON IVY. CLIMATH Rhus radicdns. Rhus toxicodendron. This is a woody vine climbing by numerous aerial rootlets, the stem sometimes two or three inches in diameten It climbs trees and fence posts and ranges 84 POISON IVY Poison Ivy, Khiis i\uiic\nis. Leallets i' lo 4' long. SUMACH FAMILY from Nova Scotia to Florida and westward to Minne- sota, Nebraska, and Arkansas. The compound leaves have three leaflets, so that they are very easily distin- guished from those of the Virginia Creeper, PartJicno- cissus qiiinqucfolia, which has five palmate leaflets; and from the Bitter Sweet, which has seven to nine pinnate leaflets. These Poison Ivy leaflets are ovate or rhom- bic, entire or sparingly sinuate, the apex acute or acu- minate; the lateral ones almost sessile; the terminal stalked. The flowers are green and borne in loose axillar}' panicles ; the fi'uit is like that of RJiiis ver?iix. The plant is poisonous to the touch, and should be avoided. All the poisonous species of Rhus ought to be extirpated root and branch, but instead of that they are increasing. This is largely due to the immunity they enjoy because people are afraid to touch them ; but in Avinter probably they could be easily and safely destroyed ; destroyed they certainly should be. POISON IVY. NORTHERN POISON OAK Rhus microcdrpa. Rhus toxicodendron. The two plants now known as Rhus radicans and RJlus microcarpa were formerly considered as a single species and described under the name RJius toxicoden- dron, which name is now given to a third species of southern habitat. The plant popularh^ known as Poison Ivy is the running vine so abundant in fields and by the roadsides throughout the north. The stem often trails upon the ground and sends up erect branchlets six or eight inches high which make a tiny thicket; some- times the entire plant is erect but low. The leaves are 86 POISON IVY i4 ;^^- poison Ivy, Rhus microcarpa. Leaflets i^z' ^o 3' long. SUMACH FAMILY compound, oi three leaflets. These leaflets are pale green, ovate or ovate-rhombic, acute or acuminate, sharply toothed, lobed, or entire. The fruit is similar to that of RJius radicans. The leaves, like those of RJius vernix and Rhus radicans, are poisonous to the touch and should be avoided. FRAGRANT SUMACH. SWEET-SCENTED SUMACH RJius aj'onidtica. Rhus canadensis. Diffuse or ascending, two to six feet high ; found in dry rocky woods from Vermont to Florida, west to Minnesota, Arkansas, and Louisiana. Leaves fragrant when crushed. Leaves. — Alternate, pinnately com})ound, tliree-foliate, two to four inches long, aromatic. Leaflets ovate or rhomboid, one to two inches long; lateral leaflets sessile; terminal leaflet short- stalked, wedge-shaped at base, coarsely crenate or crenate-dentate, acute at apex, very downy when young. In autumn they turn a brilliant orange and scarlet. Petioles one-half to an inch long, glabrous or pubescent. Flowers. — March, x\pril. Polygamo-dicecious, yellowish green, small, in clustered spikes, ap])earing before the leaves. The catkin-like spikes are developed on the branches in late autumn. Fruit. — Drupe, red, globose, downy, borne in short clustered spikes; produced sparingly. The Fragrant Sumach is often found on sand}' banks and knolls, frequently occurring in dense })atches. It rarely rises more than four feet, and this habit makes it most valuable to the gardener when he wishes a plant to bring up the line of green from the grass to the taller shrubs; it does not grow away from him, but does just what he expects it to do. The lower branches of a vig- orous plant will lie upon the ground. FRAGRANT SUMACH Fi-am-;uit Suiii.kii, AVv/.s jiom^iu-j. Leancts i' to -' long. SUMACH FAMILY In the spring the branches are loaded with early yel- low flowers ; in summer the dark green foliage is clean and bright ; in autumn it clothes itself in the red and yellow of its race ; and in winter it becomes a little gray bush speckled with small spikes of downy flower buds that look like catkins. Rhus irilobata, the Ill-scented Sumach or Skunk Bush is about the same size as the Fragrant Sumach. The leaves are tri-foliate, leaflets sessile or nearly so, puberulent when young, ovate or oval, obtuse, the ter- minal one wedge-shaped at base, all crenately few- lobed or toothed or sometimes entire ; unpleasantly odorous. The flowers and fruit are very similar to those of RJlus aroniatica. It is a western species rang- ing from Illinois westward. SMOKE-TREE Cotinus cot inns. Cotmus is an ancient name of obscure meaning, without significance in its present use. The Smoke-tree of our gardens is one of the most in- teresting of cultivated plants, and is also one that has been valued from very ancient times. Pliny describes it as an Apennine shrub and Gerard records it as growing in England in 1597= With us it vibrates between tree and shrub; some- times reaching the height of twenty feet, again attain- ing only five or six. The billowy masses of its fruiting panicles attract attention and the plant is well known ; in fact it would be difficult for it to remain unknown. The bloom is polygamo-dioecious ; the starainate 90 ILL-SCENTED SUMACH lil-.scciitoa SuiiLicli. Khiis tiiiobata. Leaflets ^2' to \' long. SUMACH FAMILY and pistillate flowers are produced upon different indi- viduals and ap})ear in JNIay. These tlowers are small, yellowish green, and borne in ample, loose, terminal panicles branching- from the axils of linear leaf-like bracts. The petals are small ; the stamens are live ; the styles are three. After the blooming season is past the bush begins to show that personal and peculiar character which has made it a garden favorite for two thousand years. A wonderful change comes over the little pedicels or stalks of the fertile flowers. They were at first half or three-quarters of an inch long and now" they begin to lengthen and at the same time to develop a thick growth of soft hairs. This is especially the case with the pedicels which bear no fruit. The result is that each fruiting |)anicle becomes a loose, fluffy aggrega- tion of plumose threads, and takes on a charming range of color, — pale green, dull \ello\v, lurid red, — and so covers the head and so overpowers the foliage that the bush becomes a billowy mass, — each single spray not improperly likened to a puff of smoke. This "smoke" is in its best condition during June and July. The plant fruits but sparingly; at the end of some of the featherv pedicels, by searching, a little, greenish brown, one-sided drupe may be discovered almost lost among the clustering threads. There is an American Smoke-tree, Cotiuus cotiuoidcs, of south, western habitat ; reaching its best development in Missouri and Indian Territorv. As an ornamental plant it is not the equal of our cultivated species. 92 SMOKE-TREE Sl;iiiiiii.itj I'lowjis t)t bmokL'-lrc'i.', Coliinis iOtiu/is. Flower of Sweet Pea. PAPILIONACEyE^PEA FAMILY The pea blossom may, with the aid of a little imagi- nation, be said to resemble a butterfly; it certainly is unique in form and so distinctive in char- acter that any plant bearing such a blos- som can at once be assigned to its proper place ; hence the Latin name of the Pea family, — PapilionacecE, the butterflies. The petals of this unique blossom differ so greatly in form and size that they have received distinguishing names. The uppermost of the five is very much larger than the others and is called the standard or banner. In the bud it is distinctly the protector of the Stamens and Pistil othcrs ; it surrouuds and embraces them ; the calyx being unable to do this because of its small size. The two lateral petals /r^:^^-^ are called wings ; and the two lowest, ^^"^^"^S^^^ which are more or less united, make up Young Pod of sweat the keel. The keel encloses the stamens p^^- and the tiny pod. Stamens usually are ten, with fila- ments united so as to form one or two groups ; some- Banner, Wings and Keel Petals of the Sweet Pea. 94 FALSE INDIGO limes nine arc together and one is apart; raiely, all are se|)arate. The fruit is a pod called a legume, ol which the pea pod is a typical example. The Papiliouaccce are in many respects a wonderful group of plants. One of their greatest and most re- markable qualities has but recently been understood. For ages leguminous seeds have been valued for their nourishing quality, differing from grain in the fact that they contain a large percentage of nitrogen as contrasted with the predominating carbon compounds of the cereals. The question whence came this great quantity of nitrogen long remained a horticultural problem, but recently nature's riddle has been solved. It is now known that the roots of leguminous plants are the hosts of myriads of organisms called bacte- roids, some of which possess the power of fixing the free nitrogen of the air, and through them it is ac- quired by the plant. FALSE INDIGO Amorpha fruticbsa. Aviorpha, deformed ; so named because four petals are wanting. Tall, five to twenty feet high ; prefers the borders of streams; native to the Mississippi valley ; freciiiently cultivated. Lea*c'es. Alternate, compound, odd-])innate, six to sixteen inches long ; leaflets eleven to twenty-one, short-stalked, one to two inches long, oval or elliptic, rounded or narrowed at base, entire, obtuse, ^slightly mucronate or emarginate at apex, spar- ingly punctate with pellucid dots. They come out of the bud pale green, clammy and hairy, when full grown are a bright yel- low, green above,' paler beneath. In autunm tiicy become pale yellow. 93 PEA FAMILY Fhnvcrs. — May to July. Perfect, violet-purple, borne in dense, terminal, spicate racemes which are three to six inches long. Calyx. — liell-shaped, five-toothed ; teeth somewhat irregular, green, touched with purple. Corolla. — Deformed papilionaceous ; consisting of one petal only, the standard, which is violet-purple, erect, clawed, emar- ginate, wrapped around the stamens and the style ; wings and keel wanting. Stamens. — Nine or ten, monadelphous, exserted ; filaments violet-purple ; anthers orange. Pistil. — Ovary one, superior, sessile, two-celled ; style curved, violet-purple. Fi'uit. — Pod, glandular, short, curved, never opening, usually two-seeded. The fiower of the False Indigo is an interesting ex- ample of arrested development. The corolla starts out to be papilionaceous, — a butterfly blossom — but something happens and when the bud opens all that can be seen of the blossom is the broad banner, closely wrapped about the stamens and pistil, try^ing to do the whole duty^ of a corolla by protecting the cen- tral parts of the flower. The banner, filaments, and style are a deep rich purple; the protruding anthers a brilliant orange ; and the result is that the terminal spike covered with these flowers glows luridly in the sunlight. The flowering impulse begins at the base and moves spirally^ around the central axis to the apex, thus prolonging the blooming period for a considera- ble time. The bush is ornamentally^ effective. After the blooming period is past it looks not unlike a locust seedling. 96 FALSE INDIGO False Indigo, Ainorpba fniiticosa. Leatlets \' to i' long. Flower spikes 3' lo 0' long. PEA FAMILY LEAD PLANT. DOWNY AMORPHA Amorpha canescens. A spreading bush one to four feet high ; leaves and shoots and flower spikes densely covered with soft, white hairs. Is a plant of the prairies ; ranges from Indiana to Minnesota and Manitoba, southward to Louisiana and Texas. Leaves. — Alternate, odd-pinnate, almost sessile, abundant, crowded, two to four inches long ; leaflets fifteen to forty-nine, small, crowded, almost sessile, oval or lanceolate, rounded at base, entire, obtuse or acute, and mucronate at apex. Flowers. — July, August. Perfect, bright blue, borne in densely clustered, terminal spikes, two to seven inches long. Flower is conspicuous because of the bright blue of the corolla and the brilliant orange of the anthers. Calyx. — Bell-shaped, hairy, five-toothed ; teeth lanceolate. Corolla. — Deformed, papilionaceous, consisting only of the standard which is bright blue, nearly orbicular or obcordate, and wrapped about the stamens and style. Wings and keel wanting. Sfame?is. — Ten, monadelphous at the very base, otherwise distinct. Pistil. — Ovary superior, sessile, two-celled ; style curved. Fruit. — Pod, small, oblong, partly enclosed in the persistent calyx, hairy, one-seeded. Everything about this shrub seems crowded. The small leaflets faii-ly push each other to tind standing- room ; the flowers crush each other upon the central axis of the spike ; and the spikes themselves are crowded upon the end of the branches. Curiously enough there has developed concerning this plant of the western prairies a modern reappear- ance of the ancient doctrine of signatures. In many places it is ver}- generally believed that the presence 98 LEAD PLANT Lead PLiiit, Aniorpha cancsceiis. Leaves 2' to 4' long. Leaflets J^o' to >^' long. Flower spikes 2' to 7' long. PEA FAMILY of this giay-luicd bush iiiLirks the existence of lead ore ill the soil ; and for no other reason than that the plant being densely covered with silvery hairs has a certain leaden color. It is well known to the medical profession that many plants formerly in high repute for their medicinal properties are absolutely worth- less; and that the only reason for this reputation was the resemblance more or less marked between some l)art of the plant and some part of the human body. In like manner the prophetic value of the Lead Plant is based upon nothing more substantial than the gray color of its leaves. The Downy Amorpha is a very attractive bush; the fine compound leaves clothed in silken gra}^ contrast well with the deep purple spikes of flowers bright- ened by their golden stamens. The gardeners report it as hardy, and also as valuable for color combina- tions. Its blooming season continues several weeks. Another plant of the genus, AniorpJia nana, is also found on the western prairies. This is a low bushy shrub, not more than three feet high, with compound leaves of thirteen to nineteen tiny, bright green leaf- lets and a terminal solitary spike of brilliant fragrant flowers, each with its [uirple banner and its golden stamens. WOAD WAXEN. DYER'S GREENWEED Genista iinctoria. Genista is Celtic for small shrub ; the root \s> gen, a bush. A low branching shrub, one to two feet high, with creeping root-stalks and upright branches. A native of Europe, it has WOAD-WAXEN \V(iad-\vaxen, Gi-iiist.i tnicloiia. Leaves ',' ' ' i' ' ! >" ■ M-w,--^ ' ■' lo S/ long. PEA FAMILY escaped from the gardens and is found on dry hills from Maine to New York, where it becomes a troublesome weed. Leaves. — Alternate, one-foliate, sessile, elliptical or lanceolate, one-half to one and one-half inches long, narrowed at base, en- tire, acute at apex, bright shining green ; midvein depressed above, primary veins obscure. Flowej's. — Summer. Papilionaceous, one-half to five-eighths of an inch long, borne in many short, few-flowered, terminal racemes. Calyx, two-lipped. Corolla clear bright yellow, with- out markings. Fruit. — Pod, an inch long, flat, glabrous. In Garden and Forest of August, 1888, is given the following account of Genista tinctoria. " In some parts of Essex County, Massachusetts, it has become thor- oughly naturalized, and has taken possession of thou- sands of acres of rocky upland, from which it is prac- tically impossible to exterminate it, and which is thus ruined for pasturage or for tillage. These hills where the Woad Waxen is in flower, seem to be covered with a golden carpet and present an appearance quite un- like anything which can be seen in any other part of the United States. There is a tradition that the Woad Waxen was introduced into the United States by Governor John Endicott of Salem, one of the pio- neers of American horticulture." The leaf of this plant is a sort of botanical puzzle ; it is called a compound leaf of a single leaflet, which seems a contradiction in terms. But if you look at the petiole under a glass, it is very clear that there is a joint, and this indicates that the leaf is indeed com- pound, but that all the leaflets have aborted save one. In England the Woad Waxen used to be collected by the poor country people and sold to the dyers. ROSE ACACIA During the gathering period women could earn about two shillings a day. After a time the industry lan- guished, for the roots were valuable as well as the stem, and eventually the plant was so nearly extermi- nated that it was no longer profitable to market it. One hears across the pages of the record a familiar echo, for it seems that under the specious purpose of keeping the plants fresh so much water was added to the load that the dealers felt themselves defrauded. ROSE ACACIA. MOSS LOCUST Robinia hispid a. Robinia commemorates the botanical labors of Jean Robin, herbalist to Henry III., and director of the gardens of the Louvre. The Rose Acacia is a large shrub of southern range, but hardy at the north and highly prized for its beauty. So thickly beset are twig, petiole, pedicel and fruit pod with bristly hairs that they look mossy. The bush grows vigorously, matures early, and in INIay and June, also lingering into July, produces the most exquisite rose-colored pea-like blossoms in loose, lax racemes. A native of the woodlands, it requires protection against high winds, for its branches have never learned to defend themselves and are easilv broken. It suckers freel}- and, like the other species of its genus, makes thickets when permitted. LABURNUM. GOLDEN CHAIN Laburnum ^'uli^iirc. The well known tree-like shrub, Laburnum or Golden Chain, is one of the best of our imported 103 PEA FAMILY Rose Acacia, Robiiia hispida. GOLDEN CHAIN Golden ClKiin. Lxbiiniimi i:iilgarc. PEA FAMILY plants. It often attains the height of ten to fifteen feet. The leaves are tri-foliate on rather long petioles. Early in May the clear lemon yellow pea blossoms, borne in pendulous racemes six to eight inches long, fairly drip from the branches. The flower is a clear yellow, except that the banner bears a small group of reddish brown lines. The keel, as usual, nearly imprisons the stamens, whose united filaments form a protecting tube for the slender pod within. By the middle of July the pods, one to two inches long, hang in racemes from the branches and later become brown and dry ; finally they open, dis- charging each its quota of small, dark brown beans. The plant grows freely in any good garden soil, but prefers that with lime in it. Several varieties are in cultivation. io6 DRUPACE/E— PLUM FAMILY THE PLUM Priinus. Prunus is the ancient Latin name of the plum-tree. The genus Prunns belongs to the Drupe-bearing fam- ily, which is so named because the fruit of every mem- ber from highest to lowest is a drupe ; that is, a simple stone fruit, of which the plum and the cherr}^ are ex- cellent examples. The individuals are either trees or shrubs. Within the range covered by this volume are several native and two naturalized Prunus shrubs, growing on barrens, sea-beaches, sandy hillsides, or gravelly ridges. The flowers have a marked family resemblance; they suggest tiny roses, white or pink, and are usually borne in clusters. They are produced from separate, lateral, scaly buds which were formed the autumn before, and they either precede the leaves or appear willi them. The characters common to the flowers of all members of the genus are: A calvx with an urn-shaped tube and a five-lobed spreading border which falls after flowering; a corolla of hve petals which are inserted on the throat of the calyx-tube; many stamens, also inserted on the throat of the calvx-tuhc ; and finallv the PLUM FAMILY character that differentiates the genus, — a single long= styled pistil which sits alone at the bottom of the urn- shaped calyx-tube and there remains, continually en- larging as time goes on until it develops into what we know as a stone fruit. BEACH PLUM Priinus maritirna. Low, straggling, thornless, one to seven feet high, growing in clumps among the loose stones or in the sand of the sea-shore and in arid sandy places, twenty miles or more from the sea. Ranges from New Brunswick to Delaware and Virginia. Stems. — Shoots stout, brown, pubescent, dotted with orange lenticels. Stems dark, erect, or prostrate; branches stiff. Leaves. — Alternate, simple, pinnately veined, two to three inches long, oval, ovate or obovate, rounded at base, sharply ser- rate, acute at apex. They come out of the bud convolute, pale green, downy, shining ; when full grown are dark green, glabrous above, pale green and pubescent beneatli. Often there are one or two glands near the base. In autumn they turn a dull red or orange. Stipules small and early deciduous. Petioles short, pubescent. Flowers. — April, May, before the leaves. White, showy, abundant, one-half to three-fourths of an inch broad, borne in lateral umbels ; calyxdobes rounded, slightly pubescent, petals obovate. Fruit. — Globose drupe, purple or crimson, covered with a bloom, one-half to one inch in diameter, sweet when ripe. Abundant. August, September. Offered for sale in the local markets under the name of Beach Plum. Garden and Forest describes the Beach Plum as " A handsome plant when in flower, and one which is too seldom seen in gardens. A well known coast-plant, it is found from Maine to Virginia, frequently covering sandy dunes adjacent to sea-beaches. It is a low, com- io8 BEACH PLUM Beikii Fliim, PriDiits nuinlinia. Flowers ,\' to ]^' .kioss. PLUM FAMILY pact shrub, rarely more than three or four feet high, in its blooming period covered with small white flowers, which in late summer are followed by a profusion of handsome, globular, purple or scarlet fruit which is collected in large quantities at some points on the New England coast and sold in the markets for preserving. " As a garden plant this shrub covers itself early in May with innumerable small white fiowers which wn*eathe the branches from end to end and have the merit of lasting for a con- siderable time." Graves' Beach Plum, Pnnnts gravesii, is a rare species, four feet high, with orbicular ser- rate leaves. The white flow- ers, borne in lateral umbels, Lerves of the Beach Plum, a' to y long. g^p^^j^^ ^^.i|-|, ^j^g leavCS. Fruit is globose, nearly black with light blue bloom. Blackthorn or Buckthorn, Prumis spinosa, two to fif- teen feet high, is a native of Europe, which has escaped from gardens and is found along roadsides from Mas- sachusetts to Pennsylvania. It is a much-branched, thorny shrub, with oblong or ovate leaves, rounded at base, serrate, and obtuse at apex. The fruit is globose, half an inch in diameter, nearly black, covered with a bloom. SAND CHERRY. DWARF CHERRY Prnnus puinUa. A depressed or trailing shrub, sometimes lifting its branches six inches, sometimes three or four feet. Found on sandy or SAND CHERRY Sand Cherry, Pninns piunila. Leaves 1^2' to 1' long. Fruit ^i' in diameter. PLUM FAMILY gravelly shores along the sea-coast from New Pirunswick to New Jersey, also along the shores of the (Ireat Lakes to Michigan and westward. Suckers freely. Stems. — Shoots reddish; older stems brown with shining, grayish, outer bark. Leaves. — Alternate, simple, pinnately veined, one and a half to two and a half inches long, oblanceolate or spatulate, nar- rowed at the base, serrate especially toward the apex. They come out of the bud conduplicate, pale green, shining ; when full grown are glabrous, deep green above and pale below ; mid- vein and primary veins conspicuous. In autumn they turn a deep blood red. Stipules linear, glandular, serrate at base. Fhnuers. — April, May, with the leaves. White, one-fourth to three-eighths of an inch broad, borne in lateral few-flowered umbels; calyx-lobes rounded; petals small, obovate; stamens numerous. Fruit. — Drupe, dark red or dark purple, nearly black, with- out bloom, about half an inch long, three-eighths broad; flesh thin, acid. August. The Sand Cherry grows on the beach in almost pure sand ; in fruiting time the bearing stems are depressed with the burden of the fruit. It suckers freely and forms clumps. Appalachian Cherry, Pruiius cuiicata, is a form allied to Pninus puniila, finding its home among rocks in- stead of sand. Often four feet high. Leaves oblong or obovate, wedge-shaped at base, more or less ser- rate, obtuse or acute at apex. CHOKE CHERRY Prunus virginiana. The Choke Cherry^ is ranked among the trees, but so frequently^ and so persistently appears as a shrub that it is popularly^ believed to be one. It produces APPALACHIAN CHERRY Appuluchiaii Cherry, rnimts iiiiicata. Leaves \' to y long. PLUM FAMILY the choke chcrr\', that well known fruit, familiar to every country child ol New England and the Middle States. These cherries are borne in a full drooping- raceme, each one about the size of marrowfat pea, var34ng in color from dark to bright red and some- times yellow. There is a peculiar astringent quality about them, that puckers the mouth of the eater and darkens the teeth and the lips. When cooked this quality entirely disappears. The flowers appear in loose racemes produced upon the leafy branches of the year ; are white, with nearly orbicular petals and exserted stamens. FLOWERING ALMOND Prumis japdnica. Fruiiiis nana. PriDius ainygdahis. The hope, in dreams of a happier hour, That alights on misery's brow, Springs forth like the silvery almond flower That blooms on a leafless bough. — Thomas Moore. The Flowering Almond was the gem of our grand- fathers' gardens. In books and catalogues it possesses a fine collection of Latin names ; but when it came into England in the seventeenth centur}^ it so surpassed the other almonds known there in the beauty of its flowers that it gained at once the name of Flowering. Through all the changes of changeful science this name it has kept. This dwarf bush is rarely more than four feet high, and early, before the leaves, the slender branches burst into abundant bloom. The flowers are solitary or in two-flowered umbels, very double, " crimson- 114 CHOKE CHERRY Clioke Cherry, Pninns viigiiiiuiu. Leaves 2' to 4' long. R;iceines }' to 5' long. PLUM FAMILY tip])ccl," and appear so pi'ofusely as to transform the branch into a flowery sceptre. Stamens are few, sometimes a perfect one can be found, but usually a few filaments do duty for all. Under a glass the pistil will be seen to have become leaf-like. The leaves are a quarter grown before the petals fall. This beautiful creature comes into the spring-time with charming grace ; the whole plant is a mass of pinkish bloom ; its surpassing loveliness continues for but one short week ; then scattering its petals to the ground it passes from recollection until another spring calls it to its short-lived service. *' Beauty is its own excuse for being." In its flowering period the little bush is a late com- panion or an immediate follower of the forsythias; it blooms with the magnolias and the red-buds ; before its roses have faded the lilacs are in bloom, and the Spirca prunifolia is out; often this last overlaps the other so that one sees tw^o sets of flower buttons side by side. Two varieties of the species are in cultivation, one bearing pinkish flowers, and the other white. ii6 FLOWERING ALMOND Flowerinu AlniMnd. Pniints /jpo//u\ ROSACEA— ROSE FAMILY MEADOW SWEET. WILLOW-LEAVED SPIRiEA Spircca salicifblia. SpircEa, a Greek name meaning twisted, referring to the twisted pods of some species. An erect shrub, two to five feet high, simple or branched above, with smooth, yellowish brown bark ; found in swamps or moist ground. Ranges from Newfoundland to Georgia, and west to Missouri ; also native in northern Europe, and in Asia. Roots run for several feet just below the surface ; variable ; often cultivated. Leaves. — Alternate, simple, pinnately veined, two to three inches long, oblong or lanceolate, obovate or oblanceolate, rounded or wedge-shaped at base, serrate especially above tlie middle, obtuse or acute at apex. They come out of tlie bud slightly involute, yellow green, tipped with reddish brown ; when full grown smooth, yellow green above, paler green be- neath ; wdien borne on the upper part of a young shoot fre- quently one or two small leaves appear in the axils of the regular leaf. The autumnal tints are a dull yellow or a dull red. Peti- oles short; stipules fugitive or wanting. Flozvers. — July to September. White or pinkish, perfect, from one-fourth to five-eighths of an inch across, borne in dense terminal panicles. Calyx. — Tube bell-shaped, five-lobed. Corolla. — Petals five, short-clawed, white, or rose-tinted, obovate ; inserted on the calyx, imbricate in bud. ii8 MEADOW SWEET Meadow Sweet, Spircva salinfolia. Leaves 2' to 3' long. Flowers ^' to -}i' across. ROSE FAMILY Stamens. — Numerous, exserted, inserted on the calyx; fila- ments threadlike. Fisfi/. — Ovaries five, superior, united at the base ; style threadlike, stigma capitate. Fruit. — Dry, consisting of five one-celled, smooth carpels, united at base, encircled by the persistent calyx-cup. Sep- tember. The c(jinmon Meadow Sweet of the eastern states is a variable and widely distributed plant, of which several varieties are in ctdtivation ; all, however, keep fairly true to the type. It suckers freely, so that each little bush, if given time and freedom, will make a thicket of upright stems, each of which, in the flower- ing season will bear its panicle of white or pinkish flowers. Often this rosy glow comes rather from the calyx disk and the rosy anthers than from the petals. The abundant stamens are characteristic and give the cluster a peculiar *' fuzzy " look. It has gathered to itself several common names, among them. Queen of the Meadow, Quaker Lady, Willow-leaved Spirsea. It differs from Spinea tonicii- tosa in that stem and leaves are glabrous and the flower cluster a little more open. HARDHACK. STEEPLE-BUSH Spircra toDioitbsa. Erect, leafy, two to three feet high ; stems usually simple, twigs densely covered with brown tomentum; found in swamps and low grounds. Ranges from Nova Scotia to Georgia and Manitoba to Kansas. Si)rcads ra})idly by underground slioots ; worthy of cultivation. I20 STEEPLE-BUSH Steeple-bush, Spi/iVa toiiwiilosa. Leaves i' to 5' long. Flowers H' to ^g' across. ROSE FAMILY Leaves. — Alternate, simple, pinnately veined, one to three inches long, ovate or oval, rounded or wedge-shaped at base, unequally serrate, obtuse or acute at apex. They come out of the bud slightly involute, densely tomentose ; when full grown are dark green above, covered with brown tomentum beneath. Stipules fugitive or wanting. Petioles short. Flowers. — July, September. Rose or pale purple, perfect ; borne in dense terminal panicles. Calyx. — Tube bell-shaped, five-lobed. Corolla. — Petals five, short-clawed, rose-tinted, obovate, in- serted on the calyx, imbricate in bud. Stajnens. — Numerous, exserted, inserted on the calyx ; fila- ments threadlike. Pistil. — Ovaries five, superior, united at the base ; style threadlike ; stigma capitate. Fruit. — Dry, consisting of five one-celled woolly carpels, united at base, encircled by the persistent calyx-cup. Septem- ber. The Steeple-bush is not badly named, for the flower- ing panicle is terminal, slender, and pointed. The pink spires bloom from the top downward ; they have what is known as centrifugal inflorescence, the flower- ing impulse proceeds from the centre outward. As a consequence the flower cluster is never perfect; when the topmost flowers are open the lower ones are half- formed buds, and when the lower ones are in bloom the topmost are withered and brown. The Spircea flowers, as a rule, secrete little if any nectar, but they yield much pollen and are eagerly sought by the bees. This Spirasa takes kindly to cultivation and will thrive in any ordinary position. It is especially valu- able because of its late flowering. THUNBERG'S SPIR^A \: \^ V Thunberg's Spinta, 5/';>\rj ihwihcrgii. Leaves i' to i' long. Flowers %' to ?/ across. ROSE FAMILY Plum-leaved Spinea, Spiraea prunifolta. CULTIVATED SPIR^^AS CULTIVATED SPIRi^AS Apart from the native species which appear now and then in cultivation, there is a larg-e number of dis- tinctively garden Si)ira;as of great lianHness and of surpassing beauty. Time woidd fail to tell the tale of their loveliness; nor could space be allotted to make even a complete list of their numbers. There are, however, a few that stand out preeminent, and al- though their number may be enlarged by future hybrids and seedlings, it is scarcely conceivable that these should be supplanted. Grace, delicacv, per- sonal charm and exquisite beauty may perhaps be per- mitted to hold their own against mere bigness — at least in the vegetable world. We mention first, because it blossoms first, that spe- cies of rare and delicate beauty known as Spinca tJiiiu- hcrgii. The books report it as a dwarf, but when well placed and well fed it rises in compact and graceful form to the height of five feet. Of the entire grou[) it is the first to bloom, coming out with h\^rsytJiia and Magnolia stcllata. The leaves are one to two inches long, a quarter of an inch wide, and of a peculiar, pale, yellow green. It holds this airv foliage bright and clean throughout the summer; and when autumn comes, after man}- of its companions stand bare and leafless, it clothes itself first in purple bronze and then in orange and scarlet, and stands a figui'c of be:iu1\- until overwhelmed bv the autumn storms. In its Jap- anese home it loves the rockv hillsides and high mountain valleys, and is widely distributed through- out the islands. 125 ROSE FAMILY The well known double spiraea, Spircua pruiiifolia, has long been a garden favorite in this country. This double variety was developed by the gardeners of Japan ; the single form is probably not cultivated here. It, too, blooms early and the flowers are abun- dant upon the stem ; so that the bush is extremely ef- fective amid its companions. Its habit is rigid, the slender stems have not the grace so characteristic of many of the spiraeas. The shining leaves are oblong, rounded at base, and pointed at apex, each one poised with a peculiar curve. In early autumn they turn a scarlet and orange, through which there appears a tone of brown in such a way as to give a wonderful depth and richness to the coloring. However opinions may differ in regard to other species on the list, the horticultural world agrees that SpircEci vanJioiittci is the finest of them all. It possesses a remarkable beauty of form ; in bloom it stands like a great white fountain ; in autumn its foliage runs through a bewildering maze of rich claret, deep red with purple tones, bright scarlet and orange fading to yellow. The origin of the plant is not clearly known ; it is generally believed to have been derived from an Asiatic species, Spircea t7'iloba, which, however, is not its equal. There are many dwarf varieties offered by the dealers, of which one of the best is that known as Anthony Waterer's Spiraea. This bears rose-colored flowers in flat corymbs, and blooms in midsummer. There are also magnificent spiraeas on the Pacific slope, in Washington and in Oregon, which should appear among our ornamental plants either in their own persons or in hybrids. 126 VAN HQUT'S SPIR^A Van Houfs SpirxA, SpiuJ vjnhontWi. ROSE FAMILY Anthony W.iterer's Spinea. NINEBARK NINEBARK Opuldstcr opnlifbliiis. P/iysocdrpus optiUJblins. Opulaster, resembling a wild opulus, or cranberry-tree. F/iysocarpus, bladder-fruit, in reference to the inflated pods. A shrub three to ten feet high, with recurved branches, smooth twigs and foliage, the bark peeling off in thin strips ; found on river banks and in rocky places. Ranges from Quebec to Geor- gia, west to Manitoba and Kansas. Often cultivated. Leaves. — Alternate, simple, palmately veined, one to three inches long, ovate-orbicular, obtusely or acutely three-lobed, rounded, wedge-shaped or heart-shaped at base; lobes irregu- larly crenate-dentate or crenate-serrate. Stipules fugitive. Peti- oles three-fourths to an inch long. Flowers. — June. White, rarely purplish, perfect, borne in ])anicled, many-flowered hemispherical corymbs one or two inches broad, which are terminal on short branches. Pedicels slender, glabrous or pubescent. Calyx. — Bell-shaped, five-lobed, pubescent, persistent. Corolla. — Petals white, five, rounded, inserted on the throat of the calyx, imbricate in bud. Stamens. — Thirty to forty, inserted with the petals; filaments white, anthers purplish. Pistil. — Carpels five, on short stalks, alternate with the calyx- lobes. Fruit. — Follicles, glabrous, shining, three-eighths of an inch long, inflated, acute, obliquely subulate-tii)ped, each containing two to four seeds. Borne in corymbs, each pedicel bearing five. Seeds ovoid or globose, shining. The Niliebark is now very (generally planted in anv i^arden f^roup of spiraeas. The llower cluster resembles that of Spircca vanJio7ittci, but not quite so many appear on a flowering spray, and the blooming" period comes a little later. The plant is a spirsea when it blossoms ; 129 ROSE FAMILY Ninebark, Opidaster opulifolhis. Leaves i' to 3' long. Flower clusters \' to 2' across. NINEBARK Ninelxuk. Opulastcr opuli/olius ; in liuit. ROSE FAMILY but after the petals drop its specific character shows itself and it is clear that its bladder-fruit name is de- served. For each small carpel begins to enlarge, in fact develops considerably beyond the needs of the seeds harbored within its protecting walls. Through changes of green and russet the inflated pods finally become purplish, and a second time the bush chal- lenges attention because of the burden of fruit which weighs its slender branches almost to the ground. It is not altogether pleasant to see a plant so overpow- ered by its fruit. The Ninebark is sometimes used for hedges ; it seems to bear the knife well and makes a leafy wall. PEARL BUSH. EXOCHORDA ExocJiorda gr'andifibra. Exoclioj'da, from exo, external, and chorda, a cord ; sug- gested by the placental cords supposed to be external to carpels. Exochorda, which appears in our gardens both as tree and shrub, undoubtedly ranks high among the orna- mental plants that we have received from China. It inclines to long, slender spray, which very quickly grows out of bounds and becomes straggling, naked stems; but if properly pruned a compact and bushy form may easily be produced and just as easily re- tained. The flowers somewhat resemble cherry blossoms, but where the cherry blossom shows a yellow centre, the Exochorda is curiously green, with a lew white sta- mens set on the throat of the calyx. The plant is more 132 EXOCHORDA Exochorda, Exocborda graiidijlorj. Flowers i' to 1I4' across. ROSE FAMILY closely allied to the spirnsas than to the cherries or the roses. The buds look like buttons ; the flowers come out about the middle of May, and there is a charm- ing contrast between the tender green of the young leaves and the snow white of the abundant bloom which crowds upon the end of every twig. Mr. J. G. Jack, writing of Exochorda, says : '' It is sometimes complained that the flowers lack individual interest, are cold and without anything to excite sentiment or admiration, except by the almost daz- zling effect of the full bloom. But al- though the blossoms are formal and al- most bold in effect and lack agreeable fragrance, they appear after apple blos- soms have faded and before Deutzia and Philadelphus flower, and certainly at this season we have nothing surpassing them in beauty. The flowers themselves are most interesting just as the buds are opening." The fruit of Exochorda is composed of five small bony carpels adhering, in the form of a star, around the central axis. Young plants are often sterile, but as they get older they fruit abundantl}^ ; the seeds ger- minate quickly. Leaf of Exochorda ■2.' to 1^2,' long. KERRIA. CORCHORUS. GLOBE FLOWER Kerria japdnica. Named after Bellenden Ker, a British botanist. This is the old-fashioned Corchorus of our gardens, a name originally applied through a misapprehension of 134 KERRIA Kerria. Double-flowered Form. the botanical affinities of the plant ; a name that should be supplanted by Kerria, which sounds quite as well and is correct. Botanically the plant is allied to the spiragas. The double-flowered form was the first introduced from Japan, and im- mediately became a great favorite. The blossoms are bright yellow and so very double that the name Globe Flower does not seem inappropriate. The single form from which the double was developed came later, and is the more beautiful of the two. It is an error to suppose that a double flower is always better than its type, for the multiplication of petals is frequently gained at the ex- pense of grace and delicacy. In this single form the flowers, often an inch and a half across, are solitary, on slender stalks, and look not unlike great buttercups, only the petals are an orange yellow and not lustrous. The plant does best where it can have partial shade, as the petals, curiously enough, bleach white in the sunlight, and in a sunny location it is rare to find a flower with- out one or more white petals. The leaves are broad-lanceolate, long- pointed, deeply serrate-toothed, bright green above and paler beneath. There is a variety with single flowers and va- riegated leaves, but it is not the equal of either of the others. In winter the stems are such a brilliant green that they attract atten- tion standing among the stems of other plants. 135 Kerria. Single-flow ered Form. ROSE FAMILY BRAMBLE Rubus. Rnbiis, the Roman name, kindred to ruber^ red. The Bramble is allied to the roses, and in many respects the likeness between them is marked ; but the growth of the stem and the character of the fruit are personal and characteristic, and full}' distinguish the genus from an}^ other. In it are included the raspbei- ries, black and red, also the blackberries. The Bramble is a sort of compromise between a per- ennial herb and a shrub. The stems are indeed woody, but instead of living on from year to year and bearing an indefinite number of crops, as the currant or the gooseberry, they live but about a year and a half, and perish after maturing their fruit ; while the roots live on indefinitely. The young stems make very rapid growth until they have attained their normal stature, then growth ceases. These stems are called canes, and are very noticeable in any vigorous black raspberry or blackberry bush, but not quite so marked in the red raspberry. The fruit, likewise, will repay careful examination. In the centre of a Rubus blossom is a group of carpels set upon a slightly convex receptacle. After the petals fall and the seed vessels begin to enlarge, this convex receptacle enlarges too, and bears upon its sides and apex the numerous tin}- drupes; one for each carpel of the blossom. They find themselves considerably crowded, and unite rather by pressure than b}- growth. In the case of the raspberries, the union of the re- 136 PURPLE-FLOWERING RASPBERRY cci)tacU' with ihc calyx is s( roiii^ci" than its union with the ch'iipcs; so when the so-called bejr\- is ripe the aggregation o( little dri4)es slips off the recej)- taclc and leaves it behind grown fast to the calvx. In the blackberry the conditions are reversed ; the union of the receptacle with the drupes is stronger than with the calyx, so when the berry is ripe the dru[)es carrv the receptacle with them. This is the explanation of the white core always found at the centre (A a black- be rr)-. PURPLE-FLOWERING RASPBERRY Kid)us oiioratus. Raspberry, from the Italian raspo, rough, on account of the roughness of the stem and leaves. A straggling shrub with upright stems, three to five feet high, found by roadsides, in mountain paths and moist, shady places. Spreads rapidly by underground stems. Ranges from Nova Scotia to Ontario and Michigan, south to Georgia and Ten- nessee. Jujrk.— On old stems pale, dull yellow, becoming loose and stringy. The recent shoots and flower branches are thickly covered with ])uri)lish glandular hairs, which continue up the l>etiole, along the midrib and primary veins on the under sur- face of the leaf, and thickly invest the flower-stalk and the calyx. Leaves. — Alternate, simple, large, seven to nine, sometimes twelve inches broad, palmately three to five-lobed, cordate at base. Lobes serrate, acuminate ; the middle one longer than the others. They come out of the bud plicate; shining, red- dish, glandular-pubescent ; when full grown are bright green, rough, hairy above and beneath. They remain unchanged until destroyed by the frost and storms. Petiole long, very })ubescent, enlarged at base ; stipules small, lanceolate, acuminate. 137 ROSE FAMILY Floioers. — -May to September. Perfect, borne in loose corymbs or panicles, rose purple, showy, one to two inches across ; bracts membranous. Calyx. — Deeply five-parted, densely covered with red glan- dular hairs ; lobes tipped with a long slender appendage. Corolla. — Petals five, rose purple, coming crumpled from the bud, inserted on the disk of the calyx. Stamens. — Many, inserted on the calyx; filaments purple; anthers dull yellow, two-celled. Pistil. — Many carpels inserted on a convex receptacle ; style purplish ; stigma white. Fruit. — Each carpel ripens into a tiny red drupe, and together they form an aggregate fruit, depressed, hemispherical, acid. July, September. The Purple-flowering Raspberr}^ is very attractive as its pretty rose-like blossoms look out from a dense thicket by a mountain path ; it is equally attractive when transferred from its wild-wood home to the gar- den. When permitted, a single bush will very quickly form a clump, for the underground stems send up abundant shoots. The young stems and shoots are clothed in velvet, so dense are the red hairs which beset them ; but the bark of the oldest stems is a thing of shreds and patches. The blooming period extends from June to October, but there is never any great number of blossoms at one time. The spherical un- opened buds are crowned with a flowing tassel made of the five long points of the calyx. The blossoms come out from the bud a soft rose purple, but quickly fade in the sunshine. In cultivation the plant should be given a shady place. The fruit is a red raspberry that sits in a calyx-cup . about it is a fringe of dry stamens. Each little drupe 138 PURPLE-FLOWERING RASPBERRY Purple-flowering Raspberry, Ruhus odoratus. Leaves 7' to t/ broad. Flowers 1' to i^i' across. ROSE FAMILY is bright red, velvety witli white hairs and crowned with a style. Tlie drupes readily separate from one another and also from the receptacle; in flavor area sharp acid. The marked personal characteristic of Kiibiis odo- ratus is the astonishing abundance of glandular hairs upon the recent shoots, the leaves, the })etioles, the tiower-stalk and the calyx. Botanically, glands are cellular bodies containing some peculiar secretion, and situated on or below the cuticle, which covers the sur- face of a plant. Stalked glands are these little bodies elevated upon a stalk or stem. WILD RED RASPBERRY Rub us strii^bsus. Low, erect, three to six feet high, loving dry or rocky situ- ations. Ranges from Newfoundland and Labrador to British Columbia, south in the AUeghanies to North Carolina and soutli- west to New iNlexico. Suckers freely. Stems. — Biennial, branched ; new shoots densely clothed with weak glandular bristles and older stems with small hooked prickles. New shoots and branchlets red with a bloom ; old stems pale, dull yellowish brown. Leaves. — Alternate, pinnately compound ; leaflets five in lower leaves, three in ujDper leaves, two and a half to three inches long ; ovate or ovate-oblong, rounded at base, coarsely and ir- regularly serrate or slightly lobed, acute or acuminate at apex ; lateral leaflets are sessile and bilateral ; midvein, primary and secondary veins depressed above, i)rominent beneath ; when full grown the leaves are a bright yellow green, smooth above, pale green or whitish, downy beneath. In autumn they become a rich vinous red, sometimes touched with yellow, or fall with little change of color. Petiole armed with tiny bristles and prickles. Stipules narrow and deciduous. 140 RED RASPBERRY Red Raspberry, Rnhi.' across. ROSE FAMILY receptacle, but both fall from the calyx together. Sweet and aromatic. August, Se})tember. The tangled lilackberry, crossed and recrossed, weaves A prickly network of ensanguined leaves. — Ja.mks RfssEi.i. Lowell. If vou wish to enjoy the richness of the fruit you must not be hasty to I)luck it. When the children say with a shout, "The hlacklierries are ripe I ■' I kncjw that I can wait. When the children report, " The birds are eating the berries ! " I know that 1 can wait. But when they say, "The bees are on the berries I " I know they are at their ripest. Then with baskets we sally forth. * * * Even now we gather those oidy which drop at the tcnich, — these in a brimming saucer, with golden cream and a soup9on of powdered sugar are Olympian nectar ; they melt before the tongue can measure their full roundness ; and seem to be mere bloated bubbles of forest honey. — " My Farm at Edgewood." Donald G. Mitchell. Every one knows the Blackberry^ the Common Brier, because of its marked tendency to inhabit and possess the earth. It springs up in any neglected place and, if undisturbed, takes possession and holds its own against all intruders. It loves the sea-shore, flourishes on the mountain side, is especially thrifty at the edge of woods, fairly riots in helds latelv cleared or recently burned over, holds to the fencerows, and wanders along the roadside. The species varies greatly in habit, but each and all forms possess a sturdy vitality which enables them to live in spite of discouragement. Sometimes, indeed, they discourage the farmer, for simply to cut them down is useless ; they promptly scramble up again and can be eradicated only by uprooting. When the waste land is to be reclaimed, transformed into past- ure, or meadow, or cultivated field, to uproot is praiseworthy ; but to destroy this wild luxuriant 148 HIGH-BUSH BLACKBERRY growth, beautiful in leaf and in llowcr, grateful in fruit, i^lorious in its rich autumnal colorini^, — simply to make a desolation, or to i)rovi(le more space for rag- weed and plantain and beggar-ticks, — is zeal without knowledge. Yet this is what happens nine cases out of ten when the rural street commissioner starts out ui)on his devastating career to imprcjve the country roadside. RhI'ks nigrohaccus is the prevailing form of the high- bush blackberries of the woods and fencerows of the north ; from this wild, untamed, hardy stock has sprung the blackberry of cultivation. The well known Lawton, Kittatinny and Wilson varieties originated from wild seedlings found by the wayside and trans- ferred to the garden. The botanical history of this High-bush Blackberry is entangled and confused. The plant is reall}^ Riibus villosus of American botanists. It so appears in Gray's Manual, sixth edition. But in following out the rules of nomenclature adopted by the American Association for the Advancement of Science it was discovered that the name Rubus villosus belonged to another plant. Prof. L. H. Bailey was able to determine this bv per- sonally examining the herbaria of Linnaeus and of Alton. As a consequence our wild-wood brier became nameless, and hnallv received the Latin synonvm of its common name — iiii^j'obaccus, — blackberry. In study- ing the plant it is well to remember that the hve- foliate leaves are found usuallv on young and sterile stems, tlie three-foliate upon the fertile ones. l-'rofessor Bailey, in " 'I'he Evolution ol our Xali\'e Fruits,'' published in 1898, writes as follows: I4Q ROSE FAMILY '' Of the high-bush blackberry there are three general types or categories : " (i) The common high-bush blackberry of the north, which has large, pointed, villous leaves and long, open, pubescent racemes. This is the plant which is ordi- narily taken as the type of Rubus villosus, but strangely enough, although the common blackberrv, it now has no scientific name. I, therefore, propose to call it Rtibiis nigrobacciis. ''(2) The leafy-cluster type of blackberry, which is characterized by a stiffer and mostly shorter growth, by smaller and usually narrower leaves, short and leafy flower clusters and the general, although not complete absence of villousness. This plant must now receive the name Riibus arguttcs, and its synonyms are Riibiis froiidosuSy and Riibus snbcrcctus. *'(3) The thornless blackberry type which must now be called Riibus canadensis, a synonym of which is Rnbns in ill spa ngJi ii, ' ' Professor Bailey writes further as follows : '' Another form of the high-bush blackberry is a plant which Porter has named Rubus allcghcniensis or the Mountain Blackberry. - * - Since Professor Porter has studied the plant in its native state for many years I shall accept the plant as a distinct species. I am the more inclined to this opinion since if the common high-bush blackberry were to be united to the Moun- tain Blackberry, Rubus allcghcniensis would have to be taken as the type of the species ; and I should con- sider it unfortunate to take a mountain form as the type of a common continental plant. This arrange- ment gives an analytical and perspicuous treatment to 150 LEAFY-BRACTED BLACKBERRY Leaty-biacted Bi.ickbeny, Ru'^iis jiL^nt/is Flowers J^' U) 1^4' across. ROSE FAMILY the high-bush blackberries and should be the means of making the various forms better known. It goes without saying that in plants which are so confused as rubi, intermediate and perplexing forms will be found; but even these forms can be best understood when the plants are broken up into their ixigning types." In Britton's " Manual of the Flora of the United States and Canada " Rjibus argutiis and Riibiis frondosus are considered as separate ; R. argiitus being the gla- brate species, with the more southern habitat ; and R. frondosus the Leafy-bracted Blackberr3\ Riibus nigrobaccus sativus, the Short-cluster Black- berry, differs from the type in that it is lower, the leaflets broader, less distinctly long-pointed, fruits rounder and looser. It is the nondescript blackberry of open fields and is the parent of the larger part of the short-cluster or garden blackberries. Although the Blackberry group is very confusing to an amateur, a few marked types can easily be deter- mined ; the High-bush, R. nigrobaccus, with its mountain form, R. allcgJienicnsis, and its unkempt poor relation, R. nigrobaccus sativa, are not difficult to recognize. The corymbose R. argutus, synonym R, frondosus, can also be distinguished both in flower and fruit. The straggling Dewberry, R. procumbcns, which once was one but now is many, can be readily recognized in its type. But to distinguish among the varying and connect- ing forms which, grouped about these types, are now considered species, is the task of the expert. More- over, the experts do not altogether agree among them- selves. It is probable that the group will always be 152 RAND'S BLACKBERRY more or less of a problem to the classifying- botanist. The fact that so many varieties have come into culti- vation— that their seeds are scattered by the birds in out-of-the-way places ; that the seedlings so produced will vary, returning to their type with modifications — obviously, will continue to confuse the situation. In the meantime, the great types stand out clear enough for the amateur to enjoy ; and if the variabil- ity of the family tends to drive the botanist to distrac- tion, it also makes possible the production of a fruit unique in character and most delicious in flavor. As a cultivated plant the blackberry is a purely American fruit ; all the varieties have been developed from native wild plants; and we alone of all peoples prize " The blackberry that was the bramble born." RAND'S BLACKBERRY Kiibus rdndii. This is a native of northern woods, ranging from New Brunswick to Maine and west to northern Michi- gan. Low and diffuse in habit; stems nearly glabrous and so soft and slender as to appear almost herba- ceous; prickles few and weak, often wanting. Leaves are very thin, three or five-foliate. The flower cluster is long, manv-fiowered ; the Howers about half the size of those of Riibus Jiif^robacciis ; the fruit small, dry and seedy. 153 ROSE FAMILY LEAFY-BRACTED BLACKBERRY. LEAFY-CLUSTER BLACKBERRY Riibus argutus. Riibus frondosus. "A plant of comparatively stiff and straight growth, usually shorter than R. nigrobaccus, with narrower and more rigid leaf- lets. Stems stout, angled, with rather stout straight prickles, and the whole plant glabrous or only slightly villous, except in some of the very young parts. The flower clusters are short and leafy ; flowers about the size of those of R. nigrobacais. Its range is wide, extending from New Brunswick and Lake Superior to Florida, Mississippi and Kansas. It is less common in the north than R. iiigrobaccus but is more abundant in the south, and there is a southern variety." — L. H. Bailey. THORNLESS BLACKBERRY. MILLSPAUGH'S BLACKBERRY Riibus canadensis. Ricbiis 7niUspaiighii. "This plant has the general habit of R. nigrobacais, but is dis- tinguished by its long and slender petioles, mostly narrow and long acuminate leaves, long stipules, and especially by its lack of pubescence and general absence of thorns. It is apparently a well-marked species, Q:rowing throughout the country in the higher elevations fron- the Carolinas northward to Lake Supe- rior." — L. H, Bailey. The following account of this Blackbeny is quoted by Professor Bailey in " The Evolution of our Native Fruits " from notes made by Mr. Kofoid, of North Caro- lina. '* It seems to be very abundant where it occurs, forming- dense thickets of upright stems five to eight 154 LEAFY-BRACTED BLACKBERRY Le:ilv-br;iLk'd Bhickbc'rrv. R/ihii.'^ ji o/it;i> ROSE FAMILY feet in height. As late as the 29th of August we found the fruit just turning a faint reddish tinge and quite pal- atable and sweet to a hungry man. Natives say that the fruit becomes ripe and black in September. The berries are large, long and slender and very sweet, lacking the sharply acid or bitterish quality of the berries of the lower mountains. There are no thorns or prickles. One can go through the patches unscathed. ^ ^ There are several botanical characters which distin- guish this species from the common blackberry, aside from the absence of thorns. It lacks almost entirely, except on some of the young shoots, the conspicuous- ly pubescent character of the common species. The leaves are thin, and the leaflets sharply toothed and prominently long-pointed. One of the most prominent characters lies in the leaflet stalks. Upon vigorous shoots the leaflets are five, and the three upper ones have stalks from one to three inches long." MOUNTAIN BLACKBERRY Riibiis allegheniensis. Rubiis villosjis, var. montamis. Similar to Riibus nigrobaccus, though smaller, stems more slender, very prickly, branches commonly red- dish, the younger parts glandular-pubescent. Fruit dry with a somewhat spicy flavor, three-fourths to an inch long, thimble-shaped, narrowing toward the tip; drupelets small and numerous. Found on mountains and high lands of the Atlantic states, throughout the Alleghany region. In its typical iorms this blackberry is very well marked, but it frequently seems to grade back to the type. 156 DEWBERRY Dewberry, Rnhm proctnnhoi^ Flowers i' to xVi' across. ROSE FAMILY LOW RUNNING BLACKBERRY. DEWBERRY Rubus procumbcns. Riibus canadensis. " A strong-growing prickly plant, mostly with glabrous stems, which sometimes rise a foot or two above the earth and are then prostrate ; leaves medium to rather large, firm and thick, of three to seven oval or ovate, rather long-pointed and sharply doubly- toothed leaflets ; racemes erect, with leaf-like bracts and from one to three-flowered, the central flowers opening first ; fruit va- riable, but usually globose or ovoid, with a few large and rather loose drupelets, shining black, sour, but becoming sweet at full maturity. This is the common dewberry of the northern states growing along the roadsides and on banks, the strong stems often reaching a length of five to eight feet. The species has a wide range, occurring as far south as Florida and west and southwest to Kansas, Oklahoma and Arizona. It is a very variable species, and it is probable that future observations may show that it should be broken up into two or three specific types. — L. H. Bailey. This plant has had many names. It is the Rubus villosus of Aiton, the Rubus cauadcnsis of authors, not Linnaeus, and now it seems to have the name Rubus procumbcns. RUNNING SWAMP BLACKBERRY Riibus hispidus. ^' Stems scarcely woody but lasting over winter, perfectly prostrate and beset with small, reflexed, weak bristles, sending up many short and leafy flowering shoots ; leaflets mostly three, obovate, blunt and shining, firm and thick in texture, and tend- ing to be evergreen ; flowers small and few on leafless peduncles ; fruit of few grains, red or purple and sour." — L. H. Bailey. 158 DEWBERRY De\\i"»errv. Rn/vis procnnil\>is l.caflcts ;' lo 5' lonu. ROSE FAMILY Runnini;- Swamp Blackberry, Rubns hispidus. Leaflets ^' to i Yz' long. SHRUBBY CINQUEFQIL *' Few trailiiii; i)lants (onibinc a better effect of flower and foliage than our Swamp JJlackberry. Its common name suggests wet places as its chosen home, but it is also found in dry sandy soil. It blooms through the most of June. The foliage looks evergreen although it is not, and in the autumn it ranks with woodbine in the brilliancy of its changing tints." — Garden and Forest. SHRUBBY CINQUEFOIL Potentilla fruticbsa. Potentilla, diminutive of potens, powerful, from the medic- inal properties of some species. Cinqucfoil, in reference to the five leaflets of some species. Erect or ascending, much branched, very leafy, bark shreddy, six inches to four feet high ; found in swamps, also in moist, rocky places. Ranges from Labrador and Greenland to Alaska, south to New Jersey, Illinois, Minnesota, in the Rocky Moun- tains to Arizona and in the Sierra Nevadas to California. Also in northern Europe and Asia. Leaves. — Alternate, pinnately compound. Leaflets five to seven, oblong or somewhat oblanceolate, entire, acute or acutish at each end, one-half to three-fourths of an inch long, silky pubescent, margins revolute. Stipules ovate-lanceolate, acute, entire. Floiuers. — June to September. Cymose or solitary, bright yellow, about half an inch across. Calyx five-lobed, five-brac- teolate ; corolla of five nearly orbicular i:)etals ; stamens fifteen to twenty; style lateral, threadlike; achenes, disk and recep- tacle long-hairy. The Shrubby CiiKjiicfoil can very easily become a weed, for it has learned how to live under adverse conditions and its natural rans^e is enormous. Con- trolled, however, it is an excellent plant to mass in ROSE FAMILY Shrubby Cinquefoil, Potentilla friiiicosa. Leaflets Yz' to ^' long. Flowers ^' to yj across. THE ROSE parks, as an iindcrslirub, to brighten the dull places. Its midsummer bloom is also in its favor for garden planting. THE ROSE Rosa. Rosa is the ancient Latin name of the flower. Erect or climbing shrubs, generally with subterranean root- stocks, which send up suckers at some distance from the parent. Stems usually i)rickly ; stalks and foliage often bearing aromatic glands ; flowers usually fragrant. Leaves. — Alternate, odd-pinnate, with stipules which grow fast to the petioles. Leaflets vary in number from three to eleven. Flozvcrs. — Solitary or in loose corymbs; pink, red, or white in our species. Calyx. — Cup-shaped, or urn-shaped, constricted at the throat, becoming fleshy in fruit, five-lobed ; lobes spreading, deciduous or persistent. Corolla. — Petals five, obovate or obcordate, inserted upon the edge of the disk that lines the calyx-tube. Stamens. — Many, inserted with the petals at the edge of the calyx-disk. Pistil. — Made up of many separate carpels seated within the urn-shaped cup ; ovaries hairy ; styles distinct or united. Fruit. — Achenes, numerous, enclosed in the berry-like fruiting calyx-cup, called a hip. This hip becomes pink or red or orange at maturity. Six species of native wild roses are common within the range covered by this volume, besides two or three that ''come out of the west" and frequently cross the border ; there are in addition two acclimated species. The specific characters that differentiate them refer principally to the habit, the leaves, and the stem, rather 163 ROSE FAMILY than to the flower. All our native roses are single ; all are pink. White flowers occasionally occur, but rather as an inconstant variation than as a specific character. The pink of the rose is unstable; it fades so quickly in the bright sunlight that in order to know the real color of the flower one must see it when opening. The blossom secretes no nectar ; its fragrance-call to the bee is an invitation to gather pollen. The fruit, which is peculiar and characteristic, con- sists of a hollow cup within which are closely packed many achenes, and protruding through a hole at the top are the remnants of the stjdes, one style for each achene. It is called a hip, and is the invariable fruit of the rose. Two views exist concerning it. Some con- sider it to be the calyx-tube which has become fleshy ; others regard the fleshy part of the hip as the recepta- cle enlarged and hollowed so as to embrace and pro- tect the achenes. MICHIGAN ROSE. CLIMBING ROSE. PRAIRIE ROSE Rosa setigera. A climbing rose found in thickets and on prairies. Ranges from Ontario to Ohio, South Carolina and Florida, west to Wis- consin and Nebraska and southwest to Texas; has escaped from cultivation in New Jersey and Virginia. Grows rapidly; strong shoots reaching ten to twenty feet in a single season. Stems. — Climbing or sprawling, several feet long, armed with scattered, straight or curved prickles, not bristly. Twigs, peti- oles, and peduncles often glandular-pubescent. Stems green or reddish, often dark purple with a bloom. Leaves. — Leaflets three to five, one and a half to two and a half inches long, oval or ovate, acute or obtuse at apex, sharply 164 MICHIGAN ROSE Michigan Rose, Rosa setigera. Leaflets three to five. Flowers 2|j' to 3' across. ROSE FAMILY serrate, rounded at base ; texture thick, veins and veinlets deeply depressed. Autumnal tints are a combination of bronze- purple, red, pink, orange and yellow. Stipules extremely nar- row. Petiole prickly, glandular-pubescent. Flowers. — June, July. Corymbose, varying from deep to pale pink, two and a half to three inches across, destitute of fragrance. Calyx-lobes ovate, acute, glandular, finally decidu- ous ; petals obcordate ; styles cohere in a protruding column, as long as the stamens. Fruit. — Hip, red, globose, more or less glandular, three- eighths to half an inch in diameter. Rosa setigcra is our onl}^ native climbing rose and is the parent of the Baltimore Belle and other double climbing- varieties. In its single state it is one of our most beautiful roses, with its clean handsome foliage and full clusters of flowers, deep rose pink as they first expand but very pale before they fall. Only one defect can be found, they are nearly scentless. The blooming season is late; when the flowers of nearly all other species have faded, these are in their prime. Left to grow in a natural way, the stems will climb twelve or fifteen feet among the branches of other shrubs and small trees, and lift their flower clusters far above ordinary reach. If, however, the bush is planted alone and allowed to develop, the stems will rise three or four feet, then arch and bend over with tips trailing on the ground, presenting a unique and attractive appearance. The colors that the leaves take on in autumn when the long arching stems turn purple and are coated with a glaucous bloom, present a bewildering confu- sion of green and purple bronzes, brightened with pink and rose and dull red, with yellow and orange. i66 MEADOW ROSE The Howers are delightfully decorative. Cut the branches when the blossoms begin to appear, supply them abundantly with water and the buds will unfold day after day for a week, giving a most charming suc- cession of opening roses ; for the little branch seems scarcely conscious that it has severed connection with the root. In cultivation, this child of the prairies requires a deep rich soil and generous treatment. Gardeners recommend that it be planted on the top of a bank that its long, vigorous and graceful shoots may grow in their own wild-wood fashion to cover it. So treated it is a thing of beauty throughout the summer. Rosa setigera may be easily recognized among its companions at any season of the year by its long trailing stems ; in summer by its three leaflets ; in the blooming season by the rich flower clusters and also by the peculiar upright column which the styles make in the centre of the flower. MEADOW ROSE. EARLY WILD ROSE. SMOOTH ROSE Rosa bldnda. Low, erect, one to four feet high ; found mostly in rockv places. Ranges from Newfoundland through New England to central New York, west to Illinois along the region of the Great Lakes. Stems a dark venous red ; slender prickles sometimes present but not al)nndant ; no si)ines. Leaves. — Leaflets five to seven, an inch to an inch and a lialf long, oval or obovate, wedge-shai)ed or rounded at base, sinij)!)- and somewhat irregularly serrate, obtuse or acute at apex, short- 167 ROSE FAMILY stalked; pale green above and slightly paler beneath. Stipules broad, dilated, entire or slightly glanclular-toothed. Flozuers. — June, July. Stems ov i]^' across. ROSE FAMILY GLOSSY ROSE. DWARF SWAMP ROSE Rosa lucida. Bushy, from three to six feet high ; fouiid in wet places. Ranges from Newfoundland to New Jersey and westward. Suck- ers very little. Leaves. — Leaflets seven to nine, one-half to one and one-half inches long, elliptic or obovate-elliptic, coarsely serrate, most- ly acute at both ends, thick, shining above, slightly pubescent beneath. Stipules somewhat dilated, often glandular-toothed; prickles rather stout and flat, straight or slightly curved. Flowers. — June, July. Few or solitary, about two inches across. Calyx-lobes usually entire. Fruit. — Hii), scarlet, depressed globose, glandular-hispid, one- third of an inch long. This rose and Rosa JLuniilis so approach each other that much confusion exists with regard to them. In comparison with Rosa nitida the leaves are a lighter green ; in comparison with Rosa Jiinnilis^ of thicker text- ure. The bush is adapted for borders of shrubberies ; the bright shining foliage and abundant bloom com- mend it in summer, and in winter a glow of color is diffused by its red fruits and its brownish red stems. NORTHEASTERN ROSE Rosa nftida. Bushy, one to two feet high ; stems and branches very densely covered with slender straight prickles nearly as long as the slen- der infrastipular spines ; found in low grounds and borders of swamps. Ranges from Newfoundland to Massachusetts ; often along the sea shore. Suckers freely. Leaves. — Leaflets, seven to nine, short-stalked, one-half to an inch and a half long, oval or narrowly oblong, sharply serrate, 176 NORTHEASTERN ROSE Northeastern Rose, Rosj iiitida. Leaflets seven to nine. Flowers i'^' to 2J2' across. ROSE FAMILY acute at both ends ; terminal leaflet sometimes slightly obovate and obtuse at the apex ; thick, bright green and shining. Au- tumnal tints orange and red, brilliant. Stipules usually broad, often glandular. Flowers. — June, July. Spray one to three-flowered, roses • deep pink, one and a half to two and a half inches across. Calyx and pedicels usually glandular. Calyx-lobes lanceolate, acumi- nate, entire, hispid or glandular, finally spreading, deciduous; petals often obcordate. Styles distinct. Fragrant. Fruit. — Hip, scarlet, globose, about one-third of an inch high, glandular-hispid. Clings to the branches through the winter. Rosa nitida is one of our most beautiful native roses. Its range is not very extensive and the plant seems not to be generally known. Although damp swamps and low moist grounds are its native home, transferred to the garden it grows freely, making a broad mass of bright foliage, and blooming with great profusion. One character which may aid to identif}^ it are the red shoots thickly beset with slender red spines barely stouter than the red prickles. No other of our native roses has just this combination. SWEETBRIER EGLANTINE Rosa rubiginbsa. Slender, four to six feet high, wands often longer, destitute of prickles but armed with stout, recurved spines. Naturalized from Europe ; found along roadsides from Nova Scotia to Vir- ginia. Leaves. — Leaflets five to seven, one to one and a half inches long, elliptical or oblong-ovate, rounded at base, doubly serrate, obtuse at apex ; smooth above, densely glandular-pubescent and resinous beneath ; very aromatic. Stipules one-half to five- eighths of an inch long, rather broad. Petioles prickly. 178 SWEETBRIER Sweelbiiei', Rosj i/ihgniosj. Leaflets live to seven. Flowers I'^'to i Jj' across. ROSE FAMILY Flozuers. — May, June. Solitary or in twos, an inch and a quarter to an inch and a half across, i)ink varying to white. Pedicels and calyx glandular-hisi)id. Calyx-lobes lanceolate, usually much-lobed, spreading, deciduous ; petals obcordate or obovate ; styles distinct. Fruit. — Hip, scarlet, oval or pyriform, one-half to one inch long, glandular, without the calyx-lobes. I know a bank whereon the wild thyme blows, Where oxlips and the nodding violet grows ; Quite over-canopied with lush woodbine, With sweet musk roses and with eglantine. — "Midsummer Night's Dream." SiiAKEsrEAKE. With fairest flowers I'll sweeten thy sad grave ; thou shalt not lack The flower that's like thy face, pale primrose ; nor The azure harebell, like thy veins ; no, nor The leaf of eglantine, who not to slander Out-sweetened not thy breath. — ' ' Cymbeline. " Shakespeare. If the Sweetbrier did not come over in the May- flower it certainly followed hard upon; for we know that it bloomed in Pilgrim gardens long before the close of the seventeenth century. We can well under- stand that it was dear to the homesick wanderers, for this is the Eglantine of Chaucer, of Spenser, and of Shakespeare; the rose that is embedded in the very^ warp and woof of English life and so of English litera- ture. In spite of its fierce armament there is a certain del- icacy about the Sweetbrier which gives it a charm peculiarly^ its own. The blossom is small and pale and in itself not fragrant ; the delightful fragrance of the plant resides in the pale, amber, resinous glands which so thickly cover the under surface o[ the leaves as well as pedicel and calyx. i8o DOG ROSE The long-, thorny branches sprawl and scratch and seize and hold ; and because of this the bush has very generally been banished from lawn and garden. It has fied to the roadside and there when June is young it unfolds its delicate blossoms and yields its delicious fragrance for the pleasure of any who pass by. Of late years the gardeners have been at work upon the plant and they say they have hybrids much finer than the type. It may be so ; but my allegiance holds fast to the wild creature of Chaucer and of Shake- speare, to ''the jaws that bite" and '' the claws that catch " of the old English gardens. DOG ROSE. CANKER ROSE. WILD BRIER Kdsa ciDiina. Erect or straggling, four to six feet high, wands sometimes ten feet long, usually armed with stout, short, hooked spines, not bristly but sometimes glandular. Native in northern Asia ; nat- uralized from Europe. Escaped to roadsides and waste i)laces from Nova Scotia to Virginia; abundant in the valley of the Delaware, ('ailed Cat-whin and Canker-bloom. Leaves. — Leaflets five to seven, an inch to an inch and a half long, oval or ovate, obtuse or rounded at base, serrate, obtuse at apex; smooth, rather thick, sometimes downy beneath. Stip- ules broad, glandular. Fioiaers. — June, July. Solitary, or two to four in a cluster, pink, varying to white. Calyx-lobes lanceolate, much-cut, re- flexed, deciduous; i)etals obovate or obcordate ; styles tlistinct. Frit it. — Hip, scarlet, long-ovoid, half to three-fourths of an inch long, usually glabrous, without the calyx-lobes. The Dog Rose, naturalized from Europe, is common throughout New England and greatl}' resembles the Sweetbrier except that it lacks fragrance. ROSE FAMILY Dog Rose, Rosa canina. Leaflets five to seven. Flowers i]^' to ij^' across. JAPANESE ROSE Jaixuiese Ki)se, Rosa nioosj. Flowers 2'i' to 3j^' across. ROSE FAMILY JAPANESE ROSE Rosa 7ngbsa. The Japanese Rose is one of the best of our recent importations ; its virtues are many, its defects few. It takes care of itself, requires very little attention, grows up strong and sturdy, makes a good hedge row. The large single flowers, both pink and white, bloom off and on from June to October ; in fact they can be found in favored locations in early November. The great red hips are nearly as ornamental and effective as the roses themselves. The stout stems are thickly beset with prickles and bristles ; the leaflets are five to seven, rough, dark green and shining above, whitish and pubescent beneath. The flowers are two and a half to three and a half inches across. Varieties with double flowers have been developed, and several good hybrids are offered b}^ the dealers. JAPANESE TRAILING ROSE Rosa wichuraiana. This is distinctly a trailing plant, but may be so trained on a trellis as to figure as a climbing rose. It grows with astonishing rapidity, and will throw out wonderfully long shoots in one season. When the mul- titude of single white roses appear in June, against the background of shining, dark green foliage, the effect is exceedingly fine. The individual flower is exquisite ; petals of the purest white surround a golden centre, and the whole gives forth a delicious fragrance. Mr. 184 JAPANESE TRAILING ROSE ^■pl .\.^j(^^^. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^1 ^^^^\ ji^^^jj^ ^^^^^^^^^^^^ ^l^x. J^^^^ ^^F^ ^^^^H ySS }^^ ^^P^^flpC^^k *^^t-^ t 1 •**^ FIowlis iK' lo 2'i.' across. ROSE FAMILY J. G. Jack, writing shortly after the introduction of this rose, says of it: '' As a rule, the steins trail closely along the ground, but the new stems of each succeeding year grow over the preceding ones, and where the tips get a chance to climb through the branches of some other shrub they take advantage of the support and become more or less raised. In fact, its habit is more like that of a trailing blackberry or dewberry than any other familiar object. " Considering that its importation was undesigned or without a knowledge of its peculiar habit or value, the introduction of this rose has proved a very fortunate circumstance. Its dark, shining, evergreen-looking foliage will form a splendid covering for any rough piece of ground, and sandy or gravelly areas are likely to prove ver}^ congenial to the gi'owth of the plant." Many hybrids have been developed from the species; some double, some bearing larger clusters than the type, others really evergreen, and some admirable dwarf plants suitable for borders. i86 POM ACEyE— APPLE FAMILY RED CHOKE-BERRY Arbnia arbutifolia. Aronia, modified from Aria, the Beam-tree of Europe. An erect shrub, two to eight feet high, with slender branching stems and grayish brown bark ; grows in swami)S and wet woods, also in dry soil. Ranges from Nova Scotia to Minnesota, south to Florida and Louisiana. Leaves. — Alternate, simple, one to three inches long, oval, ob- long or obovate, rounded or wedge-shaped at base, serrulate- crenulate, obtuse or abruptly pointed at apex ; when full grown are bright shining green above, pale, sometimes pubescent, often densely tomentose beneath. The midvein is glandular along the upper side. In autumn they turn a dark scarlet and orange or fall with little change of color. Petioles short ; stipules decid- uous. Flowers. — May, June. Perfect, rose-shaped, white, or purple- tinged, one-half to five-eighths of an inch across ; borne in ter- minal, comi)ound, downy corymbs which are finally over-topped by the young shoots. Ca/yx. — Urn-shaped, five-lobed, tomentose, adnate to the ovary. Corolla. — Petals five, white, concave, spreading, imbricate in bud. Sta))icus. — Numerous, inserted on the calyx-tube; filaments white, anthers j^inkisli i)uri)le. Pistil. — Inferior, tomentose, five-celled ; styles three to five, united at the base. 187 APPLE FAMILY Red Choke-berry, ^ronia arbittifolia. Leaves i' to 3' long. PURPLE-FRUITED CHOKE-BERRY 'VJ^ Purple-fruited Choke-beny, Arouia atropitrpitrca. Leaves i' to y long. APPLE FAMILY Fruit. — Pome, sweetish, rather dry, one-quarter of an inch in diameter, globose, or somewhat depressed, red, not histrous, bearing the remnants of the calyx-lobes and stamens. Septem- ber, October ; persistent until early winter. The Choke-berries are distinctly ornamental plants. Their foliage color is good, being a rich shining green, so that the plant is attractive for its color alone. Three species are now recorded ; and the specific differences lie in the fruit rather than in the leaves or flowers. The red-fruited species is the one most abundant in the south ; the other two are northern. Why these berries are not attractive to birds is something of a puzzle : the flesh is somewhat dry, to be sure, but the flavor is agreeable ; and yet the fact remains that birds pass them by, for others distinctly inferior and unpleasant. All the Choke-berries are excellent, country roadside shrubs. Purple-fruited Choke-berry, Aronia atropiirpurca, was long confused with Aronia nigra, from which it differs in habit, and in the color of its fruit. This is the tall- est of the Choke-berries, sometimes reaching a height of twelve feet. In shape and size the leaves are not distinguishable from those of the other species of the genus; and the glandular midrib is a marked character common to them all. The flowers are white, about half an inch across, borne in terminal corymbs ; cal3^x and pedicles tomentose. The fruit is not quite black, rather a deep purple ; it remains on the bush until early winter. The Black Choke-berry, Aronia nigra, is usually a lower bush than either of the others. It is found in swamps, or low woods, sometimes in dryer soil. The I go BLACK CHOKE-BERRY Black Clioke-beny. Aroiiu uiirra. Leaves i' to 3' long. APPLE FAMILY leaves are obovate or oval, short-petioled, serrulate- crenulate, obtuse or abruptly pointed, shining green above, glabrous and yellow green beneath. They vary from two to two and one-half inches long, and the mid- rib is glandular along its upper surface. The flowers are white, about live-eighths of an inch across, bearing many stamens with pinkish purple anthers. The fruit is one-half to five-eighths of an inch in diameter, borne in clusters, of a shining black, and falls very soon after maturity. Ranges from Nova Scotia to Florida, and west to Ontario and Michigan. SHADBUSH. JUNE-BERRY A meld lie h ier botrydpiitm . Amclanchicr, the Savoy name of a different tree. A shrub or small tree, the foliage and inflorescence densely white, woolly when young ; found in swamps and on river banks. Ranges from New Brunswick to Florida and westward through the Mississii)pi valley. Leaves. — Simj^le, alternate, pinnately veined, oblong, oval, ovate or ovate-lanceolate, rounded at base, acute at apex, finely and sharply serrate. They come out of the bud conduplicate, are densely white pubescent when yourg, nearly or quite gla- brous when old. Autumnal tint yello>v. Flowers. — April, May. Perfect, white, borne in short rather dense racemes ; pedicels and calyx covered with silky white hairs. Calyx. — Calyx-tube campanulate, white, woolly, adnate to the ovary, five-lobed ; lobes narrow, reflected, persistent. Corolla. — Petals white, five, inserted on the calyx-tube, spatu- late or linear, about half an inch long. Stamens. — Many, inserted on the calyx-tube; filaments awl- like. 192 SHADBUSH Sliadbush, Anu-Luicbicr bolrjjpi APPLE FAMILY Pistil. — Ovary inferior, its cavities twice as many as the styles ; styles two to five, pubescent at base. Fruit. — Pome, berry-like, one-fourth to three-eighths of an inch in diameter, sweet, delicious. June, July. In northern woods the Amelanchiers are conspicuous in early spring by the colors of their unfolding leaves ; in one form these are red, in an- other silvery white, and their vernal beauty is increased by brilliant scarlet bud-scales and bracts, and by the silky white hairs which clothe the young growth. Of the delicate beauty of the flowers of this tree it is not necessary to speak, for everyone who walks abroad in early spring knows the white flowers of the Shadbush which in April and May enliven the banks of swamps and upland woods all over eastern America. — Garden and Fon'st. The homel}^ name of Shadbush was given to the AmelancJiicr group by^ the early^ inhabitants of our eastern states, because they flower at the time when the shad begin to ascend the tidal rivers. The sixth edition of Gray's " Manual of Botany " considers most of the northeastern June-berries as varieties of AiiiclaucJiicr canadensis ; but later botanists are inclined to regard these varieties as species. How- ever far the genus may be divided upon botanic dif- ferences, to the popular mind a Shadbush is a Shad- bush, for its white bloom appears among the mist of opening buds and is unmistakable. Its message is borne afar, — frotn rocky hillside over mountain valley — that spring has come. To the birds, likewise, a Shadbush is a Shadbush, for the family fruit has been preempted by the birds for ages and feeble human ef- forts to secure it have been outclassed from the first. It seems quite unnecessary to descant upon the deli- cacy of its flavor ; it is so antecedently improbable that ordinary mortals should ever have an opportunity to enjoy it. 194 LOW JUNE-BERRY Ltjw Junc-borrv, Aiiii'Liiirhicr sf^icata. APPLE FAMILY The Low Juiic-bcrry, Aniclaiichicr spicata, rises to the height of three feet from a long root creeping among rocks. The leaves are elliptic or oval, one to one and a half inches long, rounded at both ends, sometimes subacute at apex and sometimes subcordate at base, serrulate or dentate crenate, woolly when young. The flowers are borne in many four to ten- fiowered racemes ; the pomes are about a quarter of an inch in diameter. The Round-leaved June-berry, AjjiclancJiier rotiuidi- folia, appears as both tree and shrub, and is distin- guished by means of its leaves, which are broadly oval, ovate or nearly orbicular, serrate with large teeth, usuall}^ glabrous from the time of unfolding, though sometimes woolly. Its fruit is a little larger than that of AmelancJiier spicata. The Oblong-fruited June-berry, AviclancJiicr oligo- carpa, is a low, glabrous shrub. The leaves are thin, narrowly oval or oblong, narrowed at each end, finely and sharply serrate. The flowers are borne in one to four-flowered racemes : the petals instead of being narrowly oblong are obovate or oblanceolate. The pomes are pear-shaped, dark blue purple with a heavy bloom, from one-fourth to three-eighths of an inch long. All of the species are early bloomers and all fruit sparingly. 196 OBLONG-FRUITED JUNE-BERRY Oblonii-fruited June-berrv, Amelancbier oltgocarp>a. Leaves i' to y long. Flowers Y^' to }i' across. APPLE FAMILY EVERGREEN THORN. FIRE THORN Cotoncdstcr pyracdntha. Pyracdntha coccinea. Cotoncastcr, from cotoneum, quince, and aster, similar ; like a quince. Pyracantha, from pyr, fire, and acanthus, thorn ; alluding to the bright red fruit. A thorny evergreen shrub, three to eight feet high, native to southern Europe and western Asia, which about Philadelphia and Washington has escaped from cultivation. Young branch- lets and petioles grayish pubescent. Leaves. — Evergreen, one to two inches long, oval or oblanceo- late, narrowed at base, crenulate, acute at apex ; when full grown are dark shining green, glabrous or slightly pubescent. Flo7vers. — May. Numerous, small, one-fourth of an inch across, white, borne in terminal compound many - flowered cymes, about an inch and a half across. Fruit. — Haw, small, scarlet, depressed globose, bitter, orna- mental. A low evergreen shrub, especially handsome when loaded with its bright red haws ; these remain on the branches all winter if not eaten by the birds, who are really fond of them. It is also very pretty in spring with its numerous corymbs of white flowers. Its low habit adapts it for planting on rocky slopes or in sunny rockeries or for borders of shrubberies ; also for low ornamental hedsfes or for wall-coverino^, as it bears pruning well and is easily trained into any de- sired shape. The plant thrives in almost any kind of well drained soil, but prefers sunny positions. 198 EVERGREEN THORN Evor-^rcon Thorn, Cotoin'jsti-r pj-ijcantha. l.i'.ivi's i' to 2' li>ng. APPLE FAMILY JAPAN QUINCE Pyrus Japan tea. Cydbnia japonic a. Cydonia from Cyclon in Crete, where the quince was first brought into notice. One of the most desirable of cultivated shrubs ; appearing in many varieties. The type has rigid thorny stems intricately branched, and bright scarlet flowers ; the variations occur more in size and color of flowers than in habit of shrub. Native of Japan. Leaves. — Alternate, simple, pinnately veined, three to five inches long, ovate, ovate-lanceolate or oblong, wedge-shaped at base, crenately serrate, acute at apex. When full growai thick, smooth, leathery, dark shining bluish green above, pale yellow green beneath. Margin thickened and slightly turned inward. Petiole short, the leaf texture inclined to run down upon it. Autumnal tint deep bronze red. Stipules leaf-like, irregularly kidney-shaped, bilateral, crenately serrate ; found on growing shoots in September. Flowers. — In shape and structure like apple blossoms. In color varying from deep reds to wdiite. Fruit. — Pome, full oval or globose, two to two and a half inches long ; stem deeply sunken in fruit. Olive green with reddish cheek, covered with white dots, hard, acid with typical quince flavor. The brilliant bloom of the Japan Quince in the early spring- always attracts attention ; the closely packed bright red blossoms set the bush aflame, and far away in the parks it fairly lights up the path. The plant has been known in this country for nearl}^ a hundred years but has not yet received all the appreciation that it deserves. To an unusual degree this shrub is clothed with its leaves. The branching- habit is intricate ; the leaves JAPAN QUINCE J:ipan Quince, Pjriis japotiica. 1 lowfi s I Iz' to 2' across. APPLE FAMILY are always abundant. The leaf texture sometimes runs down the entire length of the short petiole ; and upon the new shoots, which produce the strongest foli- age, are crescent-shaped stipules, persistent and leaf- like. The bush would be desirable even if it never bore a flower. The leaves of new shoots take on a reddish tinge as they come out of the bud, and as these shoots are usually abundant, in midsummer there is often a fine display of color. As autumn comes on the bush again flames from afar; this time with the deep bronze red of its changing leaves. The plant fruits considerably, one might almost say abundantly ; but this is not very generally known be- cause the fruit is so concealed by the leaves. 202 CALYCANTHACE^E— STRAWBERRY- SHRUB FAMILY CAROLINA ALLSPICE. STRAWBERRY-SHRUB. SWEET-SCENTED SHRUB Butnlria florida. Calycdnthns fUridus. Butneria in honor of Butncr. Calycanihus, from calyx, cup, and aiithus, flower, referring to the closed cup whicli contains the pistils. A compact shrub, four to six feet high, native to the Alle- ghany mountains, and found along the shady banks of streams. Bark. — Dull brown ; branchlets yellow brown at first ; swol- len at the nodes. Leaves. — Opposite, simple, three to five inches long, oblong, ovate or oval, entire or slightly ruffled, wedge-shaped or rounded at base, acute or acuminate ; midrib depressed above, all the veins prominent beneath. They come out of the bud face to face, bronze green, shining, slightly hairy above, with dense brown hairs beneath ; when full grown are bright green above, pale yellow green, slightly pubescent beneath. Their autumnal tint is a clear yellow. Petiole short, stout, grooved. Flowers.— M:xy to July. Perfect, reddish chocolate brown, solitary and terminal on very short, lateral, leafy branches. Calyx. — Sepals many, narrow-oblong, united below into a tleshy inversely-conical cup, with some leaf-like bractlets growing from it, chocolate brown with a reddish tinge. Corolla. — Petals many, reddish chocolate brown, thickish, nar- row-oblong, in many rows, inserted on the top of the closed calyx-tube ; similar to the sepals. 203 STRAWBERRY-SHRUB FAMILY Sfai/icns. — Numerous, inserted just within the petals, short, in several rows, some of the inner ones sterile ; anthers adnate, in- trorse. Pistil. — Carpels several, enclosed in the calyx-tube, inserted on its base and inner face, resembling the rose-hip in structure. Fruit. — A large, drooping, pear-shaped receptacle two inches long and one and one-fourth inches in diameter, to which the bases of petals, sepals and bracts are adnate, and which encloses few to many smooth, shining achenes. September. The Sweet-scented Shrub has been for years a gar- den favorite because of the strawberry fragrance of its flowers ; even the stems and small branches emit a spicy perfume when bruised or broken. The color of the flower is a reddish chocolate brown, but the tints are unstable and the flower fades as it gets older. Also, as it ages the petals spread and flatten so as to make a loose rosette. The behavior of the flower buds when the warm spring days come is most interesting. The scales quickly fall, leaving two tiny leaves that closely surround and thoroughly protect the little brown ball of the flower ; and as it increases in size they enlarge, but they do not give up their protective attitude until both are well on toward maturity. Many lovers of flow^ers have cultivated the Straw- berry-shrub in their gardens ; have delighted in the delicious fragrance of its blossoms ; and have wondered that no fruit seemed ever to follow. How the plant reproduced itself was a question ; doubtless in some wonderful way w^hich common people knew nothing about. It is true that our common garden species rarely fruits in domestication ; but there is another species native to the south which fruits abundantly ; in- deed, by so doing it has won its specific name Biitneria 204 STRAWBERRY-SHRUB Stniw berry-shrub, Biihwna jIoiuLi. Leaves 3' to 5' long. STRAWBERRY-SHRUB FAMILY fcr tills. The fruit is really very curious ; it hangs from the branch like a little closed bag and contains, packed within it, the smooth shining achenes. Butncrla florlda was one of the earliest American shrubs taken to England and has long been a favorite there. It is easily grown ; the best location is one somewhat shaded ; and it prefers a rich sandy loam. 206 SMOOTH STRAWBERRY-SHRUB Smooth Sti;i\\ bony-shrub, Biitiiciij Jiitilis. Fruit -,' to 4' long. HYDRANGEACEyE— HYDRANGEA FAMILY WILD HYDRANGEA Hydrangea arborescens. Hydra?igea, of Greek derivation, meaning water vessel, so named from the shape of the small capsule. Vigorous, four to ten feet high ; found on rocky, river banks in southern New York and in New^ Jersey, very abundant in the valley of the Delaware, ranging south to Florida and west to Iowa and Missouri. Species variable. Ascends 4,200 feet in the mountains of North Carolina. Leaves. — Opposite, simple, three to six inches long, ovate, rounded or cordate or broadly wedge-shaped at base, sharply dentate, acute or acuminate at apex ; when full grown are bright green above, upper surface deeply corrugated, all the veins very prominent beneath, very reticulate, glabrous or pubescent. Flowej's. — June, July. Both fertile and sterile, borne together in terminal corymbose clusters. Exterior flow^ers of the clusters often without petals, stamens or pistils, but with enlarged and very conspicuous calyx-lobes ; sometimes these sterile flowers are very abundant ; sometimes there are none. Fertile flowers are small. Calyx. — Tube obconic, adnate to the ovary, four to five- toothed, teeth minute, persistent. Corolla. — Petals four or five, valvate in bud, pinkish cream. Stamens. — Eight to ten, inserted on the disk; filaments threadlike, exserted ; anthers pink ; pollen abundant. Pistil. — Ovary inferior, tw^o to four-celled ; styles two to four ; ovules many. Fruit. — Capsule small, two-celled, ribbed, many-seeded. 20S WILD HYDRANGEA cr 'i ../it'^ Wild Hydrangea, Hydrangea arboresccns. Leaves 5' to O' long. Flower clusters 3' to 4' across. HYDRANGEA FAMILY The general effect of our northern H3'drangea in bloom is a group of strong erect stems, each crowned by a pale, salmon pink cluster, made up of a multitude of tiny blossoms each about an eighth of an inch across. The stamens are exserted, and there are so many of them that in the fiower cluster the stamens are much more prominent than the petals. The fra- grance is pleasant, possibly a trifle heavy. The blos- soms open irregularly, so that for some time any cluster will have a goodly number of buds mingled with the open flowers. While the flower cluster does not reach the regulation standard of an hydrangea, a standard based upon the abnormal development of sterile flowers in our cultivated species, nevertheless it does come up to no mean measure of beauty. Now and then a cluster shows a few marginal sterile flow- ers after the fashion of Vibitrmivi opulus, but it rarely wastes its vitality in that way ; its fragrance and pollen are ample resources to attract its insect friends. Our favorite, hardy, garden Hj^drangea is Hydrangea paniculata grandiflora, a species developed by the Japanese from their wild form, Hydrangea panieulata. It is, indeed, a superb plant. The panicles are of enor- mous size and of great beauty ; in the best known form all the flowers are sterile. They run through a charm- ing range of color: pale green, cream white, pale pink and lastly dull red. As this magnificent bloom appears in August and does not complete its color scheme until October, then remains upon the branches until beaten off by the storms of winter, there are definite and sufficient reasons for the popularity of the bush. In southern Japan the shrub becomes a tree twenty- HARDY HYDRANGEA llaidy Hytliunii'ea, Hrdraiiocj f^jniciiLitj orandiflora. HYDRANGEA FAMILY five to thirty feet high, with stout stems and pendulous branches. The following notes from the Arnold Ar- boretum give a clear and detailed account of the plant as it now appears in its several forms: '' The first is the plant commonl}^ known as Hf- ih'angea paniculata grandiflora, with enormous panicles of sterile flowers. The bloom continues from late August until winter. " The second appears to be the wild form of the first with much smaller panicles, appearing at the same time, only a few sterile ffowers being scattered among the fertile flowers. " The third is intermediate between these two and flowering at the same time, the panicle being nearly as large as that of the first and more showy than that of the second, by the presence of a larger number of large sterile fiowers. This as a garden plant is, perhaps, the most desirable of the whole group. '' The fourth is similar to the second, from which it differs only in its time of flowering, which is during the first half of July or about six weeks earlier." GARDEN SYRINGA. MOCK ORANGE Ph iladelph us cot'ondriies. PhiladelpJius is an ancient name applied to this genus by Linnxnis for no obvious reason. A beautiful shrub, native to central Europe, which is exten- sively cultivated and in some places has escaped from the gardens. Usually from six to twelve feet high. Stems. — Young shoots pale golden brown, older twigs darker brown. SYRINGA Hi I^^^^^E^BBnli^ VI /k ^W^^ j^ 'f^ '^9^^^0 ■^^ x^ ^^^^1^_ ^^fii^^TBl^ '"^R^^^l Ik. *^r/ bL ^P^^ ^ ^^^K^ vf J «Sm/ ^ttlltfi^ 1 '^IN m lEi'll - M ^ fi^^i J^ ' W^^B^H^ "^ Fldwerinu BnuKii nf Syiiiiua, Philadelphiis co}oiiaitn^ 1am vcs 2' I" 4' long. Flowers ij^s' to ij^' across. HYDRANGEA FAMILY Leaves. — Opposite, simple, two to four inches long, oval or elliptic, rounded or narrowed at base, sparingly denticulate, acute or acuminate at apex, three-nerved, veins depressed above, prominent below. They come out of the bud pale gray green, shining, densely covered with white hairs on the under surface; when full grown are deep dull green above, paler beneath. In autumn they darken purplish or fall with no change of color. Petiole short, grooved. Flowers. — May, June. Perfect, cream-white, very fragrant, numerous, racemose at the end of the branches and twigs, one and one-eighth to one and one-half inches across. Calyx. — Calyx-tube top-shaped, coherent with the ovary, four- lobed ; lobes ovate, acute, longer than the tube, spreading, per- sistent, valvate in bud. Corolla. — Petals four or five, rounded or obovate, white, con- volute in bud. Stamens. — Twenty to forty inserted on the disk ; filaments white ; anthers pale yellow. Pistil. — Ovary inferior, four-celled; style four-cleft; stigmas oblong. Fruit. — A four-valved capsule, many-seeded, surrounded by the persistent calyx and crowned by tlie persistent style. Au- gust, September. The Syringa has merits. It withstands the hard conditions of city life ; its blooming season is ex- tended ; the flowers are beautiful and deliciousl}^ fra- grant ; it holds its leaves late into the autumn. Each flower as it opens is a bell, maturing it becomes a star. The blooming season is that of the roses, — together they are the last of the procession of spring flowers ; when they have cast their petals to the wind, summer has come. Many shrubs fulfil their flowering duty and relapse into green insignificance to emerge again when autumn clothes them in gold and scarlet. But after June is past the Syringa charms no more ; its fruit is 214 LARGE-FLOWERED SYRINGA Largc-tl-iwoiwl Syriiii^a, Phil.ul'/pl.uis i^rjiidijloins. Garden Vovm. Flowers 2' to y across. HYDRANGEA FAMILY inconspicuous; its leaves cling late and fall with little change of color. The books give southern Europe as the native land of the plant, but as a matter of fact it has b^en in cul- tivation so long that its origin is unknown. In north- ern Europe, it was first cultivated in Belgium, then introduced into England about the time of Gerard, 1597, who had plants of it growing in his garden, "in the suburb of Holborne in verie great plentie." It will grow in almost any location and is easily propagated by division of the root. There is considerable confusion with regard to the two southern species, PJiiladclpJius inodorus and PJiila- dclphus graudiflorus. They seem to have changed names from time to time; and the individuals in our northern gardens appearing under these names are probably hybrids. In any case, there is now in culti- vation a PJiiladcIpJuis producing large scentless flowers — blooming a little after Philadclphus coronarius — which either is a native species or was derived from one. 3X6 SAXIFRAGACEyE— SAXIFRAGE FAMILY THE DEUTZIAS No Dcutziais found native within the l)()r{lcrs of the United States ; the plants are principally Asiatic ; of the sixteen species now known, one is found in Mexico, all the others in Asia. Their pretty name was given them by Thunberg in honor of his friend and patron Johann Van der Deutz. Nearly all are hardy shrubs, with rough bark, axillary flowers borne in racemes or corymbs, the leaves mostly ovate, acuminate, serrate, and more or less rough. Though hardy, some of them are easily forced under glass, by which means they are made to produce beautiful flowers at any time of the year, and in great abundance. Dcutzia gracilis, Bridal Wreath, is one of the small- est of the genus and possibly the best known. It is a low growing shrub, fairly burdened in iMay with masses of the most lovely, pure white flowers. One minor characteristic adds to their beauty, the yellow stamens are borne upon white hlamcnts. Gardeners highly prize this species, as it can be easily forced, and this little white bush is always one of the attrac- tive objects among Easter decorations. Dcutzia scahra has long been in cultivation and from it several favorite varieties have been produced, i he 217 SAXIFRAGE FAMILY Deutzia, Deiitiia gracilis. DEUTZIA Deutzia, Dt'Ht^ia scabra. SAXIFRAGE FAMTLY leaves of the type are ovate to ovate-lanceolate, the panicles erect, two to four inches long, and the indi- vidual flowers white or tinged with pink. This is cultivated in different forms ; Dciitzia candi- dissima, a variety of pure white flowers; the Pride of Rochester, which bears ver}' large double white flow- ers; Dcutzia purpurea plena, with double flowers, white within and purplish without. There are other species and many varieties; all are desirable, blooming, as so many of them do, in June and Jul^^ There are vari- eties with yellow and with variegated leaves. ITEACEiE— VIRGINIA WILLOW FAMILY ITEA. VIRGINIA WILLOW I tea virgin it a. Ilea, the Greek name for willow ; because the leaves of this plant resemble those of the willow. A stalwart shrub, four to ten feet high, growing in wet places ; twigs and inflorescence downy. Ranges from the pine-barrens of New Jersey to Florida, and west to Missouri and Louisiana. Leaves. — Alternate, simi)le, one to three inches long, nar- rowly oval or oblanceolate, wedge-shaped at base, finely serrate, acute or acuminate at apex ; when full grown, bright green, smooth above, slightly hairy beneath ; midvein and primary veins depressed above, prominent beneath. Autumnal tints scar- let and crimson. Flowers. — May, June. Perfect, white, borne in dense termi- nal racemes, two to six inches long. Pedicels short, downy. Calyx. — Calyx-tube bell-shaped, five-lobed, base adherent to the ovary. GvW/c?. ^Petals five, white, linear, erect or slightly s])reading, three-eighths of an inch long, the points inflexed, inserted on the disk that lines the calyx. Stamens. — Five, inserted witli the petals. Pistil. — Ovary one, two-celled ; style slender ; stigma two- grooved ; ovules many. Fruit. — Capsule two-grooved, oblong, slender, downy, many- seeded, tipped with the two-parted style. Itca Virginica is comiiii^ into cultivation in parks and gardens. The flowers arc white, borne in terminal 221 VIRGINIA WILLOW FAMILY . v--- I tea, Itea virginica. Leaves i' to 3' long. Racemes z' to 6' long. ITEA racemes ; they are small, bul siifTicientlv abundant to make the bush very attracti\e during the ilowering- season. The leaves color early ; they change from green to scarlet and crimson in midsummer and glow in this gorgeous panoply until late autumn. Even after the leaves of other shrubs have fallen they still cling to the stems, a body of solid crimson. Five species belong to the genus, but this is the only one native to North America. 223 GROSSULARIACEyE— GOOSEBERRY FAMILY PRICKLY WILD GOOSEBERRY. DOGBERRY Rlbes cy7wsbati. Ribes, of uncertain origin, the name of a plant supposed by the older botanists to be the Gooseberry ; possibly from riebs, a German popular name for the currant. A fine bush, three to four feet high, found in rocky woods from New Brunswick to North Carolina and west to Manitoba and Missouri. Thrives in all soils and exposures. Stems un- armed or prickly. Leaves. — Alternate, often fascicled, three to five-lobed, nearly orbicular, one to two inches broad, heart-shaped at base, irregu- larly serrate or crenate ; palmately veined, primary and second- ary veins depressed above, very prominent beneath. They come out in clusters of three or four from a single bud ; plicate, bright green, densely covered with white hairs ; when full grown are bright green above, paler green beneath. In autumn they turn an orange, slightly touched with red, or drop with little change. Petioles slender, downy with glandular hairs. A sharp, slender, reddish brown spine is usually found just below the leaf cluster ; sometimes two or three are together, sometimes none. Fre- quently spines are scattered along the stem ; prickles are few or weak or none. Flowers. — April to J^i»e. Perfect, produced from the same bud as the cluster of leaves, solitary, or two to three in a group, bell-shaped, green, small, rich in nectar ; peduncles slender, pubescent. 224 WILD GOOSEBERRY Wild Gooseberry, Rilhs cvnosbjli. Leaves i' to z' broad. GOOSEBERRY FAMILY Ca/yx. — Coherent with tlie ovary ; tube bell-shaped, slightly contracted at mouth, five-lobed ; lobes roundish, shorter than the tube, green sometimes touched with red ; when mature lobes recurve against the tube. Petals. — Five, minute, green, obscurely three-lobed, obovate, borne on the calyx-tube, alternate with the calyx-lobes. Stame?is. — Five, inserted in the calyx-tube, slightly included, opposite the calyx-lobes; filaments and anthers green, converg- ing to the stigma. Pistil. — Ovary one-celled, adnate to calyx ; style relatively large, undivided, hairy at base ; stigma capitate. Fruit. — Berry, globose, several - seeded, brownish purple, prickly, rarely smooth, one-half an inch in diameter, crowned with the remains of the calyx ; of a pleasant flavor. August. The Prickly Wild Gooseberry is a common under- shriib in northern woods. It reaches the height of four feet and defends itself from man and beast by the many prickles on the lower part of the stems. Sometimes, however, the stem is entirely smooth save for the spines at the base of the leaves. The flowers are little green bells, rich in nectar, borne on slen- der one to three-fiowered peduncles. The fruit is a brownish red berry, covered with prickles like a bur, though occasionally smooth. Reports from the Ar- nold Arboretum state that seedlings from the same plant may produce either smooth or prickly fruit. The berries when mature are sweet and pleasant, but the prickles are often very sharp. This is the com- monest wild gooseberry east of the Mississippi River. 226 EASTERN WILD GOOSEBERRY Eastern Wild Gooseberry, Rihis rotimdtfolinw. I'luit \^' to 'j' in tU.inu-ti'r. GOOSEBERRY FAMILY GARDEN GOOSEBERRY. EUROPEAN GOOSEBERRY Rlbes itva-crispa. Rlbcs grossularia. Rigid, stocky, of tliick branches, the fruiting ones without prickles; the spines are mostly triple, heavy and thick at the base, the central one three-eighths to one-half an inch long. Leaves. — Orbicular, three to five-lobed, thick and very glossy, pubescent; petioles sometimes sparsely set with glandular-tipped hairs. Flowers. — Peduncles short, one to two-flowered, pul)escent or glandular. Calyx very pubescent, greenish ; tube broad, bell- shaped ; lobes broadly ovate, thickish, reflexed, petaloid. Petals inserted on the calyx-tube, obovate, reaching to the base of the anthers. Stamens shorter than the calyx-lobes. Ovary pubes- cent or glandular ; style commonly two-cleft, hairy at base. Fruit — Berry, oval, large, yellowish green or red, minutely but roughly pubescent, often wnth scattered prickles or glandu- lar tipped hairs. This g(30seberry is native to Europe, northern Af- rica and western Asia. It is the parent of the Eng- lish gooseberries, and is widel}^ cultivated throughout Europe ; from it many varieties have been produced. ROUND-LEAVED GOOSEBERRY Rlbes rotiindifbliiiin. Low shrub, branches commonly straight, with light colored bark ; thorns mostly single, but very short, gray like the outer bark. Ranges from western Massachusetts and New York south- ward to North Carolina along the Alleghanies. Leaves. — Orbicular, palmately veined, three to five-lobed, wedge-shaped at base, glabrous or slightly downy, ciliate on margin and veins ; vernation plicate. 228 NORTHERN GOOSEBERRY Flowers. — May, June. IVrfccl, -rcenish purple, borne on two to three-flowered short pcdunc Ics. Calyx-lol)es narrow or oblong, spatulate, greenish or dull pur[)lish, seldom reflexed ; petals obo- vate, small ; stamens longer than the calyx-lobes ; style two- cleft, downy. Fruit. — Small, several-seeded, about one-fourth of an inch in diameter, smooth, i)ur|)lish, of an agreeable flavor. July, August. NORTHERN GOOSEBERRY. HAWTHORN GOOSE- BERRY Rlbcs o.xyacajitJididcs. Low shrub, two to four feet high, branches slender, reclined, often crooked, reddish brown, commonly smooth, but sometimes with scattered prickles ; spines single or triple, rather slender and sharp, sometimes wanting ; found in wet woods and low grounds. Ranges from Labrador and Newfoundland to the North West Territory and south to New Jersey and Nebraska. Leaves. — Solitary or in fascicles, alternate, simi)le, palmately veined, orbicular, wedge-shaped or heart-shaped at base, deei)ly three to five-lobed ; lobes incised and coarsely toothed, finely pubescent above and beneath, but commonly glossy when grow- ing ; vernation plicate. Floiuers. — May to July. Small, perfect, greenish white or dull purplish, bell-like ; j^eduncles short, one to two-flowered. Calyx. — Greenish wliite ; tube bell-like, coherent with the ovary, five-lobed ; lobes oblong or obovate, tliin and petaloid, when mature recurved. Ccyrolla. — Petals five, dull i)urplish. broadly ovate or spatulate, inserted on the calyx-tube, alternate with the sepals, reaching half way to the anthers. Stamens. — Five, inserted on the calyx-tube, slightly included. Fistil. — Ovary coherent with calyx, one-celled, style single or slightly two-cleft, pubescent below, slightly longer than the stamens. Fruit. — Round, several -seeded, perfectly smooth, with a deli- cate bloom, one-half inch in diameter, yellowish green or red- dish when ripe, of an agreeable flavor. July, August. 229 GOOSEBERRY FAMILY Northern Gooseberry, Ribes oxj>acaiithoides. FETID CURRANT SWAMP GOOSEBERRY Kibes lacustre. Upright, the twigs and branches densely bristly, with straight slender prickles; spines weak, single, or several in a whorl, es- pecially on young growth. In swamps and cold, wet woods. Ranges from Newfoundland to Pennsylvania, west across the continent. Leaves. — Nearly orbicular, heart-shai)ed at base, thin, pubes- cent along the veins beneath, deeply five to seven-lobed, one to two inches wide ; lobes incised-dentate, acutish ; vernation plicate. Fhnvers. — May, June. Small, perfect, greenish, borne in a nodding many-flowered raceme. Pedicels short, bracted at the base. Calyx greenish white, saucer-shai)ed, glandular-bristly ; the lobes short, broad, and spreading. Petals fan-shaped, red- dish, nearly as long as the calyx-lobes. Stamens short ; anthers very short, each half-divided. Pistil cleft at summit ; ovary glandular-hairy. Fruit. — Berry, about one-sixth of an inch in diameter, reddish, covered with weak prickles, unpleasant. July, August. FETID CURRANT. PROSTRATE CURRANT Ribcs prostratum. A shrub with recumbent or prostrate stems, trailing and root- ing ; branches erect, thornless and without prickles ; found in cold, damp woods. Ranges from Labrador, throughout New England and along the mountains to North Carolina, and west- ward to the Pacific Ocean ; also in northeastern Asia and upon the islands of Jai)an. Leaves. — Alternate, orbicular, two to three inches wide, cor- date at base, i)almately veined, five to seven-lobed ; lobes ovate, acute, dentate-serrate ; vernation plicate. Petioles slender, one to three inches long, base dilated. 231 GOOSEBERRY FAMILY Floivers. — May, June. Small, perfect, greenish, bell-shaped, borne in erect, slender racemes which appear from the same buds as the leaves. Pedicels short, glandular, bracted at base. Calyx. — Coherent with the ovary, broad, bell-shaped, five- lobed ; lobes obovate or roundish, greenish white or purplish. Corolla. — Petals five, small, spatulate or fan-shaped, greenish pur[)le, inserted on the throat of the calyx. Sfa/nc/is. — Five, inserted on the throat of the calyx, alternate with the petals, short; anthers often purple. Fisfil. — Ovary coherent with the calyx, one-celled ; style two- cleft. Ovary, peduncle and pedicels covered with glandular- tipped hairs. Fruit. — Small, pale red berry, glandular, bristly. This is one of the intercontinental plants, found both in America and Asia. It may be recognized by its long, prostrate, trailing stems, its deeply heart-shaped leaves, its small greenish flowers borne in erect ra- cemes, and its pale red currants, bristly glandular. Both plant and fruit emit a disagreeable odor when bruised. It does not take kindly to cultivation ; it loves the cold, damp woods and languishes in warmth and sun- shine. RED CURRANT Rtbes riibrum. The Red Currant of our gardens is undoubtedly of European origin and has been modified by cultiva- tion ; nevertheless in essentials it differs very slightly from our own wild form. The parent bush was unquestionably an inhabitant of cool, moist, shady northern haunts, and to-day the self-same 232 Red Currant, Rihcs rubrum. WILD BLACK CURRANT hush is found in Europe, Asia and America. With us 7^i7?rs rubnuii inhahils a belt extending- across the con- tinent from Labrador to Ahiska, and soul li ward to New Jersey, Indiana and Minnesota. In New Jinghmd and the INFiddle States, however, the wild currant bush by the roadside is much more likely to be an escape from the gardens than a direct member of the ancient line. WILD BLACK CURRANT Rlbcs Jlondiim. R]bcs amcrica)uun. Erect, three to five feet high. Ranges from Nova Scotia to Manitoba, and southward to Kentucky, Iowa and Nebraska. Leaves. — Alternate or clustered, three to fivedohed, nearly or- bicular, two to three and onedialf inches wide, pahnately veined, heart-shaped at base, glabrous above, downy and resinous-dotted beneath ; lobes coarsely dentate-serrate, depressed above, ridged below. They come out of the bud plicate, pale green and downy; when full grown are bright green above, paler beneath. In autumn they take on a deej) l)ronze, or fall with little change of color. Flowers. — April, May. Perfect, greenish wliitc or yellow, bell-shaped, three-eighths to one- fourth of an inch long, borne in pendulous, loosely-flowered, downy racemes, which ajjpear from tlie same buds as the leaves. Calyx. — Calyx-tube bell-shaped, coherent with the ovary, border four to five-lobed ; lobes short, rounded, petaloid, green- ish white. Corolla. — Petals four to five, inserted on the throat of the calyx, greenish white. Stamejis. — Four to five, inserted on the lliroat of tlie calyx, alternate with the ])etals, included. Pistil. — Ovary inferior, one-celled ; st\les two. Fruit. — Herry, globose-ovoid, black, smooth, one-fourth of an inch in diameter ; crowned with the remnant of a calyx. 233 GOOSEBERRY FAMILY Wild Black Currant, Ribes floridnm. Leaves 2' to y/n' broad. GOLDEN CURRANT This species is rarely cultivated. In g-eneral ap- pearance, and in llavor of fruit it resembles the Black Currant, Ribcs nigriun, of the garden. It forms a graceful spreading bush, with luxuriant foliage and long, drooping racemes both of flowers and of fruit. GOLDEN CURRANT. BUFFALO OR MISSOURI CURRANT Ribes auretim. A bush of long, slender, upright or curving stems, growing along streams. Ranges from Minnesota to Missouri and Texas, westward to Oregon and California. Common in cultivation. Leaves. — Alternate or tufted, one to one and a half inches long, simple, palmately veined, three to fivedobed, often broader than long, wedge-shaped or heart-shaped, or rounded at base; lobes rounded, toothed or entire ; midvein and primary veins con- spicuous. They come out of the bud convolute, pale green, downy and shining; when full grown are bright yellow green above, paler green beneath. Leaves of bearing shoots are commonly three lobed ; lobes often short, broad, and entire. The autumnal tint is yellow dashed with red, and they change and drop compara- tively early. Floiuers. — April, May. Perfect, yellow, cylindrical, borne in short, loose, leafy-bracted racemes. Fragrant, charged with nectar. Calyx. — Coherent with the ovary ; bright yellow, smooth ; tube cylindric, one-half to an inch long, with five, spreading, re- curved lobes. Corolla. — Petals five, small, yellow with pink tips, inserted on the throat of the calyx. Stamens. — Five, inserted on the calyx throat and alternate with the i)etals, slightly exserted. Pistil. — Ovary inferior, one-celled ; style long and slender, ex- serted ; stigma capitate. Fniit. — Globose berry, black, sometimes yellowish black, glabrous, shining, crowned witli the renmant of the calyx, in- sipid. August. 235 GOOSEBERRY FAMILY This tall, vigorous, upright bush, found in unnum- bered dooryards, is most attractive in early spring. The flowers and leaves start together, but the Howers get ahead, and the wand-like branches are thickly clothed with the flower clusters before the leaves make much headway. Its flame of yellow is due to the brilliant calyx ; the tiny petals of the corolla are not very much in evidence. The plant is graceful and hardy, sprouting freely from the roots. The leaves are inclined to drop early, which is its onl}^ defect as an ornamental plant. 236 GOLDEN CURRANT G"lden CuriMnt, Rilws jitmiDi. Flowers J2' to ^g' long. HAMAMELIDACE^— WITCH HAZEL FAMILY Havia7nclis virginiatia. Hamamelis is an ancient name with no obvious application to this plant. Witch is a modern spelling of the Saxon wich or wych. The meaning of the word in this connection is doubtful ; it is good opinion, however, that it means pendu- lous, drooping ; two trees are so named, — wych elm and wych hazel. Through the gray and sombre wood, Against the dusk of fir and pine, Last of their floral sisterhood, The hazel's yellow blossoms shine. — John G. Whittiek. Amid the wild-wood pomp and circumstance of our northern autumn there is no more remarkable object than the Witch Hazel, which at the very moment of parting with its leaves breaks forth into an abundant bloom that clusters thickly about the stems and gives to November the aspect of April. The flower buds appear in August, they expand rarely in September^ normally in October and November; and the flowers appear three or four together at the end of a short, brown, downy pedicel in the axil of a falling or fallen leaf. The flower is in fours; four lobes to the calyx; four long, crumpled, yellow petals; four fertile stamens 238 WITCH HAZEL Witch ll;izel. HjiiiJDhlis vir 2,1)11 Jiia. l.u.ivcs 4- I,. (,' lung. WITCH HAZEL FAMILY alternating with tour scale-like, imperfect ones; only the pistil varies from the four-fold plan ; the ovary is two-celled and two-styled. This late ffowering- of the plant seems an excess of zeal, for no growth takes place in the ovary until the following spring, and the ripen- ing period is not forwarded thereby. The tiny last year's nuts slowly ripen as this year's flowers bloom, and are finally sent out from their woody pods with a projectile force which carries them several yards. The Witch Hazel is to be looked for on the sides of deep ravines and at the edges of woodlands through- out our range. 240 CORN ACE.E— DOGWOOD FAMILY DOGWOOD. CORNEL Cornus. Corn us, horn, from cornu, referring to the toughness of the wood. The Cornels with showy floral leaves are confined to the New World, the group being represented by the two flowering Dogwood trees, one in the east and the other in the west ; also by the pretty little herbaceous Bunch- berry, a familiar flower of our northern woods, and by another species re- sembling the last a Bunch-berry native to Alaska and the far northern parts of the continent. These are all that have come down to us from a very pe- culiar group of plants, which in earlier times were more widely scattered over the earth's surface than they are now. For the ancestors of our Flow- ering Dogwood occurred in Europe, where, however, their descendants have been unable to obtain a foothold. — Garden a)id Forest. The Dogwood makes a very attractive family group which consists of herbs, shrubs and trees. The trees are small and sometimes play at being shrubs ; the shrubs now and then try to be trees; and the herbs are woody at base and apparently hope some dav to be shrubs. The highest and the lowest in the family produce flowers and fruit that are very simihir. Cornus floridiU the tree, and Cornus canadoisis, the herb, wrap around their clusters of small flowers the superb white involu- 241 DOGWOOD FAMILY ere which makes the Dogwood tree the glory of the woods in spring-time, and the Bunch-berry the prize of the seeker. In the case of Cornus florida the fiowers usuall}^ appear on the bare branches, but sometimes under fav^oring conditions the great white involucres linger until the leaves are nearly grown ; but they never outstay their welcome, for few sights are pret- tier than a Dogwood tree bearing both leaves and flowers. The other tree, Cornus alt ernif alia, and all the shrubs bear their flowers in flat cymose clusters, one to three inches across. The individual flower is a four-pointed star with four exserted stamens. The only flowering shrubs with which the dogwoods could be confused are the vi- burnums, but their flower is a star with five rounded divisions and five stamens. "oogwooZ^cor- If it is remembered that the dogwoods nm baiicyi, en- ^j-g alwavs lu fours aud the viburnums larged. always in fives, the difficulty is removed. The fruits of the family come in assorted colors ; they range through bright scarlet, dark blue, pale steel blue, bluish white and pure white. In flavor they vary simply in degrees of unpleasantness, all being more or less acid, bitter and aromatic, and the bitter is of a particularly persistent and pervading kind. Another family characteristic is the brilliant stems of many of the species. The most marked example is the White-fruited Dogwood, Cornus alba of Siberia, which is the species most generally cultivated in this country. The blood-red twigs and stems which glow throughout the winter, and deepen and flame as winter 242 FLOWERING DOGWOOD rinwc'i-iii,- 1J(.-\\M, ,J. Collins jlon'ili. Spread o( the Flu wt-r- bracts 2' to 5'. DOGWOOD FAMILY merges into spring, arc well known to even tlie most casual observer. This species is marked in many deal- ers' catalogues as Coniiis sangiiinca, but this is wrong. The real Coriuis saugiiiiica is a European species having little of interest in the color of its bark, which be- comes gray when old. The color of its fruit is black. Our own Cormis stolonifcra possesses the beautiful red twigs in so marked a degree as to give it the com- mon name Red-osier Dogwood. Cormis haileyi and Conuis aspcrifolia have twigs of reddish brown ; those of Corims alternifolia and Coriuis circinata are green ; those of Cormis amomnn dull purple. An extensive and pleasing range of winter coloring can be had by means of dogwoods alone. FLOWERING DOGWOOD Co nuts Jidrida. The Flowering Dogwood is both tree and shrub, and its value as an ornamental plant is not exceeded by any other denizen of our gardens. Its flowers are sui generis ; the real flowers are the little green bunch in the centre of the four petaloid bracts which enwrap and protect them. The genesis of these great white bracts is interesting. They are simply four bud-scales and may be seen upon the flower buds which develop in late summer at the tips of the branches of au}^ fruitful and flourishing individual. They endure the buffetings of storms; they brave the cold, the ice, the snow of winter ; and when spring comes and other bud-scales, having completed their service, pass away unregarded, these simply take on a second growth, 244 ROUND-LEAVED DOGWOOD R.jLind-leavcd D..i;\vo..a, Coniiis cuciiut.u Leaves 2' to b' long. Cymes 1^2' to 5' across. DOGWOOD FAMILY carrying the weather-beaten winter portion of the old on the apex of the new. The notch on the end of the broad white bract is the bud-scale of the past winter. Search as you may, you can never find one without the dark scar. This is the insignia of service, the sign of work well done. The original form of the Red-fiowering Dogwood so frequentl}^ seen in parks and gardens came from Virijinia ; but the trees whose flower bracts vary from pure wdiite are not rare. The bracts are not pretty or showy until fully developed, then they assume the pink of the wild rose. ROUND-LEAVED DOGWOOD Comics circinata. A compact shrub six to ten feet high, in shady, often rocky, places^ in rich or sandy soil. Ranges from Nova Scotia to Man- itoba, south to Virginia, west to Iowa and Missouri. Stem. — Twigs and branches green, warty-dotted. Leaves. — Opposite, entire, two to six inches long, orbicular, or broadly ovate, sometimes broader than long, rounded or truncate at base, entire, acute or acuminate at apex. They come out of the bud slightly involute, pale green tipped with red, densely covered with white hairs; when full grown are bright pale green, slightly pubescent above, densely hairy beneath. In autumn they turn a dull yellow. Petioles one-half to three- fourths of an inch long. Floivers. — May, June. Perfect, small, white, borne in rather dense flat cymes, one and a half to three inches across ; pedicels downy. Calyx. — Tube bell-like, four-toothed, coherent with the ovary. Corolla. — Petals four, white, ovate, valvate in bud, inserted on a disk within the calyx. 246 SILKY DOGWOOD Silky Dogwood, Cornus amomnm. Leaves y to 5' long. Cymes \%' to 2%' across. DOGWOOD FAMILY Stamens. — Four, exserted, filaments threadlike; inserted with the petals. Fisti/. — Ovary inferior, two-celled ; style slender ; stigma capitate. Fndt. — Drupe, globose, very pale blue or white with a bluish tinge, three-eighths of an inch in diameter ; stone sub-globose, ridged. Bitter, aromatic. September. This is one of the most attractive of the cornels. It reaches the height of six or ten feet ; the branches are green and warty-dotted, the bright green leaves, large and roundish. It should be sought for in open rocky woods, and in cultivation will do best in a shady loca- tion. The flowers are rather large for a dogwood, and the fruit, light blue or bluish white, is too scanty to be effective, but the general effect of the plant is ex- cellent. SWAMP DOGWOOD. SILKY DOGWOOD. KINNIKINNIK Cornus ambmum. Cormis sericea. A shrub six to ten feet high, found in wet soil, low woods and along streams. Ranges from New Brunswick to Florida, west to Nebraska and Texas. Bark bitter and tonic. Stems. — Shoots downy, green with reddish tinge. Winter twigs and branches purple; stems brown. Leaves. — Opposite, simple, three to five inches long, oval, nar- rowly-ovate, or ovate-lanceolate, narrowed or rounded at base, entire, acuminate at apex ; midvein and primary veins depressed above, ridged below. They come out of the bud slightly invo- lute, pale green, with white woolly hairs ; when full grown are bright shining green above, pale green, silky downy, often glau- cous, beneath. Autumnal tints dull purple to deep red. Flowers. — May, July. Perfect, cream- white, borne in flat cymes, one and a half to two and a half inches across. Calyx. — Tube bell-like, four-toothed ; coherent with the ovary. 248 ROUGH-LEAVED DOGWOOD Roui^h-kMved Di'iiwodd. Coniiis aspLiifolia. Leaves x^-i' to <-,' long. Cymes i' to }' across. DOGWOOD FAMILY Corolla. — Petals four, white, narrowly oblong, acute, valvate in bud. Stamens. — Four, exserted, filaments threadlike ; inserted on disk, with the petals. Pistil. — Ovary inferior, two-celled; style slender; stigma cap- itate. Fruit. — Drupe, globose, pale blue, one-fourth to three-eighths of an inch in diameter; stone oblique, ridged. Bitter, aro- matic. Sei)tember. The Silky Dogwood is the latest of the family to flower, usually coming into bloom about the twentieth of June. The leaves are slender, ovate, pointed, silky downy on the under side, especially when young. The flower cj^mes are rather smaller than those of the other dogwoods. The fruit is bright blue and usually abun- dant. The plant is very common at the north along the borders of swamps and in other low, wet places, where it forms a wide spreading bush eight to ten feet high. Its colored twigs and branchlets suffuse a purplish tint over the bush in winter thus o^ivins^ it a decided orna- mental value. ROUGH-LEAVED DOGWOOD Corn us asperifblia . Three to fifteen feet high, found in wet ground or near streams. Ranges from southern Ontario to Florida and west to Iowa, Kan- sas and Texas. Stems. — Reddish brown ; branchlets very rough, downy. Leaves. — Opposite, simple, one and a half to five inches long, ovate-oval or elliptic, rounded at base, entire, acuminate at apex ; when full grown densely rough-hairy above, pale and downy beneath. Petioles slender, rough-hairy. Flowers. — ^May, June. Perfect, cream-white, borne in loose cymes ; pedicels are rough-hairy. 250 RED-OSIER DOGWOOD Red-osier Dogwuud, Coniiis stoloiiijcij. Leaves 4' to C/ long. Cymes i' to z' across. DOGWOOD FAMILY Calyx. — Tube bell-sliaped, four-toothed, coherent with the ovary. Corolla. — Petals four, white, oblong-lanceolate, inserted on the disk. Stamens. — Four, exserted ; filament threadlike, inserted with the petals. Pistil. — Ovary inferior, two-celled ; style slender, stigma cap- itate. Fruit. — Drupe, globose, white, about one-fourth of an inch in diameter; stone variable in shape. Bitter, aromatic. September. Cor mis aspcrifolia is a western and southern species, not occurring in New England or the Middle States. In habit and general appearance it resembles CorniLS stolonifcra, but the branches are brown instead of red, and the branchlets rough-hair}^ It is a tall, hardy species. RED-OSIER DOGWOOD Cor mis stolonifcra. Three to six feet high, found in wet places. Ranges from New Brunswick and Nova Scotia to British Columbia, south to Vir- ginia, westward to Kentucky and Nebraska. Stems. — Branchlets at first reddish, downy ; later dark red ; and in winter, stems, branches and twigs become a bright purplish red, smooth and shining. Stems lose much of their brilliant color when the leaves appear, to regain it again in autunm. Leaves. — Opposite, simple, four to six inches long, ovate, ovate- lanceolate or oblong, rounded or wedge-shaped at base, entire, acute or acuminate at apex. They come out of the bud slightly involute, reddish, covered with white hairs above and below ; when full grown are bright green, somewhat downy above, paler green or white and somewhat downy below. In autumn they turn a bronze purple or dark red touched with orange, or yellow. Petiole dull red, slender, grooved, one-half to one inch long. Flowers. — June, July. Perfect, cream-white, borne in flat cymes, one to two inches across ; pedicels downy. 252 PANICLED DOGWOOD Panicled Dogwood, Coniiis ijudidissinu. Leaves 2^' to 4' long. Cymes iji' to 2' across. DOGWOOD FAMILY Calyx. — Tube bell-like, four- toothed, coherent with the ovary. Corolla. — Petals four, white, ovate-oblong, valvate in bud, in- serted on disk. Stamefis. — Four, exserted; filaments threadlike; inserted with the petals. Pistil. — Ovary inferior, two-celled ; style slender ; stigma cap- itate. F7'uit. — Drupe, globose, white or whitish, about one-fourth of an inch in diameter ; stone variable in shape. The Red-osier is a very common northern shrub found growing in company with Abiiis incajia along the watercourses. It spreads by means of underground shoots so that a single plant quickly makes of itself a thicket. In leaf, flower and fruit it resembles the Red- stemmed Dogwood of cultivation. Were it not sur- passed by this Siberian species it would be cultivated for the beauty of its glowing red-purple stems and branches, which in winter look very warm, bright and cheerful against the snow. The fruit is white. PANICLED DOGWOOD Cdrnns caiididissima. Coriius panicuUita. Tall, spreading, often ten or twelve feet high, found along the borders of streams and on the margins of lowland woods and thickets. Ranges from Maine to North Carolina, west to Minne- sota and Nebraska. Stems. — Twigs, stems and branches smooth, gray. Leaves. — Opposite, simple, two and a half to four inches long, ovate-lanceolate, wedge-shaped or obtuse at base, entire, acumi- nate at apex. They come out of the bud slightly involute, pale green tinged with red, slightly downy ; when full grown are finely downy above and below ; pale and sometimes glaucous below. Petioles slender. 254 BAILEY'S DOGWOOD Bailey's Dogwood, Corniis l\uLri. DOGWOOD FAMILY Flo'uwrs. — Mav, June. Perfect, cream-white, borne in loose- flowered somewhat paniculate cymes, one and a half to two inches across. Ca/yx. — Tube bell-shaped, four -toothed, coherent with the ovary. Corolla. — Petals four, white, lanceolate, inserted on the disk, valvate in bud. Stamens. — Four, exserted ; filaments threadlike, inserted with the petals. Pistil. — Ovary inferior, two-celled. Fruit. — Drupe, globose or slightly depressed, white, about one-fourth of an inch in diameter, stone sub-globose. BAILEY'S DOGWOOD Cor nil s bailey i. This Doofwood is a native of the sand dunes of the Great Lakes, also found in moist ground from Penn- sylvania to Minnesota and westward. The species was long considered a form of Cormis stolonifcra from which it can be distinguished '' by the lack of stolons, by the much duller and brown bark, and the white fruit with a large flattened stone, and also by the white wooliness of the lower leaf surfaces. It appears on the sand dunes about the Great Lakes, often in the loosest, shifting, white sands." Flowers appear more or less abundantly all summer. ALTERNATE-LEAVED DOGWOOD Cor nils altcrnifblia. The Alternate-leaved Dogwood is sometimes a tree and frequently a shrub. Unlike the other dogwoods its leaves are alternate and they often appear in a sort of tufted group. The stem and twigs are green and 256 ALTERNATE-LEAVED DOGWOOD Altern;ite-lo:ived Dogwood, Coniits altcniifoUa. Leaves 2' to 4' long. Cyim-s 1J2' to 2' ;icross. DOGWOOD FAMILY in a group of dogwoods arranged for winter color give an excellent effect. The leaves are slender- petioled, oval or ovate, acuminate or acute at apex, two to four inches long ; dark green above, paler green and slightly pubescent beneath. The flower clusters are one and a half to two inches across, the petals lanceolate. The fruit is dark blue and a little less bitter than that of some of the other species, so that it is taken by the birds. The range extends from Nova Scotia to Georgia and west as far as Minnesota. RED-STEMMED DOGWOOD. WHITE-FRUITED DOG- WOOD Corniis cilba. [Cornus sangiiinea.) The Red-stemmed or Red-twigged Dogwood is one of the most satisfactory of cultivated shrubs. A na- tive of northern Europe and northern Asia, it is per- fectly hardy here, and the brilliant blood-red stems against a white background of snow, arrest the at- tention of the most unobservant. The flood tide of color is in February and March ; as the leaves begin to appear the color fades and during the summer the stems are dull. There is no objection to its common name ; it is fit- ting and appropriate. Nor is there any objection to the botanical name, Cormis sangiiinea, were that the name of the plant. But it is not, unfortunately ; and furthermore, it never can be. That name has already been given to an entirely different species ; it has been recorded in all the finding lists of Europe, and it will 2^8 RED-STEMMED DOGWOOD Red-stemmei-i D( >^^\v( )od, Com us alhj. Leaves 3' to 5' long. Cymes 2' to 5' across. DOGWOOD FAMILY not, it cannot be changed, Coi-nus alba is the correct name; the bush having been named with reference to its fruit rather than its stems. Dealers of acknowledged standing are extensively advertising the Red-stemmed Dogwood as Coriius san- guinea and the public is just as extensively buying it under the same name. " A name is a trifle and besides this one is fitting." No doubt *' a rose by any other name would smell as sweet," but after all it is not quite pleasant that so gross an error should be so wide- spread ; or that it should be so strongly entrenched . among those who ought to know better. 260 RED-STEMMED DOGWOOD Kc't-l-slenmic'd IJ< .y\v( x )d, (.on/i(s .i/l\i, in fruit. CAPRIFOLIACEyE— HONEYSUCKLE FAMILY AMERICAN ELDER. SWEET ELDER Sambiiciis canadensis. Sambucus is a word of doubtful origin and of no significance as applied to this plant. An old explanation was that the word is derived from sajnbitke, the Greek name of a musical instrument supposed to have been made of the wood of this plant. This explanation is now discredited. A thrifty shrub, five to fifteen feet high, abundant on the borders of streams, in moist places and along fences. Bark, leaves and berries are reputed of medicinal value. Suckers freely ; the young shoot is a green withe. Common throughout the northern states. Ste?ns. — Filled with white pith ; swollen at the joints. Branch- lets green at first, then pale yellowish gray with more or less bloom, later darker gray with yellow lines, finally dark or yellow brown. Lenticels prominent. Leaves. — Opposite, pinnately compound ; leaflets five to eleven, almost sessile except the terminal which has a short i)eti- olule, narrow-oblong or oblong-ovate, four to six inches long, wedge-shaped or rounded at base, serrate, often entire toward the base, acuminate or acute ; midrib and primary veins de- pressed above, prominent below; lower leaflet sometimes lobed. They come out of the bud pale green, shining, very downy ; when full grown are dark green, glabrous above, pale green, glabrous or somewhat downy beneath. In autumn they remain unchanged until destroyed by heavy frosts. When crushed tliey exhale a heavy odor. Petiole two to three inches long, grooved, 262 AMERICAN ELDER American tlder, Sanibiiiiis ijiiadcusts. 1 ( .illtls 4' to 6' long. Cynics s' t>J ^' across. HONEYSUCKLE FAMILY swollen at base, the two coming together almost clasp the stem. Leaflets often have stipels. Flowers. — June to August. Perfect, cream-white, star-like, three-eighths of an inch across, turning brown in drying, borne in flat, spreading, compound cymes five to eight inches across. Odor not unpleasant. Calyx. — Adnate to the ovary; five-cleft; lobes minute, acute, white with reddish tips. Corolla. — Cream-white, with small, short tube and flat border, five to seven-lobed ; lobes rounded, greatly reflexed. Stamens. — Five, inserted on the corolla and alternate with its lobes, exserted ; filaments slender, white ; anthers pale yellow, two-celled. Pistil. — Ovary inferior, three to five-celled, one ovule in each cell ; style three to five-lobed. Fruit. — Berry-like juicy drupe, borne in broad flat cymes, dark purple, size of small pea, crowned with the remnant of the calyx, containing three to five nutlets. Flesh crimson with crimson juice ; taste pleasant. An elder or two Foamed over with blossoms white as spray. — James Russell Lowell. An infusion of the juice of the berry of the Common Elder is a deli- cate test for acids and alkalies. An infusion of the bruised leaves is used by gardeners to expel insects from vines. A wholesome sudorific tea is made of the flowers. The abundant pith is the best substance for the pith-balls used in electrical experiments ; and the hollow shoots are in great use with boys for pop-guns and fifes. — George B. Emerson. To one who in the ripening days of August fares through uncared for country roads, few bushes have more charm than the Elder. In every fence corner, bordering the tumbling stone walls, and in umbrageous clumps by the roadside, stand these spreading shrubs, with dull green foliage and heavy clusters of small purple black berries. Not seldom wild vines run riot through the gray clustered stems ; and the clematis, the traveller's joy, tosses the white foam of its airy bloom over the full fruitage. The elderberry crop never fails; huckleberries and blackberries, other children of the wastes may have dried in the droughts of midsummer, but the little elderberries full of crimson juice crowd in close cymes upon every branch. — Martha Buckek Flint. 264 AMERICAN ELDER The American Elder is one of the choicest of our native shrubs, and is such a familiar h<;ure in northern fields and by northern roadsides that its beauty passes unnoticed, and the plant is foolishly and ruthlessly cut down even when no use is made of the land so despoiled. It marks a great advance in the intellect- ual cultivation of the individual when he is able to appreciate the beauty of familiar things, and does not wish to destroy an object simply because it is well known. There have been precepts carefully incul- cated, that neat farming involved the destruction of every bush by the fence or wayside. Away with such unlovely wisdom ! Why may not the fence line sim- ulate the hedgerow and, with a little care, take virtu- ally nothing from the cultivated field and add im- measurably to the beauty of the landscape? Why may not the roadside be an arboretum of its own locality ? In the flowering season the Elder equals if it does not surpass in beauty and effectiveness the finest of our garden favorites, — this bush " foamed over with blossoms white as spray." The high tide of blocjm occurs in early July and marks the virtual closing of the great spring flowering period. The flowers can- not be used for indoor decoration, — they droop imme- diately upon being cut. It is interesting to observe how the great flat cluster divides into fives. There are five large stems and four of these are of about equal size ; the central one is not so long or so strong and it is this which gives the de- pressed look to the cluster. Each stem divides again into five, but one or two of the divisions usually out- strip the others. 265 HONEYSUCKLE FAMILY Later, the bushes stand bowed with the burden of purple berries. People may be divided in opinion as to the merits of the fruit ; the robins are not ; with one accord they call them good and seek them tunefully and joyously. By way of domestic value, elderberries have been used in pies and puddings, but they are not sufficiently acid to be really palatable when used alone. The fruit is also responsible for the domestic elderberry wine, which certainly cheers and does not inebriate and is reputed to possess medicinal properties. There is a golden-leaved variety which is very ex- tensively planted ; and which in midsummer lights up the fence corner or garden walk with a golden glow that is extremely effective amid the surrounding green. MOUNTAIN ELDER. RED-BERRIED ELDER Sambucus pubeiis. Sambicctis racembsa. A shrub two to twelve feet high, twigs and leaves pubescent ; the younger stems full of reddish brown pith; found in rocky places and in dry woods. Ranges from New Brunswick to Brit- ish Columbia and Alaska, south to Georgia, southwest to Colo- rado and California. Stems. — Young stems pale, dotted with many brownish lenti- cels ; older stems brown, having a rough and warty appearance. Leaves. — Opposite, pinnately compound ; leaflets ten to four- teen, oblong-lanceolate or oval, three to five inches long, nar- rowed and often bilateral at base, sharply serrate, acuminate at apex ; midvein and primary veins depressed above, prominent beneath ; they come out of the bud pale green, shining and downy, when full grown are dark green, nearly smooth above, paler green and downy below. In autumn they remain late and fall with little change of color. Petioles reddish and grooved. Small red glands appear at the base of each petiole and at the base of some petiolules. 266 RED-BERRIED ELDER Red-bL'niod l:klcr, Sjiubiiiiis pi(l\ii.^ lAMilcts V u> ■-,' l..n-. HONEYSUCKLE FAMILY Flowers. — April, May. Perfect, small, cream-white, turning brown in drying, borne in pyramidal compound cymes, odor heavy. Calyx. — Tube adnate to the ovary ; border narrow, five-cleft ; lobes minute. Corolla. — Cream- white, wheel-shaped, spreading five-cleft bor- der, lobes rounded, greatly reflexed. Stame?is. — Five, inserted on the corolla and alternate with its lobes, exserted ; filaments slender, white ; anthers pale yellow, two-celled. Pistil. — Ovary inferior, three to five-celled ; style short, three- lobed ; one ovule in each cell. Fruit. — Berry-like juicy drupe, borne in pyramidal clusters, brilliant scarlet, size of a small pea, crowned with remnants of style and calyx, containing three to five nutlets. Flesh yellow and unpleasant to the taste. June, July. The Red-berried Elder belongs to the group of early bloomers. Its flower buds push out from their protecting bracts in company with those of the Shrub Yellow-root, the Forsythia and the Magnolia stellata. The flower cluster, instead of being broad and flat like that of the American Elder, is pyramidal. The tiny flowers so dispose themselves that they seem like little balls with stamens protruding on every side. The fruit is a brilliant scarlet, borne in great clusters, and frequently so abundant as to make the bush one mass of red ; and as this magnificent display comes early — even before the American Elder comes into bloom — it' has an increased value. But under any circumstances, the fruiting bush is extremely ornamental with every branch tipped with a scarlet thyrsus. A white- berried variety has been reported as occurring on the Catskill mountains. The bush can be distinguished from Sambucus cana- 26S THE VIBURNUMS (/r/isis, if in bhjom by the sliapc of tlic il(j\ver cluster; if in fruit by the brilliant scarlet of the berries; if without flowers or fruit, by the brownish pith of the small twigs which is a persistent character and will serve to determine the species. THE VIBURNUMS Our northern Viburnums are a group of ornamental trees and shrubs which are rapidly winning their way into popular appreciation. Excellent in habit, foliage, flower and fruit, and perfectly hardy, they are valu- able for lawn and park decoration, and also as road- side shrubs. The distinguishing characters are their flat clusters of small, white, rarel}' pink flow- ers and their showy panicles of fruit, which in ripening give most exquisite gradations of color. The individual flower is a five-pointed star, bearing five exserted stamens ; the points of the star are considerably rounded. The only shrubs with which the Viburnums in bloom might be confounded are the dogwoods; but the individual flower of a dogwood is a four-pointed star, with ihc points intact. That slight distinction is a certain means of distinguishing the two. Two trees of the group, Viburnion Icntago and ]'ihur- uiiui prunifolium, often appear as shrubs. Thcv arc attractive in foliage and in flower, and their fruit is sweet and edible. One species of the genus has been developed into an extremely decorative plant and is the well known Snowball of our gardens. 269 HONEYSUCKLE FAMILY The members of the family are conspicuous for their fine autumnal tints. These are bronze and pur- ple, brightening into red or orange. HOBBLE-BUSH. AMERICAN WAYFARING-TREE Viburnum alnifblium. Viburnum lantanoides. Viburnufn is an ancient name of unknown meaning. Hob- ble-bush refers to the prostrate branches which often trip the unwary. A low, irregular shrub with long, flexible, often procumbent, branches and large leaves ; found in cold, moist woods. Ranges from New Brunswick to North Carolina, west to Michigan. Stems. — Bark purplish ; branches often long and prostrate ; branchlets densely covered with rusty, stellate pubescence. Branches often take root at the tips. Leaves. — Opposite, simple, pinnately veined, orbicular or broadly ovate, three to eight inches across, heart-shaped at base, finely serrate, abruptly pointed at apex. They come out of the bud invohite, clothed with dense rusty down ; when full grown are deeply corrugated above ; midvein and primary veins scurfy with rusty stellate pubescence. Autumnal tints are brilliant red and orange. Petioles an inch to an inch and a half long, scurfy with rusty down, often showing small stipular appendages, but no real stipules. F/owers. — May, June. Of two kinds, perfect and neutral. White, borne in broad, compound, sessile, radiant cymes, three to five inches across ; the outer and imperfect flow^ers more or less numerous, raised on longer pedicels and destitute of stamens and pistils. They are circular disks, one-half to five-eighths of an inch across, having five, large, unequal, rounded lobes ; the in- ner flowers are small and perfect. Pedicels downy. Calyx. — Tube adnate to the ovary ; border five-toothed. Corolla. — White ; of the perfect flowers, rotate, five-lobed ; lobes spreading ; neutral rotate, lobes much enlarged. Stamens. — Five, inserted on the corolla-tube ; anthers ex- serted. 270 HOBBLE-BUSH Hobble-bush, yihurnum abiifoliiim. Leaves )' to 8' across. Cymes 3' to 5' across. HONEYSUCKLE FAMILY Pistil. — Ovary 'iiferior, one-celled ; style short ; stigmas three- parted. Fruit. — Drupe, ovoid-oblong, red darkening to purple ; one- seeded, half an inch long ; pulp soft. Stone three-grooved on one side and one-grooved on the other. Sei)tember. The flat hydrangea-like corollas of the neutral flow- ers on the margins of the flower clusters are an inch or more in diameter, and appearing above the half-grown leaves are extremely effective. The plant is good at all seasons, with its sturdy growth, its great leaves, its beautiful fruit changing through coral and crimson to purple. The long branches often take root at the end and so form loops that, in the woods where it abounds, fre- quently catch the foot of the unwary, hence the name Hobble-bush. This unpleasant habit seems to be re- sponsible for certain other not altogether complimen- tary names, as Witch-hobble and Trip-toe. The rusty hairs which cover the growing shoots, the opening leaves, and the flower stems, are arranged in star-like clusters and are objects of great beauty under a magnifying glass. This peculiarity of stellate hairs is shared by the Clethra and also in a very marked degree by the Buffalo-berry. The Hobble-bush is a better garden plant, or at least more manageable, when grafted upon Vtbtirniun dentatiuji than upon its own roots. 272 HIGH-BUSH CRANBERRY HIGH-BUSH CRANBERRY. CRANBERRY-TREE. GUELDER ROSE Vibiirnum opulus. An exceedingly handsome shrub with smooth branches, four to ten feet high, growing in low ground, along streams and on the borders of swamps. Ranges from New Brunswick to Penn- sylvania, and westward to Michigan, South Dakota and Oregon. Leaves. — Opposite, simple, palmately veined, two to five inches long, one and a half to four inches wide, rounded or wedge-shaped at base, three-nerved, three-lobed; lobes divergent, sparingly toothed with unequal blunt teeth. They come out of the bud involute, pale green tinged with red, shining and downy; when full grown are dark dull green, nearly glabrous above, paler green, somewhat pubescent, beneath, deeply corrugated above. Petioles about an inch long, with one or two stii)ular appendages, which are more or less glandular. Autumnal tints bronze purple and dull red. F/owers. — May, June. Of two kinds, i)erfect and neutral. White, borne in broad, compound, terminal pedunculate radiant cymes, three to four inches across, having five large, unequal rounded lobes. The perfect flowers are small, about three-six- teenths across. The neutral one-half to three-fourths of an inch across. Calyx. — Tube adnate to the ovary ; border five-toothed. Corolla. — Cream-white, rotate, five-lobed ; lobes rounded, spreading, imbricate in bud. Perfect flowers a trifle more yel- lowish than the neutral. Staniefis. — Five, inserted on the corolla-tube, exserted. Instil. — Ovary inferior, one-celled ; stigma three-parted. Fruit. — Drupe, globose or oval, bright red, translucent, crowned by the limb of the calyx, three-eighths to half an inch long, intensely acid and slightly bitter; clings to the branch all winter. Stone flat, orbicular, not grooved. September. The High-bush Cranberry loves the north, and along the sixtieth parallel encircles the globe with lit- 273 HONEYSUCKLE FAMILY High-bush Cranberry, Viburnum opuhis. Leaves 2' to 5' long. Cymes 3' to 4' across. SNOWBALL Snowball, yibttrnum opulus stetilis. HONEYSUCKLE FAMILY tie change of habit or character. It descends as far as the fortieth parallel and grows there fairly well. In late May or early June a broad cluster of small white blossoms, which are the fruit-bearing flowers of the plant, appear at the apex of nearly every stem. At the margin of this cluster, arranged around these perfect blossoms in an irregular circle are numbers of cream-white disks variously rounded and lobed, desti- tute of stamens and pistils, apparently for show and not for use. These marginal flowers become con- spicuousl}^ white a few days before the perfect flowers open. They are evidently a signal, a flag hung out to the insect world saying, " Come buy, come buy ! with- out money and without price." Its contribution to the beauty of the garden is great- est when in fruit. None of its neighbors can surpass it. Soon after the flowers have dropped, the berries are noticeable, and by the last of Julj^ they become a beautiful greenish yellow, touched with red. Later, the entire bush flames in scarlet, and so remains long into the autumn. The fruit is acid — so acid that the birds evidently do not care to set their bills on edge with it — containing also a marked trace of bitter ; and has been used as a poor substitute for cranberries, whence its common name. VibitrmLin opnhis is the parent of the common Snow- ball, Vibiirmun opiiliis sterilis.oi our gardens. When- ever any plant shows a few neutral flowers in its wild state, these can be increased indefinitely by cultivation and selection. Vibiirmim pazicifoHiivi, the Few-flowered Cranberry- tree, differs from Viburnum opuliis in its broader 276 MAPLE-LEAVED VIBURNUM Miiple-Ieaved Viburnum, yibunitim acirifolimu. l.c.ives V to s' long, (".yitu-s j' to "/ across. HONEYSUCKLE FAMILY leaves and fewer flowers, all of which are perfect. The fruit is smaller and paler red. Its range is north- ern, reaching" its southern limit in the mountains of Pennsylvania. MAPLE-LEAVED VIBURNUM. ARROW-WOOD Vibilr 71717)1 accrifbliu77i. A small bush, three to six feet high, found on sandy or rocky hillsides at the margin of woods ; will grow in exposed positions. Ranges from New Brunswick to North Carolina and west to Michigan and Minnesota. Ste7)is. — Stems smooth, straight and slender ; growing shoots and petioles somewhat pubescent. Leaves. — Opposite, simple, palmately-veined, three-lobed, three to five inches long, orbicular or broad-oval, rounded or heart- shaped at base, coarsely and unequally toothed ; lobes diverg- ing, acuminate at apex. They come out of the bud involute, reddish, densely hairy; when full grown are dark green, downy above, paler and downy below. Autumnal tints are deep dull red varying to rose pink, sometimes fading to cream-white, very beautiful. Petioles an inch to an inch and a half long, downy, furnished near the base with two stipule-like appendages. Flowers. — June. Perfect, cream-white, borne in loose termi- nal pedunculate cymes, two to three inches across. Calyx. — Tube adnate to the ovary, five-toothed, teeth obtuse. Co7'olla. — White, rotate, about three-sixteenths of an inch across. Sta77ie7is. — Five, inserted on corolla-tube, filaments white, anthers yellow, oblong, exserted. Pistil. — Ovary inferior, one to three-celled ; style short, three- lobed. Fruit. — Drupe, deep purple, about one-fourth of an inch long, clings to the branches throughout the winter ; pulp thin. Stone lenticular, faintly two-ridged on one side and two-grooved on the other. September. 278 DOWNY VIBURNUM ' » - • • ■ Tr*"^ ->c-? -^■<»,-- ,■■*■, ^^^F Downy Viburnum, Vilmrnnm pubescens. Leaves 2j<' to 4' long. Cymes 3' to 3J<' across. HONEYSUCKLE FAMILY The Maple-leaved Viburnum so nearly resembles a group of young maples at the forest's edge as fre- quently to be mistaken for them. The bush at flower- ing time is exceedingly pretty ; it grows in clumps and although the flower clusters are not large they are abundant and stand up well at the ends of the branches. The autumnal coloring is fine, melting from dull red into rose pink, even upon occasion fading into cream- white. Rarely, an entire clump will be cream-white, or cream-white flushed with pale pink, — again a single bush will vary from old rose to cream-white. The effect is startling. Just what occasions this unusual white coloring is difficult to tell. The only other plant that I know, which sometimes does the same thing, is the Flowering Dogwood, whose normal autumnal tint is a brilliant scarlet; yet I have seen small trees in the depths of the woods clothed in white from crown to tip. DOWNY VIBURNUM Vibtlrmim pubhcens. A compact shrub three to four feet high, with grayish slender branches and soft brown, downy twigs ; found on dry rocky banks. Ranges from Quebec and Ontario to Georgia, west to Michigan and Iowa. Leaves. — Opposite, simple, pinnately veined, two and a half to four inches long, ovate or oblong-ovate, rounded or heart- shaped at base, dentate-serrate or entire acute or acuminate at apex. They come out of the bud involute, pale green, shining and hairy ; when full grown, thick, bright green above, paler green below ; sometimes only downy on the veins beneath, often 280 ARROW-WOOD Arrow-wood, yibtirnwn dctitatiini. Leaves \%' to 3' long. Cymes 2' to 5' across. HONEYSUCKLE FAMILY clothed with a soft velvety pubescence. Autumnal tints deep purple brightening to red. Petioles short. Flowers. — June. Perfect, white, borne in loose pedunculate cymes, one to three inches across, abundant. Calyx. — Tube adnate to the ovary ; border five-toothed, acute. Corolla. — White, rotate, five-lobed ; lobes spreading. Stamens. — Five, inserted on corolla-tube, exserted. Pistil. — Ovary inferior, style short, three- Leaf of Downy Vibur- Jobed num. Typical form. Fruit. — Drupe, ovoid or oval, dark purple, one-fourth of an inch long ; pulp thin. Stone slightly two- grooved on both faces. August. The Downy Viburnum is one of the smaller species of the genus, but it flowers superbly when grown in the open with abundance of light and air. The plant is also very fine in autumn, as the leaves turn a rich dark purple brightened with vinous red. The leaves var}' greatly in shape, character of margin, and degree of pubescence. ARROW-WOOD Viburnum dentatum. A compact shrub, six to ten feet high with ash-colored bark, smooth, obtusely angular branches ; the young shoots slender and very straight ; found in low moist grounds and on the bor- der of rivers. Ranges from New Brunswick to Georgia and west to Michigan and Minnesota. Takes kindly to cultivation. Leaves. — Opposite, .simple, pinnately veined, one and a half to three inches long, broadly ovate, rounded or cordate at base, coarsely and sharply serrate, acute at apex ; strongly veined ; veins depressed above, prominent below. They come out of bud invohite, green, slightly tinged with reddish brown, shining and 282 WITHE-ROD Withe-rod, l^ihunmni cjssiiioiJc-: I.LMVCS 2' to 4' Ioiil;. HONEYSUCKLE FAMILY downy ; when full grown are bright dark green above, paler be- neath, with tufts of hair in the axils of the veins. The autumnal tint is dark bronze red. Petioles short. Flowers. — June. White, perfect, borne in broad, flat peduncu- late cymes, two to three inches across. Calyx. — Tube adnate to the ovary ; limb five-toothed. Corolla. — White, rotate, five-lobed ; lobes spreading. Stamens. — Five, inserted on the corolla-tube, exserted. Pistil. — Ovary inferior, style short, three-lobed. Fruit. — Drupe, globose ovoid, dark blue, about one-fourth of an inch in diameter, flesh thin, dry, somewhat acid ; stone grooved on one side, rounded on the other. September. Viburnum dentatiun is now extensively planted in parks. In June when covered with great flat clusters of snowy flowers, and later when these are succeeded by dark, shining, blue berries, the bush is most attractive and ornamental. These shining blue ber- ries are eaten by birds, although it is hard to understand why ; they are dry, dull, tasteless, seedy things. Vibiirmim violle, the Soft - leaved Arrow-wood, is a southern bush greatly resembling Viburnum dentatum and is sometimes found in Penn- sylvania. It is perfectly hardy at the north and well worthy of cultivation. Leaf of Viburnum molle. WITHE-ROD Vibtirnmn cassifioides. A somewhat straggling bush, two to twelve feet high, with gray branches : twigs sometimes scurfy, sometimes glabrous ; found in swamps and wet soil. Ranges from Newfoundland to Manitoba, southward to Georgia and Alabama. Takes kindly to cultivation. 284 WITHE-ROD Leaves. — Opposite, simple, pinnately veined, ovate or oval, narrowed or rounded at base, crenulate, acute at apex, thick in texture, glabrous or nearly so. Autumnal tint first purjjle, then turns to a rich vinous red. Flowers. — June, July. Perfect, white, borne in broad flat pedunculate cymes two to four incites across. Calyx. — Tube adnate to the ovary ; border five-toothed. Corolla. — White, rotate five-lobed ; lobes spreading. Stat)u'}is. — Five, inserted on corolla-tube, exserted. Pistil. — Ovary inferior, style short, three-lobed. Fruit. — Drupe, globose to ovoid, dark blue, one-fourth of an inch in diameter, stone round or oval, flattened. September. The best garden plant among our viburnums is J7- buriiuDi cassinoidcs. An inhabitant of northern swamps, it is distributed from Newfoundland to the Saskatche- wan and southward to New Jerse3\ In its wild home it is a loose, straggling shrub, but in cultivation it takes on the graces of civilization and be- comes compact, symmetrical, an ornament to the race and the flower of the famil3\ The leaves are thick, leathery and rather dull green; the flowers, which are cream-white, are borne in broad five-rayed cymes four or five inches across. They are succeeded bv Leaf of F/7.,/r- . ' num nudum. abundant fruit which melts from pale green into bright rose, and then darkens into blue-black: berries of the three colors often appearing at the same time. Vilu(ruu})i nudum, the Large Withe-rod, is a bush of southern rantre which sometimes crosses our border. It resembles Viburnum cassinoidcs, but blooms a little later. Vibur}iu})i lantana, the Wayfaring Tree of Europe, is 285 HONEYSUCKLE FAMILY Wayfaring Tree, Viburnum lantana. SNOWBERRY the first of the viburnums to bh)om ; appcariiii,^ early in May. The inflorescence is a flat cyme two to tliree inches across; the individual llowers do not vary Irotn the type, the leaves are thick dark <;rcen, and the fruit when ripening- gives a succession of beautiful color through the range of pale green, glowing scarlet and dark blue-black. It has long been in cultivation, and is valuable because of its early bloom ; in other re- spects it does not excel our native species. SNOWBERRY Syinphoricdrpos raccmbsiis. Symphoricarpos, fruit grown together ; named from the clustered berries. An erect shrub three to five feet high, witli smooth, slender branches. Found in rocky places and on river ])anks from Nova Scotia to British Columliia, south to I'ennsylvania and Ken- tucky. Widely i)lanted as an ornamental shrub ; suckers freel\ ; prefers Hmestone soils. Leaves. — Ojiposite, simi)le, short-petioled, one to two antl one-half inches long, oval or ovate, rounded at base and rounded or slightly acute at ai)ex, entire or undulate; those of young shoots sometimes dentate. They come out of the bud involute, dull pale green, smooth, when full grown are dull dark green above, paler green below. In autumn they remain unchanged until caught by the heavy late frosts. Flowers. — June to September. Perfect, small, white or i)ink bells, in axillary few-flowered clusters and in terminal clusters which are often leafy. Calyx. — Tube nearly globular, adnate to the ovary, tlic border four to five-toothed. Corolla. — l>ell-shai)ed, one-fourth of an inch long, lour to five- toothed, slightly gibbous at base, bearded at the throat, jjinkish white. 287 HONEYSUCKLE FAMILY Stame?is. — Four to five, included, inserted on corolla, alter- nate with its lobes. Pistil. — Ovary inferior, four-celled, two cavities contain abort- ed ovules, other two contain each a single ovule ; style smooth, included. Fruit. — Globose, pure white berry, loosely cellular, one- fourth to one-half an inch in diameter, four-celled, two-seeded, crowned with the remnant of the style which appears as a black spot, borne in clusters ; berries of varying sizes. August to No- vember. The Snowberry is one of the favorites of old-time gardens, and is holding its own fairly well in the new. Throughout the spring-time it is simply a clean, bright little bush with a tendency to enlarge its circumfer- ence. Early in July it begins to put forth its clusters of tiny pink bells, which do not attract any particular attention ; but which possess the power of transform- ing themselves as time goes on into clusters of snowy balls varying in size from small peas to small marbles; packed away among the leaves in charming confusion. These white berries are the effective feature of the plant, and the bush is fairly well covered with them by the middle of August ; although the blooming period continues for a month longer. At this time a border combination of Snowberry with Rosa riigosa is extremely good ; the white berries of the one contrast- ing with the red hips of the other. The bush laden with its white burden is beautiful throughout the au- tumn, and holds its berries intact until they are de- stroyed by the frosts and storms of November. The gardeners are in a way to develop the fruit at the expense of the beauty of the bush as a whole. The stems are extremely slender and delicate, and when 2S8 SNOWBERRY Snowberry, Svmpihoricarpos raccnwsus. Leaves \' to 1)2' long. HONEYSUCKLE FAMILY the weight of the berries is too great for the stem to hold erect it is overburdened and its beauty is im- paired. INDIAN CURRANT. CORAL-BERRY SympJioricdrpos symp/ioricdrpos. Symphoriairpos vulgaris. A shrub two to five feet high, branches erect or shghtly curved, twigs i)urpHsh brown, usually pubescent. Found in rocky places and on river banks, — from the banks of the Delaware in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, south to Georgia and Texas, and west to Dakota. Cultivated. Leaves. — Opposite, simi)le, short-petioled, one to one and one- half inches long, oval or ovate, rounded at base, rounded or acute at apex, margin entire or undulate, smooth above, softly downy beneath. They come out of the bud involute, dull pale green ; when full grown are dull dark green above, paler below. In autumn they remain unchanged until destroyed by the heavy frosts. Flowers. — August. Perfect, small, greenish pink-tipped bells; borne in dense clusters in the axils of the leaves ; filled with nectar. Calyx. — Tube adnate to the ovary, five-toothed ; teeth short, persistent. Corolla. — Bell-shaped, greenish pink, downy within, five- lobed. Stamens. — Four or five, inserted on corolla-tube, and alternate with its lobes. Pistil.— OvdiXy inferior, four-celled, only two of the cells with a fertile ovule, style bearded. Fruit. — Berry, purplish red, ovoid-globose, three -sixteenths of an inch in diameter, four-celled, two-seeded, crowned by the remnants of the calyx, insipid, persistent after the leaves have fallen. The abundance of fruit on the Indian Currant is lit- tle short of marvellous. The slender stems are fruit bearing for five or ten inches from the tip; the clusters 290 INDIAN CURRANT Indian Currant, Svnit>hoiicarpos vulgaris. Leaves i' lo 1^3' long. HONEYSUCKLE FAMILY of fruit appear in the axils of the opposite leaves and are so full and crowded that they surround the stem. As an example of this remarkable prolificness, a single fruiting stem seven inches long was found to bear fif- teen double clusters, and each cluster had from seven to nine berries, making the total production about two hundred and fifty currants upon an average stem ; many stems produced more. In autumn these drooping wands of crimson berries adorned with leaves are most beautiful, — a bed of them enchanting. Moreover, these berries have great stay- ing powers ; the first heavy winter storms destroy the leaves which remain brown and curled until the winds carry them away, — but the clusters of berries are ap- parently undisturbed ; they neither darken nor shrivel. Each tiny berry has a crimson skin, thin white mealy ffesh, and two white bony seeds. The birds find noth- ing desirable about them and leave them entirely un- touched. LONICERA. HONEYSUCKLE Louie era. Named in honor of Adam Lonitzer, a German herbalist of the sixteenth century. The Loniccra group commonly called honeysuckles are best known by the climbing vines which adorn our piazzas. Of erect shrubs Lonicera tartarica, the Tar- tarian Hone3^suckle in its many varieties, is a favorite and deservedly so. It was brought to this country from Asia, as its name indicates; and has only here and there escaped from cultivation. Loniccra xylosteiim, the Fly-honeysuckle of our gardens, is also an Asiatic spe- 292 SWAMP FLY-HONEYSUCKLE i\ Swamp Fly-honeysuckle, Loniccra ohloiigifolu. Leave. )+' lo i' long. HONEYSUCKLE FAMILY cies ; and it, too, has sparingly escaped. It looks not unlike Lonicera tartarica, and bears its red berries well past midsummer. Lonicera fragrantissima is a species recently introduced whose value chiefly lies in its fragrant flowers which are produced in April. Mid- summer finds it a leafy bush of rather pale green foliage. Our northern Lonicera bushes are interesting but not so conspicuous in flower and fruit as to bring them very generally into cultivation. To be known they must be sought in their native wilds. There are four of them, Lonicera ccerulea, Lonicera oblo7igi folia, Lonicera cilia ta, and Lojiicera involucrata. Lonicera involucrata is the largest of the four, and bears the largest leaves ; its personal characteristic is the involucre which surrounds the fruit. It is really a Canadian plant and rarely crosses our northern boun- dary. Lonicera cairtilea is probably named for the curi- ous, two-eyed, blue berry which it bears. Lonicera cili- ata has a very downy leaf in early spring and a very glabrous one in midsummer. Lonicera oblongifolia has no marked distinguishing character, but is doing fairly well in cultivation, and gardeners are recommending it. The Lonicera fruit is a berry ; it may be sweet or sour, but never fails to be bitter. SWAMP FLY-HONEYSUCKLE Lonicera oblongifblia. An erect shrub, two to five feet high ; found in bogs and swamps. Ranges from Quebec to Manitoba, south to Pennsyl- vania, and west to Michigan. 294 BLUE HONEYSUCKLE Blue Honeysuckle, Loniccia c(vrnh'a. l.i-.ivcs I',' to 1' l..ny. HONEYSUCKLE FAMILY Leaves. — Opposite, simple, pinnately veined, three-fourths to two inches long, oval-oblong. Margin not ciliate, myrtle green above and gray green beneath, downy, pubescent when young, glabrous when mature. Flowers. — May, June. Greenish yellow, perfect, half an inch long, slightly purple within, borne on a two-flowered peduncle in the axils of the leaves ; peduncles long and slender ; bracts mi- nute or deciduous ; fragrant, full of nectar. Calyx. — Tube adnate to the ovary, ovoid ; border slightly five-toothed. Corolla. — Yellowish or purplish within, funnel-form, gibbous at base ; border deeply two-lipped, lower lip linear, upper lip erect with four short lobes. Stamens. — Five, inserted on the corolla. Pistil. — Ovary two-celled, ovules many ; style slender ; stigma capitate. Fruit. — Berry, crimson or purplish, one-fourth of an inch in diameter; two ovaries do not usually unite to form the fruit, although sometimes they do. BLUE FLY-HONEYSUCKLE. MOUNTAIN FLY-HONEY- SUCKLE Lo nicer a cceriilea. An erect dwarfish shrub one to three feet high ; found in bogs and low lands. Shoots often bluish purple, pubescent with a bloom. Ranges from Newfoundland to Alaska, south to Rhode Island, and west to Wisconsin ; also in Europe and Asia. Leaves. — Opposite, simple, pinnately veined ; one to one and one-half inches long, oval or obovate, rounded or narrowed at base, entire, obtuse at apex ; when full grown sparingly hairy above, ciliate at margin, pubescent beneath. Petioles short. Flowers.- — June. Pale yellow, perfect, irregular, one-half to three-fourths of an inch long, borne on a two-flowered peduncle in the axils of the leaves ; peduncles short ; bracts awl-like. Calyx. — Tube adnate to the ovary, ovoid ; border slightly five-toothed. 296 FLY-HONEYSUCKLE Fly-honeysuckle, Lonicera canadensis. Leaves i' to ;' long. HONEYSUCKLE FAMILY Corolla. — Funnel -form, gibbous at base ; border five-lobed, nearly regular ; lobes longer than the tube. Stainejis. — Five, inserted on the corolla. Pistil. — Ovary two-celled, ovules many ; style slender ; stigma capitate. Fruit. — Ovaries of the two flowers unite and form an oblong or globose, bluish, two-eyed berry, half an inch long and about five-eighths of an inch across ; dark l)lue with a pale blue bloom ; bitter acid. July. Loniccra cocrulca has this unusual characteristic ; it produces two perfect flowers in order to make one berry. The flowers are twins, but the pistils are sep- arate, yet after the corollas have fallen the two ovaries enlarge and begin to grow toward each other and finally unite into a single berry, which shows its duplex origin by the two tiny so-called ''eyes" at its apex, each of which is the remnant of a flower calyx. The double structure of the berry is clearly seen by a cross section, the line of cleavage between the two parts being very distinct. The fruit is drooping and usually hidden under the leaves. In taste a bitter acid, with the bitter much stronger than the acid. In midsummer the new shoots have a bluish purple cast, which gives a certain bluish effect to the bush. It takes kindly to cultivation, and is recommended by gardeners. FLY-HONEYSUCKLE Lonicera canadhisis. Lottie era ciliata. Three to five feet high, branchlets glabrous and marked with elevated lines which descend from the bases of the petioles ; found in moist woods. Ranges from New Brunswick to Mani- toba, south to Connecticut and west to Pennsylvania and Mich- 2qS TARTARIAN HONEYSUCKLE Tartarian Honeysuckle, Louiccra tartaiica. Llmvcs i' to ■;' long. HONEYSUCKLE FAMILY Leaves. — Opposite, simple, pinnately veined, ovate or oval, rounded or cordate at base, entire, acute or acutish at apex. Villous-pubescent when young, with margin strongly ciliate, glabrous when mature. Flowers. — May. Greenish yellow, three-fourths of an inch long, perfect, borne on a two-flowered peduncle in the axil of the leaves ; peduncles slender; bracts minute. Calyx. — Calyx-tube ovoid, united with the ovary ; border five-toothed. Corolla. — Greenish yellow, funnel-form almost spurred at the base ; border five-lobed ; lobes nearly equal. Stamens. — Five, inserted on tube of corolla. Pistil. — Ovary two-celled, ovules many; style slender ; stigma capitate. Fruit. — Berries separate, red, one-fourth of an inch in diam- eter, borne in pairs ; the ovaries do not unite. TARTARIAN BUSH-HONEYSUCKLE Loiicera tartdrica. A glabrous erect shrub three to ten feet high. A native of Asia and common in cultivation ; has escaped quite extensively. Leaves. — Opposite, simple, pinnately veined, one to three inches long, oval, oblong or ovate, rounded or heart-shaped at base, margin entire, not ciliate, apex acute or obtuse. Flowers. — May. Pink to white, three-fourths of an inch long, perfect, solitary or in pairs, borne on a long, slender peduncle in the axils of the leaves ; bracts linear, often as long as the corolla tube. Calyx. — Tubular, five-toothed. Corolla. — Pink to white. Tube slender, with a peculiar en- largement at the base which is dark i)ink when the rest of the tulje is pale pink ; border irregularly and deeply five-lobed and somewhat two-li])ped ; upper lip three-lobed, lower lip two-lobed. Stamens. — Five, inserted on the tube of the corolla. Pistil. — Ovary two to three-celled ; style slender ; stigma cap- itate. F?int. — Berries separate, red or yellow, abundant, ornamental. July, August. 300 TARTARI/VN HONEYSUCKLE Tartarian Honeysuckle, Loniccra tartarica, in Iruil. HONEYSUCKLE FAMILY The Tartarian Honeysuckles are most attractive bushes. One of their best features is the graceful out- line of a finely-grown individual when the branches bend outward and downward almost to the grass. The flowers of the different varieties are white, pink, rose, or deep red, and possess a pleasant fragrance. They come into leaf early ; the foliage is luxuriant and re- mains until late in the autumn ; and the red or orange berries are very abundant and extremely ornamental. The berries have the translucent appearance of cur- rants ; in flavor they are a sweetish bitter, with the bitter inclined to remain somewhat unduly in the mouth. The birds seem to eat them very little, con- sequently they adorn the bushes for a considerable period. INVOLUCRED FLY-HONEYSUCKLE Lonicera involucrata. Leaf of Involucred Fly-honeysuckle. Northern shrub, three to five feet high ; branches four-angular ; found in deep woods. Ranges from Quebec to British Columbia and Alaska, rarely comes within the borders of the United States. Stems. — Oldest stems are gray and ragged, the growing shoots yellow. Stems gray. Leaves. — Opposite, simple, pinnately veined, two to six inches long, oblong, ovate, oval or obovate, rounded or wedge-shaped at base, en- tire, acute or acuminate at apex ; pubescent when young. Petioles short, dark green above, paler beneath. Flowers. — June, July. Yellowish, perfect, borne on a two to three-flowered peduncle in 302 BUSH HONEYSUCKLE Bush Honeysuckle, DicrvilLi dicrvtUa. Leaves 2' to 5' long. HONEYSUCKLE FAMILY the axils of the leaves. Involucre of four conspicuous and leafy bracts which at length surround the fruit. Calyx. — Tube adherent to the ovary, slightly live-toothed. Corolla. — Yellowish, funnel-form, one-half to three-fourths of an inch long, viscid-pubescent ; border five-lobed. Stajnens. — Five, inserted on tube of corolla. Pistils. — Ovary two or three-celled, style slender ; stigma capi- tate. Fruit. — Berries separate, globose or oval, nearly black, about one-third of an inch in diameter. DIERVILLA. COMMON BUSH HONEYSUCKLE Dierinlla trtfida. Dicrvilla dicrvilla. Diervilla, in honor of Dicrvilla, a French surgeon who sent the plant to Tournefort. A low shrub, two to four feet high. Often forms dense, low masses of shrubbery on the borders of the forest. Ranges from Newfoundland to the Saskatchewan, and through the northern states to North Carolina and Michigan. Leaves. — Opposite, simple, pinnately veined, two to five inches long, ovate or oval, rounded at base, irregularly crenulate-ser- rate, slightly ciliate, acuminate at ai)ex. Dark green, glabrous above, paler green and glabrous beneath ; midvein and primary veins prominent. Flowers. — May, June. Perfect, small, yellowish, mostly in three-flowered clusters which are either terminal, or in the axils of the upper leaves. Calyx. — Tube long, slender, adnate to ovary ; border with five linear, persistent lobes. Corolla. — Narrowly funnel-form, tube slightly gibbous at the base; border nearly regular, five-lobed, honey yellow or green- ish yellow, downy externally, hairy within. Stamens. — Five, exserted, inserted on the corolla ; anthers Unear. 304 WEIGELA Wei^eLi, Dienilla rouj. HONEYSUCKLE FAMILY Pistil. — Ovary inferior, two-celled ; ovules numerous ; style thread-like \ stigma capitate. Fruit. — Capsule, glabrous, linear-oblong, three-fourths of an inch long, slender, beaked, crowned with the five calyx-lobes ; two-valved, many-seeded. September. There are three species of Diervillas native to east- ern United States, of which the Bush Honeysuckle is the northern species. It does not equal the cultivated forms in attractiveness and consequently is neglected. WEIGELA Diervilla rosea. IVcigela, in honor of Weigel, a German botanist. The Weigela of our gardens was discovered in China in 1844 by Robert Fortune. The first specimen which he saw is described as growing in a Mandarin's garden on the island of Chusan and characterized as a bush covered with rose-colored flowers which hung in clus- ters from the axils of the leaves and the ends of the branches. " 1 immediately marked it as one of the finest plants in northern China and determined to send plants of it home in every ship until I should hear of its safe arrival." From this beginning the Weigela has made its way until now it is one of the most prized of ornamental shrubs. The bush has a tendency to straggling growth which may be wisely suppressed ; but to get the best results it should be allowed a fair degree of freedom, and then its graceful, curving branches laden with flowers al- most if not quite reach the ground. 306 WEIGELA The dealers' catalot^ues now advertise varieties in great ninnl)ers, but Dicrvilla rosea, the phmt of Mr. Fortune's devotion, is still the best known, and although the varieties differ from the type they have not yet surpassed it. 307 RUBIACEyE— MADDER FAMILY BUTTON-BUSH. HONEY BALLS Cephalanth us occidcntalis. Cepha/antkus, of Greek derivation, from cephale, head, and anthos, a flower ; the flowers growing in heads. Strong, vigorous, erect shrub, varying from four to fifteen feet high ; stem often contorted ; found on the banks of slow-flowing streams and growing in swamps. Ranges from New Brunswick to western Ontario and south to Florida, Texas and Arizona ; also on the Pacific coast. Root large, stout, often contorted. Bark. — Dark gray, cracked, flaky, surface plates thin and loose, even on small branches. Branchlets at first brownish green or reddish brown, later pale dull brown, finally dark ashen gray. Leaves. — Opposite or in threes, simple, three to six inches long, oblong-oval or ovate, rounded or wedge-shaped at base, entire, acute or acuminate at apex ; midvein, primary and secondary veins depressed above, very prominent beneath ; when full grown are thick, dark shining green above, paler, sometimes dowaiy, beneath. In autumn they turn a dull yellow or fall w^ith little change of color. Petioles one-half to one inch long, stout, grooved, sometimes twisted. Stipules short, connecting the bases of opposite leaf stems. Flowers. — July, August. Perfect, white, fragrant, tubular, sessile, borne in dense spherical heads at the extremities of the branches ; often in groups of threes ; heads exclusive of styles about an inch in diameter ; filled with nectar. Peduncles one to two inches long. Remain in bloom a long time. 308 BUTTON BUSH Button Bush, Cephalantbus occidnitalis. leaves 5' to b' long. Flower balls \' lo x]^' in diameter exclusive of styles MADDER FAMILY Calyx. — Tubular, four-sided, four-toothed, hairy. Corolla. — White, tubular, twice as long as the calyx, hairy within, four-toothed ; teeth imbricate in bud. Siamefis. — Four, borne on the tube of the corolla, alternate with the lobes, scarcely exserted ; anthers bi cuspidate at base. Pistil. — Ovary adnate to the calyx, two to four-celled ; style much exserted, long and thread-like ; stigma capitate. Fruit. — A ball made up of many small capsules crowded to- gether and each containing one or two seeds. The Button-bush is a widely distributed plant, found growing by the side of standing water, often ventur- ing in, and always loving the water about its roots. The leaves are large, rather coarse in texture, bright green and shining. The flowers are the plant's distinctive attraction. It is apparent that the sphere is a common type of fruit-forms, — the apple, the cherry, the grape, the num- berless capsules and seed-cases of spherical form attest the fact ; but it is not often that nature achieves a sphere in a flower or flower cluster. Yet the flower cluster of the Button-bush is a perfect globe, with thread-like styles protruding from every side. This little globe is made up of scores of tiny cream-white blossoms all crowded upon a central axis, and each one so full of nectar and so loved by the bees that one of the common country names of the bush is Honey Balls. The plant is much used in European gardens, where the singularity of its flowering habit and its late season of bloom recommend it to planters. With us it is found by almost every roadside and should be pro- tected and cherished. COMPOSITyE— COMPOSITE FAMILY GROUNDSEL-TREE Bdccharis halunifblia. Baccharis, the name of a shrub anciently dedicated to Bac- chus ; without significance in its present use. A branching glabrous shrub, three to nine feet high, the branchlets angled, sometimes minutely scurfy ; found on the sea- beaches, along salt marshes and tidal rivers, extending inland beyond saline influences. Ranges from Massachusetts to Florida and Texas. Leaves. — Alternate, simple, three-nerved, midvein most promi- nent, one to three inches long, obovate or oblong, short-petioled or sessile, entire or few-toothed toward the apex. Leaves on the flowering spray smaller than the others ; when full grown are thick, bright green, glabrous. In autumn aey turn yellow or fall with little change of color; persist until beaten off by first winter storms. i^/^7«:'^r^.— September, October. Dioecious. Calyx-tube adnate to ovary, the limb bristled; corolla tubular, five-lobed ray flow- ers absent; stamens five ; ovary one-celled ; style of fertile flow- ers two-cleft. In heads of terminal ped uncled clusters of two to five ; those of the sterile plant nearly globose when young ; the bracts of the involucre oblong-ovate, obtuse, glutinous, appressed; the inner ones of the pistillate heads lanceolate, acute or acutish. fruit. — Achenes, with bright white papinis, one-fourth to one- half an inch long ; in two series of capillary bristles, muc h ex- ceeding the involucre. The Groundsel-trfe. /uuc/i,in's halimifoluj, is now conspicuous with its l()n^^ white, silky pappus. Although it belongs to the largest order of flow- 311 COMPOSITE FAMILY ering plants, it is the only one in this vast order in our temperate climate that attains the dignity of treehood. In the Pines it grows from ten to fif- teen feet in height, and in autumn is a very marked feature of the landscape. The abundant pure white pappus with which the plant is enshrouded at a little distance looks like a mass of white flowers strangely out of season in their rich setting of autumnal foliage. — Mary Treat, in Garden and Forest. Vineland, N. J., November 17, 1888. Shrubs which are in full bloom during- the first weeks of October are not plentiful in our climate ; the mus- ter roll includes the althaeas, the hardy hydrangeas, the witch hazel and the groundsel-tree, together with sundry late blooming roses. The Groundsel-tree is valued for its fluffy fruit rather than for its inconspicu- ous flowers ; but any bloom at this period is welcome. It belongs to the CompositcE, the family of the asters, the daisies, the goldenrods and the sunflowers. The individual blossoms are minute and are gathered to- gether in small heads without ray flowers, conse- quently are inconspicuous. The plant is dioecious, that is, the pistillate and the staminate flowers are borne on different bushes. This is a kind of division of labor in the vegetable world ; many trees are of this nature, notably the willows. The particular and gratifying characteristic of the Groundsel-tree is that it is possible to plant two bushes side by side, watch them flourish throughout the sum- mer and Avhen blooming time comes in September, see one pi^t forth its clusters of tiny pistillate flowers which look like little green buds with a pale top ; and the other put forth its staminate clusters which differ from the first only that the tops are a little more conspicu- ous. In the course of time, one green bush bears a 312 GROUNDSEL-TREE Groundsel-tree, Baccbaris baliwifolia. Leaves i' to y lung. Spi.iy .it tin- Idi. pistill.itc ; .it tin- right, st.iiriiiate. COMPOSITE FAMILY ^3 S;. few dry remnants of fiowers, the other bursts into a mass of fluffy white. All this can go on by the side of the garden walk and so clearly that he who runs to catch a suburban car may note and understand. This fluffy appearance is due to the fact that each small seed after the fashion of so many of its family is a wind traveller; and is provided with means for its long journey in the shape of a feathery parachute made up of many white hairs, which makes a brave show upon the bush and finally takes the wings of the wind and sails away bearing the seed to *' distant homes and unpeopled lands." The shrub is a native of sea-beaches and salt marshes, yet will grow almost anywhere : obviously, after a plant has acquired the ability to live on the seacoast, any other location must be an improvement. It bears close pruning and is a good ornamental shrub. Fruit of Groundsel-tree. 314 VACCINIACE.E — HUCKLEBERRY FAMILY HUCKLEBERRY "The huckleberries and cranberries take the place throughout the northern part of this continent of the heaths of the corre- sponding climates of Europe ; and fill it with not less of beauty, and incomparably more of use." — George B. Emerson. '^ The huckleberry grows a second crop — a crop of color. It is twice blessed — it blesses him that eats and him that sees." — Bradford Torrey. " The name huckleberry is applied as a generic term to cover the fruit of all si)ecies of the two genera, Gay/ussacia and Vac- cinium. In a restricted sense it is used locally to designate one or more species of the former genus, the name blueberry being then applied to fruit of Vaccinium species. In other cases the term huckleberry is ajiplied to black-fruited sjjecies of either genus. The more general custom is to apply the name huckle- berry to the fruit of all. " The most important difference between these two genera is that in Gaylussacia the fruit is ten-celled, each cell containing a single seed, or properly a little stone, while in ]\jiciuiiim there are several seeds in each cell, tliese being small, and tlie fruit forming a l>uli)y berry. Tlie seeds of the former, while less numerous are f^ir more troublesome than those of the latter. The leaves and branchlets of Gaylussacia are clammy witii resinous dots when young." — Fred. W. Card. 315 HUCKLEBERRY FAMILY The Huckleberry family does not differ widely from the Heath family in respect to its leaves or its flowers; but in respect to its fruit, — bird and beast and man will assert in chorus that the difference is very great. For the huckleberry and the blueberry have ministered to the comfort of the birds and the refreshment of mankind for ages. The obvious differ- ence between the two in popular estimation is that the huckleberry fruit is more "seedy" than that of the blueberry and consequently not so desirable for table use. As Professor Card so admirably explains, this popular opinion is based upon a structural difference in the fruit of the two genera. The VacciniacccB seem, so far, to have successfully re- sisted all efforts at domestication. From time to time we read that some one has transferred a few bushes to his garden and that they have done well there ; but oftener we hear and sometimes we see that trans- planted bushes do not do well. It is probable that the untamed spirit of these wild creatures might be broken, were it worth while ; but there is a more excellent way. The farmers have learned this in Michigan and in Maine and possibly elsewhere. The method is very simple — it consists in withdrawing grazing animals from fields where the Vacciniacece are native, permitting the bushes to take undisturbed possession ; and then about once in five years burning the tract. Of course, the first year after the burning there is no crop, but in the second year the crop is enormous. As the demand for the fruit is steady, there seems no reason in the nature of things wh}^ careful and systematic treatment of natural blueberry lands should not be profitable. 316 DANGLEBERRY •* ^ ll i» 1 Danyieberry, Gavlnssacia froudosa. Leaves \\z' to zy^' long. Fruit \xf in diameter. HUCKLEBERRY FAMILY DANGLEBERRY. TANGLEBERRY Gayliissdcia frondbsa. Gaylussacia, named in honor of the chemist, Gay-Lussac. A spreading bush, three to six feet high, found in moist situa- tions by the side of lakes and at the edge of woods. Ranges from New Hampshire to Florida, westward to Ohio and south- west to Louisiana. Sknis. — Branches slender and divergent; recent shoots and fruit stalks pale green or pale reddish yellow; branches and stems are of a mahogany or bronze color, covered with a pearly epidermis. Leaves. — Oblong, oval or obovate, one and one-half to two and one-half inches long, wedge-shaped at base, entire, slightly revolute, obtuse or acute, with a callous point at apex. When full grown are thin, pale green, glabrous above, glabrous or downy, pale or glaucous below, and sprinkled with minute resinous dots; midvein, ])rimary and secondary veins prominent beneath. Autumnal tints are scarlet, crimson, and orange. Petioles short. Flowers. — May, June. Perfect, few, greenish pink bells, borne on drooping pedicels one to three inches long which form a loose raceme. Each pedicel has a bract at base and two minute opposite bracts half way up. Calyx. — Calyx-tube adnate to the ovary, five-toothed. Corolla. — Broad, bell-shaped, one-eighth of an inch long, with five short angular teeth completely reflexed. Stamens. — Ten, included; filaments smooth, shorter than the anthers ; anthers awnless, tapering upward into tubes ; cells opening by a terminal pore. Pistil. — Ovary adnate to calyx, ten-celled, with one ovule in each cell ; style as long as the corolla. Fruit. — Berry-like drupe, globose, dark blue with a glaucous bloom, about one-third of an inch in diameter, sweet ; nutlets ten. July, August. The Dangleberry may be easily known by its large pale leaves which are glaucous beneath, and its loose 318 HIGH-BUSH HUCKLEBERRY Hii;h-bu.sh HucklebiTrv. Gji/i(s<,uij u-sii!o::> Leaves i' to 2' long. Fruit '4' in diameicr. HUCKLEBERRY FAMILY drooping racemes of flowers or of fruit. When neither in flower nor in leaf the reddish yellow wood of the new growth and the peeling, ashy gray bark serve as determining characters. The fruit has little value at the north, but in a milder climate is said to improve considerably in quality. BLACK OR HIGH-BUSH HUCKLEBERRY Gaylussdcia resmbsa. An erect shrub one to three feet high, branching freely with irregular straggling spray. Found on rocky hills and sandy ridges from Newfoundland to Georgia, westward to Wisconsin and Kentucky. Flowers and leaves densely covered with res- inous dots. Species varies considerably. Stems. — Young shoots downy, often deep red. Stems mahog- any color beneath a i)early epidermis. Winter buds small, bright red. Leaves. — Oval or oblong, rarely obovate, one to two inches long, wedge-shaped at base, entire, obtuse or acute at apex, mucronulate. They come out of the bud involute, shining, covered with minute resinous globules, pale green above and below ; when full grown they are profusely covered with dots of yellow resin which give a yellowish flush to the under-sur- face. Autumnal tints are purplish, crimson and orange. Petiole short. Flowers. — May, June. Reddish yellow bells, borne on short one-sided racemes, on terminal and axillary branches. Flower buds heavily covered with resinous dots. Calyx. — Resinous; tube adnate to the ovary, five-toothed. Corolla. — Ovoid conical or cylindric, five-angled, contracted at the mouth, dull red sometimes touched with yellow, five- toothed ; teeth acute, slightly recurved. Sia??iens. — Ten, included, filaments ciliate, anthers awnless, two-celled ; cells prolonged into tubes opening by a pore at apex. 320 DWARF HUCKLEBERRY Dwarf Huckleberry, Gavlnssacia duniosa. Leaves i' io i^' long. Fruit y^' to }^' in diameter. HUCKLEBERRY FAMILY Pistil. — Ovary inferior, ten-celled, one ovule in each cell, many of which abort in fruit. Fruit. — Berry-like drupe, black, shining, without bloom, sweet, one-fourth of an inch in diameter; nutlets ten. July, August. Gayhissacia rcsinosa produces the common huckle- berry of the markets. The fruit is sweet, firm, and shining black in color. There are varieties which vary considerably from the type in respect to fruit ; one has very sweet pear-shaped ber- ries ; another has glaucous leaves, and fruit covered with a glaucous bloom ; a third has large bluish ber- ries ; and a fourth has white berries. A species that so naturally divides into varieties would probably yield very readily to cultivation and pro- duce a variety of superior fruit. The bush is now offered for sale as an ornamental shrub and gardeners report that it is growing in favor. High-bush Huckleberry, in flower. DWARF HUCKLEBERRY Gayliissdcia djimbsa. A shrub one to two feet high, from a creeping base, found in swamps. Ranges from Newfoundland to Florida and Louisiana. Steins. — Recent branches brownish downy, and somewhat viscid with a few glandular hairs. Stems and older branches ashen gray. Winter buds red. Leaves. — Sessile, obovate-oblong, or oblanceolate, an inch to an inch and a half long, wedge-shaped at base, entire, ciliate with glandular hairs, obtuse or acute at apex, and ending in a small awl-like point ; when full grown are bright green, thick 322 BOX HUCKLEBERRY and shinini; above. j)alc i^reen, L;lal)r()us or downy beneath, and conspicuuiisly s])rinkled with resinous dots above and Ijelow ; niidvein and primary veins deeply depressed above. Autumnal tints purplish, scarlet, and orange. Nou'tTs. — May, June. Perfect, white, pink or red bells, borne in rather loose racemes. Bracts leaf-like, oval, persistent, as long as the i)edicels. Qi/yx. — (rlandular, adnate to the ovary, five-toothed; teeth acute and fringed. Corolla. — White, pink or red, bell-shaped, five-angled, five- toothed ; teeth short and somewhat recurved. Sfamois. — Ten ; filaments downy ; anthers long, awnless, two-celled ; cells prolonged into tubes opening at the apex. Pistil. — Ovary inferior, ten-celled, each cell containing one ovule ; style long and slender. Fruit. — Berry-like dru])e, depressed globose, black and shin- ing, about one-fourth of an inch in diameter, rather insipid ; nutlets ten. August. The Dwarf Hucklcberr}', a small shrub from a crcep- in<^ base, is not very abundant, nor is its fruit very good. Leaves, branchlets, flower stems and calyx are sprinkled with glandular and resinous dots. BOX HUCKLEBERRY Gaylussacia brachycera. A low shrub, six to fifteen inches high ; branches erect ; twigs smooth ; leaves resembling those of the box. In dry woods, from Delaware and Pennsylvania to Virginia. Leaves. — Evergreen, thick, leathery, smooth, not resinous, oval or oblong, one-half to one inch long, wedge-shai)ed at l)ase, crenate-serrate, some- what revolute, obtuse or acute at margin. Petioles short. Flowers. — May. Small white or pink bells, in few -flowered racemes. Box Huckleberry, CnlusSiicia hr,i- chvcrrii. A f t e r Briuon& Brown. 323 HUCKLEBERRY FAMILY DWARF BLUEBERRY. LOW-BUSH BLUEBERRY Vacclnitijn pcnnsylvatiiciini. A low bush, six inches to two feet high, found in dry, rocky, or sandy soil and often fringing wet lands. Ranges from New- foundland to southern New Jersey and westward to Illinois and Michigan. Stems. — Shoots green, branchlets a little angular, bark light green, warty with whitish dots ; stems reddish jjurple. Winter buds quite large, reddish purple. Leaves. — Oblong or ovate-lanceolate, three -fourths to an inch and a half long, acute at both ends, minutely serrate, rather thick texture, terminating in a callous tip. They come out of the bud revolute, deeply tinged with red, which color they retain for a considerable time ; when full grown are glabrous and shining above, smooth or slightly downy on the veins below ; finely and markedly reticulate. Autumnal tint scarlet and crimson ; fall early. Flowers. — May, June. White bells, borne in few-flowered racemes. Bracts reddish. Calyx. — Adnate to ovary, five-toothed. Corolla. — Oblong, bell-shaped, slightly contracted at the throat, white or pinkish, five-toothed : teeth acute ; slightly reflexed. Stamens. — Ten ; filaments short, hairy ; upwardly prolonged into tubes ; cells opening by terminal pores. Pistil. — Ovary inferior, ovules several ; style even with corolla. Fruit. — Globular berry, one-fourth to three-eighths of an inch in diameter, blue with a bloom ; very sweet. The earliest of the blueberries. This lowest and earliest of the blueberries delights in a thin, sandy soil, and carpets the ground in the openings in the pitch-pine woods with beds of rich soft green, which in May and June are decked with a profusion of beautiful flowers ; in July and August are loaded with delicious fruit, and in October turn to deep scarlet and crimson. From its situation and exposure the berries ripen earlier than those of any other species. They are soft and easily injured in bringing to market, and liable when in mass to speedy decay. — George B. Emerson. 324 DWARF BLUEBERRY Dwarf Blueberry, l/airiuinni pcHnsrlvaniciim. Leaves %' to i',' long Fruit >/ lo '/ in di.imeter. HUCKLEBERRY FAMILY VacciiiiuDi poinsylvaiiiciim is a dwarf, straggling bush, climbing to rocky heights or carpeting dry, sandy places. In winter its large, scal}^ flower buds are easily distinguished from the leaf buds. The flowers appear a little before the leaves and are followed by large, pale blue, delicious berries, ripe b}- the last of June or in early July. The immature clusters of fruit crowding at the very tips of the branches form a most enchanting combination of green, pink, pur- ple, and blue. The Canadian Blueberry, Vac- ciniuui canadcnsc, is a dwarf shrub resembling Vacciniuni pciuisyhaiii- cuin, but with broader and more downy leaves. The fruit is blue- black and ripens later than the common Blueberry. It is the last Blueberry to appear in the market and is most abun- dant in the British provinces. Vacciniuni pcnnsylvcDiicuni angiistifoliuvi is a subarctic form with narrower leaves, found on the summits of the White Mountains, on the Adirondacks, at Quebec and northward. Vacciniinii pcnnsylvaniciiin nigru^n is a variety with a rounder bell than that of the tvpe ; the berry black without bloom. It flowers a little earlier than the type. Dwarf Blueberry, in flower. 326 LOW BLUEBERRY Low Blueberry, l\uciiiiiini x'jiillaiis. Leaves i' to 2^2' long. Fiuil flj' to h' in di.iim-ti HUCKLEBERRY FAMILY LOW BLUEBERRY. BLUE HUCKLEBERRY Vaccinmm vacillans. A stiff shrub, six inches to four feet high, found in dry, sandy soil. Ranges from New Hampshire to North Carohna and west to Michigan. Stems. — Branchlets and smaller spray red or pink and con- trasting in color with the yellowish green or pale gray of the twigs and branches. Winter buds red. Leaves. — Obovate, oval or broadly oblong, one to two and one-half inches long, narrowed or rounded at base, entire or sparingly or minutely serrulate, acute or acuminate, with a small bristle at apex. They come out of the bud revolute, dull green tinged with red, which color they remain for some time ; when full grown are dull light green, glabrous above, pale or glaucous beneath. Autumnal tint scarlet and crimson. Flowers. — May, June. Pink or greenish white bells about one-fourth of an inch long, borne in racemose clusters ; appear before the leaves are half-grown. Calyx. — Tube adnate to the ovary, five-toothed. Corolla. — Pink or white, oblong-cylindric, somewhat con- stricted at the throat. Stamefis. — Ten, filaments slightly hairy, anthers extending into long tubes ; cells opening by terminal pores. Pistil. — Ovary inferior ; ovules several. Fruit. — Globular berry, blue with a bloom, sweet, delicious flavor. Ripening somewhat later than Vaccitiium peiinsylvajii- cum. July to September. A variety with white fruit is known. Mr. Jackson Dawson of the Arnold Arboretum de- scribes this Blueberry as follows : *' The Low Blueberry, Vacciniiivi vacillans, is a shrub from one to three feet high, with a yellowish green stem and glaucous leaves, usually growing on high rocky ground and at the edge of woods. It bears an abundance of large sweet berries which are chiefly HIGH-BUSH BLUEBERRY covered with a blue bloom, (hough 1 have found black varieties. The huil and llowers are formed at the ex- tremities of the last year's growth, which is from one to four inches long without leaves, so that a large part of the plant seems leaHess. The ends of the branches are covered with fruit, however, which can be stripped off by the handful. As it is very prolific, the flowers of this species in May l()f)k much richer and more abundant than those of any of the others. The fruit is ripe from late July to Sei)tend)er. The plant is well worth cultivation as an ornamental shiub, and for its valuable fruit." Vacci)iiuiii vacillaiis may be distinguished from ]\u- ciiiiuin ponisylvanicuiiL as a larger bush. The leaves are twice as large at least, dull green above, paler or distinctly glaucous beneath. The fruit begins to ripen when the best of ]\uciniui)i pciuisyhaiiicuDi is past. The berries are very similar; possiblv those of VacciniuiiL vacillaiis are not quite so juicy or so sweet as the others. HIGH-BUSH BLUEBERRY. TALL BLUEBERRY. SWAMP BLUEBERRY Vacihi ium coyy))ibosu))i. A shrill) six to fifteen feet hi-h, forming large, handsome clumps in s\vami)s and moist woods. Ranges from Newfound- land to Virginia, west to Minnesota. Has many varying forms ; produces the last market blueberry. Stems. — Shoots and twigs yellowish green, somewhat angular when young. Stems and branches are lm)n/e or copper (olor or tinged with piiri)le or red or bleached to a gray; gradually the hark cleaves off, giving the stems a mottled look. 329 HUCKLEBERRY FAMILY Leaves. — Alternate, simple, oblong or oval, one to three inches long, wedge-shaped at base, entire, acute at apex. They come out of the bud i)ale green or purplish, downy ; when full grown are dark green, glabrous and shining above, paler and downy beneath. Autumnal tint brilliant scarlet and orange. Petiole short. Floivers. — May, June. White or pale pink bells, borne in short pendent or nodding racemes, which apj^ear on almost leaf- less branches of last year's wood. Bracts deciduous. Calyx. — Adnate to the ovary ; five-lobed. Corolla. — White or pinkish, cylindric or slightly constricted at the throat, one-fourth to one-half an inch long, five-toothed. Sfaniens. — Ten, anthers upwardly prolonged into tu'Des ; cells opening by terminal pores. Pistil. — Ovary inferior, ovules several, stigma small. Fruit. — Berry one-fourth to one-third an inch in diameter, variable in color but typically blue with a bloom ; pleasantly acid. July, August. This Blueberry is described by Gray in three vari- eties, two of which Britton & Brown regard as suffi- ciently distinct to be considered species. These are Vacciniiini coryinbosuni atrococciun, which differs from the type, principally, in more downy leaves, smaller and rounder flowers and berries black without bloom ; and Vacciniiun coryvibosuin palliduin which differs in having- paler serrulate leaves, whitish or glaucous be- neath. This form is common in the Alleghanies and has a southern habitat. Mr. Jackson Dawson of the Arnold Arboretum writes of this Blueberry as follows : *' The High Bush Blueberry, Vaccinmm coryinbosuni, forms handsome clumps of shrubbery from four to ten feet high in deep swamps and moist woods, but sel- dom reaches more than four feet in open pastures. 330 HIGH-BUSH BLUEBERRY lli'^li busli Bluebell \, yjccnilitiu corynibosniu. 1. leaves \' to ■?' long. Fruit ^4' to 'j' in diameter. HUCKLEBERRY FAMILY The young- branches are usually yellowish green, turning to a light gray when old or much exposed, while the bark on old stems becomes rough and peels off in shreds. " The flowers are pretty, white bells, borne at the ex- tremity of the branches of the previous year's growth. They appear in May and early June, and the fruit is ripe from August to late September. The latter is variable in shape, size, flavor, and color. Of many well marked varieties, one has large black fruit of a pleasant acid which seems exactly the flavor to add to a bowl of new milk. Another, a large one, has a deli- cate sugary flavor. I chanced upon a bush one day which was twelve feet high, loaded with berries of a beautiful blue, rich, juicy variety and half an inch in diameter, while some were even larger. In this swamp ten or twelve good forms of fruit might have been found and by careful selection and hybridization there is no reason why the High Bush Blueberry should not become an excellent and abundant fruit, as it is more easily cultivated than any of the others. A dwarf form of Vacciniiun coryinbosuin which rarely grows more than eighteen inches high has large, fine, abundant fruit of a bluish black color." The High-bush Blueberry has many virtues, and by no means the least is the oforo^eous coloring: that it assumes in late October. Then it becomes indeed a burning bush of the most brilliant scarlet and holds its leaves late into November. It should be more generally planted, for it is beautiful at all seasons, is not difficult to transplant, and will grow in any good garden soil. 332 DWARF BILBERRY Dwarf Bilberry, Vacdnium ovspilosiiui. Leaves J.2' to 1' long. HUCKLEBERRY FAMILY DWARF BILBERRY Vaccin iut)i cccspitbs um. A low much branched shrub, three to seven inches high ; found on the summits of the White Mountains. Ranges from Labrador westward through subarctic America to Alaska, south in the Rocky Mountains to Colorado. Leaves. — Obovate, one-half to one inch long, wedge-shaped at base, serrulate with small blunt teeth, obtuse or acute at apex, nearly sessile, shining green above and beneath. In autumn the leaves fall early. Flowers. — June, July. White or pink bells ; mostly solitary in the axils of the leaves ; calyx five or four-toothed ; corolla obovoid or oblong-obovoid, pink or white, five, rarely four- toothed ; stamens ten, rarely eight. Fruit. — Berry, globular, blue with a bloom, sweet, about one- fourth of an inch in diameter. August, BOG BILBERRY. BOG WHORTLEBERRY VaccUmim uliginbsuin. A low, stiff, much branched shrub, six to twenty-four inches high. Found on the summits of the high mountains of New England and New York mainly above the timber line, along the shore of Lake Superior and northward to Alaska. Also found in northern Europe and northern Asia. Leaves. — Oval, obovate or ob- long, one-half to one inch long, wedge-shaped at the base, entire, ob- tuse or retuse, nearly sessile ; when Bilberry, Vaccinium uUginomm, f"ll g^OWn thick, bright green abovC, in flower. dull, pale, or glaucous beneath. 334 MOUNTAIN CRANBERRY Flowers. — June, July. Pink l)ells, solitary or in clusters (A two to four. Calyx ibur-lobed, rarely five-lobecl ; corolla jjjnk, ovoid or urn-shai)ed, Ibur-toothed ; stamens eight, two-awned at the back, included. Fruit. — Berry, globular, about one-fourth of an inch in diam- eter, blue with a bloom, sweet, not abundant. July, August. MOUNTAIN CRANBERRY. CROWBERRY Vitis-Idcca vitis-idcca. Vaccinmm vltis-idcca. A low evergreen shrub, three to eight inches high, with creep- ing stems and erect branches. Ranges from the higher moun- tains of New England and the coast of Maine to Labrador, west- ward to Lake Superior, British Columbia and Alaska ; ascends 5,300 feet in the Adirondacks. Native in northern Europe and northern Asia ; prefers peat soil ; seeks the shelter of pine woods; makes beds and mats. Leaves. — Crowded on the stem, one-fourth to two-thirds of an inch long, obovate or oval, obtuse at base, margin entire or sparingly serrate, slightly revolute, rounded or slightly retuse at apex: when full grown are thick, leathery, dark shining green above, paler, and dotted with blackish points underneadi, gla- brous or minutely ciliate toward the base. Petioles short. Flowers.— ]\\\\Q, July. White or pinkish bells, in short, ter- minal, secund racemes, nodding, longer than their pedicels. Bracts reddish. Calyx. — Adnate to ovary, four-toothed. Corolla. — White or pink, oi)en bell-shaped, four-lobed. Stametis. — Eight ; anthers without awns, upwardly j^rolonged into tubes ; cells opening by terminal pores. 7^7^//. —Berry, globular, dark red, bitter-acid, about one-third of an inch in diameter ; edible when cooked and used as a sub- stitute for cranberries in the extreme north. August, September. The Mountain Cranberry is one of those plants which since the i^Iacial period has returned apparent- ly unchanged to its northern home; and is found in 335 HUCKLEBERRY FAMILY Europe, Asia, and America, well up toward the limit of the timber line. Like all the alpine and arctic plants it is dwarfed in stem and branch, although its flowers are lovely and fruit abundant. This dwarfing of plants native to high mountains or northern latitudes is interesting from a physiological point of view. Professor Correvon, Director of the Alpine Garden of Geneva, Switzerland, writes con- cerning it as follows : " In the first place physiological experiments have proved that it is during the night that the lengthen- ing of tissues and the gradual expansion of the plant occurs. In the daytime the greater the insolation the less growth they accomplish, and, the Alpine night being so extremely cold, there can scarcely be any nocturnal development of mountain plants. It is un- der the influence of attenuated solar rays and dur- ing the warm dusks that the plants are able to in- crease. The hot and powerful sun of high latitudes causes the brilliancy and size of the corollas, but also prevents the equal expansion of stems and leaves. These latter have only the very short space of time be- tween the setting of the sun and the beginning of the glacial night for their growth, and in addition they also profit by the short, cloudy, moist and tepid days that precede the setting in of winter to put forth new leaves and buds." Mr. J. M. Macoun, of Ottawa, Canada, writing in Garden and Forest says : *' The fruit of the Mountain Cranberry is consid- ered of no value in the warmer parts of Canada ; but in the cold rocky woods of the north, along the 336 MOUNTAIN CRANBERRY MnLintain Cranberry, l\u\!iiniiii z'lfis-iJjj. Leaves '4' to ^3' long. Fruit ' / in diameter. HUCKLEBERRY FAMILY shores of Hudson Bay and the Arctic Ocean, it seems to gain size and flavor out of the very conditions that dwarf and destroy its less hardy competitors. For there it is acid, not acrid, and pronounced to be the equal, by those who have eaten it there, of the Cran- berry. May not something be due to the appetite of the eater in that northern clime ? *' It is true, however, that on the north shore of the Gulf of St. Lawrence the fisher folk gather it in large quantities for their own use, calling it the Low-bush Cranberry. " In some places together with Empetrinn ntgruin it forms the sole food of the larger migratory birds as they return to the north in the spring. In the spring it is eagerly sought by the black bear, and on the islands in Hudson Bay and along the Arctic coasts the polar bear spends much of his time in tearing up the low evergreen plants in order to get at the fruit more easily ; for it is on the under side and almost touching the earth that the berries are found in greatest num- bers. Immense patches of ground covered with the dead plants may often be found, telling where bruin has been at work. All summer long the last season's fruit may be found mixed with the fiowers or with the green berries, and is then eaten by many bii'ds in pref- erence to anything else." 338 DEERBERRY Deerberrv, Pohrodiiim sfamifwiiiii. Lenvis i' to 4' long. Fruit ;,'»' to ;/ in diameter. HUCKLEBERRY FAMILY DEERBERRY. SQUAW HUCKLEBERRY Folycbdium stafnlneuni. Vacciniuni stamincum. Polycodiii?n, many bells, referring to the abundant flowers. A widely branching shrub two to five feet high, foinid in dry gravelly soil and under the shade of deciduous trees. Ranges from Massachusetts to Kentucky and Florida, west to Minnesota. Stcjus. — Branches slender, green, downy at first, finally brown. Leaves. — Oval, ovate, oblong or obovate, one to four inches long, rounded or heart-shaped at base, entire, slightly revolute at margin, acute or acuminate at apex; w^hen full grown are light green above, pale or glaucous or slightly downy beneath ; mid- vein and primary veins very prominent beneath. Autumnal tints scarlet and crimson, or the leaves fall with little change of color. Petiole short, downy. Flowers. — Ai)ril, June. Very numerous, pure white bells, borne in graceful, leafy-bracted racemes. Calyx. — Tube adnate to ovary, five-toothed. Corolla. — Oi)en bell-shaped, white, or white with a purplish tinge, or yellowish green, about one-quarter of an inch long, five- lobed. Stamens. — Ten, exserted, anthers upwardly prolonged into tubes ; cells opening by a terminal i)ore. Pistil. — Ovary inferior, five-celled ; style exserted. Fruit. — Berry globose or pear-shaped, greenish white, yellow- ish or dull red, three to five-eighths of an inch in diameter, in- edible. September. The Deerberry is a plant of wide distribution, but is principally a bush of the Alleghanies. When removed from its wild-wood surroundings, given good soil and generous treatment, it develops into a charming garden plant. Its flowers may be distinguished by their very long, straight stamens, which project far beyond the short, spreading, corolla bells. The fruit is inedible. 340 AMERICAN CRANBERRY CREEPING SNOWBERRY Chioi^incs scrpyllifblia. Chioi^em-s Ju'spidula. Chioi^oncs, snow born, in allusion to the white berries. A trailing and creeping evergreen, witli slender hairy branches and alternate two-ranked, oval or ovate, small leaves and solitary, axillar}^ small, greenish white flowers on short recurved peduncles. A na- tive of cold, wet woods, it ranges across the continent from New- foundland to British Columbia and southward to Michigan and North Carolina. The flowers appear in May and June, are bell-shaped ; calyx four-cleft ; corolla four-lobed ; stamens eight ; ovary four-celled. The berry is snow white, aromatic, many-seeded, rather mealy ; usual- ly minutely bristly. Creeping Snowberry, C.bio^cnes biipidnla. Leaves I'o' to Y/ long. AMERICAN CRANBERRY Oxycoccus macrocdrpus. Oxycocctis, sharp berry, of Greek derivation, referring to the sharp acid of the fruit. Cranberry is referred to a fan- cied resemblance between the stem, calyx, ami petals, as the bud is about to unfold, and the neck, head, and l)ill of a crane ; hence craneberry, soon corrupted into cran- berry. A trailing evergreen shrub with short, erect fruiting branches, alternate, nearly sessile leaves, and nodding slender })eduncles, pale pink flowers. I'he leaves are 341 HUCKLEBERRY FAMILY dark green above, white or pale beneath, the margins re volute. Flowers appear in June in few-flowered clusters, slightly racemose. Calyx is four-parted ; corolla four-parted, anthers exserted with very long terminal tubes ; berry four-celled, red, acid. Found in bogs from Newfoundland to the Northwest Territory and southward to North Carolina, Michigan, and Min- nesota. Extensively cultivated ; produces the cran- berry of the market. The Small or European Cran- berry, Oxy coccus oxycoccus, also occurs in the extreme north, de- scending as far south as New Jer- sey and Michigan. A southern form appears in the mountains of Virginia and southward. Professor Bailey, in " The Evo- lution of Our Native Fruits," writes of the cranberry as follows : " The cranberry, the most unique of American horticultural products, was first cultivated, or rescued from mere wild bogs, about 1 8 ID. Its cultivation began to attract attention about 1840, although the difficulties connected with the growing of this new crop did not begin to clear away before 1850. Cape Cod was the first cranberry-growing region, which was soon fol- lowed by New Jersey, and later by Wisconsin and other regions. The varieties now known are over a hundred, all having been picked up in bogs, and the annual product from tame bogs in the United States is more than 800,000 bushels." 342 American Cranberry, Oxycoccus macrocarpiis. Leaves ^' to Yi' long. EKICACEyE— HEAIH FAMILY LABRADOR TEA LcdiDH i^roni.'d/idicinn. Lt\/inn latifbliu})i. Lcdiiui is without significance as api)licd to this phint. A low, evergreen, unclershrub one to four feet higli, growing in bogs and swamps and cold, damp, wooded glens. Ranges from Greenland to British Columbia and southward to Massachusetts, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. Juices bitter, astrin- gent and narcotic. Root or subterranean stem very large. Stems. — Recent shoots densely covered with rusty tomentum. Older branches reddish brown or cojjper-colored ; main stem very dark. Leaves. — Alternate, simple, thick, one to two inches long, one-fourth to one-half an inch wide, oblong, i)ointed or rounded at base, obtuse at apex, margin entire, strongly revolute ; when full grown are pale green, slightly rugose, sparingly dotted with amber dots above, densely covered with soft brown wool beneath. Those growing on branches near the ground are sometimes destitute of tomentum and are flat, short, ellii)tical and scattered, bearing resinous dots beneath. Fragrant when crushed. Petioles short. Flowers. — May, June. Perfect, white, three-eighths to one- half an inch broad ; borne in dense terminal umbels one to one and one-half inches across ; pedicels nearly an inch long, recurved in fruit, brown-hairy or tomentose, 1)racted at the base ; bracts deciduous. Calyx. — Small, five-toothed, i)ersi stent. Corolla. — Petals five, white, nearly or tpiite distinct, oval, ob- tuse, ind)ricate in bud. 343 HEATH FAMILY Stamois. — Five to ten, hypogynous, exserted, filaments thread- like, white; anthers white, cells opening by terminal pores. Pistil. — Ovary superior, ovoid, scaly, five -celled; ovules many; style threadlike, persistent ; stigma five-lobed. Fruit, — Capsule, a quarter of an inch long, oblong-oval, crowned with the style, downy, nodding, five-celled, five-valved, opening from the base. Seeds many. Labrador Tea is an interesting example of a plant fitted to hold its own in a subarctic climate. In the first place, it is clothed in wool ; it carries a thick woolly coat over its stems and on the under-surface of its leaves. This woolliness lessens the loss of water through the stomata. Then, too, the leaves are partly rolled up with the upper surface outward, so as to give the lower surface a deeply grooved form. This plant ranges far north into regions where the temperature even in summer often falls so low that the absorption of water by the roots ceases, since it has been shown that this stops a little above the freezing point of water. Exposed to cold dry winds the plant would then often be killed by complete drying up, if it were not for the protection afforded by the woolly, channelled, under-surfaces of the leaves. — Joseph Y. Bergen. The name Labrador Tea is more than a botanist's fancy, — the resinous, astringent, and slightly bitter leaves really have been used at the north as a substi- tute for tea. There is no record that it is a good sub- stitute ; and in Russia where the leaves of an allied species are used instead of hops in the manufacture of beer, the beer so made causes headache and vertigo. Like all subarctic plants the roots are large in propor- tion to the spread of stem and foliage. The leaves are curiously recurved, a concession to the severit}^ of the climate in its chosen home. The handsome clusters of white flowers are produced in May and June. It prefers a peat soil, and like most broad-leaved ever- greens in our climate is the better for a slight winter covering, not as protection against winter cold, but against winter sunshine. 344 LABRADOR TEA Labr.klor Te;i, LcJtiiii oraiilaiidiiuin. Leaves i' to ::' loiii;. HEATH FAMILY WILD HONEYSUCKLE. PINXTER FLOWER. PINK AZALEA Azalea nudijibra. Azalea, dry, arid, of Greek derivation, refers to the habi- tat of the plant. Pinxter is Dutch for Whitsunday and re- fers to the time of flowering. A spreading shrub, two to six feet high, branched above, often simple below^ ; grows in dry sandy or rocky woods, also loves the banks of sluggish streams and borders of swamps. Ranges from Maine to Florida, westward to Missouri and Texas. Vari- able in habit and in choice of location. Leaves. — Alternate, crowded toward the end of the branches, simple, two to four inches long, oblong or obovate, acute at both ends, serrate, margin finely ciliate. They come out of the bud revolute, pale dull green, slightly hairy ; when full grown are bright green, glabrous above, paler green and downy be- neath. In autumn they turn dull yellow. Petioles short. Flowers. — April, May, before or with the leaves. Perfect, showy pink or nearly white, faintly odorous, borne in terminal umbels developed from cone-like scaly buds which were formed the previous autumn. Pedicels hairy, erect, about three-fourths of an inch long. Calyx. — Small, five-parted, persistent. Corolla. — Varying from rose-color more or less intense to white, funnel-form, somewhat irregular; tube dark pink, scarcely longer than the lobes of the corolla, hairy, slightly glandular ; border paler pink, five-lobed, somewhat two-lipped, one and a half to two inches broad. Stamens. — Five, much exserted, declined ; filaments slender, pink, often an inch and a half long ; anthers awnless ; cells opening by terminal pores. Pistil. — Ovary superior, five-celled ; style slender, pink; two to two and a half inches long, declined ; ovules numerous. Fruit. — Capsule, linear-oblong, erect, five-celled, opening down from the top, many-seeded. 346 WILD HONEYSUCKLE HEATH FAMILY Azaleas flush the island floors And the tints of heaven reply. — Ralph Waldo Emerson. jNIartha Bockee Flint in " A Garden of Simples " writes of Azalea nudiflora as follows : '' In secluded forest dells where the wood soil is rich and damp, on the verge of black, peaty swamps, and even on rocky hillsides, there blooms the most beautiful of the Azaleas, the Rhododoidroji nudiflora. No ' tree ' in its sub-arborescent growth, it is truly a rose ffower, for the exquisite tints of the wild-rose and the peach-blossom color its clusters of airy bloom. . . . This peerless azalea is familiarly known in New England as the honeysuckle, the swamp pink and the May apple. The latter name comes from the ir- regular excrescence, pale green and glaucous, growing on the leaves when stung by an insect, which there deposits its eggs. Cool, crisp, and juicy, they are the delight of children, and put for a day in spiced vinegar, make the first pickles of the year. *' But the name by which this May Queen of our northern flora is dearest to New Netherland families is Pingster-bloem^ the flower of Pingster or Whitsun- day. In the seventeenth century, the rocky glens and woodland glades of the island of Manhattan were all aglow with this pink azalea, blooming over a period long enough to connect it with that movable feast, by 348 Leaves of y^^alca viidiflora. MOUNTAIN AZALEA : Sk^^'^ Mountain Azalea. A;ctlL\i c.DusLCin Leaves 0/2' to 3' long. HEATH FAMILY the Dutch revered only less than the festival of their own patron saint. With the prescribed religious ob- servances the Pingster days had many features of the Saturnalia and were in that staid community a time of unwonted license. The slaves then had their holiday and held riot, awakening on the banks of the Hudson the wild echo of sti"ains which had been chanted on the Congo and the Gambia. But the custom in Nieuw Amsterdam which is fairest in retrospect, and which lingered longest, was the gathering of the Ping- ster-blocm. . . . From the day's woodland revels, the youths and maidens returned laden with the branches of the Pingstcr-blocni, to adorn the houses. This yearly gathering of the Azalea is the nearest spontaneous approach to a May Day celebration which has ever thrived in our capricious climate. This may be explained not only by the matchless beauty of the sjdvan spoil, but by the great rever- ence with which Whitsunday was regarded in every branch of the Christian church." MOUNTAIN AZALEA Azalea canesceiis. A mountain form, native to the Catskill and Shawangunk mountains and southward along the AUeghanies. A branching shrub, four to fifteen feet high, the twigs glabrous or sparingly pubescent. Leaves oval, elliptic or sometimes obovate, wider and shorter than those of Azalea nudiflora, more or less soft canescent and pale beneath, and stiff hairy or pubescent on the veins, varying to nearly glabrous, the margins ciliolate- 350 FLAMING AZALEA Flaniin;^- Azalea, A;jL\i lutcj Leaves 2' to ■?'-' long. HEATH FAMILY serrulate; pedicels glandular; flowers rose-color to white, very fragrant, expanding with or before the leaves ; corolla border of two inches across ; the tube rather stout, densely glandular but scarcely viscid ; stamens exserted ; capsule linear-oblong, narrowed above, glandular, one-quarter to one-third of an inch long. FLAMING AZALEA Azalea Ihtea. Azalea ealendulacea. Four to fifteen feet high ; erect, branches and twigs mostly smooth ; in dry woods. Ranges from soutliern New York to Georgia on the slopes of the Appalachian mountains. Attrac- tive in cultivation. Leaves. — Alternate, simple, oblong, oval or obovate, wedge- shaped at base, margins serrulate and ciliolate-serrulate, some- what revolute, acute at apex ; when full grown bright green, glabrous or slightly hairy above; more or less downy or tomen- tose beneath. Petioles short. Floivers. — May, June, with the leaves. Perfect, orange, yel- low or red, very showy, slightly fragrant, borne in terminal um- bels developed from cone-like scaly buds, which were formed the previous autumn. Calyx. — Small, five-parted. Corolla. — Varying from lemon to orange and red, funnel-form, somewhat irregular. Tube glandular-hairy, about the length of the corolla-lobes ; border five-lobed, about two inches broad. Stamens. — Five, long-exserted, declined, filaments slender, yellow ; anthers awnless, cells opening by terminal ]^ores. Pistil. — Ovary superior, five-celled ; style slender, three inches long, yellow. Fruit. — Cai)sule, linear-oblong, erect, more or less downy. Hardly inferior to any of the garden varieties is our native Azalea ealen- dulacea ; and one of the great sights of this continent for the lover of flowers is the slopes of the southern Alleghany mountains when they are blazing in June with the great flame-colored masses of this splendid plant. — Garden and Forest. 3S^ TREE AZALEA Leaves i' to 2' long. HEATH FAMILY SMOOTH AZALEA. TREE AZALEA Azalea arborcsccns. The Tree Azalea under favorable conditions attains the height of six to ten feet. Although found in the mountains of Pennsylvania the plant is really southern and finds its most congenial home in the Carolinas and the Gulf states. The leaves are one to two inches long, obovate or oval, acute or acuminate at apex, margin entire and ciliate, bright green above, pale green beneath, fragrant in drying. The flowers, which appear in June and July, are of the azalea type, white or tinged with pink, fragrant. The border is nearly regular, and the tube slender and glandular; stamens and style are red, long-exserted. The fruiting capsule is densely glandular, one-half to three-fourths of an inch long. This is one of the most beautiful and most fragrant of the azaleas, and the length of its blooming period makes it desirable in cultivation. WHITE SWAMP HONEYSUCKLE. WHITE AZALEA. CLAMMY AZALEA Azalea viscosa. Four to six feet high, with numerous spreading branches, grayish bark and hairy twigs ; the whole plant sticky and clammy ; found in swamps, at the borders of ponds, on moist highlands. Ranges from Maine to Florida and from Ohio to Texas, not far from the coast. Variable. Leaves. — Alternate, simple, obovate-oblong or oblanceolate, two to four inches long, short-petioled, wedge-shaped at base, entire, ciliolate at margin, obtuse or acute and bristle pointed at 354 CLAMMY AZALEA Claniniy A/aLm, .-!;jLj Leaves 2' to 4' long. HEATH FAMILY apex ; wlien full grown, light green above, often glaucous, more or less hairy, beneath. Flowers. — June, July, after the leaves. Perfect, white, some- times touched with pink, borne in terminal umbels developed from cone-like scaly buds which were formed the previous autumn ; all the parts viscid and glandular ; fragrant. Calyx. — Minute, five-parted, glandular-bristly. Corol/a. — White, varying to pale pink, funnel-form, tube slender, very viscid, densely glandular ; border five-lobed, more or less two-lipped, one to two inches broad, shorter than the tube. Stamens. — Five, exserted, declined ; filaments white, pubes- cent ; anthers orange, awnless, opening by terminal pores. Pistil. — Ovary superior, glandular-bristly, five-celled ; style white, slender, pubescent, exserted. Fndt. — Capsule, linear-oblong, about half an inch long, glandular-bristly. The Clammy White Azalea is found abundantly on the borders of swamps, although it sometimes climbs the mountain side. The books report its color as white, but this is not always the case ; for some plants bear pure white liowers while others have pink or pale rose-colored blossoms; sometimes the tube of a white one shows a flush of pink. The blossom is thickly covered with glandular hairs ; they are on pedicel, calyx, corolla, each one white crowned with a minute crimson ball. It is late in August before the last blossom has faded on the White Honeysuckle that lives in a shaded nook by a northern swamp. Transferred to the garden the flowering period is shorter, but the bush belongs to the group of summer bloomers. The flowers are de- liciously fragrant and this fragrance seems to reside in every part. 356 CULTIVATED AZALEAS CULTIVATED AZALEAS It is well known that the charming Azaleas which glorify our lawns in the early spring are the product of the gardener's art. Their range of color is nothing less than marvellous. Through all the tints of buff and sulphur and primrose, through all the range of salmon and crimson and vermilion, fading from rose into white and deepening from lemon to orange, they make their bewildering way. Every morning is a fresh revela- tion of what subtle and varied color these gorgeous creatures can command ; and as the day ends the hawk moth, which looks like a humming-bird, poised upon wings whose motion is like the sleep of a top, hovers in the twilight above the blossoms seeking the nectar stored in the long tubes; and so makes sure there shall be more Azaleas in days to come. The story of their origin is most interesting, and in this life history our own plants bear a distinguished part. The entire American group possesses the char- acteristic known as variability. That means simply that a plant is in a state of " unstable equilibrium," and will respond to influences so subtle that our gross senses cannot divine what they are. The result is that in minor characters the plant is continually vibrating back and forth. It loves the swamp, but grows on tlie dry rocky hillside as if it desired no other home. Usually each flower has five stamens; some fine day a plant produces a cluster in which each flower has ten. Here the beautiful corolla-tube is smooth ; there it is covered witli clammy hairs. Tliesc cliaractcrs^ more- over, do not persist with any degree ol certainty. 357 HEATH FAMILY Such a plant is the joy of the gardener, for its char- acters are not fixed and he can easily mould them to his purposes. Our American Azaleas, notably Azalea nudijlora, Azalea lutea and Azalea arboreseens, were sent to the Belgian horticulturists at Ghent early in the eighteenth century. They were first crossed with the Azalea pon- tica of southern Europe — strains from India, from China, from Japan, were introduced, and by a process of hybridization and selection a wonderful group known as the Ghent Azaleas was produced. What the gardeners of Ghent began the horticult- ural world has continued ; and now, in the selection of hardy Azaleas, one is embarrassed by the number of varieties from which to choose. Azalea mollis, a rather recent introduction from Japan, is a form which is winning its way to favor be- cause of its hardiness, its low spreading growth and its well-shaped, symmetrical head. The flowers of the type are flame-colored, but seedlings and hybrids fur- nish gorgeous blossoms of white, yellow, and orange. The plant is an early bloomer and is a very desirable species. The Azaleas, like the rhododendrons, are intolerant of lime. It is futile to expect flourishing plants in a calcareous soil, for however well a bed may be pre- pared it is only a question of time when the surround- ing lime leaches through. Nor is a stiff clay soil really suitable for the plant ; although by digging wide and deep and filling in with sand and loam and leaf humus, suitable conditions can be created. 358 RHODORA Rhodora, Rhodora cwhu/c'usi'i. Leaves i' to "/ long. HEATH FAMILY RHODORA RJiodbra cajiadensis. Named from the Greek rhodon, ; ose. Early flowering, low, thin little shrub, one to three feet high, growing in cool bogs, by the side of sluggish streams, in damp woods and on wet hillsides. Ranges from Newfoundland to New Jersey, westward to central New York and Pennsylvania. Ste7ns. — Recent shoots straight, erect, pale yellowish brown, hairy. Older stems covered with an outer bark which peels off early and leaves a bright, copper-colored, smooth bark; leaf-buds minute; flower-buds terminal, scaly, yellowish brown. Leaves. — Alternate, simple, one to three inches long, oval or oblong, narrowed at base, entire, slightly revolute, obtuse or acute, often with a bristle at tip ; when full grown pale green above, paler and glaucous and downy beneath. In au- tumn they fall early with little change of color. Petioles short. Flowers. — April, May, just before or with the leaves. Perfect, rose-purple, varying to white, Rhodora Leaf. l)orne in corymbose terminal clusters. Pedicels short, hairy. Calyx. — Minute, five-toothed. Corolla. — Rose-purple, an inch to an inch and a half l)road, two-lipped ; upper lip unequally two to three-lobed ; the lower divided to the base ; the segments recurved. Stamen s.^Tqw, as long as the corolla ; filaments somewliat hairy ; anthers short, roundish, purple ; cells opening by ter- minal pores. Pistil. — Ovary superior, five-celled, bristly ; style slender, purple, exserted ; stigma capitate. Fruit. — Capsule, linear-oblong, five-celled, five-valved, many seeded. 360 GREAT LAUREL Great Laurel, Rhododnidron maxiiniim. Leavi-s 4' to 7' loiij;. HEATH FAMILY Rhodora 1 if the sages ask you why This charm is wasted on the marsh and sky, Dear, tell them, that if eyes were made for seeing, Then beauty is its own excuse for being. Why thou wert there, O rival of the rose, I never thought to ask ; I never knew, But in my simple ignorance suppose The selfsame Power that brought me there brought you. — Ralph Waldo Emerson. On the margin of some quiet swamp a myriad of bare twigs seem sud- denly overspread with purple butterflies, and we know that the Rhodora is in bloom. Wordsworth never immortalized a flower more surely than Emerson this, and it needs no weaker words ; there is nothing else in which the change from nakedness to beauty is so sudden, and when you bring home the great mass of blossoms they appear all ready to flutter away again from your hands and leave you disenchanted. — Thomas Wentworth Higginson. The Rhodora grows from one to three feet high, with each stem divided into four or five branchlets which are terminated by the encircling flower clusters. A native of swamps, it accepts the garden and will grow and spread if provided with a peaty soil and an open position. Like many others the flowers in order to be effective should be seen in masses. This is a genus of a single species; so far as known there is but one Rhodora. GREAT LAUREL. ROSE BAY Rhododendron mdximum. A tall shrub, sometimes a tree ; found in low woods and along streams from Nova Scotia to Ontario and south to Georgia, chiefiy along the mountains, often forming almost impenetrable thickets. Leaves evergreen, alternate, four to seven inches 362 HYBRID RHODODENDRON Hybrid Rhododendron. HEATH FAMILY long-, oblong or lanceolate-oblong, dark green above, slightly paler beneath, acute or short-acuminate at apex, wedge-shaped at base. Flowers appear in June and July, pale rose varying to white, borne in corym- bose clusters from scaly, cone-like buds formed the au- tumn before. Pedicels are glandular, viscid pubes- cent ; corollas rather deeply five-cleft into oval obtuse lobes, rose-colored varying to white, sprinkled with yellowish or orange spots within ; calyx-lobes oblong- obtuse ; capsule oblong, puberulent. Notwithstanding the many beautiful hybrids now in cultivation, our native Rhododendron is still a plant that charms by its most commended beauty. Its chosen home is a shaded nook by the side of a moun- tain stream ; its pale pink flowers ere they fall are overtopped by the shoot that started with the flower- bud, and the blooming period, beginning with us at tlie north in July, extends into late August. Lapland Rose Bay, Rhododendron lapponicuni — a dwarfed subarctic form, still lingers on the summits of the higher mountains of New England and New York. ALLEGHANY MENZIESIA Menziesia pilbsa. Named in honor of Archibald Menzies, surgeon and natu- ralist, who in Vancouver's voyage brought the first known species from the northwest coast. Erect shrub, two to five feet high ; found in mountain woods from Pennsylvania to Georgia. Twigs hairy and chaffy. Leaves. — Alternate, simi)le, oval, oblong or ohovate, one to two inches long, narrowed at base, margin entire, ciliate, obtuse 364 SAND MYRTLE Sand Myrtle, Deiicirinm hnxi/o/imii. Leaves \i' to ]^' long. HEATH FAMILY or acute with a glanthilar bristle at apex. AVhen full grown rough-hairy above, slightly glaucous and often chaffy on veins below. Petioles short, downy. Flowers. — May, June. Perfect, small, greenish purple bells, borne on slender pedicels, in few-flowered terminal umbels, de- veloped from scaly buds. Pedicels threadlike, glandular. Calyx five-lobed, downy ; corolla urn-shaped ; stamens eight, included, filaments smooth, anthers awnless ; ovary four-celled. Capsules beset with short glandular bristles. Seeds many, pointed at each end. SAND MYRTLE DendriufH buxifblium. Lciophylliun buxifblium. Dendritim, a tree, named according to the law of opposites Leiophyllum, smooth leaf. A low, evergreen shrub with box-like foliage, widely branch- ing, four to eighteen inches high. Native of the sandy pine- barrens of New Jersey and farther south. Leaves. — Opposite, crowded, evergreen, simple, coriaceous, one-fourth to one-half an inch long, oval or oblong, acute at base, entire, somewhat revolute margin, obtuse at apex ; dark green and shining above, paler and black-dotted beneath ; mid- vein conspicuous ; other veins obscure. Flotvers. — April to June. Numerous, small, white or rose- colored, borne in small terminal umbel-like clusters. Bracts per- sistent. Calyx. — Five-])arted ; segments rigid, acute, persistent. Corolla. — Petals five, ovate, spreading, white or pink. Stamens. — Ten, exserted ; anthers reddish purple, two-celled. Pistil. — Ovary superior, two to five-celled ; style slender, straight. Fruit. — Capsule, ovoid, two to five-valved, splitting from the top. This is an odd little evergreen bush which in blos- soming time covers itself profusely with corymbs of tiny white flowers conspicuous for their purplish an- thers. It fruits just as profusely as it blossoms. 366 MOUNTAIN LAUREL ALPINE OR TRAILING AZALEA Cha))ui'i{stus proLin)ihtns. ChamcEcistus^ meaning ground-cistus. A tufted, much-l)ranched, trailing, dwarf, evergreen shrul) witli brandies two to four inches long. Subarctic, found on the summits of the White Mountains, in Labrador, arctic Ameri( a, Alaska. Lances. — Mostly oi)posite, crowded, evergreen, linear-oblong, one-sixth to one-fourth an inch long, margin entire, revolute, obtuse at apex ; dark green and shining above, paler beneath ; midrib prominent below. Petioles short. F/owers. — July, August. Small, pink or white bells, solitary or clustered, from terminal buds. Calyx. — Five-parted, segments purplish, ovate-lanceolate, per- sistent. Corolla. — Broad bell-shaped, pink or white, with five oljtuse lobes. Stamens. — Five, included, inserted on corolla ; anthers didy- mous. Pistil. — Ovary superior, two-celled, style short ; stigma cap- itate. Fruit. — Capsule, subglobose, two to three-celled, many- seeded. MOUNTAIN LAUREL Kdlmia laiifblia. Kahnia commemorates the labors of Peter Kalm, a pu- pil of Linnaeus who was an enthusiastic admirer of the plant and who travelled in this country early in the eigh- teenth century. A dense, broad shrub, five to ten feet high, with many stiff, crooked branches and a round, compact head ; tolerant of many locations and all soils excei)t those containing lime. Ranges from Newfoundland to Hudson Bay, and along higlilands and 367 HEATH FAMILY mountains southward to Georgia and Michigan. Root fibrous, matted ; easily cultivated ; foliage has the bad reputation of poisoning cattle. Leaves. — Alternate or in pairs, or in threes, simple, evergreen, three to four inches long, oblong, wedge-shaped at base, entire, acute or rounded at apex and tipped with a callous point. They come out of the bud conduplicate ; pale green slightly tinged with pink and covered with glandular white hairs; when full grown are thick and rigid, dark shining green above, pale yellow green beneath. They remain green and fall the second summer. Petioles stout, short, slightly flattened. Floivers. — May, June, from buds which are found in autumn in the axils of the upper leaves in the form of slender cones of downy green scales. These buds develop a compound many- flowered corymb, four or five inches across, and overlapped at the flowering time by the leafy branches of the year. Buds and new flowers bright rose pink, afterward fading to pale pink or white and only Hned with pink. Pedicels are red or green, hairy or scurfy and furnished with two bracts at base. Calyx. — Five-parted ; lobes imbricate in bud, narrow, acute, covered with glutinous hairs. Disk prominent, ten-lobed. Corolla. — Saucer-shaped, rose-colored, white or pink, about one inch across. Tube short, with ten tiny sacs just below the five-parted border ; lobes ovate, acute, imbricate in bud. The border is marked on the inner surface with a waving rosy line and is slightly purple above the sac. The buds are ten-ribbed from the sacs to the acute apex. Sfamefis. — Ten, hypogynous, shorter than the corolla ; at first held in the sacs of the corolla ; filaments threadlike ; anthers oblong, adnate, two-celled ; cells opening longitudinally. Pistil. — Ovary superior, five - celled ; style threadlike, ex- serted ; stigma capitate ; ovules many in each cell. Fruit. — Woody capsule, many-seeded, depressed, globular, slightly five-lobed, five-celled, five-valved ; crowned with the persistent calyx, covered with viscid hairs. Seeds oblong. The Laurels possess a remarkable adaptation for cross-fertilization. As each curious, angular, pocketed corolia-cup opens, the stigma appears erect in the very 368 MOUNTAIN LAUREL Mniiiilain Liuiicl, Kalniia Ijtifolia. Leavfs 5' i.. 4' lony. Corymbs 4' to 5' across. HEATH FAMILY centre of the flower. The anthers are all hiding their youthful heads ; in fact, every one of them is tucked into a pocket which fits it perfectly. The filaments are strained to a bow, and so delicately is the mechan- ism adjusted that a jar will release the anthers. Now comes the wandering- bee, *' voluble, velvety, vehe- ment," and enters the flower. The soft body covers the stiofma, the weio:ht and the motion set the filaments free and the bee departs '' a dusty fellow " — whose legs are ''powdered with gold." In fact the bee carries off the greater part of the pollen of that flower and deposits some of it upon the stigma of the next flower visited ; and so the process goes on through all the summer day. The Laurel flourishes in gardens if only there be no lime there. The plant may be brought from the mountain side and if the roots are uninjured and the stems pruned back a little it will grow. It prefers leaf mould, but will grow in any good soil. Laurel wood is very hard and solid, and in great de- mand for various purposes, one of which is indicated by the common name Spoon-wood. Kalmia angustifolia, the Sheep Laurel or Lambkill, is found growing in company with Kalinia latifolia. It is a smaller bush, with narrower leaves and smaller blossoms. The blossom is of the kalmia type, with the saucer-shaped corolla, and the anthers caught in tiny pockets. Possibl}^ it prefers moister soil than Kalmia latifolia, and is found in more open places. The flower clusters are lateral and a stem in full bloom looks like a flowery cylinder. All the laurels are credited with poisoning young 370 LAMBKILL [.luubkill, Kjlniia juoi(sfifo/ij. I.tMves 2' to =,' Imm. HEATH FAMILY animals. Older cattle know enough to let them alone, but in early spring when the tender leaves are appear- ing, calves and young cattle, eager for green things, eat, and unless promptly treated, die. The plants are a constant menace to the farmers on the mountains of Virginia, and the common names Lambkill, Calf Kill, Sheep Poison, clearly voice the " deep damnation " of rural opinion concerning them. SWAMP LAUREL. PALE LAUREL Kdlmia glauca. Low, slender-stemmed, evergreen, six to eighteen inches high; native of bogs and swamps. Ranges from Newfoundland to Alaska, southward to New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Michigan. Stems. — Smooth, yellow brown; branchlets two-ridged: ridges change position at each node. Leaves. — Evergreen; opposite or sometimes in threes, an inch and a quarter to two inches long, a quarter of an inch wide, nearly sessile, oblong or linear-oblong, margin entire and revo- lute, apex acute, bright shining green above, glaucous or whitish beneath; midvein depressed, whitish above, prominent beneath. Flowers. — April, May. Of kalmia type, bluish pink, borne in simple terminal umbels of one to thirteen flowers. Pedicel an inch long, slender, madder red ; each subtended by a bract. Calyx. — Five -parted; segments scarious margined, pink- tipped, imbricate in bud, persistent. Corolla. — Saucer-shaped, about half an inch across, five-lobed, ten-keeled in bud, with ten tiny sacs in the saucer, into which the stamens are thrust. Stamens. — Ten, shorter than corolla, filaments pink, stamens dark reddish brown, pocketed in the corolla sacs, springing forth by means of pressure and delivering pollen from terminal pores. Pistil. — Ovary five-celled, ovules nimierous ; style slender, ex- serted ; stigma depressed-capitate. Fruit Dei)ressed-globose capsule, glabrous about an eighth of an inch across. 372 SWAMP LAUREL S\\;uiip Liiuic'I, Kahnia o/jucj. Lc.iVfS 1 1^ ' to 2' long. HEATH FAMILY This exquisite little evergreen is found in company with Andromeda polifolia, and they bloom together. The flower is bright rose lilac, as it comes from the bud, fading later after the fashion of all the kalmias, but always beautiful. The blossoms are similar to those of the well known Mountain Laurel, but the flower cluster is much smaller, containing not more than a dozen flowers ; each with a long slender pedi- cel. In northern Michigan this plant covers acres of swamp land and during the blooming period produces magnificent color effects. Transferred to the garden the little Laurel improves in habit, is less straggling, but never becomes a com- pact shrub. It blooms much earlier than either Kal- viia latifolia or Kalniia angustifolia, and is worthy of cultivation for that reason alone. MOUNTAIN HEATH. BRYANTHUS Phyllodoce coeridea. Brydnthiis taxifolius. Bryafithus, from bryo7i, moss, and anthos, flower, because growing among mosses. Phyllodoce, a sea- nymph. Low, evergreen, arctic-alpine undershrub, with yew-like leaves; found on the summits of the high- er mountains of Maine and New Hampshire. Leaves alternate, lin- ear, crowded, about a quarter of an inch long. Flowers pink or purplish bells, in nodding terminal umbels. Corolla oblong urn-shaped, five- 374 Mountain Heath, Phyllodoce ccerulca. After Britton & Brown. SWAMP LEUCOTHOE toothed, contracted at the throat. Stamens ten, in- cluded ; ovary hve-celled, style inckided; capsule sub- g-lobose. CASSIOPE Cass)opi' Jiypno\di's. Cassiope was the mother of Andromeda. The name has no obvious appHcation to the plant. An arctic-alpine, tufted, evergreen shrub with the aspect of a moss ; stems rising two to four inches high. Leaves loosely imbricate, linear, acute, flat above, convex be- neath, one-twelfth to one-sixth of an inch long. The flowers are open bells, white or rose-color, one-fourth to one-third of an inch across, solitary, nod- ding on slender erect peduncles. Found on the sum- mits of the higher mountains of New England and the Adirondacks of New York ; throughout arctic Amer- ica, also in arctic Europe and Asia. Cassiope, Cassiope hvpnoidcs. After Britton & Brown. SWAMP LEUCOTHOE Leiicothoc raCi))iosa. Leucothoc, a sea-nymph, one of the fifty daughters of Xe- reus : possibly referring to the plant as loving wet places. Five to twelve feet high ; found in swamps and moist thickets. Ranges from Ma.ssachusetts to Florida and Louisiana, mostly near the coast. Suckers freely. 375 HEATH FAMILY Leaves. — Alternate, simple, one to three and a half inches long, oblong to ovate, acute or rounded at base, serrulate, acute at apex, usually with a glandular point ; when full grown are glabrous, bright shining green above, paler, slightly pubescent on the veins beneath. In autumn they become a brilliant scarlet or vary through purple and scarlet and orange ; and remain until beaten off by storms. Petioles very short. Flowers. — May, June, with or before the leaves. Perfect, white, bell-shaped, borne in one-sided racemes three to four inches long, which are mostly terminal, solitary or clustered ; pedicels short, bracted, jointed with the rachis. Fragrant. Calyx. — Sepals five, distinct, acute, persistent, imbricate in bud, bracted. Corolla. — White, oblong-cylindrical, contracted at the mouth, about three-eighths of an inch long, five-toothed. Stamejis. — Ten, included ; filaments white, awl-shaped ; an- thers oblong, two-awned ; cells opening by terminal pores. Pistil. — Ovary superior, five-celled, five-valved; style slender, exserted, stigma capitate. Fruit. — Capsule, depressed-globose, surrounded by the per- sistent calyx and bracts. August, September. Garden and Forest says: *' The value of the northern native plant Leucotlio'e raceniosa for the decoration of the parks and gardens of the northern states is very great. It is a hardy, fast - growing shrub which sometimes attains the height of ten feet ; its slender branches are covered with dark green leaves which late in the autumn, long after those of ever}^ other tree and shrub cultivated in gardens have fallen, assume a brilliant and beautiful scarlet color. Its handsome, waxy, white, cup-shaped flowers are produced in long, erect, or slightly curved terminal racemes from buds formed the previous autumn, and covered during the winter with closely imbricated bracts. The splendid color of the leaves of this shrub in the late autumn 376 SWAMP LEUCOTHOE S\v;imp Lcucothnc, l.ciuotboi uicmosa. I.t-aves \' to V 2' l>>iiji- K;iCL'im-s i' to ^' long. HEATH FAMILY makes it one of the most desirable hardy plants for our northern gardens." Although a swamp plant, Laccothoe racemosa can be readily cultivated ; it needs peat soil or sandy loam, and a rather moist situation ; given these it grows rapidly and becomes a broad bush. It is a tall, ele- gant, clean-limbed plant, attractive in winter because of the deep red of its twigs and branchlets. In spring- time it bears racemes of small, fragrant, heath-like flowers, but its time of glory is late November, when it flames, a torch of scarlet, lighting up the swampy thickets, within sight of the sea, from Massachusetts to Florida. CATESBY'S LEUCOTHOE Leucothoe catesbaei. An evergreen shrub, three to six feet high, found on the banks of streams. Ranges from Virginia to Georgia, westward to Tennessee. Is easily cultivated. Leaves. — Alternate, simple, evergreen, leathery, lanceolate or ovate-lanceolate, three to six inches long, rounded at base, shari)ly serrulate, acuminate at apex ; when full grown are dark shining green above, paler green below ; midvein and primary veins conspicuous. Petioles greenish brown, about half an inch long. Fhnvers. — April. Perfect, white, narrow bell-shaped, borne in axillary, densely-flowered racemes ; central axis and pedicels white. Calyx. — Sepals five, distinct, not imbricated in flower. Co7'olla. — White, narrowly cylindric, constricted at throat, five-toothed. Stamens. — Ten, included, filaments white, anthers yellow. Pistil. — Ovary five-celled, style white, stigma green. Fruit. — Capsule, depressed-globular, five-celled, five-lobed. Seeds many. 378 CATESBY'S LEUCOTHOE Culosby's Lcikxthn,-. l.,iu-otl\h- ^wtislwi. l.eiives 3' to O' loii;^. HEATH FAMILY Although Catcsby's Lcucothoe is a bush of southern range it is perfectly hardy at the north and is a valu- able addition to our cultivated shrubs. It blooms early ; the flower buds are developed in autumn in the axils of the persistent leaves of the year and look like cylindric cones about half an inch long, with close imbricate scales. As the weather grows cold these scales turn a deep red, the same color suffusing in a slighter degree the ends of the zigzag stems ; at the same time the upper leaves with their petioles often color as richh' as the flower buds. The lower leaves for the most part retain their deep lus- trous green color, and the contrast between the upper and the lower parts of the plant only adds to its beauty. The recurved stems are three to six feet high, the evergreen leaves are thick and leathery ; and the white waxen bells are borne in crowded spike-like racemes. The plant prefers peat soil and damp situations, but will make the best of almost any location. WILD ROSEMARY. MARSH HOLY ROSE. Andr6))i('ihi polijblia. Androiiieda^ a mythological name of fanciful application. Slender, with stems but little branched, one to three feet high, foliage acid ; fomid in bogs. Ranges from Labrador and New- foundland through arctic America to Alaska and British Amer- ica, southward to New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Michigan. Leaves. — Alternate, sim])le, linear-oblong or lanceolate, one and one-half to three inches long, narrowed at base, margins revolute, apex acute or obtuse, often with a small point ; when 380 WILD ROSEMARY Wild Rosemuv, A):dio)uCiia f^olifolia. I.iMVos I'.' to V long. HEATH FAMILY full grown are dull green, smooth above, white-glaucous beneath; inidvein very strongly ridged beneath, petioles short. Floivers. — May, June. Perfect, tiny globes, white or tinged with pink, borne in few-flowered terminal umbels. Bracts small, persistent. Pedicels one-fourth to one-half an inch long. Calyx. — Deeply five-pointed, persistent; lobes triangular- ovate, acute. Disk ten-lobed. Corolla. — White, globose, urn-shaped, about one-fourth of an inch in diameter, five-toothed ; teeth recurved. Stamens. — Ten, included ; filaments bearded ; anthers ovate, obtuse, awned, fixed near the middle; cells opening by a termi- nal pore. Fruit. — Capsule, globose, five -celled, five-valved, many- seeded. This plant is always fixed in some turfy hillock in the midst of swamps, as Andromeda herself was chained to a rock in the sea which bathed her feet as the fresh water does the roots of this plant. — "Tour of Lapland." Linn.-eus. The lonely position of this little shrub in the midst of its native swamps seems to have impressed Linnaeus to a wonderful degree ; and consequently^ he named it Andromeda — the rock-bound maiden. It is a semi- aquatic, subarctic plant, and like so many of its kind knows no distinction between Europe, America or Asia, but is native to all. Although it loves the cold deep swamps that border the limits of eternal snow, nevertheless when transferred to the garden border it will grow and flower as freely^ as in its native wilds. The flowers are clusters of small globes usually white, but sometirnes flesh-colored, and sometimes tipped with red ; they retain their beauty- for nearly^ a month. 382 MOUNTAIN FETTER-BUSH A\(>unt:iin Fetter-busli. Pu-ris jJon'biiiiJj. l.e.ives I ji' to V long. HEATH FAMILY MOUNTAIN FETTER-BUSH P\eris Jloribinnia. Picris, from Pieria, a town in Thcssaly. Evergreen, native to the AUeghanics, found in Virginia and southward; also liardy in northern gardens. From two to six feet high; with stems nearly erect and with very leafy branches. Leaves. — -Alternate, simple, evergreen, one and one-half to three inches long, leathery, oblong to ovate-lanceolate, rounded at base, serrulate and bristly-ciliate, acute or acuminate at apex ; when full grown dark shining green above, ])aler and black-dot- ted below. Petioles short, bristly when young. Floivers. — April, May. Perfect, white, five - angled bells, borne in terminal, slender, clustered, dense racemes about three inches long. Calyx. — Five-lobed ; lobes ovate-lanceolate, acute, valvate in the five-angled bud, persistent. Corolla. — White, urn-shaped, slightly five-angled, five-saccate at base ; five-toothed ; teeth recurved. Stamens. — Ten, included, filaments without appendages ; an- thers oblong, each with a slender awn on its back, two-celled ; cells opening by terminal pores. Pistil. — Ovary superior, five-celled ; style slender, ovules many. Fruit. — Capsule, ovoid-globose, sitting in the calyx and crowned with the slender style. Seeds many. Pieris floribuiida is one of the hardiest of the broad- leaved evergreens peculiar to the Alleghany moun- tains, and is a most charming ornamental shrub. The foliage is so dense that the stems and branches are concealed from sight. The flower buds practically mature the previous autumn, and stand all winter above the evergreen foliage, apparently without the slightest protection, ready to burst into bloom when the almanac says it is time. What is currently re- 384 STAGGER-BUSH Slaii;ii:er-bush, Fieri:; nhvijiij. Leaves i' to }' long, l-loweis ,\/ to 'j' long. HEATH FAMILY garded as a late spring has little effect upon these flow- ers ; the sun is up and so are they ; sometimes they seem fairly to force the season. They are white, urn-shaped, five-angled cups, borne in long, branching racemes. The plant is worth cultivating, however, even if it should never bear a flower; the leaves are so green, clean, bright and glossy. Gardeners recommend that the shrub be protected with evergreen boughs to prevent winter burning. STAGGER-BUSH Pleris mariana. Pieris, from Pieria, the town in Thessaly where the Muses congregated ; of no appHcation to this plant. Mariana, because it was first described as a " Maryland shrub." Stagger-bush refers to its reputation for poisoning cattle. A low shrub, one to four feet high ; found in low, wet, sandy locations. Ranges from Rhode Island to Florida, mostly near the coast. Hardy throughout the north. Leaves. — Simple, alternate, tardily deciduous, tw^o to three inches long, oval or oblong, narrowed or rounded at base, mar- gin entire, slightly revolute, acute or obtuse at apex ; when full grown are shining dark green, coriaceous, smooth above, spar- ingly pubescent on the veins and black-dotted beneath. In autumn they turn an intense scarlet, and cling late. Flowei's. — April, May. Perfect, white, bell-shaped, borne in nodding lateral umbels on the many leafless branches of the pre- ceding year, so forming a long compound inflorescence. Pedi- cels bearing one to three bracts. Calyx. — Deej^ly five-parted ; lobes lanceolate, acute, valvate in bud, persistent ; disk ten-lobed. Corolla. — White, or faintly pink, ovoid-cylindric, about half an inch long, five-toothed ; teeth recurved. Stame?is. — Ten ; filaments hairy on the outer side, two- toothed near the apex ; anthers awnless, two-celled ; cells open- ing by a terminal pore. 386 PRIVET ANDROMEDA Privet Andi-()iiied:i, Xo/isnu /ig/istini.i, in liuil. HEATH FAMILY Pistil. — Ovary sui)erior, five-celled ; style columnar ; stigma truncate. Fruit. — Capsule, ovoid-pyramidal, small five-angled, five- celled. Seeds many. The Stagg"er-bush is of somewhat straggling habit, yet very pretty and useful as a border shrub, blossom- ing profusely in early^ spring. The flowers are snow white waxen bells which appear in clusters from axil- lary buds crowded on the naked branches of last year's wood. The branches are wand-like ; and the leaves in autumn become intensely scarlet. The plant was well known to our earlier botanists, and was first described as a Maryland shrub with the leaves of a euon3^mus and the flowers of an arbutus. It was sent over to England in 1736, and has been cul- tivated there for many years. PRIVET ANDROMEDA Xolisma ligilstrina. Lydnia ligiistrina. Andromeda ligustrina. Lignstrin, the bitter principle of the Privet. Otherwise, these names seem to be without meaning. Bushy, three to twelve feet high, growing in swamps and wet soil ; stem and branches light ash-colored with stringy bark. Ranges from New England to Florida and west to Arkansas. Leaves. — Alternate, sometimes tufted, simple, oblong, obo- vate, oval or ovate, one to two and a half inches long, wedge- shaped at base, minutely serrulate or entire, acute or acuminate at apex ; when full grown glabrous or pubescent above, usually downy beneath. Petioles short, downy. Flowers. — May, July. Perfect, small, white globes, borne in terminal or axillary, panicled leafless racemes. Pedicels thread- like, downy. Calyx-lobes triangular-ovate ; corolla an eighth of an inch in diameter ; stamens eight or ten, included ; ovary five- celled ; capsule depressed-globose, obtusely five-angled. 3S8 CASSANDRA Cissandra, ChanurdaphHc cahrnlata. Leaves %' to i' long. HEATH FAMILY Most plants furnish at least some provocation for the Latin names which they bear, but the Privet An- dromeda seems most unfortunate of its class. The botanic name of this shrub appears in the books as " unexplained ; " its Eng-lish one is simply appropri- ated from those of two other plants. Apart from its ill luck as to names it seems fortu- nate enough, for it is really a very pretty bush. In early spring- it is conspicuous for its long panicles of tiny, white, globe-like flowers borne at the very end or upon the upper part of the branching stems. It is rare that a corolla so nearly attains a sphere. The flowers are borne upon leafless stems, and these con- tinue leafless so that the fruit apparently is upon a dry branch. CASSANDRA. LEATHER-LEAF ChanicEddphne calycuhita. Androincda calyctdata. Cassandra calycuhita. ChatncEdaphne, ground or low Daphne. Androincda and Cassandra, mythical terms without obvious application. Calycidata refers to the two bracts beneath the sepals as forming a secondary calyx. Low, leafy, evergreen, from two to four feet high, forming large beds at the edge of swamps or in boggy meadows. Ranges from Newfoundland to Alaska, south to Georgia, west to Michi- gan and Illinois ; also occurs in northern Europe and Asia. Stems. — Recent shoots covered with minute scurfy scales ; older stems dark copper color, smooth. Leaves. — Alternate, evergreen, shining, leathery, one-half to an inch and a half long, oblong or oblanceolate, narrowed at base, obscurely denticulate and re volute at margin, acute or obtuse at apex, covered with scaly dots which are rust colored 390 CASSANDRA beneath ; iipi)er leaves gradually smaller ; the uppermost reduced to mere bracts. Petioles short. FUnvcrs. — Ai)ril. Perfect, solitary, white or tinged with rose purple, urn-shaped, borne on short pedicels in the axils of the small upper leaves, forming terminal one-sided, leafy racemes. Calyx, — Sei)als five, persistent, bracted at base. Corolla. — White, oblong-cylindric, narrowed at the throat, five-toothed, one-fourth of an inch long; teeth recurved. Stametis. — Ten, included ; filaments fiat, smooth ; anther-cells tapering upward into tubular beaks, aw^nless ; cells opening by terminal pores. Pistil. — Ovary superior, five-celled, five-grooved ; style slen- der ; ovules many. Fruit. — Capsule, depressed-globose, opening by five valves, two-coated; outer coat splitting into five parts, inner into ten; persistent throughout the winter, many seeded. Seeds flattened, wingless. The Cassandra often blooms before the snow is gone, but this is not difbcult, because the flower buds were formed the summer before, and sometimes in late autumn they show the white tips of the corolla extend- ing beyond the stiff sepals. So well prepared are they that a few days of sunshine develop the flowers. As the little bells become perfect in form and texture they droop upon their delicate slender stems and make a most charming wand-like spray. The common name Leather -leaf is appropriate though not pretty ; Cassandra, the name of the daugh- ter of Priam and Hecuba, is pretty but means nothing. The foliage effect of the plant is good, and this with its early flowers makes it worthy of cultivation. 391 HEATH FAMILY MAYFLOWER. TRAILING ARBUTUS Epigcca 7cpcns. Epigcza, upon the earth, in reference to its trailing growth. A prostrate or trailing shrub, with short branches and ever- green and reticulated leaves; bristly with rusty hairs. Found in sandy or rocky woods and ranges from Newfoundland to the Northwest Territories and southward to Michigan, Kentucky and Florida. Frequently forms patches. Its local distribution is governed largely by the character of the protecting vegetation, and also to a great extent by the soil; thriving best in Hght sandy or gravelly soil, but sometimes found in clayey earth. But one species beside Epigcea irpeiis is known, and that is a native of Japan. Leaves. — Alternate, thick, evergreen, pinnately veined, one to three inches long, ovate or nearly orbicular, cordate or rounded at base, mostly glabrous above, hairy beneath, green both sides. Petioles short, downy, slender. Flowers. — April, May. Perfect, or dioecious, pink or white, in axillary clusters at the ends of the branches. Sepals five, oblong, persistent, dry, imbricated; corolla salver-form; limb five-lobed ; stamens ten ; filaments slender ; anthers oblong, awnless, opening lengthwise. Style slender, its apex forming a sort of ring and partly adnate to the five little lobes of the stigma. Capsule depressed-globular, five-lobed, five-celled, many seeded. The flowers appear in early spring, exhaling a rich spicy fra- grance ; are dimorphous as to style and stamens, and sub-di- oecious. This is the famous Mayflower of Pilgrim devotion, and although by many^ supposed to be distinctively^ a New England plant, as a matter of fact ranges from Newfoundland to the borders of Alaska, and from Florida to Minnesota. Probably no one would claim that our Puritan ancestors were especially^ sensitive to 392 TRAILING ARBUTUS Tniilinji Arbutus, hpi^.vj rcpcns. Iamvcs \' to 3' long. HEATH FAMILY the beauties of nature, but this clustered pink sweet- ness, smiling under the dry leaves of the forest and blooming ere the snow banks had disappeared in the hollows of the wood, touched even them. It must be placed to their credit that they named it well ; how- ever much they might have been assisted by the month of the calendar or the ship in the harbor ; and it is not worth while to look too closely into the sources of their inspiration. So well have time and literature and imagination worked together that to most of us the Trailing Arbutus seems one of the his- toric assets of New England. Sad Mayflower ! watched by winter stars, And nursed by winter gales, With petals of the sleeted spars, And leaves of frozen sails ! What had she in those dreary hours Within her ice-rimmed bay. In common with the wild-wood flowers. The first sweet smiles of May ! Yet, " God be praised " the Pilgrim said, Who saw the blossoms peer Above the brown leaves, dry and dead, " Behold our Mayflower here ! " "God wills it ; here our rest shall be, Our years of wandering o'er, For us the Mayflower of the sea Shall spread her sails no more." O sacred flowers of faith and hope, As sweetly now as then Ye bloom on many a birchen slope, In many a pine-dark glen. — John G. Whittier. 394 WINTERGREEN WINTERGREEN Ga ultJicria prociimbcns. Gaidtheria^ named in honor of Gaulthicr, a physician and botanist of Canada. A small evergreen shrub, witli stems creeping on or below the surface, and short, erect flowering branches three to five inches high bearing at their summits a crowded group of aromatic leaves. Found in cool, damp woods from Newfoundland to Manitoba and south- ward to Michigan and Georgia. Leaves. — Alternate, evergreen, pin- nately veined, two to two and a half inches long, oval, oblong or ovate, nar- rowed at the base, serrate with low bristle-tipped teeth, acute at apex ; shin- ing; when full grown dark shining green. The young leaves are a shining yellow green, often with a reddish tinge and de- liciously aromatic. Flowers. — Perfect, white or pinkish, small, bell-like flowers, axillary near the summit of the tiny erect branches. Ped- icels with two bractlets. Calyx five- parted, persistent ; corolla urn-shaped, five-toothed ; stamens ten, included, inserted at the base of the corolla ; filament dilated above the base ; anther-cells each two- awned at the summit, opening by a terminal pore. Ovary five- celled, five-lobed. Fndf. — Capsule is enclosed by the calyx which thickens and turns fleshy so as to appear as a globular red berry ; many seeded. The leaves of the Wintergreen as they put forth from the top of the upright stem are as near ambrosia as anything our northern climate can produce. The spicy aromatic flavor appears in leaf and stem and fruit, but is most delicate and delicious in the young 395 Wintergreen, Gaulthcria pro- ctimhcns. After Britton & Brown. HEATH FAMILY leaves. One who has sought and eaten them in child- hood may wander far from his native home, may for- get much of his youth ; but the picture of the leafy glade of the forest where he picked the Wintergreen, the carpet of shining leaves, the twin red berries hang- ing upon their stems, will never leave him. The plant has several common names, Tea-berry, Checkerberry, Box-berry, Partridge-berry ; the last is also given to JMitcJiclla repcns. The genus is mountain born and bred ; its headquarters are the slopes of the Andes, where nearh^ one hundred species appear. In North America there is our own GaidtJicria prociunbcns and two or three other species. RED BEARBERRY. KINNIKINIC Arctostdphylos uva-iirsi. Arctostaphylos, of two Greek words — a bear and a grape. Uva-Jirsi means the same ; the fruit is a favorite food of bears. Evergreen, with numerous trailing and spreading branches ; the sterile ones two to three feet long, the fruiting branches shorter ; twigs puberulent ; mature stems red. Found on rocky hillsides and in dry sandy soils. Ranges from Labrador to Alaska, south to New Jersey, and westward across the continent through Pennsylvania, Illinois, Nebraska, Colorado and Califor- nia. Also found in Europe and Asia. Root large and creep- ing; juices astringent; leaves heavily charged with tannic acid. Leaves. — Alternate, simple, thick, rigid, one-half to an inch long, spatulate, obtuse at apex, margin entire, base narrowed to a short downy petiole. They come out of the bud slightly revo- lute, pale, ])ul3escent ; when full grown are dark shining green, glabrous above and beneath. Mid vein prominent, secondary veins finely reticulated. 396 RED BEARBERRY Red Bearberry, Arctostaphyliis uva-ttrsi. Leaves \z' to i' loiiij. HEATH FAMILY Flowers. — May, June. Perfect, small, nodding, white or pink bells, borne in few-flowered terminal racemes. Calyx. — Reddish, persistent, five-parted; lobes roundish. Corolla. — Ovoid, constricted at the throat, hairy within, flesh colored or white, and pink tipped ; five-toothed ; teeth re- curved, imbricate in bud ; about one-sixth of an inch long. Stamens. — Ten, included ; filaments awl-shaped, hairy ; an- thers large, purple, two-awned, opening by terminal pores. Pistil. — Ovary free from calyx, surrounded with three fleshy scales. Fruit. — Berry-like drupe seated in the persistent calyx, glo- bose, red, glabrous, size of a large pea, with mealy insipid pulj) and containing five bony nutlets. They remain on the branches through the winter and serve as food for the wild birds. July, August. This low-growing- evergreen that trails in thick mats over the inhospitable ground of barren uplands possesses a goodly number of wild-wood names. Very few plants of high degree can claim as many ; among them are Foxberry, Mealberr}', Bear's Grape, Barren Myrtle and Bilberry. This too is the Kinni- kinic of the western Indians who smoke the leaves and believe the practice secures them from malarial fevers. A curious corruption or an echo of uva-iirsi exists in a rural name for the plant "universe." The flowers appear in Ma}% and the urn-shaped, flesh-colored, rosy-mouthed bells are succeeded by astringent red berries, mealy and flavorless ; but which have the virtue of staying on the bushes all winter and no doubt comfort and sustain many a hungry bird and possibly an errant bear. In winter the shining leaves darken to chocolate above, and become reddish be- neath. The plant is said to be easily cultivated and will thrive in almost pure sand. 39S HEATHER Heather, Calluna vulgar HEATH FAMILY Mairania alp}/ui, Alpine or Black BearbeiTv, is an Alpine species closely allied to .[rctostapJiylos uva-iirsi. Its leaves are deciduous, its flowers white, and its drupes black. It seeks the summits of the higher mountains of New England and crosses the continent from Labrador to British Columbia. LING. HEATHER Calluna vitlga?is. Calluna^ Greek, from kalluno, to brush or sweep ; brooms being made of it. Low straggling evergreen forming tufts and mats ; the branches ascending three to fifteen inches. Found along the coast, in sandy and rocky soil, from Newfoundland to New Jersey ; natu- ralized or adventive from Europe. Leaves. — Opposite, minute, linear, sessile, about one-sixteenth of an inch long, imbricated in four rows, usually two-auricled at the base, three-angled, grooved on the back. Flowers. — July, September. Perfect, bell-like, lilac-pink or white, small, borne in terminal one-sided, dense, spike-like racemes. Calyx. — Sepals four, colored like the petals, oblong, about an eighth of an inch in length, concealing the corolla. Four bracts at the base. Corolla. — Bell-shaped, i)ink or w^hite, four-i)arted, slightly twisted, persistent, shorter than the sepals. Sta7ne7is. — Eight, filaments short, anthers brown, oblong, at- tached to the filaments by their backs, opening by a longitudinal slit, each sac with a dorsal reflexed appendage. Pistil. — Ovary depressed-globose, eight-angled ; style slender, exserted. Fruit. — Capsule, four-sided, four-celled, four-valved, few seed- ed ; seeds ovoid. 400 LING Calluna vuJo-aris is believed to be identieal with the Scotcli Heather, and alth()iii;-h t horcjii^hly c-stablished through the British maritime provinces and the coast regions of Maine and Massachusetts, is probably of remote European introduction. 401 CLETHRACEtE.— WHITE-ALDER FAMILY WHITE-ALDER. CLETHRA. SWEET PEPPERBUSH CUtJira alnifdlia. Clethra, of Greek derivation, meaning alder, in reference to the resemblance between its foliage and that of the alder. Late flowering, three to ten feet high, frequently cultivated. Found in masses, growing in low or wet places, along the banks of streams, sometimes in swamps where the roots are sub- merged in early spring or after heavy rains. Ranges from Maine to Florida, mostly near the coast. Stems. — Slender, straight, not much branched, at first pale green and stellate-downy, then dull, pale, brownish yellow ; finally dark, yellowish brown. Leaves. — Alternate, simple, pinnately veined, three and a half to four inches long, obovate, narrowed or wedge-shaped at base, sharply serrate at least beyond the middle, acute or obtuse at apex. Midvein and primary veins depressed above, prominent l^elow. They come out of the bud slightly involute, pale green tipped with reddish brown, glabrous and shining above, densely hairy beneath ; when full grown are deep dark green above, dull yellow green beneath. In autumn they turn a bright clear yel- low. Petioles half an inch long. Flowers. — August, September. Perfect, wdiite, fragrant, borne in solitary or clustered slender racemes four to six inches long, which are either terminal or appear in the axils of the upper leaves. Central axis and pedicels pubescent, hairs in starry-like groups. 402 CLETHRA Clethra, Cldbra alnifolia. Leaves 3jj' to 4' long. Rjceiiies 4' to 0' long. WHITE-ALDER FAMILY Calyx. — Five-lobed ; lobes ol)long, obtuse, nerved, downy, imbricate in bud, i)ersistent. Corolla. — Petals five, slightly united at the base, white, obo- vate or oblong, imbricate in bud. Stamens. — Ten ; filaments white, smooth, slender ; anthers sagittate, extrorse in bud but inverted in the flower, two-celled ; cells opening by pores at the base. Pistil. — Ovary superior, three-angled, three-celled, downy ; style slender, exserted, three-cleft at apex ; ovules numerous. Fruit. — Capsules, crowded in stiff, erect racemes, subglobose, three-lobed, three-celled, one-eighth of an inch in diameter ; each sits in persistent calyx, crowned with persistent style. CletJira alnifolia, naturally a swamp plant, takes very kindly to cultivation and possesses a peculiar value in that it shows its long spikes of fragrant white flowers late in summer when other shrubs are largely out of bloom. The buds are arranged upon a long axis, and they begin to open at the base, consequently the flowering period is extended. The blossoms have a delightful spicy fragrance, are full of nectar and are eagerly sought by the bees. Two peculiarities of the Clethra are of interest to a botanist. One is the character of the hairs found upon the stems and flowers ; under a common magnifying glass these can be seen to be arranged in very perfect stars. The other is the way that the arrow-headed anthers reverse their position ; in the bud they look out from the centre of the flower; in the blossom they look in. The bush is a favorite of gardeners because it will grow in poor soil and in shade ; thus possessing a gen- eral utility value, at the same time that it has a high personal value. 404 LILAC Lilac, Syringa vulgaris. OLEACEtE— OLIVE FAMILY THE COMMON LILAC Syringa vulgaris. Syringa from sirinx, the native name in Barbary. Lilac is from lilag, the Persian word for a flower. The plant was cultivated in England in 1597. The year that the Lilac was brought to America is in doubt, but we know that as early as 1652 it, together with the Snowball, was the modest ornament of many a cottage yard. When the tide of emigration set west- ward the Lilac was the first flowering plant that bloomed by the side of the log house in the frontier settlement. Brought from New England along with the household goods, it made one of the Penates of the new home. At the time of fullest bloom and greatest fragrance, women and children came to the country church with lilac-spray in hand, and the fra- grance of the flower mingled with the sound of pra3^er and of sacred song. After a little the White Lilac made its way into the new settlement, a welcome addi- tion to be sure, but never for one moment a rival in the hearts of the people of the flower they so deeply loved. As the frontier line moved on towai-d the setting sun, the Lilac went with it until there came a day when it reached the region of long, hot, dry 406 PERSIAN LILAC Persian Lilac, Syn'nga persica. OLIVE FAMILY summers, and at this point the Lilac faltered in its march. For this is a native of the highlands ; it loves cool, moist summers, and although centuries of culti- vation have inured it to many changes, it has not yet learned to flourish in heat and drought. Its native land is somewhat in doubt, but it is accredited in the books to the mountainous region of central Europe from Piedmont to Hungary. It was made known to European botanists by a plant brought from Constan- tinople to Vienna toward the end of the sixteenth century. Extremel}^ showy, of eas}' culture and per- fectly hardy, the shrub spread rapidly throughout the gardens of Europe. In the survey of the royal gar- dens of Nonsuch, planted in the time of Henry VIII., there is mentioned a fountain " set round with six lilac trees, which bear no fruit, but only a very pleasant ;;mell." The well known White Lilac is but a variety of the Common Lilac. The Persian Lilac, Syriuga pcrsica, is native to the region extending from Caucasus to Afghanistan, and was brought into Europe in 1640. Its flowers are rose-lilac, deliciously fragrant and borne in open thyrses. This appears in a white va- riety ; also in one with cut leaves, Syringa laciniata. A third species, long known, is Josika's Lilac, Syringa Josikcea, so named in honor of the Baroness Von Jo- sika, who discovered the plant in Transylvania. It is an upright shrub with spreading branches and purple twigs ; the leaves are elliptic-lanceolate, about three inches long, bright shining green above and whitish beneath. The flowers are bluish purple. 40S PRIVET F'rivet, Lignstndu vidii.vr. OLIVE FAMILY Since the discovery of the affinity that exists be- tween the plants of northeastern Asia and northeastern America a number of north China, Japanese and Man- churian lilacs have been brought into this country. From these has been evolved an astonishing number of varieties, double-flowered and single-fiowered, in color melting from deep rose to blush and white, or running through all the changes of a lilac which, los- ing its pink by successive stages, attains at last a cool pure blue. But after all is told, notwithstanding the doubles and the singles, " my heart is in the high- lands," and there is no Lilac like the old Lilac — which gave its name to the color. The French gardeners took up the Lilac upon its first appearance in Europe, and in Paris it has been for a hundred years a favorite forcing plant. PRIVET. PRIM Ligustru7n vulgare. The Privet of old English gardens, a native of both Europe and Asia, has been very generally introduced into this country as a hedge plant. The plant, how- ever, is so well adapted for city life that gardeners are beginning to use it not for a hedge merely, but as an ornamental shrub. Its virtues are many, — it bears a smoky atmosphere with composure and increases in stature ; is remarkably free from insect pests and from disease ; the foliage, a dark handsome green, remains until destroyed by the storms of winter. On the southern shore of Lake Erie it is fresh and bright and 410 FORSYTHIA Forsvthia suspi'iisa. OLIVE FAMILY beautiful well into December ; indeed, it is the last plant to succumb to winter storms ; it just misses being an evergreen. When permitted, it will develop into a shapely bush six to ten feet high. The flower cluster is a thyrsus, in general effect a diminutive copy of a lilac cluster ; fragrant, with a rather heavy odor. The individual blossom is in shape very like a small, white, lilac blossom ; in fact, the family characters are apparent and the relationship somewhat emphasized. The fruit is a small black berr3\ Flowers are rarely seen in hedge rows as they appear on new wood and that is usually cut away when the hedges are trimmed. Several species are in cultivation. FORSYTHIA Forsythia. Since the Forsythia was introduced into this countrv it has ever been counted a permanent and valuable addition to our ornamental shrubs. Its golden bells gleam in the April sunlight and transform the brown bush into a glowing mass of color. The bloom pre- cedes the leaves, but before its splendor has passed the leaves are half grown. Three forms of the plant appear in our gardens. One, Forsythia viridissinia, a stiff, upright little bush well covered with yellow bells in the spring but not notice- able at any other time. This is the form first intro- duced into Europe, and first brought here. The second is distinguished by the long, slender, graceful branches which rise and curve and droop and sometimes trail 412 FORSYTHIA Leaf of Forivthia viri- diisima. up(jn the orround. This ai)i)('ars in the (k'aU'rs' cata- h)^i;ucs under whatsoever name their hmcy pr()ni[)ts, — ForsytJiia suspcnsa, luirsytJiia sciboldi, Forsythia fort unci. It is good opinion that ForsytJiia suspcnsa should be re- garded as the speciiic form and For- sytJiia sciboldi and ForsytJiia fortunei varieties. As the three stand side by side in the Arnold Arboretum the dif- ference seems to be mainly a matter of foliage; in habit they are very much alike. The leaves of the F. suspcnsa group are both simple and trifoliate ; those of F. viridissima are always sim- ple. There is an intermediate form, — probably a hybrid, which carries the leaf of F. viridissima slightly modified and whose branches have somewhat the grace of F. suspcnsa; this is know^n as ForsytJiia intermedia. A third torm is of recent introduction ; it comes from Albania, is named ForsytJiia europcea and is distinguished by small, ovate-lanceolate, quite entire leaves. As the flower buds are formed the summer before, in order to get the best results the bushes should be pruned some little time after the tlowering period. Then every new shoot will be laden with llower buds which will give an excellent account of tliem- selves the following April. II the plants are pruned in winter the llowering spray is very largely removed. 413 Simple Leaf of For- sythia suspcnsa. OLIVE FAMILY Forsythia was introduced from Cliina about the end of the eighteenth century and hrst bk)omed in Eng- land in the gardens of the king at Kensington ; it was named in honor of William Forsyth, director of the royal orardens. 414 LAUKACEyE— LAUREL FAMILY SPICE-BUSH. CAROLINA ALLSPICE. BENJAMIN-BUSH Benzoin benzoin. Lindera benzoin. Named for John Linder, a Swedish botanist of the eighteenth century. Benzoin refers to its aromatic odor, somewhat resembhng that of gum-benzoin. Tall, well-shaped, four to twelve feet high. Found in damp woods throughout New England, westward as far as Michigan and Kansas and southward. Leaves, fruit and bark are aromatic. Easily cultivated. Bark. — Branchlets at first bright green, smooth, later olive green, sometimes pearly gray, finally grayish brown. Branches are long, tapering and brittle. Winter buds. — Flower and leaf buds distinct. Leaf buds small, one-eighth of an inch long, acute, solitary. Flower buds globose, in groups of two to five. Leaves. — Alternate, simi)le, i)innately veined, three to six inches long, one and one-half to three wide, oval, oblong-oval, or obovate, wedge-shaped at base, entire, abruptly acute, sometimes rounded at apex ; midvein, primary and secondary veins depressed al)ove. prominent beneath. They come out of the bud revolute, ciliate at margin, pale green ; when full grown are dull dark green above, ])ale or glaucous green below. In autumn thoy turn a clear bright yellow. Petiole about half an inch long, terete. Flowers. — March, April; before the leaves. Polygamo- di(ecious, greenish yellow, small, borne in almost sessile umbel- like clusters in the axils of last year's leaves. I^ach cluster is made up of secondary clusters of four to six tlowers, surrounded by an involucre of four deciduous scales. 415 LAUREL FAMILY Spice-bush, Benzoin benzoin, in flower. SPICE-BUSH Spice-bush, Rni^oin benzoin, in fruit. Leaves 3' to 6' long. Fruit Jj' long. LAUREL FAMILY Calyx. — Six-parted, yellow ; segments oblong, obtuse, spread- ing, imbricate in bud. Corolla. — Wanting. Stamens. — Staminate flowers with nine stamens in three rows, the inner filaments one to two-lobed and gland-bearing at base ; anthers two-celled, opening by two uplifted valves. The pistil- late flowers with fifteen to eighteen rudiments of stamens in two forms, and a globular ovary, with short thick style. Fruit. — Drupe, oblong, or obovoid, scarlet, shining, half an inch long, borne singly or in clusters of two to five. Flesh thin, yellow, aromatic ; seed large, oblong. The Spice-bush begins and ends its sylvan year in yellow. The pale blossoms fairly cover the branches in April, coming forth in company^ with the first maples and early elms. The late October finds it a glow of sunshine from the yellow of its changing leaves. The shrub is erect and trim and so easily^ cultivated that it is worthy of a place in yard or lawn ; it is also excellent for roadside planting. The leaves are large and beautiful and the plant is thickly clothed with them when it grows in a damp, shaded location. But where it produces most foliage it bears the least fruit ; like many^ other plants it develops the one at the expense of the other. The bush is aromatic in bark, fruit, and leaf, and possessed some reputation in times past for medicinal qualities. There is a notable difference in the yellow color of the flowers on different bushes. Ordinarily, stamens and pistils are produced in separate flowers and these flowers are usually^ found on different plants. The staminate flowers have not only the y^ellow calyx but the yellow anthers as well — this brightens them to a marked degree ; the pistillate flowers are duller. 418 THYMELEACE/E— MEZEREUM FAMILY LEATHERWOOD. MOOSEWOOD Dirca paliistris. Dirca is the name of a fountain of ancient Thebes. Leath- erwood refers to the tough, fibrous bark. Much branched, two to six feet high, found mostly in wet, shady places. Ranges from New Brunswick to Virginia and westward to Minnesota and Missouri. Juices acrid, producing nausea. Stem. — Twigs yellowish green, smooth ; bark of mature stems golden brown ; inner bark tough, fibrous, and of great strength. Leaves. — Alternate, simple, two to three inches long, one and one-half wide, oval or obovate, wedge-shaped at base, entire, obtuse at ai)ex ; midvein and primary veins depressed above, prominent beneath. They come out of the bud involute, pale yellow green, downy, when full grown are pale yellow and smooth. In autumn they turn a clear yellow. Petioles short ; the bases conceal the buds of the next season. Flowers. — Ai)ril, before the leaves. Perfect, light yellow, borne tliree or four in a cluster, from a bud of tliree or four dark hairy scales, which form an involucre, from which soon after pro- ceeds a leafy branch. Calyx. — Corolla like, tubular, funnel-shaped, truncate, the border wavy or obscurely four-tootlied. Corolla. — Wanti ng. Sfaniens. — I'j'glit, in two rows, inserted on the calvx-tube, above tlie middle, exserted, the alternate ones longer ; fihnnents very slender ; anthers large, ovoid. 4i() '&^ MEZEREUM FAMILY Pistil. — Ovary superior, one-celled, one-ovuled ; style thread- like, exserted ; stigma capitate. Fruit. — Drupe, reddish, oblong-oval, pointed at both ends, containing one large, shining, brown seed. A marked peculiarity of Dirca palustris is the char- acter of its thick porous bark. This is soft and pliant and to outward ap)pearance innocent enough, yet its tenacity and toughness are astonishing. If one wishes to know exactly how this bark behaves he has only to break a stem from the bush and attempt to go away with it. The wood is easily broken, it offers no great resistance; it is in managing the bark that madness lies. For that bark will neither yield nor give ; it is soft, you can indent it ; it is pliant, will move as you wish ; but it simply will not part. Its fibres are a wonderful example of a natural string, and the Indians who used it for bow strins^s and fish lines and in the manufacture of baskets well understood its properties. Dirca blooms earl}^ and the fruit matures quickly, but is so hidden amonor the leaves and falls so soon that it easily escapes notice. The books call it a drupe, but that seems a courtesy title only, for the flesh is exceedinglv thin and very leathery. The petioles are swollen at the base sufficiently to conceal and protect the brown velvety buds of next year's leaves. There is no terminal bud, the stem ends in a point ; the bud which will continue next year's growth is axillar}-. What decorative value the plant has lies chiefly in the yellow green of its foliage, which might be used advantageously to brighten a dark place. 420 LEATHERWOOD Lc;itlk"i\\()i)d. Dirca p.j//isfns. l.iMVcs ::' to ^>' loiii;. MEZEREUM FAMILY DAPHNE. SPURGE LAUREL. MEZERON Ddphne viezcreum. Daphne^ the name of the nymph transformed by Apollo into a laurel. Low, hardy, one to four feet high ; a native of Europe and Asia which has escaped from cultivation and is now found spar- ingly in Massachusetts and New York, also in Canada. Leaves. — Alternate, simple, thin, three to five inches long, oblong-lanceolate or oblanceolate, narrowed at base, entire, acute at apex, smooth, bright green. Petioles very short. F/owers. — April, before the leaves. Perfect, rose-purple, rarely white, very fragrant, borne in sessile clusters of two to five, on the shoots of the preceding year. Calyx. — Salver-shaped ; tube about half an inch long, downy ; lobes four, spreading, about as long as the tube. Stamens. — Eight, in two rows, included, inserted on the calyx- tube ; filaments very short. Pistil. — Ovary superior, one-celled ; style short ; stigma large, capitate. Fruit. — An oblong-oval red drupe, a quarter of an inch long. Daphne mczcrcuin is widely distributed, common over nearly the whole of Europe and northern Asia and found in the Arctic regions. For cen- turies it has been a favorite garden plant in Europe, but in this country is too rarely seen. It is of erect habit, one to three feet high, with rigid branches ; in summer each is crowned with a tuft of narrow deciduous leaves. The flowers appear before the leaves, in numerous clusters of two or three, along the wood of the preceding year, and are 422 MEZERON Mezeron, Daphm- nu-^crcHw. Leaves -y' to s' long. MEZEREUM FAMILY succeeded by Lirge, red, handsome berries. This is a very attractive little shrub, which thrives in any good garden soil. A variety with white flowers is known and there is another which blooms in the autumn. The bark has medicinal properties, and is now used as one of the ingredients in the compound of Sarsaparilla. DAPHNE Ddp]uie ciicbr 211)1. DapJinc ciicoriiui is one of the sweetest plants that «:roAvs. Its native home is the calcareous soil of the southern Alps; it is also found in Hungary and Tran- sylvania. In those rocky highlands it seems to have touched the feelings and stirred the fanc}^ of the peo- ple, and is there known as the Pearl of the Moun- tains. The sweet-scented pink blossoms are borne in close terminal clusters on each of the many branches. In outward appearance an individual flower looks not un- like an individual lilac blossom. The apparent corolla is a long tube with a spreading four-lobed border, and is about the size of a lilac corolla. As there is but one of the floral envelopes, the perianth must be called a calyx. Under favorable conditions these blos- soms are produced from early spring until late au- tumn. The leaves are olive green, persistent, alternate, somewhat crowded on the stem, about three-fourths of an inch long. The roots are fine and threadlike and spread vigorously in a rich sandy soil. 424 DAPHNE Diiphne, IXiphiic- nwor/ini. lAMYf-, \/ to i' long. MEZEREUM FAMILY Like so many evergreens removed from their pro- tecting forests it sunburns in our winters; yet will not endure thick covering. Gardeners recommend a slight sprinkling of straw over it which will give pro- tection from the sun, and yet allow the air to circulate freely. 426 EL^AGNACEyE— OLEASTER FAMILY SILVER BERRY. ELiEAGNUS Ehrdgmis argentea. Elccagnus , sacred olive ; the Greek name of an entirely dif- ferent plant. Oleaster is a Latin word, which is interpreted wild olive tree ; derivation doubtful. Silvery-scaly, much-branched, six to twelve feet high. Ranges from Minnesota to South Dakota, Utah, and Montana. Stolonif- erous. Stems. — Young twigs covered with brown scurf, whicli finally becomes silvery. Leaves. — Alternate, simple, one to four inches long, elliptic to lanceolate, wedge-shaped at base, undulate or entire, acute or obtuse at apex, densely silvery on both sides. Petioles short. Flowers. — May, July. Perfect, numerous, borne solitary, or in clusters of two or three, in the axils of the leaves; silvery without, pale yellow within, fragrant. Calyx. — Tube bell-shaped ; border four-lobed, silvery without, pale yellow within ; lobes ovate, valvate. Corolla. — Wanting. Stamens. — Four, borne at the throat of the calyx-tube ; fila- ments short. Pistil. — Ovary one-celled; style linear, long. Fruit. — Drupe-like, ovoid, silvery, dry and mealy, edible. The Silver Berry is one of the best of the woodv plants with lii^ht colored folias^e. Its rani^e is north- ern, consequently it is rather difficult to cultivate, 427 OLEASTER FAMILY since subarctic plants seem less tolerant of heat, than plants of more temperate range are of cold. The flowers are whitish without and yellow within, not very beautiful but delightfully fragrant. The chief attraction of the bush is its silvery foliage, whose metallic lustre is due to an immense number of tiny white hairs arranged in starr}^ groups, and so com- pactly placed that they look like a covering of silver. Of cultivated species the Garden Elcsagnus or Wild Olive Tree, Elceagnus aiigustifolia, a native of south- eastern Europe and western Asia, is one of the best. This is believed to be the veritable wild olive of the classic authors. It is often called the Jerusalem Wil- low ; not without reason, for it certainly looks very like a willow. The Portuguese call it the Tree of Paradise, basing their admiration largely upon the rare fragrance of the flowers. These are silvery with- out and yellow within, borne in the axils of the leaves, two or three together. The silvery whiteness of the foliage renders the plant conspicuous wherever it may be. The reddish oblong fruit, which somewhat re- sembles a date, is said to be common in the markets of the Levant. In its native land the plant is a tree ; here it is both tree and shrub. The Long-stemmed Elaeagnus, Ehuaginis longipcs, has recently been introduced into this country from Japan, and is highly recommended by gardeners. Another excellent species for cultivation is Eheagnus iinibcllata, which in foliage closely resembles Elceagnus longipes. The specific difference is found in the fruit. The leaves of both species are a beautiful dark green above and silvery white beneath. There are many other in- 428 SILVER BERRY Silver Berry, H/iCia^iiiis jrgi'n/i'j. Leaves }^' to 2' long. OLEASTER FAMILY troduced species under observation in nurseries and experiment stations which will no doubt in time give an excellent account of themselves. BUFFALO-BERRY. RABBIT-BERRY Lepay'gynca argentea. Shepherdia argentea. Lepargyrcra, of Greek derivation, silvery-scaly. Shepher- dia in honor of John Shepherd, once curator of the Liver- pool Botanic Garden. Slender, growing from six to fifteen feet high, peculiar for the silvery pubescence which covers stem and leaves. Branches are covered with gray bark, twigs silvery white, often terminating in thorns. Ranges from Minnesota to Kansas and Nevada, northward to Manitoba. Leaves. — Opposite, oblong or oblong-lanceolate, one to two and a half inches long, about half an inch wide, somewhat pointed at base, margin entire, obtuse at apex, silvery-stellate-pubescent above and below. Petioles about five-eighths of an inch long. Flowers. — April, May. Small, yellow, dicecious, fascicled at the axils of the leaves of the preceding season. Staminate flow- ers with a four-parted perianth and eight stamens; filaments short. Pistillate flowers with a four-lobed perianth, bearing an eight-lobed disk at its mouth which nearly closes it ; style some- what exserted. J^f'uif^ — Drupe-like, oval or ovoid, scarlet, sour, about one- fourth of an inch long, edible. The Buffalo-berry is an interesting plant, whose native home is the far west, but which takes very kindly to eastern cultivation. A marked characteristic is the peculiar metallic lustre of its leaves, which is produced by a starry white pubescence that so covers their surfaces as to make them look as if sheathed with silver. This pubescence is sometimes brown, but usu- ally white, and is not confined to the leaves alone, but 430 GARDEN ELiEAGNUS Garden l:Ia':i,cnus, FLi\is:itns angttstifolia. OLEASTER FAMILY covers pedicels, petioles and twigs as well. This gives the bush a very decorative effect, clothed as it is in grayish white, among the surrounding green. The flowers appear during April and May in small, compact clusters at the axils of last year's leaves. They are not especially beautiful, but by their numbers they make the plant attractive at the flowering season. The fruit is scarlet or crimson, the size of currants, and often so abundant as to redden the entire bush ; in flavor an agreeable acid, just a trifle astringent. The difliculty in cultivating the plant for its fruit lies in the fact that it is dioecious ; both pistillate and staminate bushes are essential to success. CANADIAN BUFFALO-BERRY Lepargyraa canadensis. Shcpherdia canadensis. A thornless shrub, .three to eight feet high ; the young shoots brown scurfy, later becoming white ; found on gravelly banks and sterile soils where little else will thrive. Ranges from New- foundland to Alaska, southward to Maine, New York, Michigan and Utah. Hardy in its native wilds under very adverse condi- tions ; but difficult to transplant. Leaves. — -()pi)osite, ovate or oval, one to two inches long, pointed at base, margin entire, obtuse at apex. Somewhat sil- very-stellate-pubescent above, densely so beneath ; often much of this pubescence is brown. Petioles short, also stellate-pu- bescent. Flowers. — April, June. Small, dioecious, yellowish, borne in clusters at the axils of last year's leaves. Staminate flowers with a four-parted perianth and eight stamens. Pistillate flowers with a four-lobed periantli, bearing an eight-lobed disk at its mouth which nearly closes it ; style somewhat exserted. /77///.— Drupe-like, oval, red or yellowish, about a quarter oJ •an inch long, the flesh insipid. July, August. 432 BUFFALO-BERRY Buffalo-berry, L-par^'ra-a argcntea Leaves i' to 2^2' long. LORANTHACE^— MISTLETOE FAMILY AMERICAN MISTLETOE Phoradendron fiavesce7is. Phoradendron, tree-thief, because of its parasitic habit. A many-jointed, much branching, yellowish green shrub, six to twelve inches high, parasitic on the branches of deciduous leaved trees ; notably the tupelo and the maples. Of southern range, yet appears in the southern counties of New Jersey, Penn- sylvania, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois, as well as throughout the south. Leaves. — Opposite, obscurely three-nerved, three-fourths to one and a half inches long, oval, oblong or obovate, wedge- shaped at base, obtuse at apex, thick, yellow green above and beneath. Petioles short. Fiowef's. — May, July. Dioecious, in short catkin-like jointed spikes, usually several to each short fleshy bract or scale, and sunk in the joint. Calyx globular, three-lobed ; in the stami- nate flowers a sessile anther is borne on the base of each lobe, transversely two-celled ; each cell opening by a pore or slit ; in the i)istillate flowers the calyx-tube adheres to the ovary ; stigma sessile. Berry globose, white, fleshy. Our American Mistletoe is not the same species as the European Mistletoe, though greatly resembling it. Its range is southern, yet it appears sparingly within our northern lines. The name Tree-thief is well deserved, for the plant 434 MISTLETOE Cross-section of a Branch of a Maple Tree upon wliich a Mistletoe was established; life size. At this point the diameter of t!ie branch is doubled. The htjhter parts of the wood are iMistletoe, and the branchlets are all Mistletoe. MISTLETOE FAMILY lives upon juices that it has not elaborated and is sup- ported by root and trunk that arc not its own. When a Mistletoe is fairly established upon a branch it eats into the very structure of the wood ; the branch is Fruiting Spray of American Mistletoe. enlarged at the point of contact — often its diameter is doubled. Our plant has fallen heir to the sentiment and the folk-lore of Europe, and figures to a greater or less extent in our Christmas decorations. 436 MYRICACE.E— BAYBERRY FAMILY SWEET GALE. DUTCH MYRTLE Myrica, of Greek derivation, but of obscure application to this plant. Erect, three to five feet high, and forming tangled patches; growing in places which are inundated through a part of the year. Ranges from Labrador and Newfoundland through New England and the Middle States as far south as Virginia and along the Great Lakes to Minnesota. Roots long, matted. 6'/'<^wj-.— pjranches and ui)per part a rich dark i)urple, polished and shining. On old and lower stems the outer bark cracks and rolls horizontally, becoming rough, and in color })ale. Winter buds. — Leaf buds minute. Staminate aments in the axils of the upper leaves in short, ovoid, pointed buds. Z^c77w. ^Alternate, simple, one and one-lialf to two an-d one- half inches long, oblanceolate, wedge-shaped at base, partly entire but serrate toward the apex, which is a little poir.ted. They come out of the bud revolute, pale green, slightly hairy, dotted with pale amber resinous dots above and below; when full grown are a dull dark green, glabrous above, downy on the \eiiis below and sprinkled with minute, yellow, resinous dots above and below. Fragrant. Flowers. — April. Mostly dioecious, individual flowers solitary under a scaledike bract. Staminate flowers borne in catkins an inch or more long, terminal ; scales on short stalks, covered with resinous dots. Stamens three or four; anthers large, o])ening with four valves. Pistillate catkins arc ovoitl ; scales triangular; stigmas two-lobed, puri)le, threadlike. 437 BAYBERRY FAMILY Sweet Gale, Myrica gale, in fruit. SWEET GALE Sweet Gale, Mjrica gaU, in tlower. BAYBERRY FAMILY Fruit. — Nuts in imbricated heads ; each nut iwo-winged by means of two fleshy ovate scales which are attached at the base. Although a denizen of cold northern swamps, the Sweet Gale is wonderfully tolerant of changed con- ditions, and will grow on a dry, gravelly, exposed ridge. Like the Bayberry, the leaves are densely cov- ered with small resinous dots which are the source of their fragrance. BAYBERRY. WAXBERRY Myrica caroUm^tisis. Merica cerifera. Myrica, the ancient name of an unknown shrub. Stiff, crooked, growing in miniature thickets ; found in every variety of situation and soil ; from dry, rocky hills to sandy plains, from the border of marshes to the edge of the sea-shore ; varies from three to eight feet in height. Ranges near the coast from Nova Scotia to Florida and Alabama; sparingly found on the borders of the Great Lakes. Bark. — Brownish gray, dark and pale irregularly mixed ; young stems golden brown, somewhat hairy and covered with resinous dots. Leaf buds minute, globular, reddish brown. Leaves. — Alternate, or irregularly scattered or tufted, simple, two to three and one-half inches long, obovate or oblong, nar- rowed at the base, entire, or with three or four serrate teetli near the apex which bears a tiny point at the end. They come out of the bud revolute, ])ale green tinged with red, shining, covered with white woolly hairs, thickly covered with pale amber resi- nous dots ; appear rather late ; when full grown are leathery, shining, bright green, resinous, dotted on both sides, fragrant. In autumn they darken to a bronze purple or fall with little change of color. Floivers. — May. Dicecious, individual flowers without calyx or corolla, solitary on a scale-like bract. Staminate flowers ex- pand with the leaves, borne in stiff, erect catkins less than an inch long, on last year's wood ; scales roundish, loose ; stamens 440 BAYBERRY Bayberry, Mjn'ca caroliuc-nsn Leaves 2' to 3}^' long. BAYBERRY FAMILY three to four ; anthers divided. Pistillate catkins small, erect ; scales oval, pointed ; ovary bearing two awl-shaped stigmas. Fruit. — Dry, waxy berries or drupes, one-eighth of an inch in diameter, borne in clusters of four to nine, on short stalks. At first green, then blackish, finally pale gray, almost white, con- sisting of a stone coated with dry wax which has a slightly aro- matic taste. They persist for two or three years. At the mouths of their rivers, and all along upon the sea, and near many of their creeks and swamps, the myrtle grows, bearing a berry of which they make a hard, brittle wax of a curious green color, which by re- fining becomes almost transparent. Of this they make candles, which are never greasy to the touch and do not melt with lying in the hottest weather ; neither does the snuff of these ever offend the sense like that of a tallow candle, but instead of being disagreeable if an accident puts the candle out, it yields a pleasant fragrance to all who are in the room, insomuch that nice people often put them out on purpose to have the incense of the expiring snuff. — Robert Beverly in " History of Virginia." This little shrub when planted along the shore withstands the ocean winds and storms perhaps better than any other plant known in cultivation, and can be made to do good service in establishing plantations by the sea side. It is now coming largely into use for that purpose, as it affords protection to more attractive specimens which may be planted to leeward. Beginning with a hedge of these Myricas, plantations may often be estab- lished where without something of this nature the task would be hopeless. Almost any bleak and barren exposure can be covered in this way and be- come comparatively beautiful. — Lucius D. Davis in "Ornamental Shrubs." The fruit, leaves, and recent shoots of the Bayberry are fragrant with a balsamic odor which comes from the minute, transparent, resinous dots with which the recent shoots and under surface of the leaves are pro- fusely covered, Bayberry wax is obtained by boiling- the berries in waten The wax dissolves, rises to the surface and hardens on cooling:; it is estimated that about one- third of the weight of the berries consists of wax. In 442 SWEET FERN the early days o[ the settlement of this country this wax had a commercial value. In the renaming of plants according to the rules of the American Association of Science, the Bayberry has lost its specific name of cerifcra and gained that of carolincnsis ; cerifcra is now given to a southern tree, the Wax Myrtle. SWEET FERN Comptbnia percgrina. Myrica asplenifblia, Compfonia, in honor of Rev. Henry Compton, bishop of Oxford. Fragrant, round-headed, about two feet high, growing on hillsides and in the openings of woods. Ranges from New Brunswick to the Saskatchewan, occurs abundantly throughout New England and the Middle States and on the Appalachian range. Roots long, creeping ; suckers freely. Bark. — Young stems green or yellowish or reddish l)rown and sprinkled with tiny resinous dots ; the older stems yellowish brown with shining surface, somewhat hairy ; oldest are reddish purple or coppery brown. IVinfcr buds. — Leaf buds minute, globular, hairy. Pistillate aments crowded at the summit of the stems, stiff, erect, one- fourth of an inch long, cylindrical, pale brown, hairy. Leaves. — Alternate, simple, fragrant, three to six inches long, less than an inch wide, pointed, cut into obtuse or j^ointed lobes by sinuses reaching to the midrib, margin of these lobes entire, somewhat reflexed. They come out of the bud conduplicate, l)ale green ; when full grown they are dark lustrous green ; mid- rib depressed above, i)rominently ridged and ])ubescent beneath, secondary veins small ])ut also ridged. IVtiolcs short; stipules half an inch long, auriculate or half heart-shaped, often with a pair of smaller stipules below. I, caves, jictiolcs and stii)ules densely sprinkled with minute, yellow shining resinous dots. 443 BAYBERRY FAMILY Flowers. — April, May. Dioecious, often monoecious ; the in- dividual flower without calyx or corolla, solitary under a scale- like bract. Staminate catkins one-half an inch long, borne at the end of the branch. Scales kidney or heart-shaped with long ]:)oint. Pistillate catkins globular, and bur-like. Ovary one- celled, surrounded by eight long awl-shaped persistent scales. Stamens two to eight; filaments somewhat united below ; an- thers two-celled. Fruit. — Nut, ovoid-oblong, smooth, shining, surrounded by bristly scales. September. This is a plant that looks like a fern and i^rows like a bush ; fragrant even when flowerless. An inhabitant of the north, it goes south by way of the mountain tops. The pleasant spicy fragrance which it diffuses is due to the vast number of minute grains of resin which are profusely sprinkled over leaf and stem. The long slender pinnatilid leaf certainly suggests a fern ; so that the common name seems significant and appropriate. The foliage is ver}^ attractive ; the plant thrives in sterile soils, flourishes at the seaside, and is certainly worthy of cultivation. 444 SWEET FERN Sweet Fern. Comptoiiij f^ircgriiu. Leaves }' to o' long. FAG ACE Ji— BEECH FAMILY CHINQUAPIN Castanea pumila. From Castanea, a town in Thessaly, or from another town of that name in Pontus ; the ancient name of the genus. A shrub, rarely a tree, growing in dry soil. Ranges from New Jersey to Florida, from Pennsylvania to Texas. Leaves. — Alternate, simple, pinnately veined, veins very prom- inent beneath, three to six inches long, wedge-shaped at base, sharply serrate, acute at apex. They come out of the bud pale green, shining and woolly; when full grown are dark green and smooth above, densely white tomentose beneath. In autumn they turn a bright, clear yellow. Petioles short, stout, slightly angled. Stipules fugitive. Flowers. — June, July : monoecious, fragrant. Staminate catkins erect or somewhat spreading, three to five inches long, about a quarter of an inch in diameter. Pistillate flowers are borne in prickly involucres at the base of the staminate catkins. Fniif. — Nut small, ovoid, brown, enclosed in a prickly pointed bur. Kernel sweet. The Chinquapin is a bush that in its best estate is twelve feet high, although it fruits at three. The leaves are of the chestnut type, sometimes six inches long, and underneath are densely covered with cream-white woolly hairs. The burs are small, about an inch in diameter, some- 446 CHINQUAPIN Chinquapin, Castji/cj pmniLi. Leaves y to 0' long. BEECH FAMILY times less ; the size varyini^ with the number of en- closed nuts, which frequentl}^ are two, though normally one. In fruiting- this chestnut apparently makes up in number what it lacks in size ; it is more prolific branch for branch than our common chestnut Castanca den- tata. The plant is southern ; it crosses the border in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, but its chosen home is upon the slopes of the southern Alleghanies. 448 BETULACEyE— BIRCH FAMILY HAZEL-NUT. AMERICAN HAZEL Cory his ajnericana. The husk of the hazel resembles a cap ; whence its English name from the Saxon hacslc, a cap ; its botanic name from the Greek, corys, a helmet. Three to six feet high, growing in clumps and thickets in dry or moist light soil at the edge of woods or beside walls. Ranges from Maine and Ontario, south to Florida and Kansas. Suckers freely. Stems. Young shoots russet-brown, densely hispid-pubescent with pinkish hairs, the twig finally becoming smooth ; stem dark brown. Leaves. — Alternate, simple, pinnately veined, three to six inches long, ovate or broadly oval, heart-shaped or rounded at base, irregularly and somewhat doubly serrate, acute or acumi- nate at apex. When full grown are dark yellow green, nearly smooth above, pale green and finely tomentose beneath. In au- tumn they turn a dull yellow. Petioles short, terete, glandular- hairy. Stipules large, acute, toothed, fugitive. Flowers. — March, April, before the leaves ; monoecious. Staminate aments borne in the axils of last year's leaves along the stem toward the end ; w^hen mature are slender, cylin- drical, tremulous catkins, three to four inches long, terminal or dependent from lateral foot stalks, solitary or rarely clustered. The flowers, solitary in the axil of each bract, consist of four stamens and two bractlets ; filaments are two-cleft, each fork bearing an anther-sac. Pistillate flowers are little star-like tufts of crimson stigmas, projecting above a short scaly bud of many 449 BIRCH FAMILY Hazel-nut, Cotylus ameruai,a. Leaves 3' to b' long. HAZEL-NUT Hazel-nut. CorylKs avhttcjjia. Catkins 3' to 4' long. BIRCH FAMILY scales ; the outer scales broad and edged with hair, the inner lan- ceolate hairy and fleshy. Ovary incompletely two-celled, adnate to the calyx ; style short, stigmas two, threadlike. These inner scales increase in size with the nut and become the husk, or in- volucre. Fruit. — Nut, ovoid, or oblong, about half an inch high, slightly flattened ; pale brown, roughish at base where it adheres to the involucre. Involucre compressed, composed of two nearly distinct, downy, leaf-like bractlets, fringed on their margins, com- monly broader than high, more or less exceeding the nut, becom- ing grayish brown when mature. Kernel sweet. July, August. The Hazel-nut responds to the first smile of spring in the same way as the alders. The staminate catkins hang stiff and rigid throughout the winter, but they relax as soon as -^5^^*!,^ warmth comes, develop their pollen, vr^iiir>^ fling it upon the wind and fade away. The fruit of the American Hazel resembles the filbert of commerce; in flavor it is fully equal, many^ consider it superior. Certainly the size and quality^ of the nut is such, that were it worth while, by careful cultivation, and by judicious selection of seedlings, a race of fruit-bearing hazels could be produced whose product would equal if it did not surpass that of the European species. But as it is, our hazel-nuts comfort the squirrels, who gallantly resent intrusion upon their preserves, and delight the children who wish to go nutting. Possibly^ this wild service is sufificient ; who shall say that it is not ? The name of this bush has always expressed the feel 452 Winter Branch of American Hazel-nut. Catkins scattered along the branch, as well as grouped at the end. BEAKED HAZEL-NUT Beaked Hazel-nut, Coiyliis rostrata. Leaves 2' to 4' long. BIRCH FAMILY ing- that the fruit wears a hehnet. That which finally forms this leafy helmet or involucre around the nut, exists around the young ovary as a little girdle of two tiny scales with fringed mai'gins. BEAKED HAZEL-NUT Coryliis rostrata. Two to six feet high, growing in clumps and in thickets. Ranges from Nova Scotia to British Columhia, south to Georgia and Tennessee, west to Kansas and Oregon. Suckers freely. Stems. — Recent shoots yellowish brown, densely hairy or smooth ; older branches darker brown and rough, stems dark brown. Leaves. — Alternate, simple, pinnately veined, veins depressed above, very prominent beneath, two to four inches long, ovate, oblong-ovate, or obovate, heart-shaped or rounded at base, irreg- ularly and somewhat doubly serrate, acute or acuminate at apex. When full grown are bright green, hairy or smooth above, paler and sparingly hairy or very downy below. In autumn they turn bright yellow. Petioles short, terete, smooth. Flowers. — April, May, before the leaves ; monoecious. Stami- nate aments very similar to those of Corylus a/nericaua. Pistil- late flowers cluster in a scaly bud and bristle with crimson threadlike stigmas. Fruit. — Nut ovoid, somewhat compressed, pale brown. In- volucre composed of two bristly, hairy bractlets united to the summit and lengthened into a tubular beak about twice the length of the nut ; tube minutely grooved, fringed at the summit, and densely hairy. As the nut ripens the involucre becomes a pale yellow brown varying to a rich reddish brown ; kernel sweet. The marked character of the Beaked Hazel-nut is the involucre which surrounds the nut. It certainly suggests a narrow long-necked bottle with the nut snugly packed inside. As these involucres mature 454 LOW BIRCH Low Biicli. Bii/iLj punii/j. Leaves ]/ to i};' luiii;. BIRCH FAMILY with the ripening nut, they show a rare scheme of color which varies from yellows through browns to red ; and the dense hairs give a velvety look. The nuts are all terminal, but out of a cluster that seem to start even, two or three outstrip the rest and grow, — the others abort, leaving their little bottle necks to show where they began life. LOW BIRCH. BOG BIRCH Betula piimila. Be tula humilis. Betula^ an ancient name of uncertain derivation, A bog shrub two to fifteen feet high, with twigs densely pubes- cent at first, afterward glabrous. Ranges from Newfoundland to the Northwest Territories, southward to New Jersey, Ohio and Minnesota. Leaves. — Alternate, simple, pinnately veined, veins very prom- inent beneath, one-half to an inch and a half long, obovate, broadly oval or orbicular, rounded or wedge-shaped at base, coarsely and irregularly dentate, obtuse or slightly acute at apex. They come out of the bud pale green, densely pubescent, brown- ish ; when full grown are thick, dull green, pubescent or glabrous above, pale green, brownish tomentose or glabrous and very retic- ulately-veined beneath. Autumnal tint clear, bright yellow. Petioles short. Stipules fugacious. Flowers. — May, June, with the leaves. Monoecious ; the flowers of both kinds borne in catkins. Staminate flower consists of a four-toothed perianth, subtended by two bractlets and bear- ing two stamens; filaments short, deeply two-cleft; each fork bearing an anther-sac. Pistillate flowers two or three in the axil of each bract, the bracts deciduous with the fruits ; perianth none; ovary sessile, two-celled ; styles two, mostly persistent. Fruit. — Strobile, oblong-cylindric, about three-fourths of an inch long, erect, peduncled. Fruiting bract puberulent or cili- ate, three-lobed, lateral lobes shorter than the middle one. Nut small, oblong, rather broader than its wings. 456 DWARF BIRCH Dwarf Birch, Bitnla glaiidnlosj. Leaves '4' to 1' long. BIRCH FAMILY Our two low birches undoubtedly owe their hum- ble position in an arborescent genus to their environ- ment. One is a denizen of storm-swept mountain tops; the other dwells in the bogs. Both are excel- lent shrubs in cultivation, clean cut, slender-stemmed, bright-foliaged. The birch fruit is an exceedingly interesting form. It appears as a cone made up of a large number of three-lobed scales closely packed one above another, all attached to a central axis. Lying above each one, in fact fitting into a little hollow prepared for it, is a small winged nut, which as the cone matures is re- leased from its protecting scale and permitted to sail away as the wind directs. One has to reconstruct one's idea of a nut to make this minute winged seed seem to be one, but so the botanists call it. DWARF BIRCH. GLANDULAR BIRCH Bctula ghDidiilbsa. A shrub, one to four feet high ; twigs brown, glandular-dotted, not pubescent; found in wet meadows and on mountainsides. Ranges from Newfoundland to Alaska, the higher mountains of New England and northern New York, west to Michigan, Min- nesota and in the Rocky Mountains to Colorado ; also in Asia. Leaves. — Alternate, simple, pinnately veined, three-fourths to an inch long, orbicular, oval or obovate, rounded or slightly cordate at base, irregularly dentulate-serrate, rounded at apex. When full growm are very reticulate. Thick, bright green, glabrous above, pale and glandular-dotted beneath. Autumnal tint clear bright yellow. Petioles short. Stipules fugacious. Flowers. — June, July. Monoecious. Staminate aments soli- tary, about half an inch long ; the flowers, about three together in the axil of each bract, consisting of a membranous four- 458 SPECKLED ALDER Speckled AldcT, /iliiiis nicwu. Leaves )' to s' l>->iig- BIRCH FAMILY toothed scale, two stamens, and subtended by two bractlets ; filaments short, deeply two-cleft, each fork bearing an anther- sac. Pistillate aments cylindric, erect, peduncled ; flowers two or three in the axil of each bract ; the bracts three-lobed, lateral lobes divergent, deciduous with the fruit ; ovary sessile, two- celled ; styles two. Fruit. — Strobile, oblong-cylindric, a half to an inch long, erect, peduncled, obtuse at base and apex. Fruiting bract gla- brous, three-lobed, lateral lobes divergent, rather shorter than the middle one. Nut tiny, oblong, usually narrower than its wings. A little inland on the North Cape, the dwarf birch makes its appearance ; when sheltered attaining a length of about a foot with a stem of a quarter to a third of an inch in diameter, and requiring a generation or two to reach these dimensions. It did not raise its top toward the sun, but crouched to the earth, clinging to it like a creeping plant, to escape being torn away by the force of the winds. — " Land of the Midnight Sun." Paul B. Du Chaillu. SPECKLED ALDER. HOARY ALDER Alnns incana. Alniis, an ancient Latin name derived from the Celtic ; in allusion to the growth of these plants along streams. The common northern brook-side alder, abundant at the edge of streams and in swamps ; reaches a height of eight to ten feet. Ranges from Newfoundland to Pennsylvania and west to Nebraska. Stems, — Recent shoots and fruit stalks brown and downy, dotted with orange lenticels, which gradually become ashen or grayish brown. Those stems that are deeply shaded are often deep red or dark green. All are speckled with conspicuous light gray lenticels. Leaves. — Alternate, simple, three to five inches long, two to four inches wide, broad-oval, rounded or cordate at base, doubly or irregularly serrate, acute at apex. They come out of the bud very downy ; when full grown are bright dark green above, pale, sometimes pubescent and often whitish, below ; midvein and primary veins depressed above, ridged below. In autumn they turn a briglit. clear yellow. Petiole short, stout. 460 SPECKLED ALDER Upper Spray, Catkins of Alinis rnoosj. L()wer Spr;iv, C;itkins of ^Inns iitrjiu. BIRCH FAMILY Flowers. — March, April, before the leaves. Monoecious. Staminate aments are slender, cylindrical, formed in the previous autumn and hang in stiff and terminal clusters of three, four or five together on short, leafless branches or peduncles ; when ma- ture they become two or three inches long. I'hey then consist of a central axis bearing brown or purple scales on short stalks ; beneath each scale are three similar ones, each containing a three to five-lobed calyx-cuj), with three to five stamens from whose anthers issues a cloud of jJoUen. The i)istillate aments are also formed during the previous autumn ; are one-fourth to three-eighths of an inch long, clustered usually in threes; when mature they become deep jjurple, bristling with scarlet styles. The position of these pistillate aments is a distinguishing charac- ter of the i^lant ; they look upward. Fruit. — Strobile of woody scales grown together, composed of the pistillate ament enlarged and hardened. Its scales have be- come woody and each protects a wingless seed-vessel which is one-celled and one-seeded. October. The Speckled Alder is easily distinguished by the brilliant, polished, reddish green color of its stem-bark, and the size, regularity, impressed reticulations and the downy under-surface of the leaves. The branchlets, at the time of flowering, are dependent, and the long, pendulous, sterile cat- kins are thus terminal, while the ovate fertile ones are on shorter, lateral foot-stalks just above. This is the reverse of the arrangement of the catkins in the Common Alder in which the fertile aments, being erect, seem termi- nal, while the sterile ones bend down. The flowers of the alder are among the earliest liarbingers of spring. — George H. Emerson. Tie earliest familiar token of the coming season is the expansion of the stiff catkins (jf the alder into soft drooping tresses. These are so sensitive, that if you pluck them at almost any time during the winter, a few days' sunshine will make them open in a vase of water, and thus they eagerly yield to every moment of April warmth. The blossom of the birch is more delicate, that of the willow more showy, but the alders come first. They cluster and dance everywhere upon the bare bough above the watercourses ; the blackness of the buds is softened into rich brown and yellow, and as this graceful creature thus comes waving into the spring, it is pleasant to remember that the Norse Eddas fabled the first woman to have been named Embla, because she was created from an alder-bough. — Thomas Wentworth Higginson. 462 SPECKLED ALDER The Speckled Alder crowds as near lo the water's edge as it is possible to grow and then leans over as if hoping to go farther. In midsummer its dark green foliage fringes the northern watercourses and forms a natural hedge. Its strong matted r(jots give stability to the soft banks and keep the stream within hounds. Throughout the winter many of the slender stems bear terminal clusters of stiff, c}dindrical, uncom})ro- mising catkins which were formed the previous autumn, and which without protection withstand the assaults of frost and snow and ice. These catkins like the flower buds of the Silver Maple respond to the first breath of spring ; the stiff fibres relax, the scales open, and clusters of long plumy tassels, royal in their purple and gold, droop from every twig and branchlet. The catkin-scales are a deep brownish purple and the an- thers bear immense quantities of pollen which when mature fall in clouds of golden dust. The fruit looks like a small pine cone ; each woody scale protects a wood}^ seed-vessel which in time is released as the little cone opens. The seeds aie dis- charged in the autumn and early winter, but the cones persist until the following summer. Lenticels appear more or less abundantly upon all exogenous woody stems; upon manv quite as abun- dantly as upon the Abuts inca)ia, but in comparison with Alniis rngosa it bears a great many, whence the common name Speckled Alder. In very young shoots of shrubs and trees there are stomata or breathing pores which occur abundantly in the epidermis, serving for the admission of air and the escape of moisture ; while the green layer of the bark 463 BIRCH FAMILY answers tlic same purpose that is served by the green pulp of the leaf. As the shoot matures, the stomata are succeeded by lenticels or spongy places, which scattered over the external surface of the bark serve to admit air to the interior of the stem. They appear at first as roundish spots of very small size, but as the shoot on which they occur increases in diameter the lenticels enlarge. Gardeners think well of the Speckled Alder. It thrives in wet places, its leaves push out early, making it attractive when other shrubs are bare. Alders transplant well, are natural adjuncts to a slow-flowing stream, and appropriate companions for the willows. SMOOTH ALDER Almis rugbsa. Alnus serrulata. The common alder of the southern states ; often found grow- ing with the northern form, frequently forming thickets at the edge of streams and in swamps ; usually six to twelve feet high. Roots large, strong, throwing up many suckers ; bark astringent. Ranges from Massachusetts to Florida, westward to southern Minnesota and Texas. Stems. — When young, l)rownish green, smooth or downy ; older stems grayish green or dark green. Leaves. — Alternate, simple, two and one-half to four and one- half inches long, broad, oval or obovate, rounded or wedge- shaped at base, minutely serrulate and undulate, rounded or with a blunt point at apex. They come out of the bud pale green and downy ; when full grown are thick, dark green, gla- brous and shining above, paler green, and usually pubescent on the veins beneath. Small, resinous dots appear on young leaves. Midvein and primary veins depressed above, ridged beneath ; downy when leaves are young, afterward downy at the axils only. The autumnal tint is yellow touched with red. Stipules broad- 464 SMOOTH ALDER Smooth Alder, y41nus rugosa Leaves 2^i' to ^%' lonj?. BIRCH FAMILY oval, rounded and enclose the unexpanded leaf. Petioles short, scaly, dotted. Flowers. — March, April, before the leaves. Monoecious. The staminate aments are slender, cylindrical ; formed in the pre- vious autumn, and hang stiff, in terminal clusters of three, four or five together on short leafless branches or peduncles. When mature they become drooping tassels loaded with pollen. They consist of a central axis, which bears brown or purple, heart- shaped or rliomboidal scales on short stalks. Beneath each scale are three smaller ones, each containing a three to five-lobed calyx-cup, with three to five stamens from whose anthers issues a cloud of pollen. The pistillate aments are also formed during the previous autumn ; are one-fourth to three-eighths of an inch long, clustered usually in threes ; when mature they become deep purple bristling with scarlet styles. The pistillate aments look forward and downward. Fruit. — Strobile of woody scales grown together, composed of the pistillate ament enlarged and hardened. Its scales have be- come woody, and each [protects a wingless seed-vessel which is one-celled and one-seeded. October. The two Alders, Alnus incana and Alnns riigosa, are very much alike in habit ; they enter upon the heritage of the spring-time like two Dromios, — not one before the other. The change that the first warm days in early spring produce in the Alder bushes is very grati- fying to one who is listening for the call of the robin and the song of the bluebird. It gives an added ap- preciation of the power of sunshine. Through all the black days of winter, assailed by ice and snow and cutting winds, the stiff, ungainly catkins have held their place untouched and unchanged ; but when " The hounds of spring are on winter's traces," and the March sun has warmed the earth a little, the dark, stiff cylinders begin to soften and lengthen, — gradually they lose the purple and take on the yellow, the color of many stamens and much pollen. The su- 466 MOUNTAIN ALDER M«>uiU:\in Alder, /Ibms ahiobctula. LcaVfS 2' lu s' lulli:. BIRCH FAMILY preme moment is brief; for a day or two they are the perfection of g-race and beauty, then the axis weakens and becomes lax ; they cast their pollen to the winds and pass away. GREEN OR MOUNTAIN ALDER Alnus abiobetula. Alnus viridis. A shrub of northern habitat, ranging from New- foundland to Alaska, southward to Michigan and New York, and down to the Carolinas along the Alleghan}- mountains. It attains a height of six feet; the young foliage is glutinous and more or less pubescent. The leaves are broadly oval or ovate, two to five inches long, minutely incised-serrulate, rounded or slightly heart-shaped at base, acute or obtuse at apex. When mature dark green and glabrous above, paler and pubescent on the veins beneath. The next year's buds are found well grown in the axils of the leaves in July, are three-eighths of an inch long, reddish, slender, pointed, — quite a marked summer character of the bush. For an alder it is a late bloomer, the catkins expand- ing with the leaves. The staminate are ver}^ large and handsome and quite abundant. Like all our alders the sterile catkins are exposed during the winter; but the small fertile ones are protected within large brown buds, thus differing from the two better known species, which have all the catkins exposed during the winter. The fruiting cones are one-half to five-eighths of an inch long ; the nut is winged. The bush gives the im- pression of lush, strong growth ; possibly it is no greener than its neighbors. 468 SALICACEyE— WILLOW FAMILY THE WILLOW Salix. '^ The role that the willow plays in the north temperate zone is to a certain extent analogous to that of the Eucalyptus in sub- tropical regions in that it flourishes in wet ground and absorbs and transpires immense quantities of water. But while most of the species occur spontaneously in wet ground or along the banks of streams, the willow may be cultivated in various locations." — " Cyclopedia of American Horticulture." Salix is a genus of dioecious trees and shrubs, char- acterized b}^ simple leaves, much longer than broad ; buds with a single bud scale; flowers in lax scalv cat- kins ; each flower subtended by a single entire scale and nearly or quite destitute of a perianth. The stam- inate flowers have one, two, or three to six stamens ; the pistilhite llowers consist of a single j)istil. com])()sr(l of two carpels and two more or less divided stigmas. At maturity the pistil opens, setting free the small seeds which arc furnished with long silkv down. The willow hybridizes natural] v, and it is this which makes the determination of the diffci-cnt species so difficult. The most that an amateur can hojie to do is to know the marked tv[)es. \c{ we at least can know 469 WILLOW FAMILY Pussy Willow, Salix discolor. Catkins on the stem at the left are pistillate; those on the stems at the right are staminate. BALSAM WILLOW Balsam Willow, SjIix balsamij\-ia. Leaves 2' to ^' long. WILLOW FAMILY the shrubs that follow the watercourses, that shine and gleam in the winter sunshine ; telling by their brilliancy in February that spring is coming. One species, the Pussy Willow, meets the goddess half way, with its furry catkins creeping out from under their protecting scales. In order really to know a willow, it should be seen leafless, when bursting into bloom, in full leaf, and in fruit ; and as each species is dioecious, both pistillate and staminate forms should be studied. This can be done satisfactorily only in plantations definitely ar- ranged for the purpose. BALSAM WILLOW Salix balsamifera. An irregularly branching shrub four to ten feet high, often growing in clumps ; found in open swamps and low lands. Ranges across the continent from Labrador to Manitoba, south- ward to Maine and Minnesota ; has been found in the White Mountains. Ste7ns. — Bark of old stems smooth, dull gray, branches olive; recent twigs reddish brown, shining. Leaves. — Alternate, simple, very reticulate-veined, two to four inches long, elliptic, ovate or obovate, rounded or heart-shaped at base, glandular-serrate, acute or obtuse at apex. When full grown are dark green, glabrous above, pale green or glaucous beneath. Petioles long and slender. Stipules minute or none. Flowers. — May. Catkins borne on slender leafy peduncles, expanding with the leaves. The staminate densely-flowered, silky, cylindric, about an inch long ; scales rosy, anthers at first reddish, becoming deep yellow. The pistillate catkin in fruit, be- comes very lax, two to three inches long. Fruiting capsule very narrow, acute, not quite a quarter of an inch long. 472 BROAD-LEAVED WILLOW Broad-leaved Willow, Salix ^Liucofybvlla. Leaves Y to 4' Ioiil;. WILLOW FAMILY With the fertile capsules opening and coalescing into huge soft balls of whitest wool almost hiding the beautiful red and maroon leaves of the grow- ing tips, it {Sa/ix balsaniifcra) is certainly the handsomest willow I ever saw. — ToRREY Botanic Club. The Balsam Willow assumes its finest form in open swampy grounds, where it is exposed to the sun on all sides ; under these conditions it forms larsfe broad clumps. When in flower, it is one of the most beauti- ful of willows. BROAD-LEAVED WILLOW Salix glaucophylla. Two to six feet high, found on the sandy shores of the Great Lakes. Ranges from Illinois and Michigan to Wisconsin ; occa- sionally found somewhat back from the shore. Stems. — Light gray ; shoots and twigs smooth and yellowish. Leaves. — Alternate, simple, three to four inches long, nearly two inches wide, ovate, obovate or oblong-lanceolate, rounded or acute at base, serrulate with gland-tipped teeth, short acuminate at apex ; when full grown dark green and shining above, glaucous beneath. Petioles stout, a quarter to half an inch long. Stip- ules large, persistent, auriculate, dentate. Flowers. — April. Catkins expanding before the leaves; very silky, leafy-bracted at base. Staminate about two inches long; pistillate often three inches long in fruit. Bracts densely white, downy, persistent. Fruiting capsules long-beaked from an ovoid base, acute, about a quarter of an inch long. Salix glmicopJiylla lives by choice on the sand ridges and dunes of the Great Lakes, and is especially abun- dant on the shore of Lake Michigan. Every plant that lives among shifting sands develops its own means of self-protection; and this is usually either a peculiarl}^ fibrous root or an extremely vital stem. This willow depends largely upon its stem, which takes root 474 HEART-LEAVED WILLOW Heart-leaved Willow, Salix cordata. WILLOW FAMILY readily at the nodes and quickly sends shoots into the air while the roots take hold of the sand. In this way extensive clumps are formed which crown the low hills. HEART-LEAVED WILLOW. DIAMOND WILLOW Salix cor data. Five to twelve feet high, growing in clumps in wet soil and along the watercourses. Range from New Brunswick to British Columbia, south to Virginia, Missouri and California. Hybri- dizes freely. Stems. — Brown or on older stems ashy gray or yellowish brown. Branches greenish brown, or bright green or bronze yellow, smooth ; recent shoots yellowish, or pale green, or downy white. Leaves. — Alternate, simple, oblong, lanceolate, narrowed, ob- tuse or heart-shaped at base, sharply serrulate with glandular teeth, acuminate at apex. They come out of the bud condupli- cate, downy ; when full grown, green on both sides or paler be- neath. Petioles half to three-fourths of an inch long. Stipules oblique, serrulate, usually large and persistent. Floivers. — April, May. Catkins expanding before the leaves. Staminate about three-fourths of an inch long, about three sta- mens to a flower ; the pistillate one to two inches long in fruit. Fruiting capsule narrowly-ovoid, acute. This shrub of the watercourses g-rows in character- istic clumps which are formed by the development of sprouts from the original plant. In the larger clumps the first or oldest stem is usually dead or dying ; its vitality sapped by the gradual formation of the stems about it. These stems are smooth and flexible, but tough as well, and are sometimes used in basket work. The name Diamond Willow, which seems to be local to the west, is due to the peculiar way in which the bark cracks on the older stems. 476 FURRY WILLOW The plant loves water and prefers locations that arc frequently submcri^cd. The roots form lari^^c tan^ded masses on the sides of streams, and are much lar^^er than the stems proceeding from them. FURRY WILLOW Sd/ix adciiophylla. Straggling shrub, three to seven feet high, found in the sand of lake shores and river banks. Ranges from Labrador to On- tario, southward to Pennsylvania and Illinois. Hybridizes with Salix cor data. X,v?7'r.y. — Alternate, simple, one to two inches long, ovate, heart-shaped or rounded at base, finely serrulate with gland-tipped teeth, acute, or short acuminate, or the lower obtuse at apex. When young densely silky tomentose, the silky hairs falling away from the leaves when old. Petioles stout, short, dilated at tlie base, densely silky. Stipules ovate-cordate, obtuse serrulate, per- sistent, densely silky. Flowers. April, May. Catkins expanding with the leaves, leafy-bracted at base, densely flowered. Staminate less dian an inch long ; pistillate about two inches long in fruit. Fruitnig capsule small, ovoid-conic, acute. The Furry Willow like the Broad-leaved Willow loves the sands. Its common name is not misapplied, for the growing shoot is densely covered — twigs, petioles, stii)ules, and opening leaves— with a lurry white coat of woolly hairs which give a grayish green aspect to the bush. In order to hold its own in adverse conditions, its stems are endowed with an intense vitality, and where the sand drifts over and buries one, it there takes root and sends up other stems and so forms clumps which in time cover the barren waste. The economic value of those plants of the shore that 477 WILLOW FAMILY bind down the moving sand is very great ; for the pro- tection of valuable property from the encroachment of shifting dunes is becoming an important problem in many parts of our country. The regions most affected are the Atlantic and Pacific coasts, the lake district of Michigan, and the Columbia river district of Washing- ton and Oregon. Very successful work in holding the sand by grass and shrub planting has already been done by the State of Massachusetts on a portion of Cape Cod known as the Province Lands. BOG WILLOW Salix myrtilldides. Erect, slender, glabrous, twigs pale brown, attains the height of one to three feet, found in bogs. Ranges from New Bruns- wick and Quebec to British Columbia, south to New Jersey and Iowa; also in northern Europe. Leaves. — Alternate, simple, an inch to an inch and a half long, oblong, elliptic or somewhat obovate, mostly narrowed at the base, entire, slightly revolute, obtuse or acute at the apex, when full grown bright green above, pale or glaucous beneath. Petioles short. Flowers. — April, May. Catkins expanding with the leaves, leafy-bracted at the base, rather dense. The staminate rather less than an inch long ; the pistillate rather more. Fruiting capsule oblong-conic, obtuse, glabrous, about one-fourth of an inch long. PRAIRIE WILLOW Salix hit mil is. Upland grayish willow, three to eight feet high, varying much in size and shape of leaves ; found on dry soil. Ranges from Nova Scotia to Ontario, south to North Carolina and Tennessee, and west to Nebraska. Hybridizes with Salix discolor. 478 BOG WILLOW Bog Willow, Sa/ix iiivrti/ hides. Leaves i' lo i '2' loii^- WILLOW FAMILY Prairie Willow, Salix humilis. Leaves 2' to 4' long. DWARF GRAY WILLOW Dwarf Gray Willow, Sah'x tristis. Leaves y^' to 2' long. WILLOW FAMILY Leaves. — Alternate, simple, two to four inches long, lanceo- late or oblong-lanceolate, the lowest obovate, acute at both ends, or obtuse at the apex, sparingly denticulate, and slightly revo- lute. When full grown dark green, dull, puberulent or gla- brous above, glaucous and somewhat dowuiy beneath. Petioles short. Stipules obliquely lanceolate or ovate. Flowers. — April, May. Catkins unfolding much before the leaves, sessile, short, dense, recurved. Fruiting capsule nar- rowly conic. SAGE WILLOW. DWARF GRAY WILLOW Salix iristis. A shrub with slender tufted stems, one to two feet high, found in dry soils. Ranges from Maine to Minnesota, southward to Florida and Tennessee. Leaves. — Simple, alternate, three-fourths to two inches long, three-eighths to half an inch wide, oblanceolate or linear-oblong, wedge-shaped or rounded at base, obscurely undulate and revo- lute, acute or obtuse at apex. When full grown thick, very reticulate, yellow-green above, densely woolly, pubescent be- neath. Petioles short. Stipules minute, deciduous. Floivers. — March, April. Catkins expanding with the leaves, small, globular or oval, sessile, densely flowered ; bracts persist- ent. Fruiting capsule about a quarter of an inch long. The Dwarf Gray Willow obtains its common name from the grayish or olive green effect which the white pubescence of the under surface of the leaves gives to the bush. The slender stems are erect and the leaves stand up well so that much of the under surface is seen. This willow is rather common and is to be looked for on sandy plains and on the borders of hill- side thickets. 482 HOARY WILLOW Hoary Willow, Sj/ix idi/diJj. Leaves i' to 4' long. WILLOW FAMILY HOARY WILLOW Salix Candida. A dwarf whitish shrub, two to five feet high, the older twigs red or purple, the younger densely white-tomentose ; found in bogs. Ranges from Labrador to the Northwest Territories, southward to New Jersey, Iowa and Montana. Leaves. — Alternate, simple, very reticulate-veined, two to four inches long, narrow-oblong or oblong-lanceolate, acute at both ends, or sometimes obtuse at apex, margin obscurely repand- denticulate or entire, slightly revolute ; midvein white above, very prominent beneath. When young densely covered above and beneath with white tomentum ; when full grown are thick, green, loosely tomentose or glabrate above, densely tomentose beneath. Petioles short. Stipules ovate, very revolute, semi- persistent, green above, white tomentose beneath, about equalling the petioles in length. Flowers. — May. Catkins expanding before the leaves, densely- flowered, cyHndric; the staminate about an inch long; the pis- tillate one to two inches long in fruit; bracts hairy, persistent. Fruiting capsule ovoid-conic, acute, one-fourth of an inch long. On its native bogs the Hoary Willow appears as a sprawling, straggling bush, and in the garden where it readily makes itself at home it never becomes attrac- tive in habit ; yet it is always conspicuous, for its leaves as well as the young shoots are densely covered with a white weblike wool, which marks it among its com- panions. The blossoms are extremely beautiful, as what color they have is emphasized by the white down about them. The staminate catkins are at first tipped by red anthers which give a rosy color to the whole ; later as the pollen escapes they become bright yellow. The pistillate catkins are hoary at first, later the pistils are tipped by dark red stigmas. Its flowers and its foliage entitle it to a place in any garden. 484 SILKY WILLOW Silky Willow, Salix sericea. Leaves z' to 4' \o\ys,. WILLOW FAMILY SILKY WILLOW Salix sericea. A tall willow with slender, purplish, slightly downy twigs, found in swamps and along streams. Ranges from Maine to Michigan and southward to Virginia. Leaves. — Alternate, simple, two to four inches long, oblong or lanceolate, narrowed or obtuse at base, serrate with glandular teeth, acuminate at apex. The young leaves are densely silky- pubescent, when full grown they become glabrous, dark green above, paler and somewhat glaucous beneath. Petioles short, sometimes glandular. Stipules narrow, deciduous. Flowers. — May. Catkins expanding before the leaves, sessile, usually with a few leafy bracts at the base, densely flowered. The staminate about an inch long; the pistillate in fruit nearly two inches. Fruiting capsule small, ovoid-oblong, obtuse, pu- bescent. Salix petiolaris, the Slender Willow, is very similar in general appearance to Salix sericea, only it is of a more delicate type. Its home is the swamps, its range more northern and western. The flowers appear in May. 486 SLENDER WILLOW SlendcM- Willow, Salix pctiolaris. I.iavcs i' to 4' long. EMPETRACE.^— CROWBERRY FAMILY BLACK CROWBERRY. HEATHBERRY £,mpetru7)i iiigrum. Empetnim, upon a rock ; an ancient Greek name, refer- ring to the growth of these plants in rocky places. A low, evergreen, much branched shrub, forming dense masses in rocky places ; branches closely beset with oblong-linear leaves. Found on the high mountains of New England and New York, on the northern shore of Lake Superior, on the banks of the Saguenay, along the international boundary to British Columbia and in Alaska. Bark reddish brown; that of branches rough- ened with the remains of petioles. Leaves. — Simple, thickly scattered or whorled, three-eighths to one-fourth of an inch long, oblong-linear, entire, edges so revolute that they meet at the back ; bright green. The leaves are jointed to short pulvini, channelled on the lower side by the revolute margins. Flowers. — Summer; dioecious, inconsjjicuous, solitary in the axils of the upper leaves, purplish. Sepals and petals mostly three. Staminate flowers with three stamens, the anthers in- trorse. Pistillate flowers with a globose, six to nine-celled ovary and a short thick style with six to nine-toothed segments. Fruit. — Berry-like drupe, globular, black, seated in the calyx and cro\vned with remnants of the stigma. Flesh juicy, slightly acid, not unpleasant, containing six to nine seed-like nutlets. Eaten by birds. The Black Crowberry is a subarctic plant, found in America, Europe, and Asia, which seeks the cold thin 488 Slack crowbeRRV Bhick Ciowbeny, Einpctiiini morn in. Leaves }»' to %' long. CROWBERRY FAMILY air of mountain tops and is not very particular as to wet or dry if only its home is cool enough. It lifts its branches three to four inches. It curves the edges of its tiny leaves backward until they meet, in order to lessen evaporation. Although it lives amid moisture, it must economize its store because so much of the time the temperature is below freezing, when no leafy plant can work. Linnaeus records that it lives on the mountains of Lapland, where other plants perish with the cold. Just over the mountains from Sitka it is found in great abundance ; also in Scotland it abounds, and is there the badge of the clan McLean. Cattle do not browse upon its foliage. The berries are rather pleasant to the taste ; are eaten by man and eagerly sought by the arctic birds. The plant will grow in northern gardens, but requires a moist, boggy soil and a shaded situation. The seeds are slow to germinate, and the seedlings are slow in growth. Among its many local names are Crakeberry, Crow- pea, Black-berried Heath, Wire Ling, and the Cana- dians call the berries Camerines. In a certain way an arctic plant appeals to the imag- ination more than other plants. It has by variation and natural selection, through ages unmeasured and immeasurable, adapted itself to the harshest climate that this earth produces ; and looking out toward the limit of everlasting snow, it apparently calls life good and the earth enjoyable. Most of the distinctively arctic plants encircle the globe with little or no varia- tion in form. There seems to be no distinct Asia, Europe, or America, along those higher latitudes; all are alike in their pitiless cold. 490 CONRAD'S BROOM CROWBERRY CuniMcl's Biitoni Crovvberry, Corema coiirjiiii. Leaves ,'^' to ]^' long. CROWBERRY FAMILY CONRAD'S BROOM CROWBERRY Corhna conrddii, CoremUy broom, in allusion to the bushy habit. Low, evergreen, much branched, densely leafy ; growing in large patches on rocky or sandy soil. Ranges from Newfound- land to New Jersey, near the coast ; has been reported on the Shawangunk mountains in Ulster County, New York. Leaves. — Crowded, narrowly-linear, three-sixteenths to one- fourth of an inch long. Thickened, obtuse, bright green, puberu- lent when young, glabrous when mature. Leaves are jointed to short pulvini, and channelled on the lower side by the meeting of the revolute margins. Flowers. — April, May. Dioecious, small, borne in terminal heads. Corolla none. Staminate flowers with three or four long exserted purple stamens with brown anthers, occasionally with a rudimentary or a perfect pistil. The pistillate flowers have a two to five-celled ovary, a slender two to five-cleft style, and are almost concealed by the upper leaves. Fj'uit. — A very small, globose drupe, nearly dry, usually with three nutlets. This is one of the rarest of North American shrubs ; as a matter of fact it does not look very much like a shrub, but wanders over the ground as if it were a Christmas-green ; and in the regions where it abides will often densely cover vast sandy stretches. The leaf is apparently linear, but what has really happened is that each half of the leaf has turned itself backward until the opposite edges have met, and the channel at the back shows the line of union. The well known Labrador Tea turns the edges of its leaves backward, but they do not meet ; in the Crowberries the edges meet. 492 TAXACEyE— YEW FAMILY AMERICAN YEW. GROUND HEMLOCK Idxus canadensis. Taxus, said to be derived from iaxon, the Greek word for bow ; on account of the use made of the wood of the European species. Low, straggling, evergreen bush, one to four feet high, with wide-spreading branches, common in northern woods, often covering large areas of low, moist, shaded land. Ranges from Newfoundland to Lake Winnipeg and southward to Virginia and Iowa. Leaves. — Evergreen, alternate, linear, sharp-pointed; dis-^ posed in asubspiral and appearing two-ranked by the twisting of the short compressed petioles. Dark green above, somewhat paler beneath. Flowers. — Ditccious or monrocious, solitary, axillary. Stami- nate-flowers have four to eight stamens collected into a globular head. Pistillate flower consists of an erect ovule on a ring-like disk, which enlarges as the fruit matures and becomes a bright red fleshy cup, and nearly encloses the ripe seed. Fruit. — Nut-like seed ; nearly enclosed in a red, pulpy, berry- like cup. In various parts of the western counties of Massachusetts occurs a hum- ble, almost prostrate evergreen, conspicuous for the rich and deep green of its foliage. It is the American Yew. — C1p:<)Rc.k H. Emkrson. The Yew at first sight looks like a sccdlino; hemlock that perhaps has not fared quite well, and is inclined to .493 YEW FAMILY American Yew, Taxiis canadensis. EUROPEAN YEW stragg-le and sprawl. Closer observation, however, shows a larger, stronger leaf of darker green, with its under surface a decided yellow green where the hem- lock is glaucous or a pale blue green. Then, too, the Yew leaves break ranks much oftener than those of the hemlock. In midsummer one may find, scattered and solitary, sometimes at the end of a branch and sometimes at the side, a beautiful translucent red berry, the size of a currant or a trifie larger. When one examines this red berry it is found to have a cylindrical opening down to its very heart, an opening an eighth of an inch across: and at its heart, surrounded by all this red pulpy protection, is a dark brown bony seed. In taste this berr}^ is sweetish and rather insipid. This little bush can be made very useful in covering moist ground which is well shaded. To plant it in sunny locations is a mistake, it languishes if it does not die. EUROPEAN YEW Tdxns baccata. The Yew-tree of the poet and the historian is Ta.vus baccata, a plant of wide distribution, found throughout Europe, save in the extreme north, and also native to western Asia. It is not native in America, nor has the tvpe ever really flourished here, though hybrids are abundant and fairly hardy. A few well grown Yew- trees are reported in New York, Philadelphia, and Baltimore where they were planted fullv one hundred years ago ; but the climate of New England is too severe for them, and they will grow there only if well 495 YEW FAMILY European Yew, Taxus baccata. EUROPEAN YEW protected; which being transhitcd means that they will not grow satisfactorily at all. In England the tree usually attains the height of thirty to forty feet with low spreading branches. The English custom of planting Yews in church- yards has never been satisfactorily exi)lained, nor is it understood why the trees should be so closely con- nected with superstitions relating to ghosts and fairies. Possibly both may be of druidical origin. The fact that the leaves are poisonous may account for some of it ; certainly the belief that the tree was noxious was very widespread. Shakespeare did not omit the Yew in his pictures of English life, for the Clown in " Twelfth Night " lament- ing the indifference of his lady-love sings, — My shroud of white, stuck all with yew, O, prepare it ! and in '* Macbeth " among the contents of the witches' caldron are, — * * * slips of yew Slivered in the moon's eclipse. In " Richard II." Scroop says to the fallen king,— Thy very beadsmen learn to bend their bows Of double-fatal yew against thy state. Two garden forms of Taxus haccata are extensively planted under the names of Irish Yew, Taxus haccata fastigiata, and Japanese Yew, Taxus haccata adprcssa. Other forms appear, but these two are the most dis- tinct and the most interesting. The Irish Yew is distinguished by its erect branches, which produce a narrow, compact, cylindrical lorm, 497 YEW FAMILY sometimes broadened at the apex in old age. The leaves are not two-ranked, but are spirally arranged, of large size and very dark green. The fruit is oblong, not spherical. All the individuals of this variety are pistillate. The original plant was found during the last century on the mountains of County Fermanagh, Ireland, and planted in the garden at Florence Court, a seat of the Earl of Enniskillen. It is a very beauti- ful plant, particularl}^ in autumn, when the dark green branches are studded with scarlet berries. The Japanese Yew was long believed to be of eastern origin, but is now generally supposed to be a seedling of Taxiis baccata. It is, however, fair to say that all horticulturists do not assent to this opinion. It is characterized by its numerous spreading branches and its very short, broad leaves. It, too, is pistillate and is rather hardier than other allied forms. Varieties with yellow and with variegated leaves have also been developed. 498 GLOSSARY OF BOTANICAL TERMS AciiF.XE. — A dry one-seeded indehiscent fruit with the pericarp fitting close- ly around the seed. Acuminate. — Gradually tapering to the apex. Acute. — Sharp pointed. Adnate. — An organ adhering to a contiguous differing one. Adventive. — Not indigenous, but apparently becoming naturalized. Alterx.\te. — Applied to that form of leaf arrangement in which only one leaf occurs at a node. Amknt. — A spike of imperfect flowers subtended by scarious bracts, as in willows. Used interchangeably with catkin. Anther. — The part of the stamen which contains the pollen. Af?:talous. — Without a corolla. Appressed. — Lying close and flat against. Arborescent. — Tree-like in size and habit of growth. A-RIL. — A fleshy organ growing at the point of attachment of a seed to the pericarp. AscendiN(;. — Growing obliquely upward, or upcurved. .\\VL-SHA!'Ei). — Narrow upward from the base to a slender or rigid point. Awn. — A slender bristle-like organ. Axil. — The point on the stem immediately above the base of the leaf. .Vxis. — The central line of any organ or support of a group of organs; a stem. Axillary. — liorne at, or pertaining to, an a.xil. 1)ACC.\TE. — lierry-like ; pulpy. Ueaked. — Mnding in a prolonged tip. Berry. — .\ fruit whose pericarp is wholly pulpy. Biennial. — ( )t two years' duration. I^iiMNNA 1 1-,. — Twice pinnate. Blade. — The Hat expanded part of a leaf. I'.KACr. — A leaf, usually small, subtending a flower or flower-cluster. 1jR.\CT£A1L. — Having bracts. 499 GLOSSARY OF BOTANICAL TERMS Bractlet. — A secondary bract, borne on a pedicel, or immediately be- neath a flower ; sometimes applied to minute bracts. Bud. — The rudimentary state of a stem or branch ; an unexpanded flower. Bush. — A low and much branched shrub. Used interchangeably with shrub. C^SPiTOSE. — Growing in tufts. Calyx. — The outer whorl of floral envelopes. Campanulate. — Bell-shaped. Canescent. — With gray, or hoary, fine pubescence. Capitate. — Shaped like a head. Capsule. — A dry fruit of two carpels or more, usually opening by valves or teeth. Carpel. — A simple pistil, or one member of a compound pistil. Catkin. — An ament. Cell. — A cavity of an anther or ovary. CiLiATE. — Provided with marginal hairs. Cleft. — Cut about halfway to the midvein. Cohere. — The union of one organ with another. Compound. — Composed of two or more similar parts united into a whole. Conduplicate. — Folded lengthwise. Compound-leaf. — One divided into separate leaflets. Connate. — Similar organs more or less united. Connective. — The end of the filament between the anther-sacs. Convolute. — Rolled around or rolled up longitudinally. Cordate. — Heart-shaped. Coriaceous. — Leathery in texture. Corolla. — The inner whorl of floral envelopes. Corymb. — A convex or flat-topped flower-cluster, of the racemose type ; the outer flowers unfold first. Corymbose. — Corymb-like. Crenate. — Scalloped ; with rounded teeth. Crenulate. — Diminutive of crenate. Cross-fertilization. — When the stigma of one flower receives the pollen of a different flower. Cuneate. — Wedge-shaped. Cuspidate. — Sharp pointed. Cyme. — A convex or flat flower cluster in which the central flowers unfold first. Cymose. — Cyme-like ; arranged in cymes. Deciduous. — Falling away at the close of the growing period. Decumbent. — Stems or branches in an inclined position, but the end as- cending. 500 GLOSSARY OF BOTANICAL TERMS DECrRRKNT.— Applied to the prolongati.Hi of an (Jiguii, or purl of an (^rgaii runninj; along the sides of another. Dehiscent. — Opening to emit the contents. Deltoid. — Broadly triangular, like the Oreek letter delta. Dentate. — Toothed, especially with outwardly projecting teeth. Denticulate. — Diminutive of dentate. Determinaik. — Limited or defined. r)iFFrsE. — Loosely spreading. Dkkcious. — Bearing staminate flowers on one plant and pistillate ones on another of the same species. Disk. — An enlargement or prolongation of tlie receptacle of a flower around the base of the pistil. Distinct. — Separate from each other. Dkupk.— A simple fruit, usually indehiscent, with fleshy exocarp and bony endocarp. Drupelet. — Diminutive of drupe. ECH I N ATE. — Prickly. Elliptic. — With the outline of an ellipse ; oval. Emarginate. — Notched at the apex. Endocarp. — The inner layer of the pericarp. Entire. — Without divisions, lobes or teeth. Used largely with regard to margins of leaves, petals and sepals. Epigynous. — Adnate to or borne on the upper part of the ovary. Erose. — Irregularly margined, as if gnawed. Evergreen. — Bearing green leaves throughout the year^ E.\foliating. — Peeling off in layers. Exocarp. — The outer layer of the pericarp. Exserted. — Prolonged past surrounding organs. Exstrorse. — Facing outward. Falcate. — Scythe-shaped. Fertile. — Capable of producing fruit. Fertilization.— The union which takes place when the contents of the pollen cell enters the ovule. Filament.— The stalk of an anther, the two forming a stamen ; any thread- like body. Follicle.— .\ fruit consisting of a simple carpel opening by the ventral suture. Fruit.— The seed-bearing product of a plant, simple, comiK)und, or aggre- gated, of whatever form. Fugacious. — Falling soon after development. Fugitive. — Plants not native, but occurring here and there without direct evidence of being established. 501 GLOSSARY OF BOTANICAL TERMS Gamopetalous. — With petals more or less united. Gamosepalous. — With sepals more or less united. Genus, //. Genera. — When several species resemble each other so distinctly that their general characters indicate relationship, the group is called a genus. Gibbous. — Enlarged or swollen on one side. Glabrate. — Nearly, or without hairs. Glabrous. — Devoid of hairs. Gland. — A secreting cell or group of cells; any protuberance or append- age having the appearance of such an organ. Glandular. — Bearing glands or gland-like. Glaucous. — Covered with a bluish-white or white bloom; hoary. Globose. — Globular, spherical or nearly so. Habit. — The general appearance of a plant. Habitat. — A plant's natural place of growth. Heart-shaped. — As applied to leaves it means a sinus more or less deep where the petiole meets the blade. Head. — A dense round cluster of sessile or nearly sessile flowers. Hirsute. — With rather coarse stiflf hairs. Hispid. — With stiff bristly hairs. HiSPiDULOUS. — Diminutive of hispid. Hoary. — Grayish-white with fine close pubescence. Hybrid. — Across between two species. Hypogynous. — Situated on the receptacle, beneath the ovary and free from it and from the calyx. Imbricate. — Overlapping. Incised. — Cut into sharp lobes. Included. — Not projecting beyond surrounding parts. Indefinite. — In regard to stamens ; inconstant in number or very numer- ous. Indigenous. — Native and original to the country. Indehiscent. — Not opening to emit the contents. Inferior. — Lower or below. Inferior ovary, one that is adnate to the calyx. In FLATED. — Bladdery. Inflorescence. — The flowering part of a plant, and especially its mode of arrangement. Infra. — In composition, below; infj-astipiilar, below the stipules. Inserted. — Attached to or growing out of. Inter or Intra. — In composition, between. Internode. — Portion of stem or branch between two successive nodes. Introrse. — Facing inward ; applied to stamens that face toward the pistil. 502 GLOSSARY OF BOTANICAL TERMS Involucre. — A whorl of l.ra<-t>, Mil>lcnzf of Reviews. Song Birds and Water Fowl Illustrated. 12 mo, $1.50 net. "It will be welcome to the many friends his former book made. The illustrations are the finest that have ever been printed in this country in black and white, with the exception of another series by the same artist." — The Nation. The Birds' Calendar Illustrated. 12 mo, $1.50 net. 'A charming book. It contains a year's individual experience." — The Outlook. SCRIBNERS BOOKS FOR NATURE LOVERS By DWIGHT W. HUNTINGTON A HANDBOOK FOR SPORTSMEN Our Feathered Game With ei^'ht full-page illustrations ol typical sporting scenes from .Irawings by the author, and «ith photographic reproductions of more than one hundred game birds. g2.oo net (postage 15 cents). identify every bird in h.s ha,?. , :'\\\^Jr\nmhness%vilh which the subject is Clubs and Preserves eniphusi/.e tic thorou^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^ ^^.|^^^,,^ j^^ variety of feathered game. Introduction Guns and Dj?3 Game Clubi, Parks and Preserves Book I GALLINACEOUS BIRDS The ikilliuaceous Birds Pheasants The Wild Turkey The Phe.isant Grouse The North American Grouse The Prairie Grouse The Heath Hen The Sharp-Tailed Grouse The S ige Cock— Cock of the Plains The Ruffled Grouse The Dusky or Blue Grou e The Canadian Grouse — Spruce Grouse or Black Grouse Ptanniiriu The Partridges Tiie Pail ridges Bob White The California Partridges The Southwestern Partridges Book II THE WILD FOWL OR SWIMMERS The Wild I'-'wl or Swimmers The Wild Swans The Canada Wild Goose Snow Geese— Brant, etc. Tree Ducks Sea Ducks Sea Duck Shooting The Canvas-Back Duck The Red Head The Scaup Ducks The Golden Eye and other Sea Ducks , ^. , Old Squaws, Coot and Eiders River Ducks River Duck Shooting The Mallard The Dusky Ducks The Teal The Wood Duck Other River Ducks Mergansers Book III THE SHORE BIRDS OR WADERS 1- Waders Sandpil^er— Up- Thc Shore Birds The Woodcock The Snipe The Bartramian land Plover Pav Bird Shooting The Snipes and Sandpipers The Plovers Other Shore Birds The Cranes The Rails and Reed Birds Wild Pigeons and Doves SCRIBNER'S BOOKS FOR NATURE LOVERS By ERNEST THOMPSON SETON Lives of the Hunted Illustrated by more than 200 drawings by the author. 80th thousand. $i-75 net (postage 15 cents). CONTENTS Krag, the Kootetiay Ram. Chink ; the Development of a Pup. A Street Troubadour, being the Ad- The Kangaroo Rat. ventures of a Cock Sparrow. Tito; The Story of the Coyote that Johnny Bear. Learned How. Tlie Mother Teal and the Overland Why the Chickadee Goes Crazy Once Route. a Year. " Surely no more entertaining book could be devised for children of all ages."— C'/z/ca^c Evening Post. "The breadth of Mr. Thompson-Seton's sympathy is the finest charm of his work." — Agnes Repplier. Wild Animals I Have Known With 200 ilhistrations froui drawings by the author. 105th thousand. Square i2mo, $2.00. " It should be put with Kipling and Hans Christian Andersen as a classic." — The At hence um. "Mr. Thompson is now drawing the best mammals of any American artist. • . . This is artistic fidelity to nature in high degree. . . . Nothing of equal simplicity could be more effective than these little marginal oddities and whimsies. The book is thoroughly good, both in purpose and execution." —New York Evening Post. The Trail of the Sandhill Stag Written and ilhistrated with 60 drawings. Square i2mo, $1.50. " Bliss Carman, speaking of ' The Trail of the Sandhill Stag,' says : ' I had fancied that no one could touch " The Jungle Book " for a generation at least, but Mr. Thompson has done it. We must give him place among the young masters at once.' And we agree with Mr. Carman." — The Bookina?t. > s -^ V \^- 0Kr8nr"''^''"""'-''V Libraries l"'«»ls"ffiilliillli I