known popularly as the Golden Osier--forms a
graceful tree of large size. Its twigs have a golden or red tinge,
according to the variety, but on fully-grown trees these twigs are not
large, and as it is, of course, the bark of the preceding summer's
growth only that is coloured no very marked colour effect is produced.
To obtain a really bright patch of colour it is necessary to plant these
Willows in goodly-sized groups and to prune them hard back every spring.
By treating them in this way a great cluster of long, wand-like growths
is made every year, the bark over the whole of which becomes a bright
yellow or red as winter approaches. An effective group is produced by
mixing the red and yellow-barked varieties.

"Another striking Willow is _Salix daphnoides_. The young bark of this
species is covered with a thick glaucous or vivid blue-white 'bloom.'
_S. acutifolia_ is similarly distinguished, though not quite so
markedly. Different from any of these Willows, too, is the variety of
_S. triandra_, with purplish-brown bark. To bring out fully the
ornamental qualities of these Willows they should be treated as advised
for _Salix vitellina_. All these Willows are especially charming near
the edge of water. Not only are their moisture-loving propensities
satisfied, but their beauty is doubled by reflection in the water.

"Somewhat similar to the Willows in the character of their bark, but
useful in being adapted for drier situations, are the Cornels
(_Cornus_). The best of the genus in this connexion are _Cornus alba_
and its variety _sibirica_. They produce bark which for one or two
seasons remains a bright red during the time the branches are leafless.
A group of _Cornus alba_, with _Chionodoxa Luciliae_ or Winter Aconite
planted thickly beneath, gives a very pleasing bit of colour early in
the year. A yellow-barked form of _Cornus stolonifera_, known as
_flaviramea_, deserves mention.

"Several shrubs are notable for the particularly bright green of their
bark. The forms of _Kerria japonica_ and _Neillia_ are very bright
during the winter on this account, but still more effective is a near
ally, _Stephanandra Tanakae_, a comparatively new shrub, also from
Japan, but of little value in any other respect. Finally, I may mention
the Rubuses with white stems. As in _Salix daphnoides_, the bark is
covered with the waxy secretion known as 'bloom,' and of a blue-tinted
white. Some six or seven species of Rubus have this char