species, and has pale purple flowers arranged in long racemes. It is a
very ornamental and desirable species, but the flowers are not borne in
great quantity.

The Wistarias are of simple culture, but succeed best in rather rich
alluvial soil, and where protection from cold winds is provided.

XANTHOCERAS.

XANTHOCERAS SORBIFOLIA.--China, 1870. An extremely pretty flowered and
handsome leaved shrub, but owing to its late introduction is not yet
well known. So far it has proved itself perfectly hardy in this country,
there being specimens at wide distances apart that have stood uninjured
through our past severe winters.

The leaves are pale green, and pinnate, somewhat resembling those of the
Rowan Tree. Flowers five petalled, creamy white, sometimes very slightly
tinged with flesh colour, with a coppery red or violet-purple centre,
and disposed in racemes. When fully expanded they are an inch across,
and somewhat reflexed. It flowers early in April, with the appearance of
the leaves, the blooms being produced in great abundance, in spike-like
clusters fully seven inches long, and succeeded by a small green
Pear-like fruit. This is one of the most distinct and handsome of
recently introduced shrubs, and will, when more widely disseminated, be
largely planted for purely ornamental purposes. It grows from 10 feet to
about 15 feet high.

XANTHORHIZA.

XANTHORHIZA APIIFOLIA.--Yellow-root. Pennsylvania, 1776. A small growing
shrub, with yellow creeping roots, from which suckers are thrown up
profusely. The leaves are irregularly pinnate, and the minute flowers,
which are borne in large, branching spikes, are of a peculiar dark
purple colour. It prefers a cool, moist situation.

YUCCA.

YUCCA FILAMENTOSA.--Silk Grass. North America, 1675. A well-known and
beautiful plant, with numerous leaves arranged in a dense rosette, and
from 1 foot to 2 feet long by 2 inches broad. Flower scape rising to 5
feet or 6 feet in height, and bearing numerous flowers that are each
about 2 inches deep. There is a beautiful variegated form of this
species named Y. filamentosa variegata, and one with much narrower
leaves than the typical species, and known as Y. filamentosa
angustifolia.

Y. GLORIOSA.--The Mound Lily. United States, 1596. This is another
well-known hardy species, with long, sharp-pointed leaves, and a
handsome, much branched scape, of flowers that are each about 2 inches
deep. There are several varieties, differ