Chapter I: ANISATUM (syn I. religiosum), from China and Japan (1842), is too

tender for outdoor culture in this country.

INDIGOFERA.

INIDGOFERA GERARDIANA (_syns I. floribunda_ and _I. Dosua_).--India, 1842. This forms a compact dwarf bush in the open, but is still better suited for covering a wall, the growth and floriferousness being then much increased. The foliage is neat and Pea-green, while the bright pink Pea-like flowers are produced in long racemes. It is a pretty bush, and grows freely enough in any good garden soil, but very fine flowering specimens may be seen in light, sandy soil of a peaty nature. There is a white flowered variety named I. Gerardiana alba.

ITEA.

ITEA VIRGINICA.--North America, 1744. This is a neat, deciduous shrub of 3 feet or 4 feet in height. The ovate-lanceolate leaves are of a light greyish-green, and the small white flowers are produced in dense racemes or spikes. Planted in a somewhat shady place, and in rather cool, damp soil, this little shrub does well and flowers profusely.

JAMESIA.

JAMESIA AMERICANA.--Rocky Mountains and Colorado, 1865. Amongst early spring-flowering shrubs this pretty but neglected plant is one of the best, of perfect hardihood, for it stands the vigour of our winters with impunity, and of dense thick growth; it is suitable for using in a variety of ways, as well as for purely ornamental purposes. The leaves are oval and neatly dentated, and the flowers individually of large size, pure white, and produced in terminal bunches. Cool soil and a shady situation would seem to suit the plant admirably, but for screen purposes in the rock garden or border it is invaluable on account of the strong and dense twigs.

JASMINUM.

JASMINUM FRUTICANS.--South Europe, 1570. An evergreen species, well adapted, from its rather stiff and upright growth, for planting alone. It has trifoliolate leaves and showy yellow flowers.

J. HUMILE.--India, 1656. A hardy species of dwarf growth, and bearing beautiful golden flowers produced in summer.

J. NUDIFLORUM.--Naked Jasmine. China, 1844. A showy and well-known species, from China, with numerous, usually solitary yellow flowers, ternate leaves, and flexible branches. The variety J. nudiflorum aureo-variegatum has golden-variegated leaves.

J. OFFICINALE.--Northern India to Persia, 1548. The white-flowered Jasmine of our gardens is a very beautiful and desirable clambering shrub, either for wall covering, for planting by tree stumps, rooteries, or rockeries, or for screening and draping the pergola or garden latticework. From its great hardihood, vigour of growth, and beauty of flowers, it is certainly one of the most deservedly popular of wall shrubs. The branches are deep green, angular, and flexible, the leaves pinnate, and the flowers pure-white and sweetly-scented. The variety J. officinale affine has flowers that are individually larger than those of the species; J. officinale aurea has badly variegated leaves; J. officinale grandiflorum and J. officinale grandiflorum majus, are also desirable kinds.

J. PUBIGERUM GLABRUM (_syn J. Wallichianum_), from North-west India, is not well-known, being tender in most parts of the country.

J. REVOLUTUM.--India, 1812. This has persistent dark, glossy-green leaves, and fragrant, bright yellow flowers, produced in large, terminal clusters. From India, but perfectly hardy as a wall plant, and for which purpose, with its bright evergreen leaves, it is well suited.

As regards soil, the Jasmines are very accommodating, and are propagated by layers or cuttings.

KADSURA.

KADSURA JAPONICA.--Japan, 1846. This is a small-growing shrub, with lanceolate and pointed leaves, that are remotely dentated. The flowers are not very showy, being of a yellowish-white colour and about an inch across. They are produced both terminal and axillary, and in fair abundance. The scarlet fruits are arranged in clusters, and when fully ripe are both showy and interesting. Generally speaking this shrub suffers from severe frost, but as only the branch tips are injured, it shoots freely from the stock. It produces its flowers in the autumn. There is a variety with variegated leaves.

KALMIA.

KALMIA ANGUSTIFOLIA.--Sheep Laurel. Canada, 1736. This is at once distinguished from K. latifolia by its much smaller and narrower leaves and smaller flowers, which latter are, however, of brighter tint and more plentifully produced. It rarely exceeds 2 feet in height. Of this there are two very distinct forms, that named K. angustifolia pumila, being of neat and dense small growth; and K. angustifolia rubra, in which the flowers are of an unusually deep red.

K. GLAUCA.--Canada and Sitcha, 1767. This, which has lilac-purple flowers, produced in early spring, is not a very desirable species, being rather straggling of growth and with few flowers.

K. HIRSUTA.--Hairy-leaved Kalmia. South-east Virginia to Florida, 1786. This is at once distinguished by the rather rough and hairy foliage and few rosy-tinted flowers. It is of dwarf, neat growth.

K. LATIFOLIA.--Calico Bush, or Mountain Laurel. Alleghanies, Canada, and Western Florida, 1734. A favourite shrub in every garden where the conditions of soil will allow of its being successfully cultivated. In peaty soil, or light, friable loam and leaf soil, it forms a dense, round-headed bush, often 8 feet in height, and nearly as much through, with pleasing green leaves, and dense clusters of beautiful pink, wax-like flowers. The flowering period commences in May, and usually extends to the end of July. This is a choice shrub of great hardihood, and one of the handsomest flowering in cultivation. There is a still more beautiful form named K. latifolia major splendens, and one with small Myrtle-like foliage named K. latifolia myrtifolia.

The members of this handsome family are, as a rule, partial to cool, damp soil, peat of a light, sandy nature being preferred. They thrive well where Azaleas and Rhododendrons will succeed. In bold masses they have a fine effect, but a well developed standard specimen of the commonly cultivated species is highly ornamental.

KERRIA.

KERRIA JAPONICA (_syn Corchorus japonicus_).--Japan, 1700. A Japanese shrub, the double-flowered variety of which, K. japonica flore-pleno, is one of our commonest wall plants. The orange-yellow flowers, produced in great rosettes, are highly ornamental, and have earned for the shrub a well-known name. It succeeds well almost anywhere, and, though usually seen as a wall plant, is perfectly hardy, and forms a neat shrub for the open border. There is a form in which the leaves are variegated, and known under the name of K. japonica variegata.

KOELREUTERIA.

KOELREUTERIA PANICULATA.--Northern China, 1763. Whether for its foliage or flowers, this small-growing tree is worthy of a place. Though of rather irregular growth, the beautiful foliage and large panicles of yellowish flowers, which stand well above the leaves, make the shrub (for it does not in this country attain to tree height), one of particular interest, and a valuable aid in ornamental planting. In a sheltered corner, and planted in rich soil, it grows and flowers freely.

LABURNUM.

LABURNUM ADAMI (_syn Cytisus Adami_).--A graft hybrid form between the common Laburnum and Cytisus purpureus, the result being flowers of the Laburnum, the true Cytisus purpureus, and the graft hybrid between the two. It was raised by Jean Louis Adam in 1825. It is a curious and distinct tree, worthy of culture if only for the production of three distinct kinds of flowers on the same plant.

L. ALPINUM (_syn Cytisus alpinus_).--Scotch Laburnum. Europe, 1596. This very closely resembles the common Laburnum, but it is of larger growth, and flowers later in the season. The flowers, too, though in longer racemes, are usually less plentifully produced. It grows 30 feet high. There is a weeping form, L. alpinum pendulum, and another with fragrant flowers, named L. alpinum fragrans, as also a third, with very long racemes of flowers, named L. alpinum Alschingeri.

L. CARAMANICUM.--Asia Minor, 1879. A bushy shrub of vigorous habit, with trifoliolate and petiolate leaves of a pale green colour, thick and tough, and brightly polished on the upper surface. Flowers bright yellow, the calyx being helmet-shaped and rusty-red. It is a beautiful but uncommon shrub, and succeeds very well in chalky or calcareous soil. Flowers in July.