[Illustration: _MOONLIGHT BROOM (Cytisus scoparius var. pallidus)._]
[Illustration: _A HYBRID BROOM (Cytisus kewensis) AT KEW._]
-------------------+----------------+----------+--------------------------- | COUNTRY OR | COLOUR | NAME | ORIGIN AND | AND | GENERAL REMARKS. | NATURAL ORDER. | SEASON. | -------------------+----------------+----------+--------------------------- | | | Cratægus (Thorns) |Rosaceæ | |The Cratægus family | | |comprises nearly 100 | | |species and varieties, | | |contains some of the most | | |beautiful of small garden | | |trees, both with regard to | | |the charm of their white, | | |pink, and scarlet flowers, | | |and the scarlet, black, and | | |yellow fruits. Most of the | | |Thorns are either large | | |shrubs or small trees, and | | |are specially suitable for | | |small gardens, whilst none | | |of them require particular | | |attention, as all will grow | | |in almost any soil and | | |situation. Old trees | | |occasionally require to be | | |relieved of small wood and | | |decaying branches, and a | | |good top-dressing of manure | | |is beneficial sometimes to | | |those which flower and | | |fruit freely; but beyond | | |this Thorns need no | | |attention after they have | | |been planted and | | |become established. The | | |species can be increased by | | |seeds, which are obtained | | |by gathering the fruits | | |when ripe, and mixing them | | |with sand. The mixture of | | |fruits and sand should then | | |be put in a heap in a | | |sheltered place | | |out-of-doors, and covered | | |with a few turfs. By the | | |following spring the fruits | | |will have rotted, and the | | |seeds can be separated and | | |sown. A fair proportion | | |will germinate the first | | |year, and the remainder | | |the second. Many of the | | |Thorns can also be | | |propagated by root | | |cuttings. For this purpose | | |healthy, vigorous shoots, | | |as thick as a man's finger, | | |should be obtained in | | |autumn or winter, and cut | | |into pieces four inches to | | |eight inches in length, | | |cutting the end nearest the | | |stem flat, and the other | | |slanting, so that either | | |end can be readily | | |distinguished. These should | | |be inserted upright in the | | |ground, with the tops | | |nearly or just covered; | | |they soon form roots, and | | |grow into strong plants. | | |The genus is found | | |practically throughout the | | |temperate region, from | | |Europe throughout the East | | |and Central Asia to China | | |and Japan, and in North | | |America. One species is | | |found in Mexico--but this, | | |and in fact all the Thorns | | |are hardy in this country. | | | *C. Azarolus |South-East |Pure |This grows to a height of |Europe and Asia |white; |about 20 feet. It is very |Minor |late |showy, and has pure white | |Spring |flowers followed by large | | |yellow fruits; the leaves | | |are about twice the size of | | |those of the Hawthorn, and | | |rather deeply cut. Cratægus | | |Aronia is a synonym. | | | *C. Carrièrei |A reputed |Pure |A very handsome Thorn, 12 |hybrid, but |white; |feet to 15 feet, shapely, |parentage |late |leaves large, bright glossy |unknown. |Spring |green above, whitish |Supposed to be | |beneath. Flowers appear |C. mexicana and | |freely in large corymbs, |C. tomentosa | |followed by clusters of | | |pear-shaped green fruits, | | |which hang on the tree | | |until the end of the year, | | |changing finally to dull, | | |yellowish red. | | | *C. coccinea (the |North America; |White; |This is one of the most Scarlet Thorn) |introduced in |late |striking of all the thorns; |1683 |Spring |it has large bright-green | | |leaves, and flowers nearly | | |an inch across, and in | | |dense corymbs. These are | | |followed by clusters of | | |brilliant scarlet-coloured | | |fruits. There are several | | |varieties equal to or even | | |finer than the species. One | | |is *Macracantha, which has | | |spines sometimes 5 inches | | |long, and bright scarlet | | |haws, not so large as those | | |of the species, but | | |produced more abundantly. | | |It should be more | | |frequently seen in gardens, | | |and is worthy to rank as a | | |species. Indentata has | | |deeply-cut leaves and | | |bright-red fruits. | | | *C. cordata |North America |White; |This is a small tree with (Washington Thorn) | |June |thin, glossy, heart-shaped | | |leaves and small flowers, | | |orange-red fruits, not | | |unlike those of C. | | |Pyracantha, and carried | | |late in the year. Birds, | | |however, enjoy them. | | | C. Crus-Galli (the |North America |White; |This is a handsome American Cockspur Thorn) | |June |Thorn, and one of the most | | |striking of the whole | | |family.