P. SINICA (syn P. sinensis of Lindley).—­Chinese Pear Tree.  China and Cochin China, 1820.  Another very ornamental Crab, bearing a great abundance of rosy-pink or nearly white flowers.  It is a shrub-like tree, reaching a height of 20 feet, and with an upright habit of growth.  Bark of a rich, reddish-brown colour.  It is one of the most profuse and persistent bloomers of the whole family.

P. SINENSIS (syn Cydonia chinensis).—­Chinese Quince.  China, 1818.  This is rarely seen in cultivation, it having, comparatively speaking, few special merits of recommendation.

P. SMITHII (syns Mespilis Smithii and M. grandiflora).—­Smith’s Medlar.  Caucasus, 1800.  The habit of this tree closely resembles that of a Hawthorn, and although the flowers are only half the size of those of the Common Medlar, they are produced in greater profusion, so that the round-headed tree becomes a sheet of white blossom during May and June.  The reddish-brown fruits are small for a Medlar, and ripen in October.

P. TORMINALIS.—­Wild Service Tree.  A native species of small growth, with ovate-cordate leaves, and small white flowers.  P. torminalis pinnatifida, with acutely-lobed leaves, and oval-oblong fruit may just be mentioned.

P. VESTITA.—­Nepaul White Beam.  Nepaul, 1820.  In this species the leaves are very large, ovate-acute or elliptic, and when young thickly coated with a white woolly-like substance, but which with warm weather gradually gives way until they are of a smooth and shining green.  The flowers are borne in woolly racemose corymbs, and are white succeeded by greenish-brown berries as large as marbles.

Other species of less interest are P. varidosa, P. salicifolia, P. salvaefolia, P. Bollwylleriana, and P. Amygdaliformis.  They are all of free growth, and the readiest culture, and being perfectly hardy are well worthy of a much larger share of attention than they have heretofore received.

RHAMNUS.

RHAMNUS ALATERNUS.—­Mediterranean region, 1629.  This is an evergreen shrub, with lanceolate shining leaves of a dark glossy-green colour, and pretty flowers produced from March till June.  There are several well-marked varieties, one with golden and another with silvery leaves, and named respectively, R. Alaternus foliis aureis, and R. Alaternus foliis argenteus.

R. ALPINUS.—­Europe, 1752.  This is a neat-growing species, with greenish flowers and black fruit.

R. CATHARTICUS, Common Buckthorn, is a native, thorny species, with ovate and stalked leaves, and small, thickly clustered greenish flowers, succeeded by black berries about the size of peas.

R. FRANGULA.—­The Berry-bearing Alder.  Europe and Britain.  A more erect shrub than the former, and destitute of spines.  The leaves too are larger, and the fruit of a dark purple colour when ripe.  More common in Britain than the former.