11.

HAWTHORN, BLACKTHORN, DOGWOOD, MEDLAR, QUINCE.

PLATE 11. FIGURES 1 To 28.

ELIGHTFUL remi

niscences of the

sunniest of sunny days in the dear 'country' come to the mind at the mere mention of the Hawthorn, which in leaf, flower and fruit is ever beautiful. But de

lightful as this familiar plant is when its leaves are golden green in spring and its blossoms perfume the vernal hedges, its autumnal foliage vies

with its crimson berries in feasting the

the charm of colour.

eye with

The Hawthorn leaf is very various in form, being sometimes almost triangular and sometimes four-sided, and it is deeply cut into lobes which vary in number from three to seven, and are more or less acute or rounded. From the mid-vein a principal vein runs to each principal lobe, and veinlets branch from the principal veins to the smaller lobes, whilst a network of venules traverses the spaces lying between the lines of the more important veins.

Probably-excepting the Bramble there is no other hedge shrub or woodland tree-for the Hawthorn is both-that presents so great a variety and such magnificence of colours in the early season of Autumn: and one of the most interesting of country rambles, for any one who loves the beauties of leafage, is a walk at that season by Hawthorn hedges. The pure pleasure of noting the really marvellous varieties of tinting of this delightful plant is very great, and it is well nigh inexhaustible. Side by side, upon the same bush, we may find deep, dark, glossy green leaves

and leaves whose upper sides are dyed a dark rich crimson; and we may find crimson and green, crimson and orange and bronze leaves. Walking on by the same Hawthorn hedge we may chance upon dark, golden, and light, pale green, and upon golden and dark brown leaves; upon leaves of orange, yellow and russet; and upon leaves which are reddish brown, dark red, crimson, purplish red, and rich deep orange. It would require literally more than the space of a volume to enumerate all the variations of these colours which are found blending, contrasting and uniting with each other on the same or on adjoining shrubs.

In one short walk through a country lane not two hundred yards long, bordered, on either side, with Hawthorn, we have seen, on individual leaves, the colours respectively indicated in the following enumeration, in which the tones predominating on any leaf have priority of mention: -dark green with dark brown; dark green with dark crimson and orange; pale straw colour with green and russet blotches; golden green with orange and crimson; bronze with deep red; golden green with orange; orange with russet

blotches; yellow with orange and green blotches; deep red with orange and green spots; golden green with dark brown splashes; bronze with crimson and orange; deep red with orange red and green; pale green with pale straw colour and brown; pale green with light red and orange; pinkish red, with orange and green; and crimson with reddish orange and green. And these are less than a tithe of the tints which any one may discover who takes the trouble to study the Hawthorn hedgebanks in the early season of Autumn.

To such marvellous variety of individual tinting the Blackthorn cannot lay claim; but it often, in the mass, presents pretty combinations of green and yellow and russet, with, occasionally, light reddish hues, and its forked, principal veins, which branch alternately from either side of the mid-veins to the serrated margin, give origin to a beautiful and elaborate system of reticulating venules.

To the splendours of autumnal hedges the Dogwood largely contributes. Its symmetrical, oval leaf which is ordinarily pointed at the apex, pos