floriferous of the tribe. The flowers are individually large, pinky or
purplish-white, and produced with the leaves in April.

P. SINENSIS.--China, 1869. A Chinese Plum of somewhat slender growth,
and with the branches wreathed in small, white flowers. It is often seen
as a pot plant, but it is one of the hardiest of its family. P. sinensis
flore-pleno is a double white form, and the most ornamental for pot
work. There is also a variety with rose-coloured flowers.

P. SPINOSA.--Sloe, or Blackthorn. An indigenous, spiny shrub, with tiny
white flowers; and P. spinosa flore-pleno has small, rosette-like
flowers that are both showy and effective.

P. TOMENTOSA.--Japan, 1872. This is one of the most desirable of hardy
shrubs, with large, white, flesh-tinted flowers produced in the first
weeks of March, and in such quantities as almost to hide the branches
from view. It forms a well-rounded, dense bush of 5 feet or 6 feet high.

P. TRILOBA (_syns P. virgata, Amygdalopsis Lindleyi_ and _Prunopsis
Lindleyi_).--China, 1857. This is a very handsome early-flowering shrub,
that is at once recognised by the generally three-lobed leaves. It is
one of the first to flower, the blossoms being produced in March and
April, and sometimes even earlier when the plant is grown against a
sunny, sheltered wall. The semi-double flowers are large and of good
substance, and of a rosy-white tint, but deep rose in the bud state.
There is a nursery form of this plant with white flowers, named P.
triloba alba. It is quite hardy, bears pruning well, and grows quickly,
soon covering a large space of a wall or warm, sunny bank. As an
ornamental flowering lawn shrub it has few equals, the blossoms
remaining good for fully a fortnight.