a low evergreen
covering for rocky ground or mounds.

B. ARISTATA, a native of Nepaul, is a vigorous-growing species,
resembling somewhat our native plant, with deeply serrated leaves,
brightly tinted bark, and yellow flowers. It is of erect habit,
branchy, and in winter is rendered very conspicuous by reason of the
bright reddish colour of the leafless branches.

B. BEALEI (_syn Mahonia Bealli_).--Japan. This species is one of the
first to appear in bloom, often by the end of January the plant being
thickly studded with flowers. It is a handsome shrub, of erect habit,
the leaves of a yellowish-green tint, and furnished with long, spiny
teeth. The clusters of racemes of deliciously fragrant yellow flowers
are of particular value, being produced so early in the season.

B. BUXIFOLIA (_syn B. dulcis_ and _B. microphylla_).--Straits of
Magellan, 1827. A neat and erect-growing shrub of somewhat stiff and
upright habit, and bearing tiny yellow flowers. This is a good
rockwork plant, and being of neat habit, with small purplish leaves,
is well worthy of cultivation.

B. CONGESTIFLORA, from Chili, is not yet well-known, but promises to
become a general favourite with lovers of hardy shrubs. It is of
unusual appearance for a Barberry, with long, decumbent branches,
which are thickly covered with masses of orange-yellow flowers. The
branch-tips, being almost leafless and smothered with flowers, impart
to the plant a striking, but distinctly ornamental appearance.

B. DARWINII.--Chili, 1849. This is, perhaps, the best known and most
ornamental of the family. It forms a dense bush, sometimes 10 feet
high, with dark glossy leaves, and dense racemes of orange-yellow
flowers, produced in April and May, and often again in the autumn.

B. EMPETRIFOLIA.--Straits of Magellan, 1827. This is a neat-habited
and dwarf evergreen species, that even under the best cultivation
rarely exceeds 2 feet in height. It is one of the hardiest species,
and bears, though rather sparsely, terminal golden-yellow flowers,
which are frequently produced both in spring and autumn. For its
compact growth and neat foliage it is alone worthy of culture.

B. FORTUNEI (_syn Mahonia Fortunei_).--China, 1846. This is rather a
rare species in cultivation, with finely toothed leaves, composed of
about seven leaflets, and bearing in abundance clustered racemes of
individually small yellow flowers. A native of China, and requiring a
warm, sunny spot to do it justi