BARBERRIES are properly arranged in two groups - those with simple leaves, which are called "Berberis" proper, and those with pinnate leaves, which are called Mahonias. The useful hardy shrub now before us may therefore be labelled Mahonia aquifolia with propriety, but it is the fashion to regard both sections as in the genus Berberis, which otherwise is well defined, and gives but little trouble. There is no better known evergreen shrub than this, and there are not many so useful. As a hedge tree it is certainly surpassed by the holly; but an admirable way of displaying it is to plant a line in front of a holly hedge, in which position it appears to acquire beauties peculiar to the situation. The ample glossy green leafage becomes richly tinted with shades of scarlet, chocolate, and bronze in winter, and these colours are strikingly brought out with the rich relieving background of deep green holly. But this berberis is equally useful for grouping in masses, and may be used in various combinations to enrich the garden in the winter months. There is in cultivation a beautiful dwarf variety, called Undulata nova, with wavy leaves of a lovely tone of green in summer, and very brightly variegated with shades of red in winter. This we have employed with advantage to form groups, having associated it with such shrubs as variegated hollies, Cotoneaster Simmondsii, the green-leaved female aucuba, Darwin's berberis, and the berry-bearing Skimmia Japonica. On our cold clay soil these were quite happy, and made rich masses with abundant fresh colouring at all seasons of the year. A groundwork of the emerald-green ivy completed the arrangement, and gave harmonising colour to the whole.

Berberis is admirably adapted for growing in collections, and on this system has often been peculiarly useful in forming an attractive feature of a garden. We had once a set of beds on a spacious side lawn that was partially shaded with trees, these beds being devoted to shrubs of this genus only. For centers of beds we had B. Beali and its near relative B. Japonica, with B. fascicularis hybrida. In large groups around them were B. stenophylla, B. Darwini, and B. dulcis. In the outer parts of the groups were the smaller B. Hookeri, B. glumacea, B. repens, and B. empetrifolia. Such groups may be lighted up with a few gladioli, and Tropoeolum speciosum may be allowed to ramble but not to run riot amongst the shrubs.

The deciduous species are not adapted for such groups: their proper place is in the shrubbery borders. The most interesting of them are B. Asiatica, with brilliant green leafage, and B. rulgaris, very showy when laden with scarlet fruit. Of the last-named there are varieties with white fruit, yellow fruit, and purple leaves.

A few fine species are a little tender, and require in gardens near London some amount of shelter, although in the western counties they can hold their own. The principal of these are B. Nepalensis, in the way of B. Japonica, and B. trifoliata, a most beautiful curiosity. It may be described as a horny shrub, with leaves that are very spiny and of various shades of purple and bronzy green. B. Fortunei is a peculiar-looking shrub of rigid habit, the colour a bluish tone of a green.

A near relative of the berberis is the Chilian shrub, Berberidopsis corallina. It is a half-climbing plant, with large, simple, spiny-toothed leaves, and handsome drooping racemes of crimson flowers. This is scarcely hardy, yet a little comfortable shelter suffices for it in the neighbourhood of London.

The queen of the group is Darwin's berberis (B. Darwini), and it constitutes a bright memorial of the great naturalist. It is a native of Southern Chili. It loves a moist climate and a peaty soil, but is so hardy and accommodating that it may be said to grow anywhere. It is of dense habit, forming many slender decumbent branches, with spiny leaves in bundles of four and five, of a beautiful green colour, and glossy. Early in the spring it shows a profusion of orange-yellow flowers, that glitter in the sunshine like a shower of gold. It will sometimes flower freely from April to June, and again in August and September, but the spring bloom we can always insure; and that is so cheerful abundant that if there is no autumnal bloom we cannot with reason complain.