1S6 



HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



glasses in the shade; associated with Elder, Tama- 

 risk, the different varieties of Euonymus, Japonicas> 

 the evergreen Oak, Cupressus macrocarpa, Finns 

 Austriaca, and the Silver Poplar, it forms a very 

 pleasing effect, and well deserves the attention of 

 all planters on the southern, western, and eastern 

 coasts of England ; the peculiar cylindrical and 

 pyramidal form of the branches renders it less 

 liable to be broken by the winds than most other 

 plants, and, from the pliancy of the branches, it 

 yields to the pressure of the gales off the sea, and 

 resumes its erect form as soon as they have passed 

 over. Being indigenous to a warm climate, it is 

 liable to lose its foliage during the winter months, 

 but its growth is so rapid in the spring that reac- 

 tion commences almost as soon as it is denuded of 

 its leaves, and it soon recovers its wonted beauty. 

 It is desirable that in the selection of plants for sea- 

 side planting, attention should be paid to their 

 peculiar form of growth ; the peculiar power of 

 resistance which the Tamarisk ( Tamarix Gallica) 

 possesses is attributable to this ; the Cupressus 

 macrocarpa (broad-leaved Cypress) also presents 

 the same form, and I know of no other conifers 

 which resist the sea breezes so well as these two 

 particular plants. It would appear that the battling 

 of the wind tends to accelerate rather than diminish 

 their growth, after they are fairly established in the 

 soil; but as it is impossible to form a plantation of 

 rows of trees with these shrubby-growing plants, 

 we are obliged to have recourse to other descrip- 

 tions of trees, and here of necessity attention should 

 be paid to form, the pyi'amidal being the most 

 acceptable, as being least affected, and of which the 

 Guernsey Elm {Ulmus sarniensis) is a fair type, and 

 recommends itself very strongly on account of its 

 hardness and its very persistent foliage. The ever- 

 green Oak {Quercus ilex) may also be sti'ougly 

 recommended, as, in addition to its pyramidal 

 growth, or rather susceptibility of being kept in 

 that form, and rapidity of growth, with the hard- 

 ness of its foliage, it suffers less than most ever- 

 green trees. The Black Austrian Pine {Pinus 

 austriaca) is also a very hardy tree, and grows, in 

 spite of wind and weather, in the most exposed 

 situations, its long pliable leaves being a great pro- 

 tection to its branches, and its marked peculiarity 

 of retaining its lower branches, so as to form a 

 robust pyramid of growth, which is in reality the 

 most acceptable of all forms." With the above 

 observations Mr. Saunders writes : — " I have thou- 

 sands of evergreen Oaks in pots, from one to six 

 feet high, of pretty pyramidal growth. I also find 

 I have six or seven dozen strong plants of Atriplex 

 Imlimus in pots, and would engage to furnish any 

 number of young-rooted plants at Id. each by next 

 Easter, if they were required, and early notice be 

 given me. The seeds I have never been successful 

 in saving." — T. B. IF., Brighton. 



Mekcueialis AMBiGtTA.— I lately found this 

 plant on a spot in cultivated chalky ground, on the 

 Brighton Downs, near the race-stand. It appears 

 to be rare, as in Hooker's "British Flora" two 

 localities only are given, viz., Jersey and the Isle of 

 Wight. Sir William Hooker calls it a variety of 

 the Mercurialis annua, adding : — " It certainly has 

 a very different appearance, but DecandoUe and most 

 authors do not consider it distinct." It differs, 

 however, from 21. annua in being monoecious, 

 having male and female flowers on the same plant, 

 and is, as Hooker says, so different in appearance 

 that it might well be called a distinct species. 

 Withering does not notice it, and Wildenow refers 

 to it as M. amhigua. (See Loudon's "Encyclo- 

 ptEdia of Plants.")— :Z'. B. JF., BrigJdon. 



Sea-side Shrubs. — The variability of trees and 

 shrubs, when planted on exposed sea-coasts, has been 

 the subject of discussion in Science-Gossip for 

 several of the last numbers. Premising the opinion 

 that it is not the saline state of the air or soil that 

 is p)^'' *^ the difficulty which the planter has to 

 encounter, but that, whether on the sea-board or in 

 the inland, a sutficiency of suitable soil and a degree 

 of shelter are the two greatest requisites, we may 

 mention, from our notes, the plants which we have 

 ourselves remarked to flourish in more or less 

 exposed situations on the sea-shore ; and more or 

 less luxuriautly. On the coast of Normandy, about 

 Havre, may be well studied what trees and shrubs 

 are likely to succeed on our own chalky southern 

 coast. The Halimus grows well there, as also 

 species of Ilex, Euonymus, Cornus, Arbutus, &c., 

 likewise the red-flowered Horse-chestnut. On the 

 English side of the Channel Tamariscus is seen at 

 Margate and Hastings, and I dare say at many other 

 places not noted by the writer. It is very large 

 near the Lizard, growing on poor sand. We think 

 Hippophae does not grow, at least wild, west of 

 Kent. We noticed a luxuriant hedge of Halimus 

 at Ventnor on the exposed beach, and another of 

 Euonymus [latifolius ?). Etiscus aculeatus grows in 

 sand about Portsmouth, as does the Gorse, covered 

 with the Dodder, there and at Land's End. Escal-- 

 Ionia flourishes, as a garden plant, in the Isle of 

 Wight, but not more luxuriantly than in the Isle of 

 Man, where also occurs, of large size and almost 

 naturalized, the Fuchsia. In this latter island, too, 

 are seen growing in luxuriance the Tree-mallow, 

 Buddlea, Hydrangea, often with blue flowers, large 

 myrtles, and several genistese. Penzance, as well as 

 Havre, is a good locality to ascertain what plants 

 will thrive in sea-air. We noticed large aloes, tree- 

 veronicas, mesembryanthemums, verbenas, daphnes, 

 arbutus, escallonia, bays, fuchsias, giant-geraniums, 

 myrtles, cistus, cape-jasmine, buddlea, laurestinus, 

 pomegranate, and palms growing luxuriantly in the 

 open air. The Fig seems all but wild north of 



