• BOM III) GARDENS. 415 



succeed perhaps belter elsewhere- Perhaps nothing adds more to the 

 peculiar beauty of the Bombay gardens than the luxuriance which 

 several hardy ferns display in open ground, often even when fully 

 exposed to the sun. Of those the different kinds of Nephrolepis are 

 the most graceful, while the light-coloured Polypodium iriiodes, and 

 the dark glossy P. phymatodes are very effective, each in their pecu- 

 liar way. The flower-beds are generally adorned with annuals, among 

 which Zinnias, Balsams, the small-flowered, sunflower {llclinflms 

 cucumerifolius) , Galliardias, Coriopsis and Coxcombs may be met with 

 at different seasons of the year, but arrive to the greatest perfection 

 during the rains. In the cold weather our flower-beds can be kept 

 more gay by annuals, such as Phlox, Poppies, Nasturtiums, Chinese 

 Pinks, Portulaccas, Pansies, Verbenas, China Aster, Petunias, &c., 

 which often under favourable circumstances succeed admirably. In 

 many cases it is a surprise and disappointment to new comers to India 

 to see our flower-beds embellished with plants familiar to us from 

 home ; and in truth it is to be regretted that so very few plants of 

 less ordinary character have found, their way to our gardens, and as a 

 step in the right direction it must be appreciated that such plants as 

 the Zanzibar balsam, Impatietis Suttarri, with its beautiful crimson 

 flowers, and the JSTeilgherry violet, Torenia Foumieri, to which a 

 yellow -flowered kind, T. BaiUoui, has now been also added, and a 

 white-flowered variety (White Wings) may be expected to flower in 

 this cold season, are rapidly gaining ground in our gardens. Edging- 

 plants are rather an important feature of Bombay gardens, and the 

 old-fashioned Ju&ticia gendarussa is now almost everywhere replaced 

 by other plants, such as the moss, like Pilea musco&a, the neat 

 dwarf coleus, which when covered with its beautiful sky-blue flowers 

 is very attractive, the Australian daisy {Vittadenia australis), the 

 bright green stone crop (Sedum sarmerdosum) } the hairy crimson- 

 flowered Purslane (Portulacca pilosa), the dark olive green, and 

 in Bombay rarely variegated Alternantheras, the dark purple Aerusa 

 sanguinolenta, the metallic grey and purplish Hemigraphis colorata, 

 the silvery Tradeseantia zebrina, and several others. I have now, I 

 believe, mentioned the most important and peculiar plants grown in 

 Bombay gardens, but I am afraid I have already tried your patience 

 too long, and shall therefore leave another important feature — a peep 



