48 



TJie Country Geiitleinaiis Magazine 



feature in the sub-tropical garden. It grows 

 well in moist garden soil, but I have never 

 known an instance of its flowering out of its 

 natural habitat. It usually attains a height 

 of 3 feet, and blooms naturally from June to 

 August. Both this and its variegated form are 

 useful as affording a striking and distinctive 

 character in the shrubbery. They have no 

 equals for creating a natural and interesting 

 effect on the margin of a lake. Both increase 

 rapidly under favourable circumstances. 



Arum inaculatum (spotted Cuckoo-pint) is 

 an interesting plant for the mixed border ; 

 the spikes of fruit, composed as they are of 

 large red berries, are very ornamental in the 

 autumn months. The root of this plant is 

 said to be still used or manufactured into 

 sago in the Island of Portland, and also for 

 making starch, and called starch-wort ; it is 

 also commonly known as Priest's Pint. Wake 

 Robin, Lords and Ladies, &c. It grows 

 about I foot high. 



A. italicum. — This plant grows about i8 

 inches high, wdth broad arrow-shaped leaves, 

 of a fine shining green veined with white. The 

 flower-spike is supported on stout erect stalks; 

 fruit, scarlet, and very interesting in the 

 autumn months ; indigenous to southern 

 Europe, but thoroughly acclimatized in this 

 country, growing wild in localities in the 

 south of England. They are very interesting 

 plants, botanically, in many ways, but the 

 great problem to solve — curiosity about the 

 species — lies in the fact that the spadix about 

 the time of opening emits a considerable 

 heat, and what purpose this heat may serve 

 is still a matter of conjecture. 



A. Dracunculus (Long-sheathed, or Dra- 

 gon Arum). — I should not have included 

 this plant in this list, because of its very dis- 

 agreeable scent, but I wish, as far as possible, 

 to notice such of our common hardy plants 

 as are best suited for sub-tropical effect in 

 this country. Few plants are better suited 

 for that sort of thing than this. The stalks 

 are often above 3 feet high, and beautifully 

 spotted, spreading out into dark green leaves 

 at the top, palmate, or divided into several 

 narrow segments ; the flower is produced at 

 the extremity of the stalk ; spathe long, 



erect, of a dark purple colour ; the spadix is 

 large, and also purple, standing well above 

 the foliage, giving the whole plant a noble 

 appearance. These plants propagate them- 

 selves very fast by off"-sets from the root. 

 The best time to transplant them is as soon 

 as the seeds are ripe, as they begin to make 

 new fibres about October. They succeed 

 well in any common garden soil. 



Arundo Z'cwrt'jv(Reed Grass). — The grasses 

 which I propose to include in this list may be 

 safely classed amongst our ornamental collec- 

 tion of hardy perennials. Such kinds only will 

 be named as are worthy of cultivation in the 

 most select collections. They should be more 

 frequently used as decorative plants ; some 

 of them would make a grand addition, 

 and give a distinctive feature to the alpine 

 rockery ; others, again, would make the 

 finest possible groups for the sub-tropical 

 garden, or, in connexion with other plants, as 

 groups for the margins of lakes, &c. This 

 species is one of the noblest Grasses known, 

 and a grand subject for the sub-tropical gar- 

 den, strong tufts growing to the height of 10 

 feet and upwards. Few plants could possibly 

 create a finer effect than a strong clump of 

 this, edged with its variegated variety. The 

 common form will stand the winter well in 

 this country, in ground moderately dry, if 

 allowed to retain the protection of its own 

 foliage until March. The variegated sort is 

 more tender, but stands well in some situa- 

 tions ; in others it must be protected in 

 winter j it also makes a fine pot plant. It is 

 a native of southern Europe, where the com- 

 mon sort is used for a variety of purposes, 

 such as stakes for supporting Vines, &c. 

 This species is of more recent introduction, 

 and quite hardy; also a fine plant for the 

 sub-tropical garden. In habit it somewhat 

 resembles the Pampas Grass, but the leaves 

 are broader ; height about 3 feet. In good 

 ground the flowers are thrown up to a height 

 of 4 or even 5 feet. 



Airopsis pulchella is a small and most 

 elegant Grass for the rockery. 



Agrostis nebulosa is another gem which 

 should be in all collections. — Robert Biillen. 



[To be continued. '] 



