THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



2-53 



the Spanish plane (P. Hispanica), which 

 Loudon has catalogued under the same 

 name. This Spanish plane I113 larger 

 and more divided leaves than the maple- 

 leaved plane, and the latter may be but a 

 variety of it ; if so, our so-called occi- 

 dental plane is of Continental origin, 

 and its hardiness need be no subject of 

 surprise. Mr. Rivers says he receives 

 plants of P. acerifolia in four distinct 

 varieties from France. The type of these 

 is identical with our occidental planes, 

 and has probably been known in this 

 country for centuries. 



There are probably more than four 

 varieties of the maple-leaved plane in the 

 gardens of the City. The one in Stationers' 

 Hall Court ItakVtobe Platanus acerifolia 

 palmata. Its leaves are largely made up 

 of straight lines, and the angles are sharp 

 and distinct. The tree in Stationers' 

 Hall-garden I suppose to be P. acerifolia 

 pyramidata ; its habit is erect and com- 

 pact, and the leaves are very slightly cre- 

 nated. The tree inWood Street is probably 

 a seminal variety, not agreeing with any 

 described kinds, and if so, it might be 

 catalogued as P. acerifolia heterophylla. 

 One thing is certain, they are not occi- 

 dental, but Continental maple-leaved 



planes. The maple-leaved plane, then, 

 is the best of all City trees, and will 

 thrive in a sour and exhausted sod, and 

 make real timber, where most other trees 

 would with certainty perish. One reason 

 why it thrives so admirably in the City is 

 because its leaves have a glossy upper sur- 

 face, to which deposits of soot do not 

 readily adhere. Look over the lists of 

 City trees that really prosper in the smoky 

 atmosphere, and you will find that, in this 

 fact you have a key to the problem why 

 trees of equal degrees of hardiness behave 

 30 very differently in the midst of towns. 

 Conifers perish because they exude resin- 

 ous matters, they readily hold the soot, 

 and their stomate3 are closed and suffo- 

 cation follows. The horse-chesnut has a 

 gummy secretion about its bud and leave- 

 stalks, the lime produces honey-dew ; the 

 elm has an absorbent leaf-surface, and if 

 there were no other reasons, these would 

 suffice to explain why it is rare that thriving 

 examples are met with in great cities. 

 Leaves of leathery or papery texture, 

 glo3sy, and not largely furnished with 

 stomatcs are the least affected by atmo- 

 spheric impurities, and trees with such 

 leaves are the best for planting in the 

 midst of cities. — S. II., in City I'res*. 



A CHAMELEON BOEDEE. 



I HATE, this summer, had a border which 

 I called my " Chameleon border," because 

 during the spring and summer it has 

 changed its colours and its plants three 

 times without being at any time denuded 

 of flowers. Thiuking it a somewhat novel 

 feature in flower-gardening, that nny, 

 perhaps, be improved upon, I subjoin the 

 recipe for forming it : — The border is 

 about fifteen inches in width, between a 

 grass edging and a young shrubbery, 

 growing on each side of a winding walk. 

 The best time to begin one is September. 

 Procure a packet each of Myosotis pe- 

 duncularis and Iberis odorata, and sow 

 on a nicely dug piece of border, in order 

 that the plants may get strong for trans- 

 planting into their flowering border, 

 which do as follows : — As soon in No- 

 vember as the present plants are de- 

 stroyed, or rendered unsightly, clear 

 and dig the border, then prick carefully 



into it a single row of the myosotis, and 

 water the same, which will, early in 

 spring, reward you with a line of charm- 

 ing blue flowers. These may be placed 

 about six inches apart ; then in March 

 take plants of the iberis, and prick two 

 plants between the myosotis ; these will 

 grow on, and eventually mingle their 

 white with the blue of the myosotis, just 

 as the latter begins to get a bit seedy, and 

 which must be cut away by degrees to 

 make room for the iberis, when you will 

 have aline of pure white. Whilst this is 

 in beauty, be getting forward, in single 

 pots, plants of scarlet geranium, so that 

 when the iberis begins to fade, these may 

 be planted out immediately behind, and 

 will mingle their scarlet with the white, 

 and as the while fades and is gradually re- 

 moved, they will take their stand for the 

 rest of the summer. 



H. Howteti'. 



