2G8 



THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



Bester, of the Vineyard Nursery, 

 Hammersmith, but I will not sign an 

 affidavit to that effect. Did you, or 

 anybody you ever knew, grow this 

 genus from seed? I should like to 

 know, and if you say yes, I pledge 

 myself not to call you madman. 



BEIZA MAXIMA.. 



Arundo donax is one of the grand- 

 est of grasses known. I planted a 

 bit for a friend a few years ago in a 

 small lake, and its growth was so 

 grand that he never meets me but he 

 tells me what a benefactor I was. 



What a blessing to be a benefactor, 

 and at so cheap a rate. Ha, ha ! I 

 stuck a bit of grass in his mud, and 

 he calls me benefactor. If you want 

 to make a new feature on the terrace 

 next season, get a dozen or more 

 plants of the variegated Arundo 

 donax, and plant them in holes 

 filled with peat ; give abundance 

 of water, and the majesty of 

 the tufts will proclaim you to a 

 whole county — even of such an 

 absurdly vast county as York- 

 shire — a man of rare taste and 

 judgment. But let not the hope 

 of such a proclamation nerve 

 you to the deed. It will be but 

 vanity after all. Grow it be- 

 cause of its beauty, and sing to 

 yourself, "A thing of beauty is 

 a joy for ever." You must take 

 up tliis grass in autumn, and 

 pot it, and keep in rather warm 

 pit or greenhouse all winter, or 

 it will disappear. 



Erianthus Ravenna is an 

 almost mythical grass, and yet 

 a reality. It is one of those of 

 which seed is offered at per 

 packet to too confiding pur- 

 chasers, and as no one can per- 

 suade the seed to grow, it begins 

 to be doubtful in some quarters 

 if such a grass exists. I hope 

 you will take my word for it, 

 that this is a most beautiful 

 grass of large growth, requiring 

 the same treatment as the pam- 

 pas, and the best way to obtain 

 it is to buy plants, and leave the 

 seeds to the foolish people who 

 are not readers of the Floral 

 World. 



Festucaovina glaucct. This is 

 usually catalogued as " Festuca 

 glauca," but as it is a variety of 

 ovina, I have given its proper 

 name. It should never be grown 

 from seed, as it does not come 

 true. It is of neat, tufty habit, 

 very fine in texture, and a 

 superb glaucous colour. I saw 

 it used as an edging in Victoria Park 

 in July last, and its appearance was 

 most beautiful. It is, however, not 

 so gay for edging purposes as Ceras- 

 tium, and some other subjects that 

 are in high favour. It will grow any- 



