25 

 JAPANESE SHEUBS. 



HERE are numerous hardy evergreens introduced from Japan within the 

 last few years, very ornamental, but unfortunately some of which 

 present certain difficulties in the way of culture. To begin with the 

 Skimmias, which when healthy and thriving are amongst the most 

 useful of low-growing shrubs. In your article on Skimmias, in the 

 number for July, 1867, you have given us the result of your experience, and taking 

 advantage of the hints contained in that article, I have since been able to grow 

 those plants with complete success, as far as the production of numerous and healthy 

 leaves. I took the shrubs out of the pots and planted them in peat, in a moist, 

 shady border, under trees or large shrubs. The great fault I find with them is, 

 that they persist in flowering at the wrong season of the year. For instance, 

 instead of exhibiting a fine show of berries at this present time, when they would 

 he most welcome, my plants are only just coming into flower. Of course placing 

 them in a hot-house would hasten the formation of berries, but as all the species are 

 perfectly hardy, I shall not be satisfied iintil I can persuade them to be a little more 

 regular in their habits. S. oblata and S. fragrans exhibit the same eccentricity of 

 habit, and are now in flower in my garden. In respect of unseasonable flowering, 

 the new Aucubas, both male and female, are also sad culprits, all of my out-of-door 

 plants are now commencing to flower, and this I find is the case with those grown 

 by many nurserymen. No doubt this arises from the continued forcing they under- 

 went on their first introduction into this country, and probably, in the course of time, 

 they will resume their natural order of growth, and flower at the same time as the 

 old female spotted variety. 



The next shrubs that I wish to draw attention to, are the variegated varieties of 

 the Euonymus, charming shrubs, particularly useful in winter, when anything 

 cheerful and gay is so welcome in our borders. The only doubt I have about these 

 plants is, whether the golden varieties are likely to retain their variegation when 

 they attain their full growth. This I have great fears about, as nearly all my plants 

 already show a tendency to turn green, although they are planted in poor, gritty 

 soil. The silver varieties I find to be more stedfast in this respect, and are likely to 

 prove more satisfactory. Desfontania spinosa will doubtless be a general favourite 

 whenever the plants attain a decent size, but unfortunately in growth they are the 

 slowest of the slow. From the experience of the last two winters I think that I>. 

 spinosa may be pronounced to be quite hardy in the south of England. By way of 

 precaution, however, I plant my specimens in sheltered spots, and in almost pure 

 peat, with a little half-rotten manure on the surface, to stimulate their growth in 

 the spring. Of Osmanthus ilicif'olius, both green and variegated, I cannot speak too 

 highly ; the latter, in particular, are generally admired, and should they attain 

 anything near the same size, are likely from their beauty and hardiness to prove 

 formidable rivals to the variegated hollies. J. J- 



Littleboume. 



[We have never experienced the difficulty with skimmias that our correspondent 

 complains of, and as we use them in the plunging system for the sake of their 

 scarlet berries, they would be useless if they were not fruitful. They always show 

 clusters of flower-buds in October, but we never knew the flowers to be open until 

 the spring was sufficiently advanced to favour the formation of fruit. We suspect 

 that J. J. only needs a little more patience to find the skimmia tractable and useful. 

 At all events, we do not advise him to house his plants, especially as they are 

 planted out, because they would not fruit well after any serious disturbance of the 

 roots. It appears, if we may judge by this case, that the cold climate north of 

 London in which ours do so well, is better for these Japanese shrubs than the 

 warmer district of Kent, where J. J. resides. But remembering how superbly the 

 Japanese shrubs grow in the warmer parts of Devonshire, we cannot but believe 

 that the warmer the climate the better for them. When grown in pots, the 

 skimmias might no donbt be the better for the shelter of a cool house all the winter, 

 but artificial heat would injure them. As to the early flowering of the male 

 aucuba, this is certainly the result of the forcing to which it has been subjected by 

 the trade, in order to multiply it rapidly. In our first fruiting of aucuba, we 

 gathered the pollen in October, and kept it in a tin box until March, when the 



