342 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



them in calling over the subjects best adapted for embellishing a 

 lawn. But we must add to ail these deciduous subjects one evergreen, 

 the weeping holly, of which there are two distinct varieties — Ilex 

 aquifolium pendula^ a variety of the common green holly truly pendu- 

 lous in habit, and a very pretty object in winter ; and the variegated 

 weeping holly, Ilex aquifolium pendulum variegatum, which was 

 brought out a few years since by Perry, of Banbury. This last is 

 the most beautiful evergreen shrub known, and as well adapted 

 for the smallest garden as for the largest. C. W. 



TEEATMENT OE LTJCULIA GEATISSIMA. 



ATTJEALLY, this species is of luxuriant growth, making 

 a few shoots, which grow to a great length, and conse- 

 quently it is not by any means a bushy plant. After it 

 has flowered, or, indeed, before the flowers are well fallen, 

 these branches produce several shoots near the apex, all 

 the lower buds remaining dormant ; and hence the plant is left bare 

 of leaves and shoots, for, perhaps, more than half its height. And 

 if this is continued for two or three years, the growing powers of the 

 plant are impaired, owing to the large quantity of useless old wood 

 that consumes the sap necessary to support new growths. From 

 this many cultivators have concluded that, to have good specimens, 

 a fresh stock of young plants is neces^ary every year, and on that 

 supposition have discarded the old ones. Now, although it is 

 undoubtedly highly desirable to have a number of young plants to 

 flower as dwarf specimens, it is quite as much, if not more desirable, 

 to have large bushy specimens furnished with branches to the surface 

 of the pots ; and this can only be done by preserving the old plants. 

 The great error in their management is the fear of using the knife 

 freely. It is only by pruning, and severe pruning, that the naturally 

 straggling: character of the old plants can be overcome, and reduced 

 to the desired bushiness. Instead of allowing the uppermost buds 

 on the preceding summer's growth to furnish the shoots for the 

 succeeding season, the old branches should be cut away to within an 

 inch or two of their base. Thus, two or three, or perhaps four 

 branches, will be obtained from each near the point from which only 

 one or two sprang the preceding year ; consequently, the number of 

 shoots will be yearly increasing, and instead of becoming naked at 

 the base, and of a scattered growth, the bushiness will be continu- 

 ally augmented. 



This character, however, may be carried to excess, even with the 

 Luculia\ for if too many shoots are permitted to form, they will 

 prevent one another from acquiring that degree of vigour which is 

 necessary to produce a good head ot bloom. Besides, the large size 

 of the foliage demands a proportionate space for their exposure to 

 Ught, and, if they are crowded, the loss of the interior and lower ones 



