Plate 527. 



AUCUBA JAPONICA— FCEMINA AUREO- 

 MACULATA. 



The introduction of the male Aucuba has been productive of 

 remarkable results ; it has stimulated the raising of seedlings, 

 and numerous varieties, diflering from one another in the 

 form, size, and marking of their leaves, have rewarded the skill 

 and perseverance of the hybridizer ; while the beauty of the 

 plant has been greatly increased by the production of the 

 brilliant scarlet berries. Some plants, standards and dwarfs, 

 exhibited by Mr. Wm. Bull at the Eoyal Horticultural 

 Society's show at South Kensington, March 16, were generally 

 admired ; it was stated by the Eev. W. Berkley, at the meeting 

 afterwards, that he thought they could only be produced by 

 artificial fertilization, a process easy enough where the pollen 

 of the male plant can be had ; and it is no unusual thing for 

 nurserymen to send tbis pollen out so that amateurs may per- 

 form the operation in their owu houses or grounds. 



We are indebted to Mr. James Cutbush, of Highgate, for the 

 opportunity of figuring this very beautiful variety. It is, as 

 will be seen from the plate, very distinct in the character of its 

 markings. The centre of the disk is a deep brilliant golden 

 yellow, the margin of the leaves being green, very irregularly 

 running into the golden centre, and also marked with spots 

 of the same brilliant yellow. In some of the leaves one half 

 is green with golden spots, the other half yellow ; but in all 

 cases the yellow greatly predominates. When the plant is 

 studded with its clusters of golden berries, we cannot conceive 

 a richer variety than that which Mr. Cutbush has been so iortu- 

 nate as to originate. 



