IRISH GARDENING 



135 



Euro2:)e, but also on accovint of its own intrinsic- 

 merit. It forms a crown of verdure supported 

 on a dark brown trunk, covered with aerial roots, 

 that rises with age to ten feet and even much 

 more in its native habitat ; and the arching 

 fronds that compose it are some eight feet long, 

 and are cut and divided in a manner difficult 

 to describe. It requires shade and, of course, 

 shelter. Adiantum pedatum, Cyrtomium caryo- 

 tideum, G. falcatum, C. Fortune!, Davallia 

 canariensis, Doodia media, Lastrea, erythro- 

 sora, L. opaca, Lomaria alpina, L. procera, 

 Onoclea sensibilis, Polypodium Billardierii, 

 Polystichum setosum, V. tsus-simense, Wood- 

 wardia radicans, are all effective and ought to 

 succeed at least in the milder parts of Ireland. 

 British ferns, with their numerous and wonder- 

 ful varieties, will soon swell up an outdoor collec- 

 tion, and make it still more attractive. Though 

 differing altogether in a botanical sense from 

 ferns, some of the Umbelliferae develop a foliage 

 which at the first glance might be mistaken for 

 them; for instance, Seseli gummiferum, a very 

 showy plant whose glaucous leaves are cut and 

 fashioned like elaborate lace-work. Belonging 

 to that order, the giant Hemlock, with its bold 

 aspect, is useful in rough places. The improve- 

 ment of untidy corners is not imimportant ; and 

 walls, unsightly hedges, and old thorns may 

 with advantage be covered by climbers and 

 other ramblers. Actinidia chinensis, Aristolo- 

 chia Sipho, the Dutchman's pipe, Berberidopsis 

 Corallina, Clematis Armandi, C. ('(jlensoi, 

 C. grata, Holbcpllia latifolia, Muehlenbeckia 

 varians, Lardizabala biternata, Lonicera 

 Henryi, Smilax laurifolia, Stauntonia hexa- 

 phylla, Yitis Henryana, V. megalophylla, \". 

 Thomsonii, have all of them good leafage 

 Some of the Eoses also are adapted for this pur- 

 pose, among which is Eosa longicuspis, I'ecently 

 introduced by Mr. Wilson from China, a dark 

 evergreen rampant grower, with purple branch- 

 lets and red thorns, and with the further ad- 

 vantage of producing masses of sweet-smelling 

 single flowers in large bunches and in great 

 profusion. 



When we come to plants grown to give shelter 

 to others, we immediately think of Conifers, 

 many of which, no doubt, are obtained with 

 that very useful object. But others might also 

 be used in a similar way, if not to keep out the 

 blast in very exposed positions, at least to form 

 secondary screens where its force has been a 

 good deal broken and is not unduly severe ; for 

 instance, Baccharis patagonica, Escallonia ma- 

 crantha, E. rubra, Garrya elliptica, G. Thureti, 

 Griselinia littoralis, G. lucida (not quite so 

 hardy), Lonicera nitida, Portugal Laurel, 

 lUianmus Alaternus, Tricuspidaria lanceolata, 

 Viburnum Tinus, S:c. — in which generally the 



foliage is handsome and dense. Of Conifers, 

 tlie kinds used to protect others from harsh 

 M'inds are known, and we need not allude to 

 them here; but there are many that claim our 

 regard in other ways, some of which may be 

 mentioned, and so bring these notes to an end. 

 All the following are evergreen, except where 

 otherwise stated. Gingko biloba is a deciduous 

 tree, called by the descriptive name of Maiden- 

 hair tree. Dacrydium Franklinii has arching 

 branches and a general feathery aspect; in I). 

 cupressinum they are slender with minute 

 leaves ; it is only hardy in favoured districts. 

 I'odocarpus alpina forms a small compact bush ; 

 in P. chilina, which is much larger, the foliage 

 is dark and linear; in P. Totara it. is bright 

 yellowish green. Juniper us Cedrus is a hand- 

 some tree from the Canary Islands; J. pachy- 

 phlaea, from New Mexico, is silvery grey; J. 

 recurva is glaucous, and contrasts well with the 

 brown branches. Tetraclinis articulata is vivid 

 green ; it comes from Algeria, and will not stand 

 excessive frost; it is said to resist drought, and 

 is a very graceful, shapely plant. Callitris 

 oblonga has peculiar foliage like whipcord ; C. 

 robusta is more like a Cypress; both have 

 curious cones. 



Of the genus Cupressus, C. cashmiriana has 

 long pendulous, frond-like branchlets, tinted 

 blue ; it requires sun and shelter, and is a beau- 

 tiful object ; C. formosana is tinged with brown ; 

 C. Lawsoniana var. Fletcheri is one of the best 

 of the species; C. sempervirens is a fine upright 

 tree, one variety is very fastigiate, another, 

 called tliujsefolia, also fastigiate, has peculiar 

 foliage and is desirable. Athrotaxis cupressoides 

 luis closely imbricated dark leaves; in A. laxi- 

 folia they are more open, lighter in colour, shoots 

 golden ; in A. selaginoides they are stiff and 

 pointed, still more open, and marked with white 

 lines underneath. Taxodium distichum is a mag- 

 nificent deciduous tree, bright green, light in 

 form and feathery ; T. mucronatum, from 

 ^lexico, resembles it, and is still more feathery. 

 In Cunninghamia sinensis the needles are broad, 

 long, and curved. Of the Hemlock Spruces, 

 Tsuga brunoniana and T. diversifolia are both 

 to be commended, especially the latter. The 

 Blue Spruce, Picea pungens glauca, forms a 

 bright sheet of colour, as does also Cedrus at- 

 lantica glauca; in contrast with other trees, and 

 in the sunlight, both look as if they were I'eally 

 blue, and in conjunction with a shrub like Ptelea 

 trifoliata, golden form, the effect is very fine; 

 Picea Englemannii glauca shows somewhat the 

 same tint, but it is not so pronounced. Pseudo- 

 larix Kaempferi, deciduous, is an interesting 

 modification of the Larch, leaves long and 

 curved. Keteleeria Fortunei is rare, with long, 

 rigid, light green needles. Among the Silver 



