XANTHOCERAS. 



THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



933 



more showy, is rare, and we have seen it 

 only in Kew Gardens. It is hardy, grows 

 freely in any position in the rock-garden, 

 but prefers a shady spot and light rich 

 soil. Scrophulariacea. 



XANTHOCERAS {Chi7iese Chestnut). 

 — X. sorbifolia is a beautiful dwarf hardy 

 tree, but not a rapid grower ; its leaves 

 are elegant, and its flowers white marked 

 with red, borne in erect clusters. To 

 thrive it requires a climate warmer than 

 that of Britain, though it does very well 

 in some sheltered places. 



After having been for many years a 

 rare plant in English gardens it is becom- 

 ing more widely known and cultivated, 

 and among the gardens where it succeeds 

 well is that at Offington, Worthing, where 

 it has ripened its fruits, which recall in 

 form and size the fruits of the Horse 

 Chestnut. The seedlings raised from 

 English ripened fruits may give us fine 

 varieties, as seedlings vary greatly in 

 size and colour of flower. China. At 

 Kew it is disappointing compared with 

 the plants in mild coast gardens, and is 

 best agamst a wall, which it covers to a 

 height of 12 ft., while as an open bush it 

 is only half that height. 



XERANTHEMUM.— X. cmnuum is a 

 hardy annual, one of the prettiest of Ever- 

 lasting flowers, growing about 2 ft. high, 

 with abundant white, purple, and yellow 

 double, single, and semi-double blossoms. 

 A packet of mixed seed sown in any 

 ordinary garden soil in March will give a 

 variety of colours. The principal kinds are 

 — Album, white ; imperiale, dark violet- 

 purple ; plenissimum, dark purple, double ; 

 superbissimum, double, globe-flowered ; 

 and Tom Thumb, a compact dwarf variety. 

 The flowers are excellent for cutting, and 

 if dried are useful for winter decoration. 

 S. Europe. Composit^e. 



XEROPHYLLUM {^Turkeys Beard) 

 — X. asphodeloides is a beautiful tuberous- 

 rooted plant with the aspect of an Aspho- 

 del, forming a spreading tuft of grassy 

 leaves, its tall flower-stem terminated by 

 a raceme of numerous white blossoms. 

 It grows well in a moist, sandy, peaty 

 border, and in the drier parts of boggy 

 ground. Pine barrens in N. America. 



X. tenax. — This very beautiful species 

 is found wild in various parts of North 

 America, especially in Pine barrens on 

 the west side of the continent. The 

 flower-stems 2 to 5 ft. high, the raceme 

 varying from i to 2 ft. long, the flowers 

 crowded and attractive, the segments 

 white with a violet centre. Division or 

 seed. D. K. 



YUCCA {Adam's Needle).— Very dis- 

 tinct evergreen plants of fine form and of 

 the highest value where effect is sought. 

 Yuccas seem fitted for various uses, as a 

 single plant may stand alone on a lawn, 

 or in the centre of a bed, or numbers 

 may be grouped with other plants, or by 

 themselves. They look especially well 

 on rock-garden banks, and are not par- 

 ticular about soil, but do not flourish so 

 well in sand, chalk, or peat. They are 

 hardy save in severe winters and on cool 

 soils, and all of the kinds mentioned are 

 vigorous. Suckers, unless carefully taken, 



are apt to die down to the ground when 

 first planted ; but if left alone they will 

 renew their growth in a few months. 

 There are several hardy species well suited 

 for the flower-garden, and quite distinct 

 from each other. The effect of well-de- 

 veloped Yuccas is equal to that of any hot- 

 house plant that we can venture to place in 

 the open air for the summer, while they 

 are green and ornamental at all seasons. 

 The free-flowering kinds, Y.Jilaiiieiitosa 

 and Y fiaccida, may be associated with 

 any of our nobler autumn-flowering plants, 

 from Gladiolus to the great Statice laii- 

 folia. Even species that do not flower 



