AUSTRALIAN SHRUBS. 
124 
AZALEA. 
dea, and A. purptrea, are the most 
desirable species. 
Av‘cusa.—Loranthacee, or Cor- 
nacee.—A hardy evergreen shrub, 
which, though a native of Japan, 
endures the severest winters in the 
climate of London. It is common 
in every garden, and it is often 
called the Japan, or spotted Laurel. 
The leaves are leathery, and varie- 
gated; and the bark of the shoots 
is of a deep pea-green. It will 
grow in any soil, either in an open 
situation, or under the drip of trees ; 
and it forms a compact bush, which 
never requires pruning. It is prop- 
agated by cuttings or layers. ‘The 
Aucuba in British gardens is only 
the female plant; as, though it 
has been introduced above fifty 
years, it has never ripened seeds, 
though it flowers every spring ; and 
the species, of which our variegated 
plant is evidently only a variety, 
has never been introduced. lis 
fruit being unknown, botanists have 
been much puzzled to know where 
to place it; thus it was first placed 
in Rhamnacee, with the Buck- 
thorns, then in Loranthacee, with 
the Mistletoe; and now in Corna- 
cee, with the Dogwoods. ['The 
Auciba, or Gold-dust tree, as it is 
sometimes called, is scarcely hardy | 
enough to stand our winters north 
of Baltimore or Philadelphia.— Eb. ] 
Auri'cuLa.—See Pari’mua. 
AustTraLIAN Surugs have gene- 
rally a strong tap-root, which sends 
cut very fine fibres; they require a 
sandy loam, or peat, mixed with 
never suffered to remain in a stag- 
aant state round their roots. 
long before they vegetate, unless 
steeped for at least. twenty-four 
hours in water, which should be hot 
when poured on them. Some of 
the Acacias may even be boiled two 
or three minutes without injuring 
them. All the Australian shrubs 
and trees are very tenacious of life ; 
and when apparently killed, they 
will generally, if cut down, spring 
again from the root. 
Avens.—See Gr‘um. 
Aza‘Ltea, L.—Ericéceeae.—Beau- 
tiful flowering plants, natives of 
North America, Turkey, and Chi- 
na. The American kinds, and A. 
pontica, the only species found in 
Turkey, are quite hardy; but the 
Chinese kinds require the protection 
of a greenhouse. All the species 
should be grown in peat earth, heath 
mould, or very sandy loam; and 
provided the ground they grow in is 
well drained, and they are never al- 
lowed to become too dry, they will 
thrive in almost any situation, 
though they prefer the shade. They 
may be transplanted at almost any 
age, or season, even when in flower, 
provided a ball of earth be kept 
round their roots; and as they hy- 
bridize freely, and ripen seed abun- 
dantly, innumerable varieties may 
be raised. They also bear both 
forcing and retarding extremely 
well. Several attempts have been 
made to naturalize them in this 
country, particularly at High Clere, 
near Newbury, the seat of Lord 
Carnarvon. ‘The kinds called the 
| Ghent Azaleas are hybrids, and va- 
decayed leaves ; and they should be | 
frequently watered, but the water | 
They | 
are all easily killed by an excess | 
of either stagnant moisture, or | 
drought ; as in the former case the 
slender fibres of the roots rot, and 
in the latter they wither, and are 
seldom, if ever, renewed ; and the 
sceds of nearly all of them are very 
rieties raised in Belgium, from the 
yellow Azalea (A. pontica), and the 
American species. Professor Don 
and some other botanists consider 
nearly all the Azaleas to belong to 
the Rhododendrons, and they have 
leff. only one miserable little trailing 
plant, a native of Scotland, formerly 
called Loisleturia procimbens, to 
supply the place of the once splen- 
'did genus Azalea. / 
