THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 165 
plant in a nursery at Plymouth, more than twenty-five years since. 
It was then growing in front of the residence, on a south aspect. 
The plant was, as near as I can now recollect, fully ten feet high and 
quite as broad, and it grew so thick that it would at times get over 
the bounds of the border on to the walk, when it was cut off and 
taken away in bundles. The border it thus grew so luxuriantly in 
was mostly composed of partly-decayed slate, stones, and yellow 
loam ; and, owing to the protecting nature of the leaves, the border 
was as dry as dust, and was so at all times; so that will teach us 
pretty well how to manage it. There is no doubt, though, that the 
roots travelled some distance, and if moisture was not found near 
the plant, the roots soon wandered away and collected it elsewhere ; 
for it is very evident that the plant must have moisture at the roots, 
especially when grown in pots. There are several variegated 
varieties of this plant exceedingly handsome, with broad bands of 
yellowish white alternating with the green up the leaves and stem. 
They are at present very expensive, but in time I hope they will be 
within the reach of all lovers of foliage plants, for all should treat 
themselves with one or more as soon as they can. I have found 
them do well in pots ina mixture similar to that recommended for 
Grevilleas, and I have found them to have a great liking for water 
in the summer season, and a partial drying-up, or season of rest in 
the winter, beginning to give them water again about this time, 
when they begin to make their growth. The finest of the variegated 
forms are Phormiwm tenax variegatum, P. Veitchi, and PB. Colensoi 
variegatum. 
GREVILLEA ROBUSTA and its varieties are beautiful foliage plants ; 
the foliage especially is exceedingly graceful and fern-like in its 
character; it has a slender stem and a branching habit, and for a 
background plant it is admirably adapted, owing to its graceful 
drooping growth. It is also very hardy, and rarely injured by a few 
degrees of frost, which is a great point in its favour. The leaves 
are a pea-green in its early growth, changing when mature to a 
light green with a central rib of dark green. It is from New 
Holland, as is G. concinna, another pretty variety, but with foliage 
somewhat smaller. The Mountain Grevillea (G. montana), from 
New South Wales, is a dwarfer kind, but exceedingly pretty, and 
nearly hardy, and in its native home grows on the mountains, with 
its roots here and there projecting out amongst the stones. 4. 
robusta is the best kind for our purpose, where only one is required, 
as it is of free growth and very easily managed. The soil best suited 
for them is a mixture of one-half silky loam broken into small 
lumps, one-quarter turfy peat, also broken in lumps, and one-quarter 
leaf-mould, quite decayed manure, and sand; the whole to be well 
mixed together and used rough. It is a good plan to break up 
some crocks sma]l and mix with the soil, when the plants get any 
size, as the roots cling around them, and seem to like some stony 
or brick-like material. These plants should be liberally watered 
from February to September. It is advisable then to give them but 
little for a month or two, and begin to give it more liberally to them 
again when they begin to grow, which occurs about Christmas. 
June, 
