THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE, 303 
THE AUCUBA JAPONICA. 
(With Coloured Plate of Aucuba Japonica awrea maculata.) 
@ HE “ spotted laurel,” or Awcuba Japonica, has become one 
of the most interesting as well as the most useful of the 
many handsome hardy shrubs that adorn our gardens. 
In the numerous forms of this fine old plant, we have a 
great diversity in the colouring of the leafage, and by 
taking the simple precaution of planting a few examples of the male 
“varieties in the shrubbery borders, the bushes of the female forms 
may be had during the winter season densely covered with large 
berries of the most brilliant-scarlet hue. 
The history of Awcuba Japonica is remarkably interesting. It 
was discovered by Engeibert Kempfer, a Westphalian naturalist, in 
1690, or thereabout, but it was not introduced to Hurope until 1783. 
To Thunberg, a noted Swede, belongs the honour of introducing the 
plant to Europe; but the rate at which it found its way into 
‘great gardens was very slow indeed, as compared with the rapidity 
with which a meritorious introduction is now distributed. Being 
‘known as a Japanese plant, the Aucuba was considered too 
tender to be exposed to the rigours of an English winter, and, in 
consequence, it was for many years considered a “ hothouse ” 
plant, and treated accordingly. But in the course of time it was 
observed that wherever it was grown in a cool temperature, it im- 
proved, and its ultimate acclimatization occurred as the result of 
such observations. 
The exact date of the planting of the Aucuba as a hardy tree is 
not known. In Aiton’s “ Hortus Kewensis,” published in 1813, it 
is described as a hardy tree, as introduced to Kew, 1783, by Mr. 
John Greffer. In the twenty-first edition of Abercrombie’s ‘‘ Every 
Man his own Gardener,” published in 1818, there is no mention of 
it to be found, though there are abundant directions for propagating 
and planting evergreens of all kinds. Though known to botanists 
as a far more interesting shrub than to ordinary eyes it appeared to 
be, it was, by the gardener, regarded simply as a useful member of 
the mixed shrubbery, and particularly valuable to plant near towns, 
on account of its patient endurance of smoke and dust. Although 
the Diceceous character of the Aucuba and its natural fruitfulness of 
berries were facts recorded, the importance of securing the male 
plant was felt by few even amongst advanced botanists and horticul- 
turists. Siebold brought with him from Japan a collection of 
varieties differing in the size, shape, and markings of their leaves, 
but they all proved to be females. It was reserved to Robert Vor- 
tune, one of the most successful of modern plant collectors, to obtain 
the male plant and bring it to England in safety. The plant 
secured by Mr. Fortune was the only one he had been able to dis- 
cover; and when at iast it was placed in the hands of the late John 
Standish, then of Bagshot, the purchaser of Fortune’s introductions, 
it was in such poor condition through the vicissitudes of Bae voyage, 
December, 
