12 riNETUMS. 



The African Ranunculus differs from the Asiatic by having few but 

 larger leaves, which are of a darker green than those of the latter kind. 

 The stem seldom produces more than one flower, and never exceeds 

 two ; they are very double, and a stem is frequently thrown up from 

 the centre of the flower, bearing a second corolla of a smaller size. 

 This is the flower which the French name JRenoncule Pivoine and 

 £. Pe.one. There are several varieties too of this kind of Ranunculus, 

 amongst which is one of the colour of the Jonquil, which the French 

 call Seraphique a" Alger, and another of the hue of the Golden Mari- 

 gold, with a green heart, and whicli is named Souci Dore, or Merveil- 

 leuse, and a pure white one ; also another, which is most esteemed, of 

 a fine red colour, spotted with yellow, and which is called Turban Don, 

 Golden Turban. 



PINETUMS. 



As Coniferous plants, and their allies, either in selections or collections, 

 are becoming indispensable addenda to the grounds of all lovers of the 

 beautiful forms presented in the vegetable kingdom, it may not be an 

 inappropriate season to discuss a few points in the arrangement of the 

 Pinetum. 



It is painful to witness, in many instances, large and valuable col- 

 lections of Pines scattered about the nooks and corners of parks and 

 pleasure-grounds, without regard to the future space which the indi- 

 viduals are likely to occupy, with utter disregard to appropriation of 

 situation, and with no eye to the character ultimately to be given to 

 the scenery of which they are to form a part. In some instances we see 

 a fine specimen struggling in the precincts of the flower-garden, beneath 

 the overshadowing branches of some giant Oak or other tree, which 

 cannot, or, at least, it would be next to sacrilege to remove. The Pine, 

 doubtlessly, had been planted there when a minute plant, with no 

 prospective recognition of its capabilities, and now, like a " blot on the 

 'scutcheon," a constant source of regret to its owner ; deformed in its 

 habit, stunted in its energies, when it might have been a " thing of 

 beauty," with all its attendant influences. Again, a portion of land is 

 pointed out to you in which it is asserted that Pines are planted exten- 

 sively, due space having been given to allow for the development of 

 all their natural capabilities. In your progress to the spot several fine 

 specimens may be seen peeping, like land-marks, above the tangled 

 mass of brake and briars, gorse and rubbish, in which vainly you seek 

 the smaller members of the fraternity. In another domain, portions of 

 the park are fenced off and devoted to Pines. Here they are planted 

 literally pell-mell, jostling each other even in their infancy. P. Hart- 

 wegii is smothering P. insapo, macrocarpa deforming Lambertiana, 

 Deodars mingling their branches with Araucarias ; in fact, the results 

 of a liberal outlay becoming a deformity rather than a beautiful feature. 

 A few rods from this you will probably see some " crates" protecting 

 detached plants, which, if they have succeeded, are damaged from con- 

 fined space or overtopped by nettles and rank herbage. It is but 



