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During the winter the ascending shoots perish, together with a con- 

 ■ siderable portion of the stolons ; the latter probably in proportion to 

 the amount of protection which the plant may happen to receive, and 

 the severity of the winter, but as far as I have yet observed, the great- 

 er portion of the plant which is above ground perishes. In the early 

 spring the underground stolons begin to shoot, and the young plants 

 sprout up all around the former stems, — some of them at a distance 

 of many inches, sometimes as many as six ; but the base of the old 

 stem has not the slightest remaining vitality. I have planted in my 

 garden both species, and under similar circumstances they both pre- 

 serve their characters and habits, the only difference 1 observe being 

 that with C. sylvatica, when growing in bare mould, where the protec- 

 tion of moss, leaves and dead twigs is wanting, which is so abundant 

 in its native copse, not only nearly, but quite the whole of the super- 

 ficial stolons perish in the winter. 



This plant is so ornamental, that it appears fully desirable to adopt 

 it in cultivation. The difficulty of succeeding in the cultivation of 

 some of our native plants, which yet grow freely and abundantly in 

 their natural condition, is sometimes so great, that perhaps some ac- 

 count of my first attempt with the plant, the subject of these remarks, 

 may be worth recording, particularly as some of the consequent chan- 

 ges are rather interesting. Young plants spring so numerously from 

 the stolons, that they may be readily multiplied by merely dividing 

 them : in addition to this, any early top or branch may be readily 

 rooted, and seedlings also spring up abundantly around the old plant, 

 so that it is most easily propagated. If any of the young plants be 

 placed in a shaded part of a garden, they retain the characters natural 

 to the wild plant ; but in altered circumstances they undergo consi- 

 derable modifications — yet not such as influence the essential habits 

 and characters of the plants. The results of altered circumstances of 

 two kinds I have noticed, and shall proceed to detail. 



If placed in a sunny border, the whole plant is much shorter, the 

 inflorescence bears a larger proportion to the foliage, while the indi- 

 vidual flowers acquire a much deeper tint. The plant however loses 

 much of its elegance, assumes an unhealthy appearance, and its dura- 

 tion is very much diminished. These effects are probably due to an 

 increase of both light and evaporation. When, however, it is sub- 

 jected to an increased abundance of light, but without a greater de- 

 gree of evaporation, as, for instance, under glass, where it will most 

 readily grow in a pot of rich mould, the effect is very remarkable. 

 Under these circumstances it becomes a most ornamental plant, — 



