30 Subtropical Gardening. 



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simple-stemmed growth every year, we will, as a 

 rule, obtain finer effects than can be got from 

 tender ones. The Ailantus, for example, treated 

 in this way, gives us as fine a type of pinnate leaf 

 as can be desired. Nobody need place Astrapsea 

 Wallichii in the open air, as I have seen done, so 

 long as a simple-stemmed young plant of the 

 Paulownia makes such a column of magnificent 

 leaves. The delicately-cut leaves of the Gle- 

 ditschias, borne on strong young stems, would be 

 as pretty as those of any fern ; and so in the case 

 of various other hardy trees and shrubs. Persons 

 in the coldest and least favourable parts of the 

 country need not doubt of being able to obtain as 

 fine types of foliage as they can desire, by selecting 

 a dozen kinds of hardy trees and treating them in 

 this way. What may be done in this way, in one 

 case, is shown in the accompanying plate, repre- 

 senting a young plant of Ailantus, with its current 

 year's shoot and leaves, standing gracefully in the 

 midst of a bed of Cannas. 



A few words may now be added about some 

 types of vegetation which, though not included 

 among what are commonly termed subtropical 

 .plants, may yet be judiciously used in combina- 

 tion with them, and go far to produce very charm- 

 ing effects. 



