138 Subtropical Gardening. 



*Ferula glauca. — A valuable and imposing foliage- 

 plant, 4 ft. to 6 ft. or more high, with very much divided 

 leaves, shining above, glaucous beneath, cut into long, 

 linear, flat segments. The stalks of the upper leaves are 

 widened above. 



*Ferula persica. — A hardy perennial from Persia 

 and the Caucasus, with a glaucous stem from 3 ft. to 6 ft. 

 high, tapering gradually upwards, and very handsome, 

 much-divided leaves, with rather distant lance-shaped 

 leaflets, widening and toothed or cut at the apex. 

 Flowers in umbels, without any general or partial involu- 

 crum. This plant is easily distinguished by its strong 

 asafoetida odour, and requires warm sandy soil. 



*Ferula tingitana. — A very noble plant, from 6 ft. 

 to 8 ft. high, with a stout stem and very glistening leaves, 

 which are broader than those of any other species, and 

 repeatedly subdivided into oblong or lance-shaped 

 deeply-toothed segments. 



Ficus Chauvieri. — A noble species, with a faultless 

 habit, which does well in the open air, and is the best 

 kind after F. elastica. The leaves are oval-obtuse in out- 

 line, of a very dark glistening green, with pale-yellow 

 veins, and usually have one or more large undulations 

 on the margin. Useful for the same purposes as the 

 following species. 



Ficus elastica {India-rubber Plant). — This is one 

 of those valuable leathery-leaved things that are useful in 

 hothouse, drawing-room, or flower-garden. It not only 

 exists in the open air in summer in good health, but 

 makes a good growth under the influence of our weak 

 northern sun. Never assuming the imposing proportions 



