1 82 Subtropical Gardening. 



who have once tried it. Some hardy plants of fine foliage 

 are either so . rampant or so topheavy that they cannot 

 be wisely associated with bedding-plants. This is, on 

 the contrary, as tidy and tractable a grower as the most 

 fastidious could desire. It would be a mistake to put 

 such a pretty plant under or near rough trees and shrubs. 

 Give it the full sun, and good free soil. 



*Rhus vernicifera is distinct from the preceding, and 

 has fine leaves. It is a native of Japan, and the source 

 of the best Japan varnish according to Thunberg. Use- 

 ful for grouping with the preceding or other hardy shrubs 

 of like character. 



*Rieinus communis {Castor-oil Plant). — When 

 well grown in the open air, there is not in the whole 

 range of cultivated plants a more imposing subject than 

 this. It may have been seen nearly 12 ft. high in the 

 London parks of late years, and with leaves nearly 1 yd. 

 wide. It is true we require a bed of very rich deep earth 

 under it to make it attain such dimensions and beauty ; 

 but in all parts, and with ordinary attention, it grows 

 well. In warm countries, in which the plant is very 

 widely cultivated, it becomes a small tree, but is much 

 prettier in the state in which it is seen with us — i.e., with 

 an unbranched stem clothed from top to bottom with 

 noble leaves. Soon after it betrays a tendency to 

 develope side-shoots the cold autumn comes and puts an 

 end to all further progress; and so much the better, 

 because it is much handsomer in a simple-stemmed state 

 than any other. The same is true of not a few other 

 large-leaved plants — once they break into a number of 

 side-shoots their leaf beauty is to a great extent lost It 

 is as easily raised from seed as the common bean, re- 



