SELECT LISTS OF PLANTS. 273 



known by various names, such as Coffea occidentales, Ixora Americana, 

 etc. 



Ficus (Fig Tree). A very large and important genus of evergreen 

 shrubs' and trees. One species, the F. Carica, yields the cultivated figs 

 so well known to all civilizeJl and to many barbarous nations. Another 

 species, the F. elastica, yields a part of the India-rubber of commerce, 

 while another, F. Indica, is the celebrated Banyan tree of India. 

 The varieties of the common Fig and India-rubber tree are readily propa- 

 gated by cuttings of the green wood or mature shoots planted in rather 

 coarse sand or pulverized brick, in the open ground in warm climates, 

 and under glass in cool ones. 



Fltzroya. A coniferous, evergreen tree from Patagonia, with the 

 habit of the Weeping Cypress. Only one species in cultivation, the F. 

 Patagonica, and this is far from being common. Propagated by seeds 

 and cuttings of the half -matured twigs and leading shoots under glass. 



Fontanesia. Large and handsome ornamental shrubs, closely re- 

 lated to the common Olive tree. One species, from Syria (F. pJiillyrce- 

 oidcs), has long been cultivated in our gardens, but the Chinese species 

 (F. Fortunei) is not so well known. Propapated by layers and cuttings 

 of the mature wood under glass. 



Forsythia (Golden Bell). A small genus of handsome, early-bloom- 

 ing, hardy shrubs from China and Japan. Three species are recognized 

 in the late botanical works, viz., F. viridissima, from China in general ; 

 F. Fortunei, from Pekin, China, and F. suspensa, from Japan. The latter 

 is very distinct from the former two, having long, slender branches, 

 drooping or trailing on the ground. The leaves are quite small, ovate, 

 and on some branches all will be trifoliate, somewhat after the form of 

 a clover leaf. The flowers are usually of a bright yellow, appearing 

 several days earlier than on the first-named two ; still, with this wide 

 difference in habit of growth, size and form of leaves, and time of 

 blooming, I am quite certain that it is only a garden variety (or it may 

 be a wild one), of the first, or F. viridissima. My reason for making this 

 statement is that from a large number of seedlings raised from the seed 

 of an isolated plant of F. suspensa, at least nine out of everv ten have 

 assumed the upright habit, with the strong, stout canes and large, entire 

 leaves of the two first-named species. In these seedlings we have an 

 instance of reversion to the original type of the most pronounced kind ; 

 for there could not possibly have been any crossing or hybridizing with 

 any other closely allied plant. Many of the seedlings of this Weeping 

 Golden Bell are now large, old plants, so well established that their 

 varietal characters may be considered as fully developed. All the varie- 

 ties are readily propagated by cuttings of the ripe wood, made in either- 

 fall or spring, and planted in nursery rows. 



Fothergilla. A genus of one, or at most two, species of low-grow- 

 ing, deciduous shrubs, native of the swamps and low grounds of the 

 Southern States. F. alnifolia is sometimes cultivated for its rather 



