generally blooms in the Spring, but may sometimes be found Acacias 

 in flower as late as the end of June. A. longifolia is so named 

 from its leaves, which are eight inches in length. Its blossoms 

 are borne in cylindrical spikes. There are many fine specimens 

 in Cornwall, which are very pretty when in flower. This 

 Acacia sometimes refuses to bloom, but the variety floribunda 

 flowers freely in all cases. A. melanoxylon attains a height of 

 forty feet or more, and bears pale yellow flowers in great pro- 

 fusion. Its leaves are long and lance-shaped. A. Drummondi^ 

 a popular conservatory plant, bears tubular spikes of pale yellow 

 flowers. A. Rice ana is the most graceful in habit of all the 

 Acacias, its slender shoots drooping at their extremities. Its 

 foliage is thin and wiry, and its pendent, cream-white flower- 

 clusters are abundantly borne at the extremities of the thin, 

 arching shoots in the month of May. Although a native of 

 Tasmania, and therefore, probably, hardier than many other 

 species, its growth unfits it for any position where it is exposed 

 to the wind. A. cordata is rare in gardens, and somewhat 

 resembles a Heath. Its small flowers are almost white, and its 

 long, slender shoots are furnished with sharply-pointed leaves. 

 A. lopantha is another well-known greenhouse plant, and is 

 sometimes used in sub-tropical bedding. Its foliage is very 

 elegant. It is more tender than most species, several being 

 killed during the past severe winter, though some are still 

 alive. Its greenish-yellow flowers are borne in the winter. 

 A. cultriformis and A. platyptera are two climbing species 

 that must be grown against a wall. Other species cultivated 

 in Cornwall are A. calamlfolia, A. diffusa^ A. latifolia^ A. 

 linifolia, and A. paradoxa. 



The most splendid of all flowering trees is without doubt 



7 1 



