Floricultural and Botanical Notices. 315 



Of the Funereal Cypress he gives the following account : — 



" The most beautiful tree found in this district is a species 

 of weeping Cypress, which I had never met with in any- 

 other part of China, and which was quite new to me. It 

 was during one of my daily rambles that I saw the first 

 specimen. About half a mile distant from where I was, I 

 observed a noble looking Fir tree, about 60 feet in height, 

 having a stem as straight as the Norfolk Island Pine, and 

 weeping branches like the Willow of St. Helena. Its branch- 

 es grew at first at right angles to the main stem, then 

 described a graceful curve upwards, and bent again at their 

 points. From these main branches others long and slender 

 hung down perpendicularly, and gave the whole tree a weep- 

 ing and graceful form. It reminded me of some of those 

 large and gorgeous chandeliers, sometimes seen in theatres 

 and public halls in Europe." 



The gardeners at Shanghae seem to set an example of 

 skill which some of our own people would do well to imitate. 

 In the midst of winter, in as bad a climate as that of London, 

 the flower shops were gaily filled : — 



" I was not previously aware that the practice of forcing 

 flowers was common in China. Many plants of Magnolia 

 purpurea were in full flower ; as were also many kinds of 

 double-blossomed Peaches, the pretty little Prunus sinensis 

 alba, and a variety of Camellias. But what struck me as 

 most remarkable was the facility with which the Moutan 

 Pffiony had been brought into full bloom. Several varieties 

 of this plant were in full flower ; and at this season of the 

 year, when everything out of doors was cold and dreary, 

 they had a most lively effect. Their blooms were tied up, 

 to keep them from expanding too rapidly. All these things 

 had been brought from the celebrated city of Soo-chow-foo, 

 the great emporium of Chinese fashion and luxury. 



" It may be thought that the Chinese have glass houses, 

 hot-water pipes, and all those fine things which assist gar- 

 deners and amateurs in Europe. Nothing of the kind; they 

 do all these things in their houses and sheds, with common 

 charcoal fires, and a quantity of straw to stop up the crevices 

 in the doors and windows. 



