172 Subtropical Gardening. 



of a lemon colour, are borne in erect loose spikes just 

 above the foliage. Generally with us it will be found to 

 enjoy greenhouse temperature, though in genial places in 

 the south and west of England and Ireland it does very 

 well in the open air. Its best use is for the decoration 

 of the garden in summer, a few specimens well grown 

 and plunged in the grass or the centre of a bed giving a 

 most distinct aspect to the scene. The larger such plants 

 are, the better, of course, will be the effect. The small 

 ones will prove equally useful and effective in vases, to 

 which they will add a grace that vases rarely now possess. 

 It is pre-eminently useful from its being alike good for the 

 house, conservatory, and hall-decoration in winter. Mul- 

 tiplied by division of the tufts in summer, and thriving 

 best in a light deep soil. Wherever indoor decoration 

 on a large scale is practised it is indispensable, and it 

 should be remarked that, unless for vase decoration, it 

 requires to be grown into goodly specimens before 

 affording much effect out of doors ; but when grown 

 large in tubs, it is equally grand for the large conserva- 

 tory and for important positions in the flower-garden. 

 In the extreme south of England and Ireland the New 

 Zealand Flax will thrive in the water as well as on dry 

 land ; and where this is the case it may of course be 

 used with fine effect as an aquatic. Doubtless, too, the 

 variegated variety of the New Zealand Flax would be a 

 capital plant to try in the open air in nice situations in 

 the south and west of England and Ireland, where the 

 green plant sometimes does so well. In any case it will 

 do finely out of doors for the summer. 



*Phytolacca decandra ( Virginian Poke). A vigor- 



