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. 



*Ricinus 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 1 2 ft. high in the 

 London parks of late years, and with leaves nearly i 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- 



