122 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



cloudy day. Plants which light up the landscape, like this and the 

 gold and silver tricolors, are among the most desirable. 



Edward S. Rand, Jr., said that though his subtropical gardening 

 was not very extensive, he was indebted to Mr. Gray for hints 

 which had enabled him to produce some of his best effects. Besides 

 the plants already mentioned, the hardy shrubs of golden color, 

 such as the golden elder and golden spiraea were very effective, 

 and they have the advantage over white leaved plants that the 

 latter are apt to burn, though this objection does not apply to the 

 ■ variegated alyssum and the Albion Cliffs pelargonium. He had 

 made considerable use of the golden crown imperial, and of the 

 ^ariegated Bulbocodium vernum, which contrast well with the 

 crocus, and whose foliage — unlike that of the crocus and most other 

 spring flowering bulbs, which after blooming is quite objectionable, 

 but cannot be removed without destrojung the next season's flow- 

 ers — is very attractive and showy. 



H. Weld Fuller thought the AUernanthera amcena or xi. versicolor, 

 though not mentioned by Mr. Gray, very desirable for edgings or 

 ground. It was used with excellent effect as a carpet under the 

 large plants in the beautiful bed of succulents at Mr. Hunnewell's. 

 It is easy of culture, uniform, and reliable. At Woodlawn Ceme- 

 tery a large oval bed, which gave much satisfaction, had a dense 

 centre of cannas, surrounded by tritomas, next Coleus Verschaf- 

 feltil, then ach3'ranthes, and belts of pelargoniums, the white-edged 

 rutward, and alyssum next to a border of alternanthera. Golden 

 pyrethrum has a fine effect if not repeated too often. The agera- 

 tum is often useful, and the blue lobelia cannot be dispensed with. 

 Such beds as those mentioned by Mr. Gray require some border. 

 In a mass of bloom sometimes a white Centaurea (gymnocarpa) ^ 

 high in the centre, overspreading like a fountain, produces an 

 excellent effect. A novel and beautiful effect was produced at Mr. 

 Hunnewell's by a large circle of variegated Japan honeysuckle 

 intermingled with an outer planting of Clematis Jackmanni; the 

 purple of the clematis flowers showing finely on the golden yellow 

 of the hone3'suckle. 



The bed of succulents already mentioned, of which the principal 

 features were echeverias, the smaller varieties being arranged in 

 successive rows on an inclined rim, growing smaller to the top, 

 with large plants of E. metallica in the centre, produced a striking 

 appearance. The French, who were the first to introduce subtrop- 



