ARISTOTELIA ARTEMISIA 209 



usually from 2 to 5 ins. long, shallowly toothed ; dark lustrous green, almost 

 smooth except when young. Flowers in small, few-flowered cymes coming 

 from the leaf-axils, or from the ends of short twigs ; small (not more than J in. 

 across), greenish white. Male and female flowers appear on different plants. 

 The fruit is about the size of a pea, at first purplish then black. 



Native of Chile, whence it is said to have been introduced in 1773. This shrub 

 is best fitted for the warmer parts of the British Isles, where it forms a luxuriant 

 but somewhat commonplace evergreen, and where the female plant bears fruit 

 freely. At Kew it is cut back to the ground in all but the mildest winters, but 

 sends up during the summer a crowd of thick, succulent, big-leaved shoots 3 or 4 

 ft. high. In these circumstances it does not flower and has little interest, but 

 on a wall it often flowers. The Chileans make a wine from the fruit, said to 

 have medicinal properties. 



Var. VARIEGATA. A form whose leaves are variegated with yellow ; it is 

 handsome where it thrives, but is more tender than the type. 



A. RACEMOSA, Hooker fil 



A small, deciduous tree of graceful form, up to 25 ft. high. Leaves 2 to 4 

 ins. long, opposite or nearly so, ovate with a heart-shaped or rounded base, 

 long-pointed, the margin cut up into deep, narrow, irregular teeth ; the blade 

 is thin and the stalk about half as long. All the younger parts of the plant 

 are downy. Flowers in downy panicles from the leaf-axils ; they are numerous 

 but very small (^ in. across), rose-coloured ; male and female flowers are on 

 separate trees. Fruit a dark red or almost black berry, about the size of a pea. 



Native of New Zealand, and only suitable for the milder parts of the 

 kingdom, being more tender than A. Macqui. There is a good specimen in Mr 

 Herd's garden at Rossdohan, in Co. Kerry, which flowers in May. The wood 

 is used in New Zealand for making charcoal for gunpowder. 



ARTEMISIA. COMPOSITE 



A large genus of shrubby and herbaceous plants with- composite 

 flowers, abundant in Europe, and especially in the dry, hot regions of 

 Western N. America, where they cover great plains and form what is 

 known there as "sage brush." Most of them are of a more or less 

 greyish tinge, and are notable for their strong, often agreeable odour. 

 Some half-dozen shrubby species have at times been in cultivation, the 

 two best of which are A. Abrotanum and A. tridentatum. They need 

 a sunny position, and a well-drained, not rich soil. Increased by 

 cuttings. 



A. ABROTANUM, Linnceus. SOUTHERNWOOD. 



A soft-wooded, semi-shrubby, fragrant plant about 3 ft. high ; stems erect, 

 densely furnished with foliage, and covered at first with a grey down. Leaves 

 downy, the terminal half doubly or trebly pinnate, the final divisions scarcely 

 thicker than a thread ; the entire leaf is from i to 2 ins. long, f to i^ ins. wide, 

 and dull green. Flower-heads dull yellow, \ in. across, nodding ; produced 

 during September and October in a tall, slender panicle 12 to 18 ins. high, 

 i \ to i\ ins. through, terminating each shoot. 



Native of S. Europe ; cultivated in England since the sixteenth century. 

 The flowers have little beauty, but the plant has always been a favourite in 

 gardens, especially cottage gardens, for the sweet aromatic odour of its 

 finely divided leaves. Village children are very fond of taking a sprig to 



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