AUBKIETIA B AMBDSA. 



of Carinthia and Carniola. Among 



fine-leaved plants, in borders, or 

 groups, or naturalization on banks, in 

 ordinary soil. Division or seed. 



Aubrietia deltoidea (Deltoid A.") 

 A very valuable dwarf, slightly hoary, 

 evergreen herb, 2 to 4 in. high. 

 flowers, in early spring ; lilac or 

 purplish, in clusters of 3 or 4 blooms, 

 so freely produced as to nearly hide 

 the leaves; petals twice the length 

 of the calyx, with long claws. Leaves, 

 obovate-lance-shaped, nearly entire, 

 with 1 or 2 teeth, rough with short 



hairs. Southern Europe. Front 



margin of the mixed border, rock- 

 work, ruins, or sloping bare banks, in 

 dry soil. Division, seed, or cuttings 

 which root readily. 



Aubrietia purpurca (Purple A.) 

 Closely allied to A. deltoidea, but 

 somewhat taller, flowering a fortnight 

 later in spring, and continuing longer 

 in bloom, flowers, larger, and of a 

 fine violet. Leaves, broader, with 

 from 2 to 5 teeth. Stems more leafy, 

 branching, and erect. Asia Minor. 



To this species (the A. macrostyla 



of Boissier) belong A. grandiflora, 

 A. grceca, and the fine variety A. 

 Campbelli. These are all well worthy 

 of culture, as are the variegated forms. 

 Similar positions and soil to those for 

 the preceding. 



Bahia lanata (Woolly Bahia).A. 

 greyish herb, mostly much branched 

 from the base of the stem, 6 to 15 in. 

 high, flowers, in summer; one on 

 each stalk, yellow, in great abun- 

 dance. Leaves, slightly downy be- 

 neath, alternate, lower ones some- 

 times opposite, deeply divided, 

 often strap - shaped and entire. 



America. Borders or banks, in 



light, sandy, well -drained loam, on 

 which, flowering much more abun- 

 dantly, it is a much more ornamental 

 plant than when on cold clay soils. 

 Seed, or more readily by division. 



Bambusa aurea (Yellow-stemmed 

 Bamboo}. A shrubby perennial, hardy 

 and graceful, 6| to 10 ft. high, 

 differing but slightly from B. viridi- 

 glaucescens in size, habit, and elegance. 



into a yellowish hue, and finally be- 

 coming of a straw yellow when fully 

 grow r n. The leaves differ from those 

 of B. viridi-glaucescens in having their 

 under surface less glaucescent ; and 

 the sheath is always devoid of the long 



silky hairs. China. In sheltered 



and warm but not shady spots in the 

 pleasure-ground, and, till more plenti- 

 ful, usually as an isolated specimen. 

 It delights in well- drained, deep, and 

 good loamy soil, enriched with vege- 

 table matter, and with plenty of 

 moisture in summer. Careful division 

 of strong established tufts. 



Bambusa falcata (Common Hardy 

 Bamboo}. The only kind at present 

 much planted with us ; 7 to 20 ft. 

 high. Stem woody, twisted, smooth, 

 of a yellowish-green or straw-colour, 

 knotty, bearing on one side of each of 

 the knots a bundle of -small branches 

 equally knotty and twisted. Leaves, 

 linear -acute, alternate, in two rows, 

 sheathing, ribbon-like, of a fine, deli- 

 cate green, from 4 to 6 in. long, on short 

 stalks. Native of the Himalayas, 

 at elevations of from 7500 to 10,000 ft., 

 where, according to Royle, "its 

 annual stems are yearly beaten down 

 by the falls of snow, which protect its 

 perennial roots from excessive frost." 



It is hardy over the greater part of 



England and Ireland, but only attains 

 full development in the south and 

 west. I have seen it attain great 

 luxuriance in Devon, and nearly 

 20 ft. high in Mr. Smith-Barry's place 

 near Cork, where I had the pleasure of 

 seeing a large plantation of it a few 



days before Christmas, 1870. In 



sheltered nooks in the pleasure- 

 ground, with best effect as an isolated 



