CHAP. V. ORNAMENTAL TREES, SHRUBS, ETC. 325 



CHAPTEE V. 



OKNAMENTAL TKEES, SHRUBS, AND HERBACEOUS 

 PERENNIALS. 



THE plants I have here described comprise, I believe, as near as 

 may be, all with any pretensions to an ornamental character of 

 which up to the present time we have any knowledge in our 

 gardens in India. Several, it will be seen, are as yet only to be 

 found in the Calcutta Botanical Gardens, and some few of these 

 possibly it is not likely will ever be met with elsewhere ; notwith- 

 standing I considered it would render my description less com- 

 plete not to include them. 



The mode of cultivation best adapted for the choicer kinds of 

 plants, as well as for the more common favourites of the garden, I 

 have given at length ; but to have done the same with every plant 

 would have been both wasting space and wearisome, as the treat- 

 ment directed for one of a genus, or sometimes of a whole order, 

 applies equally well in most cases to all the species it contains. 

 The same may be observed likewise with regard to their pro- 

 pagation. 



Many perennial plants, herbaceous ones more especially, 

 which can with difficulty be kept alive through the Hot and 

 Rain seasons, may, I believe, be much more easily preserved if 

 cultivated only in the condition of very young plants. Geraniums 

 and Verbenas for instance, raised fresh from seed or by cuttings, 

 I have found survive till the following Cold season with little 

 difficulty comparatively, whilst plants with wood a year or two 

 old have all perished. 



The lists here first submitted are for the convenience of those 

 who wish to make a selection of plants for either of the pro- 

 perties specified at the heading of each. The plants will be 

 found described in full at their proper places afterwards. When 

 a generic name is given only, as for example in the instance of 

 Begonia, Bletia, &c., it is to be understood that more than one 

 of the species are suited for the purpose* 



