338 GARDEN PLANTS. PART II. 



mon ; named in reference to the curious screw-like arrangement 

 of its long, spine-edged, sedge-like leaves on the summit of the 

 stems. It extends over a large space by sending down aerial 

 roots from its branches. Blossoms during the Kaiii season with 

 panicles of large white, sheath -like leaves, enclosing spongy- 

 looking bundles of closely-packed minute flowers. Dr. Koxburgh 

 says : 



" It is the tender white leaves of the flowers, chiefly those of the 

 male, that yield that most delightful fragrance for which they are 

 so universally and deservedly esteemed. For of all perfumes in the 

 world it must be the richest and most powerful." 



It appears to thrive best in low swampy ground. Where a 

 garden is of extent large enough to admit it, the exquisite 

 sandal-wood-like perfume of its flowers renders it very desirable. 

 Propagated readily by cuttings. 



PALMACE^]. 



PALMS. 



The Palms, with few exceptions, are not well suited for the 

 garden. When arrived at maturity they take up far too much 

 room, and in my opinion are not then very ornamental objects 

 there. It is in their young condition that they are so graceful, 

 when the leaves are situated only a short distance from the 

 ground; for in the full-grown trees the long pole-like naked 

 stems, it must be owned, are exceedingly ugly, so much so indeed 

 as to detract altogether from the beauty of the handsome head 

 of fronds by which they are surmounted. 



They are propagated by seed, which may be sown in pots. 

 The young plants are put out in the situations intended for 

 them when about a foot and a half high. 



The following appear about the only ones ..admissible in a 

 garden. 



Areca. 



1. A. oleracea CABBAGE PALM. Is, as I think, when about 

 eight or ten feet high, the handsomest far of all the Palms. 

 Nothing indeed can surpass it in stateliness and elegance, the 

 only part of the stem visible above the earth being the long, 

 smooth, bright-green, gracefully-formed portion just below the 



