CHAP. V. ORNAMENTAL TREES, SHRUBS, ETC. 515 



could think of to cultivate it in his garden, but in every instance 

 without success. In the * Journal of the Agri-Horticultural 

 Society' I find it stated by Captain Hollings that they had 

 " the English Primrose in magnificent blossom at Lucknow on 

 the 30th August, 1844." 



Var. Polyanthus. This I have seen only at Ootacamund, and 

 thriving but very indifferently even there. 



2. P. veris COWSLIP. 3. P. Auricula. These two plants are, 

 I believe, utterly unknown in India ; and the attempt to intro- 

 duce them would, I make no doubt, only result in complete 

 failure. 



Cyclamen. 



SOWBREAD. 



A genus of small bulbous plants, bearing pretty, delicate, 

 shuttlecock-like flowers : rarely, if ever, met with in the plains 

 of India, nor in the least likely to be cultivated here with 

 success. 



MYESINACE^E. 

 Maesa. 



M. racementosa. A rather large tree, suited only for a garden 

 of great extent ; very beautiful in the month of February when 

 in full blossom, with its unbounded profusion of large sprays of 

 very small pure milk-white flowers. 



Ardisia. 



1. A. solanacea. A large shrub, native of India, from four to 

 five feet high ; in every respect beautiful, in foliage as well as 

 in flower. Leaves oblong, pointed, smooth, glossy, somewhat 

 succulent, four to six inches long ; bears at nearly all seasons 

 compact corymbs of pretty rose-coloured flowers, arranged some- 

 what in the manner of those of the Hoya, in form like those of 

 a Potato, having a fine effect, relieved by the dense verdant 

 foliage. The flowers are succeeded by ornamental bunches of 

 small, black, shining berries. 



2. A. crenulata. A shrub much of the same character as the 

 last ; bears also very similar flowers, but of a whitish colour, and 



2 L 2 



