Yucca Zea. 215 



young specimens differ considerably from those which 

 have reached maturity. Thus, while the former have 

 their leaves bent, generally inflected, the full-grown plants 

 exhibit them erect, rigid, very long, and very straight. 

 The stem of this plant is stout, about 10 ins. in diameter, 

 furnished on all sides with leaves about 4 ft. long, straight, 

 thick, deeply channeled, acuminate for a considerable 

 length, and ending in a stiff, very sharp point, very finely 

 toothed on the edges, which are of a brownish red and 

 scarious. The flower-stalk is very stout, about 4 ft. long, 

 much branched ; the branches erect, from i ft. to i ft. 8 ins. 

 long, bearing throughout their entire length flowers with 

 long and narrow petals of a yellowish white, shining, 

 and, as it were, glazed. It is a hardy and very vigorous 

 plant. It is not rare to see on the Continent specimens 

 of more than 6 ft. in diameter. Fine for banks and 

 knolls, placed singly, or for the boldest groups. It 

 comes from Texas. 



Zea Mays. Were our climate a little warmer, we 

 should find this noble grass one of the most ornamental, 

 as well as useful, of our plants. But in countries where 

 it is grown for food they would no more think of honour- 

 ing it with a place in the garden than we should of 

 planting the artichoke in our flower-beds, though far 

 worse things are done every day. In this country, how- 

 ever, where maize is not to be seen as a field crop, a tuft 

 of its tropical-looking blades has a good effect among the 

 " subtropical plants." Of course it should only be tried 

 in warm districts, and it should always have sunny and 

 sheltered positions and rich soil. In light warm soils, 



