HORTICULTURE. 



289 



painted of a lead colour, arc perhaps better than any 

 other. Edgings to endure only for one season are 

 sometime* tunned of annual plant*, sown in the spring ; 

 sui-h as the dwarfish stock (Mmlcomia-maritima, II. K.), 

 or candy-tutt, purple or white, (Iberii urnlx-Uata.) 



465 A simple and elegant edging may be formed of 

 sheep's-fescue (Ftftuca mina), the very fine foliage of 

 the plant being highly ornamental. In the extensive 

 nurseries at Gateside, Newcastle, this sort of verge 

 has been adopted, F. duriuscula being mixed, however, 

 in some places with the true sheep's- fescue. It' very 

 carefully sown or planted in nwnow atxaight line, it 

 has a slender linear appearance, and does not occupy 

 more space than small bos edging. For a temporary 

 edging, another kind of grass, the large cow-quakes, 

 .a m* i in), is sometimes very happily employed, 

 loose racemes, with their nodding spikes, having a 

 and uncommon effect. If sown in autumn, 

 the seeds ripen, the plants become larger and 

 stronger than those sown in the spring. Common grass 

 verges can scarcely be less than a foot in breadth, and 

 are not therefore adapted for small borders : if formed 

 of fine turf laid upon sand to keep the plant, dwarfish, 

 simple verge* are very proper for the margins of 



t.'.nn ,t 



466. Near the house, and about the floi 



shrubs should abound. There should be at 

 for two deciduous shrub*. The 



^sjsJ|sj.Ui 



,,-Mii,. U-!'..UI,.I 



in public nurseries, or in market gardens. A year be- 

 fore these are to be reeamed, the roots should be cut, 

 peaiing a sharp spade all around and below them ; 

 encouraging the setting out of new and tuftnl 



by p 



thus 



and greatly facilitating the subsequent removal of 

 the plant. The roots of any kind of everg 



as little as possible exposed to the air 



n should be 

 Nicol, in his 



Calender, makes some judicious observations on the 

 beet tone for transplanting of evergreens; He prefers 

 the middle or end of April, or rather the precise time 

 when the plant begins to grow for the season, when the 

 bud* swell, and the new leaves are about to be unfuli Ird : 

 the roots are then also in an active state, and if the 

 transplanting be speedily accomplished, no ihrt^ i* 

 MtataetLNest U 



betfUiruji*o'Affiulsagoaduim:; for a second growth 

 then takes place, as careful obetrteis must have re- 

 marked. ncosioBsd perhaps by the showery weather 

 rally occurs at that season. Only very few 

 of the principal hardy evergrema can here be noticed. 



467. Of the Alatemus ( RJ*m*tu mlaltnuu) there are 

 several varieties, particularly the jagged and the plain 

 leaved, and the gold and.ihe stiver variegated. Re 

 blmg this is the I'luOyrta ; but the genera may at 

 be distinguished, without seeing the flowers, by 

 serving, that in the former the leaves are alternate, 

 while in the latter they are opposite. Of phillyrea there 

 are three .species, privet-leaved (/'. mtdia), narrow 

 leaved ( P. *grti/o), bread-leaved (P. ianfoUa), and 

 several varieties of each of these: these were, in former 

 da>i, among the most favourite toruile evergreens. 



The Chinese Arbor vita? ( Ttmja onr*t*t) and the 

 American ( T. ocdJntalu) are large, and rather suited 

 for extensive shrubberies. The same may be said of 



tot. xi. F A TI. 



ob. 



FIow 

 Ganlrn. 



the common laurel (Prvnns lauroterasus') , and the Por- 

 tugal laurel (P. lusilanica). 



4(i8. The Sweet Bay (Lauras nobilis), which is a con- jjvergretn 

 siderable tree in the south of Europe, appears but as a 

 shrub in this country, producing its flowers only in 

 sheltered situations and good seasons. The common 

 lanrel above mentioned, we may remark, is often ini-- 

 taken for the bay, and regarded as the plant which 

 furnished crowns for the Human heroes. The error is 

 perhaps fortunate, our bays thus escaping mutilation 

 on occasions of public rejoicing. There U no doubt, 

 however, that it was the sweet bay which furnished the 

 wreath worn on the brow of the victor, and of thr 

 priestess of Delphi. The mistake has arisen from the 

 bay having formerly been called Inure), and the fruit of 

 it only named kni/,s. The Alexandrian Laurel ( Hutcux 

 racemotut) has also been mistaken I'or the heroic plant ; 

 but although destitute of this honour, it is a most ele- 

 gant shrub, worthy of a prominent station. 



The different varieties of Laurmtimu (f'iburnuni ti- 

 KUI) are very ornamental, as they not only enliven the 

 winter scene with their green leaves, but delight UK 

 with their (lowers at that (lead season. These last, how- 

 ever, are produced only in sheltered situations. 



469. The Strawberry-tree ( Arbulut mttdo) is an ele- 

 gant plant at all times ; but when at once covered with 

 fruit and flowers, the appearance is not only beautiful, 

 but curious. .In Ireland, about the Lakes of Killarney, 

 this species, which ranks as a shrub iii Scotland and 

 the north of England, attains the sixe of a lofty tree. 

 In the Transactions of the Dublin i 1806, a 

 gigantic specimen is described l>y Mr .1. T. Mackay as 

 growing in Rough Mand, an islet in the lower lake, 

 entirely composed of limestone. In 1805, this tree 

 measured nine feet in circumference at two feet from 

 the ground ; at the In i . h t of five feet it brandies off into 

 four limbs, each of which then measured two feet and a 

 half in circumference ; from the base of tlu- trunk to 

 the extremity of the branches, the length was 3(> feet; 

 and the tree has a fine spreading head. The amlraclute 

 (A. mttJrackne) is a beautiful shrub or small trcr, hut 

 liable to be injured by severe frosts, and suited only to 

 the milder counties of England and Ireland. 



The superb Yucca, or Adam's needle, ( Yucca gloriota) 

 may here be mentioned, as it retains its leaves at all 

 tiroes. When in flower it makes* magnificent appear- 

 ance. Young plants are at first rather tender ; but 

 when Curly established, they prove utfu it-nil} I. .inly 

 for the open border. A fine specimen has stood for 

 about a century in the pleasure-grounds of Kilorhan, 

 belonging to Sir Andrew Cathcart in Ayrshire ; and it 

 flowers every second or third year. 



The Aucuba, or gold plant, (Aucuba Japonica) wax 

 formerly kept in the green-house ; but it now orna- 

 ments the nower-gardro with its fine spotted yellow 

 leaves ; and in a sheltered situation it sustains no in. 

 jury from our ordinary winters. 



470. Rhododendrons of different specie* are highly 

 ornamental, particularly K. maximum, 1'ontinini, hir- 

 sutuin. and Icrrugineum. These grow wrll in any loamy 

 soil, although they no doubt flourish more among sandy 

 peat. If a rivulet pass the flower garden, the banks of 

 it should be planted with them, k.ihnai may also be 

 introduced, particularly K. latifolis, angustifolia, and 

 glauca; together with Ledum palustre and L. latil'uliuin. 

 or thr Labrador tea plant ; likewise different species of 

 yaccinium, and of Andromeda, particularly pulverulent* 

 and cauiuefolia; and GauUhrria procumbeju. 



So 



