Gardening for Amateurs 



767 



one of the best being the Blue Gum, Euca- 

 lyptus globulus ; its bluish - green foliage 

 possesses an aromatic fragrance. A plant 

 or two of this in a room will, it is said, serve 

 to banish flies. A second kind, Eucalyptus 

 cordata, has small, heart-shaped leaves, 

 of a grey-blue tint. This forms a pretty 

 pot plant, and is also used for sub-tropical 

 bedding. A third member of the family, 

 Eucalyptus citriodora, is remarkable for 

 the fragrance of its leaves, which much 

 resembles the perfume of the lemon-scented 

 Verbena. 



Eulalia japonica. A Japanese grass 

 that will grow from 3 to 6 or 8 feet in 

 height, and is moreover of an exceedingly 

 graceful character. Beside the ordinary 

 green-leaved form there are gracillima, with 

 narrower leaves than those of the type, each 

 leaf having an ivory-white midrib ; varie- 

 gata, in which the foliage is variegated with 

 white ; and zebrina, in which the leaves are 

 transversely barred with yellow. All these 

 are increased by division, which should be 



carried out in early spring. Ordinary potting 

 compost suits them well. 



Eurya latifolia variegata. A Camellia- 

 like shrub, having firm glossy leaves varie- 

 gated with various shades of white and 

 green ; when young they are heavily suffused 

 with pink. It is a very pretty plant for the 

 greenhouse and needs the same treatment 

 as Camellia. 



Ficus elastica. The India-rubber Plant, 

 as this is popularly termed, was at one time 

 more often met with as a room plant than it 

 is now. This comparative neglect is mainly 

 owing to the fact that the leaves so frequently 

 fall from the lower part of the stem, thus 

 leaving it bare and unsightly. When this 

 happens the top may be rooted in the same 

 manner as advised for the Aralia. Its 

 dark green leathery leaves form a striking 

 feature in the greenhouse. There is also a 

 variegated-leaved variety, but it is of weaker 

 constitution than the normal form. 



Grevillea robusta. An upright-growing 

 shrub, its stems furnished with prettily 



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Eucalyptus in bloom 



