64<2 Oi-namental Gardening in Ijomhardy. 



year, which ripens perfectly. It is propagated by seed and dry 

 suckers. Liriodendron Tulipifera has attained the height of 70 ft. 

 in twenty-nine years ; but it only grows to so great a height in 

 dry situations. It flowers abundantly every year, and produces 

 plenty of seed. We have, besides, two varieties, L. T. obtusiloba 

 and L. T. flava. 



Tllia americana and T. argentea were planted by the late M. 

 Villaresi, in 1826, in the public gardens, south of this royal 

 palace, where they still remain, and are now about the height of 

 40 ft., and the circumference 46 in., their branches covering a 

 space of 32 ft. 



We have thirteen species of ^Ver, including A, barbatum. 

 iVfeha Azedarach does not thrive in our gardens unless well pro- 

 tected ; but there is a tree in the garden of Count Mellerio, in 

 Brianza, five miles from Monza, which has been planted twenty- 

 six years, is 40 ft. high, and produces abundance of seed every 

 year. The diameter of the space covered by the branches of 

 this tree is 30 ft. Our negundos, a^sculuses, and pavias have 

 nothing about them remarkable. Kcilreuteria and ptelea ripen 

 their seeds freely; Aildntus glandul6sa is a noble tree, planted 

 twenty-nine years, and 60 ft. high, with a trunk 5^ ft. in circum- 

 ference. It sends up abundance of suckers, and has a mag- 

 nificent effect in the garden. We have several kinds of holly, 

 which we use for hedges. Paliiirus australis also makes an im- 

 penetrable hedge. 



(Sop/iora japonica seeds freely with us, and we generally propagate 

 it by seed. The wood of this beautiful tree is ofa pale yellow colour; 

 it has a fine grain, and is capable of being used in the same way 

 as the walnut and other beautifully grained woods. I have tried 

 some pieces of it myself, which has convinced me of its utility 

 for making fine articles of furniture. It has been stated, in an 

 agricultural journal here, that its juice dyes wool of a beautiful 

 orange colour. I know that experiments have been tried with 

 it, but I do not know the result. There are two specimens in 

 this garden ; one with pendent branches, and the other with 

 variegated leaves. The largest is about 50 ft. high. Virgilia 

 lutea is here a small ti'ee : we have propagated it by grafting and 

 by budding it on the Sophbra japonica ; but it does not last long. 

 There is a noble Robin/a Pseud-^^cacia, only twenty-nine years 

 old, in this garden, 75 ft. high, with a trunk 6 ft. in circumfe- 

 rence, and branches covering a space 120 ft. in circumference. 

 The wood of this tree is used for many rural purposes. Young 

 plants of it were formerly much employed in forming hedges; but 

 this is now abandoned, because the tree was found to impoverish 

 the soil ; and, as it grew old, it lost its spines : besides, from 

 always being kept as a bush, it was obliged to be so continually 

 pruned, that at last the plants became mere stumps. R. umbra- 



