185 



Pittosporum cornifolium, Cunn. Small plants of this species are gx'owing 

 well that were raised from seed obtained from boughs cut when the seed was 

 in a half-ripened state, the boughs having been kept fresh by insertion in the 

 gi'ound. 



The PiUosporecB flourish in any ordinary soil ; they are easily raised from 

 seed ; should be moved with care ; the seedlings should be shifted once or 

 twice in the nursery before they are finally planted, if this practice is adopted 

 the cultivator will surely find that he has not lost either time or trouble by so 

 doing. 



Malvace^. 



Plagianthus divaricafus, Forst. A singular looking shrub, growing close 

 to the sea shore in Port Cooper ; its slender sprays are so much interlaced as 

 to form a stiff compact mass, capable of siistaining a considerable weight. It 

 flowers in the month of December. 



Plagianthus betulinus, Cunn. One of our few deciduous trees ; in its 

 young state it has a graceful form of growth. Flowers in December. 



Plagianthus Lyallii, Hook. f. This tree or shrub is one of our handsomest 

 flowei-ing plants ; it is found at very considerable altitudes in "the back country," 

 and is useful where Phormium is rarely, if at all, to be met with ; a strip of 

 the lace-like bai'k of the Ribbon-scrub answers all the purposes of a flax leaf 

 to the bushman. Its handsome white flowers may be seen in December and 

 January. 



Ordinaiy soil, not too stifi", appears most suitable to this family ; they trans- 

 plant freely, and may be proj)agated by cuttings. 



TiLIACEvE. 



Entelea arhorescens, Br. The Whau, or native Mulberry, is remarkable 

 for its immense cordate leaves ; it is impatient of cold exposure. We have not 

 yet succeeded in acclimatizing it here ; it appears to thrive well in warm moist 

 situations without requiring any particular attention to be paid to it. Should 

 sericiculture obtain a footing in the colony, it would be worth while to ascer- 

 tain, from actual experiment, whether the leaves of the Entelea would be 

 suitable food for the silkworm. 



Aristotelia racemosa, Hook. f. A handsome thinly-foliaged tree, the light 

 green serrated leaves contrast agreeably with the dark reddish bark of its 

 sprays. It is an early bloomer, its panicles of reddish flowers varying in tint 

 from deep claret to the faintest pink, may be sometimes observed as early as 

 August. It bears pruning well, and this it requires to keep it within bounds, 

 as it is apt to become straggling if this is neglected. From its abundance of 

 fibrous roots, it can survive a great deal of i-ough treatment in transplanting. 



Aristotelia fruticosa, Hook, f Our specimens were procured from near the 

 head waters of the Rangitata. In its natural state it rarely exceeds, even if 



2 B 



