November 9, 1892.] 



Garden and Forest. 



535 



wide in their distribution, representatives of them having 

 been found as far north as Greenland. They are said to 

 be the remains of an otherwise extinct vegetation, and, as 

 Dr. Masters remarked in the discussion, the existence of 

 living representatives of Cycadaceas is quite as startling 

 a fact in botany as living examples of Ichthyosaurus and 

 Megatherium would be in zoology. Cycas is found in 

 the East Indies and Madagascar, Encephalartos and Stan- 

 geria in Africa, Bowenia and Macrozamia in Australia, 

 Zamia, Ceratozamia, Dioon and Microcycas in America 



AND Forest to the merits of some of the Cycads as garden- 

 plants. They are more in favor in Belgium, France and 

 Russia than in England. I know no more noble plants 

 either at Kew or elsewhere than the grand specimens of 

 Encephalartos, Cycas, Macrozamia, Dioon and Ceratoza- 

 mia, which are to be seen in the few gardens where Cycads 

 are in favor. A remarkable character in Cycads is that of 

 exceptional vitality in their stems. The plants may be cut 

 down and their heads put in as cuttings with safety, 

 and although they do not branch, as a rule, yet if they 



Fi^. 91. — Halesia tetraptera Meehatii. — See page 534. 



and the West Indies. Mr. Carruthers stated that Bowenia 

 in Australia and Stangeria in Africa are totally unlike any 

 other vegetable forms among which they grow ; there is 

 no plant known either in botany or geology which links 

 them with the chain of vegetation as at present known. 

 He asked the pertinent question, "Are these two plants 

 the remains of an otherwise extinct race, or are they newly 

 ■evolved.?" The exceptional interest of Cycads is not the 

 only claim they possess to the notice of horticulturists. I 

 have lately drawn the attention of the readers of Garden 



lose their central bud they will sometimes develop one or 

 several buds lower down the stem. I have seen a Cycas 

 stem, the top of which rotted, afterward produce three 

 lateral buds, which finally developed and grew into 

 three separate plants. Imported stems have been known 

 to remain quite dormant for more than three years, and 

 then push into vigorous growth and flourish. 



New Varieties of Cordyline australis. — This is one of 

 the most variable of New Zealand plants, and there are 

 many forms of it already in cultivation here. Mr. Elliott, 



