January 24, 1894.] 



Garden and Forest. 



the development of the toadstool from the button, but it is 

 not at all true if, as is generally the case, it is meant that 

 the complete development of a toadstool is accomplished 

 in that time. The buttons arise from a tangled mass of 

 delicate threads, known to botanists as the mycelium, and 

 to mushroom-growers as the spawn, which is found in the 

 ground or substance on which the toadstool is growing, 

 and it may be weeks, months, or even years, before the 

 spawn begins to produce buttons. The threads of which 

 the spawn is composed extract from the substratum and 

 store up the material by means of which the rapid growth 

 of the toadstool from the button is accomplished. Com- 

 paring roughly the function of the spawn in the ground and 

 that of the toadstool above ground with those of the organs 

 of higher plants, the spawn may be said to correspond to 

 the roots, stems and leaves, while the toadstool itself, 

 which is merely an arrangement for bearing the reproduc- 

 tive bodies, or spores, may be compared to the fruit con- 

 taining the seeds. Tjr „ „ , 



Harvard College. W. G. FarloW. 



Exotic Trees and Shrubs for Florida Gardens. — I. 



ABELIA RUPESTRIS, a native of China, is a dense ever- 

 green shrub, which grows to perfection in Florida, 

 even on the poorest sandy soil, withstanding droughts and 

 occasional frosts with impunity. The flower-buds and the 

 outside of the blossoms show a pale rose-color, while the 

 inside of the tube-like flowers is white. They exhale a del- 

 icate fragrance, and are produced from June to late autumn 

 in great abundance. The Abelia, in Florida, grows six or 

 eight feet high and to an equal breadth, and is beautiful at 

 all seasons, especially when covered with flowers and sur- 

 rounded by humming-birds. The variety, Grandiflora, 

 which originated in the gardens of Mr. Thomas Hanbury, 

 La Mortala, Italy, has larger and finer flowers than the 

 type. Among other Abelias which should be grown in 

 Florida are A. floribunda, a native of Mexico, with rosy-pur- 

 ple flowers in axillary clusters — it is a very difficult shrub 

 to obtain in this country ; A. serrata, from China, with pale 

 red flowers, and A. triflora, of Hindostan, with pale yellow 

 flowers. 



Acacia Farnesiana, Opoponax, Papinac, when carefully 

 grown, is a very handsome tree ; left to itself it may 

 assume a straggling form. Its pinnate foliage is delicate, 

 and the yellow flower- balls, appearing in abundance 

 throughout spring, summer and autumn, are deliciously 

 scented. I have seen trees fifteen to sixteen feet high, with 

 a head twenty to twenty-two feet in diameter, not more 

 than seven or eight years old. If this tree receives some 

 care and a little fertilizer it grows rapidly. I have noticed 

 this Acacia in south-western Texas, far from the habitations 

 of man. Its native country seems to be unknown, but 

 the first plants were introduced to cultivation from San 

 Domingo. 



Albizzia Julibrissin, the Abyssinian Locust, Silk-tree or 

 Mimosa, here attains a height of twenty-five to thirty feet. 

 Early in the season it is literally covered with white flow- 

 ers, which are strongly fragrant. It grows well in sandy 

 soil, and is much planted as an ornamental tree as far north 

 as Augusta, Georgia, and will live in sheltered places as 

 far north as New York. It inclines to a habit of growth 

 which is too open, but pruning will insure a compact head. 

 The Australian Acacias, which grow exceedingly well in 

 California, do not seem to find the Florida climate con- 

 genial. 



Aralia papyrifera, from the island of Formosa, thrives 

 well, and its fine tropical appearance makes it valuable for 

 producing landscape-effects. According to Mr. E. H. Hart, 

 of Federal Point, in this state, it delights in a moist, half- 

 shady spot ; it is a good plant for hiding unsightly spots. 

 When in bloom it is superb, and every one stops to ad- 

 mire it. 



Ardisia crenulata, so much prized for its bright berries in 

 northern conservatories, delights in shade and in rich soil, 



and the same is true of Skinnia oblata, S. Japonica, Aucuba 

 Japonica and Achania malvaviscus. Abutilons of all kinds 

 do well everywhere in south Florida, if carefully fertilized 

 and watered. 



Bauhinia acuminata thrives admirably on my place and 

 blooms, when quite young, from May to December. The 

 flowers are pure white and about three inches in diameter. 

 B. alba is a taller grower, and B. purpurea is an exquisite 

 winter-flowering small tree or shrub. The flowers vary in 

 color from whitish to purple. Being of a very robust habit, 

 this Bauhinia in a few years attains a height of fifteen feet. 

 Although not perfectly hardy, the Bauhinias are well adapted 

 to the sandy soil, and sprunt readily from the root-stock 

 when frozen down. They are natives of the tropics. 



Cestrum aurantiacum, a native of Central America, at- 

 tains a height of ten feet in one season, flowering pro- 

 fusely in October and November. If cut back in spring it 

 forms a compact head, the orange-yellow flowers appear- 

 ing in terminal corymbs. My plant is cut down each win- 

 ter by frost, but it sprunts readily in spring from the root. 

 Cestrum Parqui, the Night-blooming Jasmine, from Chili, 

 is one of the most interesting ornamental shrubs seen in 

 Florida gardens. It grows to a height of fifteen feet and 

 as much in diameter. The tubular flowers, which appear 

 in dense corymbs, are greenish-white as they open at sun- 

 down and fill the air throughout the night with a delicious 

 fragrance. A Florida moonlight night in late April and 

 May is a season of enchantment. At this time the great 

 flowering Magnolia has opened its white flowers, the China- 

 trees and Orange-trees, the Night-blooming Jasmine 

 and Roses are in bloom, and the indescribable melody of 

 the mocking-bird's night song mingles with gales of fra- 

 grance. Cestrum Newelli, C. elegans and C. Bondouxi, all with 

 red flowers, grow well on high Pine-land ; while the hybrid 

 Cestrum, La Mortola, is an exceptionally beautiful shrub 

 with deep green foliage, tinged with purple. The flowers, 

 which appear in dense terminal corymbs and in the axils 

 of the leaves, are of a bright orange-yellow and exhale a 

 spicy fragrance at night. The plant is robust and will 

 prove a great acquisition for Florida. I raised it from seed 

 obtained from Mr. Thomas Hanbury, who pronounces the 

 plant a hybrid between C. elegans and C. Parqui. 



Choisya ternata, the Mexican Orange-flower of the English, 

 and the Clover-leaf Shrub of German gardens, is a beauti- 

 ful plant when grown successfully. The leaves are clover- 

 like, and the terminal white flower-trusses resemble Orange- 

 blossoms. It attains a height of six and more feet, and is 

 a native of Mexico. The specimens on my place which 

 were planted in autumn looked well throughout the first win- 

 ter, but did not grow in spring, and finally died. For orna- 

 mental planting in the Gulf states this would be a very 

 decorative shrub. It has proved hardy in the southern and 

 western parts of England with the protection of a wall. 



Chorizema varium, C. illicifolium and C. cordatum all 

 form beautiful shrubs in the greenhouses of the north. Of 

 the first species I have seen specimens, four feet high and 

 six feet through, literally covered with yellow and red pea- 

 shaped flowers. All the Australian shrubs and trees thrive 

 here except Grevillea robusta and the various species of 

 Eucalyptus, which cannot for any length of time endure 

 dryness at the roots. They must be well watered in the 

 dry months. With a little care all these, as well as the 

 beautiful Banksias, Dryandras, Callistemons, Melaleucas, 

 Metrosideros, Epacris, from Australia, and the very beauti- 

 ful Leucadendron argenteum, of the Table Mountain of the 

 Cape of Good Hope, ought to flourish in Florida. 



Clerodendron fragrans, a native of China, grows like a 

 weed, and is found already on waste grounds and on road- 

 sides. It spreads from the roots in such a way that soon 

 large masses are formed which are not easily kept within 

 bounds. The leaves have a very objectionable smell, but 

 the fragrant, double, rose-like flowers, which are crowded 

 into very compact corymbs, are very beautiful. In good 

 soil the plant reaches a height of six feet. C. viscosum, of 

 India, is a tree with very showy white flowers, the calyx of 



