236 The Wild Gardeiti 



setum Telmateia, or "Great Equisetum," which 

 grows pretty commonly in the greater part of 

 England and Ireland, attaining.its greatest develop- 

 ment in rich soil and in shady spots. It there 

 attains a height of three or four feet, and the num- 

 bers, of slender branches depending from each 

 whorl look most graceful. It should be planted in 

 a shady place, near water if convenient, but it 

 thrives famously in deep moist soil, in any position 

 in a garden where ferns thrive, and as it associates 

 well with them, in or near the fernery will be found 

 a good position for it. The wood Equisetum (E. 

 sylvaticum) common all over Britain, is conside- 

 rably smaller than the preceding, but even more 

 graceful ; indeed, sufficiently so to warrant its being 

 grown in pots, though it thrives well in any shady 

 moist position. The long simple-stemmed Equi- 

 setums, or Horse-tails, are also interesting to culti- 

 vate in wet' or marshy spots, or by the sides of 

 water, but are not so graceful or ornamental, as the 

 species above-named, which are as well worth 

 growing in a garden as the costliest productions of 

 tropical climes, which entail endless work and a 

 perpetual cost to maintain. 



Passing by the numerous British Willows and 

 the few British Pines, we come to the interesting 



