Buxus — Box. 191 



following the custom of Europe, had their box borders, 

 so much so that they became somewhat monotonous, and 

 a revulsion came, resulting to a considerable degree in 

 their discontinuance. But of late the tide has turned, and 

 the tendency now is in favor of their restoration. Another 

 departure is the B. s. argentea, or silver-variegated, in 

 which the foliage is marked with white. This, though a 

 larger and more rapidly-growing plant, can be employed 

 to advantage for hedges, or used as single specimens for 

 grouping, and is also capable of good service as an under- 

 shrub in parks and other large grounds where partially 

 shade-loving growths are desired. The B. s. aurea and 

 the marginata have their leaves marked with yellow, and 

 may be used in the same way. Another variation, known 

 in the catalogues as elegantissima variegata, is said to be 

 very fine. The macrophylla has larger leaves, more oval in 

 form than the type, while in the tnicrophylla they are much 

 smaller. Handsworthii is distinguished as an upright 

 form with still more oval leaves and as being a vigorous 

 grower. It has deep green foliage, and is credited with 

 being especially hardy, and thriving where most of the 

 others are liable to fail. 



B. balearica, known also as the Minorca box, has larger 

 foliage than sempervirens, and is also a native of western 

 Europe and Asia. It latterly has come to be called by 

 some the Japanese box, though for no good reason, as 

 Japan is only one of the many countries in which it is 

 indigenous. Its yellowish-green leaves are about two 

 inches long and a little more than half as broad. It some- 

 times attains a height of fifteen to twenty feet with a large 



