ORNAMENTAL PLANTS. 375 
grass (Panicum), the one having purple, the other va- 
riegated leaves. The couch-grass is also spreading fast 
through the islands, and there is a fine lawn of it in 
front of the king's house at Bau, blending well with the 
number of fine shrubs and trees which, at Mrs. Collis’s 
instigation, were planted around the royal residence. 
Of the Kauti, Senitoa, Senicicobia, or Shoe-black plant 
(Hibiscus Rosa-sinensis, Linn.), a single pink and purple 
as well asa double variety are cultivated. When the 
Cassia obtusifolia and Cassia occidentalis were first 
brought to Fiji, the natives took them under their special 
protection, and disseminated them freely, being highly 
pleased with their leaves “going to sleep” at night, 
whence the names of Mocemoce and Kaumoce, 7.¢. sleep- 
ing plants. But they became weary of their pets when it 
was found that they speedily proved two most trouble- 
some weeds, which, in common with the Datura Stra- 
monium, Euphorbia pilulifera, Plantago major, Erigeron 
albidum, and other foreign intruders, caused them a great 
deal of additional labour. 
Most of the white settlers have little gardens in which 
all flowers derived from warm countries are grown with 
great success. The pride of Barbadoes (Potnciana pul- 
cherrima, Linn.), both the red and yellow variety, may 
be seen in perfection; the same may be said of the 
white trumpet-flower (Brugmannsia candida, Pers.), the 
balsam (Impatiens Balsamina, Linn.), the Quamoclit vul- 
garis, Chois., the scented Acacia (Acacia Farnesiana, 
Willd.), the blue Clitoria Ternatea, Linn., the Gom- 
phrena globosa, Linn., Vinca rosea, Linn., Calendula offi- 
cinalis, and the well-known Marvel of Peru (Mirabilis 
