1 62 MANURES FOR FRUIT TREES 



plants, and were really an evolution from the 

 leaves of the latter, brought about by what the 

 immortal Darwin laid down in his theory of 

 " variation." 



Ruscus {Ruscus aculeatus, butcher's broom. 

 Natural Order, Liliacese) is a hardy evergreen 

 shrub. It grows in ordinary soils, in shady or 

 sunny shrubberies or borders. It is the only 

 monocotyledonous shrub. 



The ashes of Ruscus contain in 100 parts : — 



Ruscus bears flat spinose branches (phyllo- 

 clades), which would be taken for leaves were they 

 not axillary productions springing from the axils 

 of minute scaly leaves. The diclinous flowers of 

 the shrub are also borne in the axils of the leaves. 



Salix {Salix alba, willow, Natural Order, 

 Salicinese) is a hardy deciduous tree. It grows in 

 ordinary heavy or moderately heavy soils — light 

 soils are unsuitable. 



