ORNAMENTAL GRASSES. 



333 



height of ten feet, and is surmounted by an ornamental flower. Its 

 underground stems extend themselves beneath the surface of the soil, 

 and I have known them to pass under a gravel walk and come up on 

 the other side. It is highly ornamental when planted in a suitable 

 place (see plate 13). In the lower part of the Thames there are acres 

 of this reed, and hurdles are made of it in Essex. 



The Southern species [Arundo donax) is more noble. It grows 

 freely on the coasts of the Mediterranean, in France and Italy, and 

 there attains such magnitude and strength that it is used for stakes 

 upon which to train vines. Although it there makes such stupendous 

 growth every year, in this country it does not grow beyond six or 

 seven feet in a season. 



There is a fine species of grass in Ceylon, the Lemon Grass 

 {Andropogon schaenanthus) ; it requires here a stove temperature in 

 winter or a greenhouse in summer. When its leaves are bruised, 

 it exhales the lemon perfume. It grows with me in the orchard-house 

 in the summer and in the fernery in the winter. This Lemon 

 Grass yields an essential oil, which is sold in large quantities for 

 the verbena scent. It is sometimes employed to flavour sugar, and 

 I am informed that an ounce of the oil of this grass will flavour at 

 least a ton of sugar. 



We grow in the fernery an 

 exquisite form of a variegated 

 grass {Pa7zicum variegatum, fig, 

 755). It does not like shade 

 in winter, and, indeed, without 

 abundance of light it speedily 

 dies. It is, however, very rich 

 in colour, and exceedingly 

 beautiful. 



The Couch Grass (fig. 756), F«=- 75s— variegated Grass. Fig. 7s6.-Couch Gra.ss. 



which I shall mention again under the head of Weeds, is the 

 abomination of gardeners : we have it in small quantities. 



The Cock's-foot Grass [Dactylis glomerata, fig. 757) grows on the 



