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CASSELL'S POPULAR GARDENING. 



deciduous shrub, or small tree, producing its racemes 

 of white flowers in early spring. Well-established 

 plants in favourable localities not unfrequently 

 produce their rather large, purple, Plum-like fruits 

 on the Continent, and in all probability would do so 

 in this country were the species tried more generally. 

 This interesting and beautiful member of the great 

 Rose family is a native of California, and is quite 

 hardy in most places in England. 



!Nyssa. — Some three or four of the half-dozen 

 species contained in this genus of Cornacece occur in 

 North America, the others are found in Eastern 

 Himalaya, the Khasya Hills, and Malaya. Only 

 those from the United States are of any interest 

 from a garden point of view, and these are decidedly 

 worth growing. N. capitata, the Ogeechee Lime of 

 the Southern United States, is a small tree with an 

 oblong, red, Plum-like fruit, which is agreeably acid, 

 and can be employed as a substitute for the Lemon. 

 N. aquatica, the Water Tupelo, is also a native of 

 the Southern States, where it is principally found 

 in low wet grounds. Both the preceding would 

 certainly thrive near ornamental water, or in damp 

 positions, throughout the South of England. iV". 

 multiflora, the Pepperidge, or Black or Sour Gum, is 

 a middle-sized tree from the Eastern States ; the 

 bright crimson assumed by the decaying leaves 

 in autumn, renders this a valuable ornamental tree 

 for producing striking effects in the landscape. It 

 has horizontal branches, and a flat spray not unlike 

 that of the Beech. This species succeeds — although 

 it grows rather slowly — in poor, dry, gravelly soils ; 

 in good deep loam it makes much quicker growth. 

 N. uniflora, a swamp species from the same region as 

 the last-named, has oblong blue fruits, and long- 

 stalked, entire or toothed, oblong or ovate leaves, 

 somewhat heart-shaped at the base ; unlike N. 

 multiflora, the wood of which is firm, close-grained, 

 and unwedgeable, this has soft and very light wood 

 — that of the roots being sometimes used as a sub- 

 stitute for cork. 



Osmantlms. — As now understood this genus of 

 Oleacece comprises about seven species, natives of 

 North America, Eastern Asia, and the islands of the 

 Pacific Ocean. The two or three Japanese species 

 are those which are of most interest from a garden 

 point of view, and consequently no others are 

 mentioned in these notes. 0. aquifolius is a fine 

 evergreen shrub, with thick glossy leaves, which 

 present a remarkable resemblance to those of the 

 Holly. The flowers are white, exquisitely fragrant, 

 and are produced in clusters from the axils of the 

 leaves. This species varies very markedly in leaf 

 outline, and there are gold and silver variegated 



forms. 0. ilicifolius is perhaps only a variety of 

 0. aquifolius, from which it differs in its smaller 

 leaves ; of this, too, there are variegated forms. 

 One of the most striking of the numerous green- 

 leaved states is 0. myrtifolius, a fixed sport, with 

 rigid spineless leaves, introduced from Japan a few 

 years ago by Messrs. Veitch. 0. frag ram is hardly 

 so well able to bear the cold of British winters as 

 those previously mentioned, but it thrives against a 

 wall in many places, and in the South-western 

 counties flourishes without any such protection ; 

 its deliciously-scented flowers are said to be used in 

 China for the purpose of scenting tea. All are 

 readily propagated by cuttings, a stock of the rarer 

 variegated forms being more quickly obtained by 

 grafting on the green-leaved stock, or even on 

 Privet or Phillyraea. 



Ostrya. — Of this genus there are but a couple 

 of species, one of which is confined to South 

 Europe and Western Asia, and the other to North 

 America. Both are very ornamental, hardy, de- 

 ciduous trees, well worthy of much more general 

 cultivation than is at present accorded them. The 

 common Hop-Hornbeam, 0. carpinifolia, has leaves 

 much resembling those of the Hornbeam — to which 

 indeed the genus is very nearly allied — and female 

 catkins which mimic those of the common Hop. 0. 

 Virginica, the American Hop-Hornbeam, Lever- wood, 

 or Iron- wood, is similar to its European congener, 

 but does not attain so great a height. The Ostrya 

 belong to the Cupuliferce, or Oak family, and are 

 best raised from imported seeds — although the 

 species fruit freely enough in this country, and are 

 very ornamental when laden with their Hop-like 

 fruits, seeds do not appear to be ripened in this 

 country — or they can be grafted on the common 

 Hornbeam. They seem indifferent to soil, and 

 thrive thoroughly in a poor dry gravel. 



THE FIG UNDER GLASS. 



Br William Coleman. 



THE Fig (Ficus Carica) dates back from more 

 remote antiquity than even the Vine. The 

 exact date at which it was first brought to Eng- 

 land is involved in obscurity ; but forming, as 

 it did, as important a product as the Vine itself, 

 many are of opinion that the two were imported 

 together by the Romans about a.d. 280. The Fig, 

 however, being more tender than the Vine, it is 

 supposed to have been lost sight of until it was re- 

 introduced from Italy by Cardinal Pole in 1525. 

 The Fig grows to an immense size at Arundel, 



