8 4 



FLORA AND SYLVA. 



The Dwarf Almond (B. A. nana).- — A 

 low much-branched shrub common upon the 

 plains of south and Asiatic Russia, and of much 

 beauty in English gardens. It rarely exceeds 

 3 feet in height, with long slender twigs com- 

 pletely wreathed in March by flowers of bright 

 rose colour, lasting for several weeks. The 

 leaves are smooth, narrow, and of dark glossy 

 green, and the fruit like that of the Common 

 Almond, but much smaller. It may be in- 

 creased in several ways, but the simplest is by 

 suckers, which spring freely around strong 

 plants. Being unaffected by drought it is use- 

 ful upon raised parts of the rock garden or 

 similar dry spots. It is grown in several varie- 

 ties, all of which have much to recommend 

 them. There are two white-flowered forms, 

 one a near counterpart of the above, but often 

 not a pure white, and a second with larger leaves 

 and of bigger growth, known as nana Bessen'ana, 

 and very free in small white flowers. Nana 

 campanu hides, a distinct plant to be found in 

 French nurseries, bears many pale rose flowers, 

 which remain partly expanded with almost 

 a bell-shaped appearance, and in their profu- 

 sion are highly attractive. There is also to be 

 met with a variety known as nana microphy/la, 

 an erect and graceful shrub bearing small 

 flowers, often semi-double, of a bright rose- 

 colour, marked upon the outer tip of each petal 

 with a deeper crimson spot. It seems uncertain 

 whether this plant is really a form of nana or 

 related to the true Small-leaved Almond (P. A. 

 microphylld), a low shrub of like habit found at 

 a height of several thousand feet in the moun- 

 tains of Mexico, but otherwise unknown in 

 gardens. The plant known as nana georgica is 

 uncommon but not so good as brighter forms 

 of the Dwarf Almond. While more vigorous 

 in growth, reaching the size of a low erect tree, 

 its flower-petals are so small that their effect 

 is partially lost. 



The Silver Almond (P. A. orientalis). — 

 A bush or low tree found in the Levant, and in 

 its own country nearly evergreen. In English 

 gardens it is a rather tender shrub, liable to 

 injury in severe winters and therefore only to 

 be recommended for sheltered spots in mild 

 districts. It flowers in March or April but less 

 freely than other kinds, and is more useful for 

 the silvery sheen of its short rounded leaves 

 and young shoots. In collections of shrubs its 



! appearance is striking and distinct. Rare in 

 ! gardens, though introduced in 1756. 



The Siberian Almond (P. A. siberica). — 

 Possibly only an eastern form of the Dwarf 

 Almond, which it resembles in size, but its 

 light wand-like habit of growth, and long fine 

 leaves like certain Willows, make it a very 

 distinct plant. 



Boissier's Almond (P. A. Boissieri). — A 

 slender bushy shrub of uncertain origin and 

 now rare in gardens. It was raised in France 

 some score or more years ago from seed sent 

 from the Levant as that of the Silver Almond, 

 but proved different from any known kind. 

 It flowers in April with great freedom, bear- 

 ing large stemless flowers, flushed with rose, 

 thickly covering its long erect shoots. The 

 thickleathery leaves are short and narrow, dull 

 green above and greyish beneath, and its fruits, 

 ripening early, are clothed with short hairs. 

 A pretty and useful shrub, flowering later than 

 most other kinds. 



The true parent of the Peach is now held 

 to be Persica Dav/diana, grown in English 

 gardens as shrubs with beautiful white or 

 rosy flowers, opening very early in the year, 

 and often classed with the Almonds in trade 

 lists. 



Mosai'culture defined. — Cela consiste a diviser le 

 terrain en carres, en ronds, en ovales reguliers, puis a 

 subdiviser ces carres, ces ronds, ces ovales, en petits 

 compartiments dessinant des figures comme du pa- 

 pier peint au moyen de fleurs, de feuillages, du petites 

 plantes de diverses couleurs ; c'est simplement hi- 

 deux et ridicule; au moyen de petits artichauts, de 

 petites jourbarbes, appeles pour le moment " eche- 

 veria," on trace des armoiries, des drapeaux, des en- 

 seignes; on ecrit des noms, des devises, des opinions 

 politiques. Ce systeme de coupable jardinage rend 

 ridicule un des plus charmants coins de la terre, 

 Ylsola Bella du lac Majeur. Outre les dessins du buis, 

 il y a, comme il y avait jadis dans nos parterres fran- 

 gais, des dessins pratiques au moyen de petits cail- 

 loux et de sables de diverses couleurs. II faut que les 

 hommes de gout, places de facon a exercer quelque 

 autorite, s'opposent a l'invasion, a la restauration de 

 ces couteuses, ridicules et absurdes puerilites. II ne 

 faut pas que cette "mode," imitee encore une fois 

 chez les autres peuples, fasse donner de nouveau a 

 ces jardins betes, tristes, grotesques, le nom de jardin 

 francos ; a bas la mosa'fculture ! a bas meme les eche- 

 veria, s'il est necessaire, dont quelques-uns pourtant 

 sont d'assez jolies plantes ! Quant a la mosa'fculture 

 et a l'art des jardins, il faut se souvenir que "l'art 

 I est le choix dans le vrai." — Alphonse Karr. 



