178 



FLORA AND SYLVA, 



Arrangement. 



cies are scarcely worthy of cultivation 

 and are only of interest from a botani- 

 cal standpoint. A few, such 2&E.robust- 

 us and himalaicus, are, however, noble 

 plants which well repay the trouble ex- 

 pended upon them. Others such as Olgce, 

 Bungei, &c. will prove of value for pur- 

 poses of hybridisation. It will, however, 

 be to the hybrids, such as the beautiful 

 E. Elwesii^xh&t plant lovers will eventu- 

 ally turn for still finer effects than can 

 be obtained from the species themselves. 

 Many raisers are now at work and vari- 

 ous hybrids will undoubtedly be intro- 

 duced showing improvements in size, 

 and form, and colour of flower as com- 

 pared with the original species from 

 which they have come. 



A long irregular row of 

 sixty or seventy Eremuri 

 some 8 to 10 feet high is both striking 

 and beautiful as seen with a background 

 of dark green Pines,which aid in show- 

 ing up their magnificent spikes of white 

 or rosy flowers. There should, however, 

 be no attempt at regularity in planting 

 or the effect is at once spoilt, but when 

 placed in such a manner as to form a 

 broken though consecutive whole their 

 value is immediately recognised as a dis- 

 tinct addition to landscape effect and 

 an original feature in a garden. Before 

 making suggestions as to soil and plant- 

 ing it may be well to examine briefly the 

 form and structure of the plants. The 

 leafy crown and bloom-spike grow out 

 of a kind of tuber in the shape of a node, 

 below and from which radiate fleshy, 

 fibrous roots in every direction like the 

 spokes of a wheel. These snake-like 

 roots extend fully 4 to 5 feet beyond the 



Culture and 

 Soil. 



tubers of the larger species, such as E. ro- 

 bustus, and we are thus afforded an in- 

 dication of the distanceat which mature 

 plants should be spaced. It is advisable 

 to plant the larger kinds and their hy- 

 brids in continuous triangles with 4 or 5 

 feet between each ; the soil in which they 

 are grown must be well prepared and 

 rich. This triangular form of planting 

 will furnish two irregular rows, in the 

 front of which may be placed the smaller 

 sorts, such as Bu?igei, Bungei seedling, 

 and 0/^,&c, in groups of three or five 

 of a sort, and 3 to 3 1 feet apart. 



From the centre of the 

 crown issues the head, 

 expanding into a dense 

 rosette of leaves, with a central flower- 

 spike. A loose, sandy loam, very rich, 

 and even mixed with stones, so that it 

 be thoroughly drained,will be found the 

 best soil in which to grow the plants. 

 The fleshy roots are thus enabled to run 

 about and find nourishment readily. A 

 close, damp soil, poor and sodden with 

 water, is fatal to the successful cultiva- 

 tion of these plants. It should be rich, 

 for theEremuri aregross feeders and fond 

 of a warm and sunny situation, to a cer- 

 tain extent protected from wind ; though 

 it is surprising to see how the spikes re- 

 sist its force without any artificial aid. 

 The plants also require a certain am ount 

 of moisture during their time of growth, 

 which is rapid, and, as the large heads 

 make their appearance above ground 

 somewhat early in the season, it is neces- 

 sary to protect them from sharp frost by 

 means of leaves or bracken. M. Mottet, 

 the worthy chief of plant cultivation for 

 Vilmorin, Andrieux and Co., states that 



