ABELIAS, 



279 



other evergreens perish annually in thousands. 

 The millions of evergreens planted to perish in 

 the smoke-fog of our cities are not worthy of 

 a place with the few young Planes once placed 

 in our city squares, which are now more ma- 

 jestic objects than one could find in many a 

 wild forest country. 



But the main thing to remember about it 

 is, that the greater part of our British planted 

 and garden land is on plains, and gentle hills 

 with a low rainfall ; whereas Pines generally 

 are trees of the hills and are accustomed to a 

 heavy rainfall, or snowfall, which is even more 

 constant in its supply of moisture, melting very 

 slowly in the spring. True, certain kinds grow 

 admirably on our plains, like the Cedar of Le- 

 banon and the Scotch Fir, but even European 

 Pines often fail to thrive with us owing to a 

 scanty rainfall, this misfortune never happen- 

 ing to trees of the forest plain, like Oak, Ash, 

 Beech, and other trees, which have, so far, given 

 the best results in English park, chase, and 

 woodland. Therefore, in planting, trees of like 

 character should never be forgotten, and many 

 of the most beautiful of them, from America 

 and Northern Asia, are far too rare with us, 

 owing in part to the great space coniferous 

 planting has taken up since the Wellingtonias 

 and like trees were introduced. 



ABELIAS. 



The Woodbine tribe, mainly from temperate 

 ormountain regions, has enriched gardens with 

 many plants such as Honeysuckles, Diervillas, 

 Guelder Roses, and Abelia. The Abelias form 

 a small group of some five orsixkinds,allmoun- 

 tain plants, and natives of the hills of China and 

 Japan, the uplands of India, and the mountain 

 ridges of Mexico. Few of them are hardy in all 

 parts of our country, though these that maybe 

 grown in the open air are beautiful and uncom- 

 mon. In mild districts, with light soil, in shel- 

 tered corners on warm walls, they thrive in fa- 

 voured parts. They do best and are hardiest in 

 light, warm soils, enriched with peat or leaf- 

 mould, and in spots well drained. Their pretty 

 flowers are charming in drooping clusters, last- 

 ing long, and the good effect continued after 

 their fall by the coloured sepals, which retain 

 their beauty far into the autumn. They may 

 be increased by layers in spring, or by cuttings 

 under a handlight during summer. Two Chi- 



nese forms known as rupestris and uniflora are 

 not considered distinct at Kew, and are there- 

 fore united under the name of A. chinens 'is. 

 The following kinds are in cultivation :— 



Rock Abelia (A. chinensis). — This is a 

 pretty and distinct shrub, usually of dense 

 growth, reaching a height of 3 to 5 feet. It is 

 the hardiest kind grown, and to do well needs 

 a warm light soil and a sheltered spot. The 

 flowers, about an inch long, are carried in clus- 

 ters and are of a pale blush colour, fragrant, and 



lasting for several weeks in early autumn. Even 

 after the flowers drop the reddish sepals are still 

 ornamental amongst the few late border flowers. 

 China. There is a large-flowered variety of 

 garden origin having larger and more numer- 

 ous flowers, and greater vigour and hardiness. 

 Syn. A. rupestris. 



Mexican Abelia [A. floribundd). — This 

 beautiful shrub is the finest of the group, but 

 save in mild parts must be grown under glass ; 

 even in the south it is best as a wall shrub, when 

 its evergreen leaves and drooping flowers are 

 well seen. The flowers, coming in March and 

 April as drooping clusters from every joint, are 



