SUB-TROPICAL GARDENING. 



405 



when well grown. It is most useful when grown on a 

 single stem, but in warmer countries it attains the size 

 of a small tree. A bed of it looks well, but when plant- 

 ed with other smaller plants it 

 gives too much shade. It is eas- 

 ily raised by seed in heat. 



Amongst the many palms now 

 used for sub-tropical work, Sca- 

 forthia elegans proves one of the 

 most useful, and is equally impos- 

 ing in the winter-garden. Many 

 others stand well out of doors and 

 make a grand effect, such as : 

 Cliamcerops exceha, C. hiimilis^ C. 

 paletto, Areca iutesceiis, Caryota 

 ui-ens, C. sobolifera, Phcenix dacti- 

 lifei-a, P. Canariensis , P. tejiuis, 

 P. sylvestris, Livistonia ajistralis, 

 Latania Borhoiiica . 



C/iamwrops Fortuiiei stands out 

 unprotected all the winter at 

 Kew, and C. excelsa grown by the 

 riverside in the Royal Botanical 

 Gardens, Regent's Park, London, 

 has stood out unprotected for 

 over twenty years and looks in 

 good health. 



Uhdea h i - 

 p i n n a lijida, 

 with its rich 

 mass of ele- 

 gant leaves, 

 has t h e ap- 

 pearance of a 

 great cow- 

 parsnip. The 

 silvery tone 

 of the leaves 

 remains unti 

 late in the 

 autumn. Cut- 

 tings may be 

 taken from 

 the old plants 

 in the au- 

 tumn. 



So I annuls. 

 Of the won- 

 derful varied 

 family of sol- 

 anums, there 

 are many fine 

 and imposing 

 species that 

 may be used 

 with advan- 

 tage. Most 

 of the varie- 

 ties used, such as 5. robustum, ?iiarginatiijii , IVarscezuii-zii , 

 macraiithniii, macrophyUu)n , Fontainesianiim, o cnipcs and 



several others, are best planted in a young and growing 

 state, and being annuals, may be raised easily from seed. 

 Wigandia uiairophylla , well-known as it is, requires 

 little description. It must 

 feave a warm position to be 

 seen in its full beauty. M\ 

 Vigicri is also fine, and ow- 

 ing to its habit is considered 

 by some to even surpass W. 

 Diacrophylla . 



Ahophila exceha, if plant- 

 ed in a warm and shady 

 position, will give a striking 

 eftect in contrast with the 

 surrounding foliage. It is 

 one of the very best tree- 

 ferns. 



Amongst all these men- 

 tioned, a good selection may 

 be made, but such plants as 

 Ara2tcafia excelsa, Grevillea 

 rolntsta, Verbesina gigantea, 

 Seiiecio grandifoliiim and 5. 

 Giesbrechtii, Eucalyptus glob- 

 ulus, Huniea elegans, Nico- 

 tiaiia Wigandioides and N. 

 colossea should be included. 



Nicotiaua colossea, the giant 

 tobacco plant, although com- 

 paratively new, has for size 

 and habit found favor with 

 many. Of the hardy plants 

 used in sub-trop- 

 ical gardening, . /r- 

 alia spijiosa and 

 Japonica are very 

 useful for variety. 



Anindo Diinax, 

 the great reed of 

 southern Europe, 

 looks well when 

 planted as a single 

 specimen and. A. 

 Don ax, versicolor 

 gives a fine effect 

 with its varied col- 

 oring amongst a 

 group of choice 

 shrubs. A.donax, 

 conspiciia is also a 

 good companion 

 to the pampas 

 grass, with its long 

 silvery plumes of 

 foliage. Many of 

 the bamboos give 

 contrast, some of 

 which are nearly 

 hardy, but those generally used are Bavibusa nigra, vir- 

 idis var. glaiicescens , aiirea, mctake, and Fortunei. 



Prunus Japonic.^. 



