JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



a grand Cupressiis pisifera filijera sweeping the ground with its stringy 

 branches. 



The lawn in front of the house contains the PJwenix dactylifera, 

 the only ones known to have been ever established on this lake. The 

 largest one, a fine and sturdy specimefi, measures 21 feet, and its trunk 

 has a diameter of 3^ feet. 



On this same lawn (of a somewhat roughish Italian texture) are 

 to be found a Chamaerops huniilis, several Phormiums, a Yucca fila- 

 mcutosa, and a Nolina longifolia. 



The Bamboos are a special feature on the island, ranging from the 

 huge Bamhusa mitis, growing up to 36 feet high, with a stem 1 foot in 

 circumference, to the small pygmaea, about a foot in height. The 

 rather delicate gracilis has branches 15 feet long, waving them 

 elegantly in the breeze. 



Several Cycas revoluta are scattered over the island, the oldest 

 having thrown out two heads, which grow more or less symmetrically 

 out of a trunk 2| feet high. The trunk itself has a diameter of 

 nearly 2 feet. 



Cupressus ohtusa Trouhetzkoyana is another beautiful, curious and 

 rare conifer. The long pendent branches resemble green jet-work; 

 it measures 11^ feet, and the trunk is 6 inches in diameter. 

 It came from the famous Villa Ada at Intra, belonging to Prince 

 Troubetzkoy, who gave me the mother-plant. It seems to be very 

 difficult to propagate, but it seems also that a gardener, who had 

 occasion to collect some seeds here a few years ago, has succeeded in 

 obtaining some plants. 



The huge leaves of Musa Basjoo throw in here and there a gay 

 light green note. It matures its fruit this year. 



The rockery all round the island is planted with Cordyline indivisaf 

 Trachy carpus excelsa, and immense Agaves of all species; of these 

 the blue Franzosini stands out well. 



Besides these chief features of the vegetation on the island I could 

 enumerate many other plants, as Acacia dealhata and A. cultriformis ; 

 various Acer japonicum; Hydrangeas in colossal clumps; Azaleas, 

 Magnolia, Myrtus grandifolia, just now (August) in full flower; and 

 many, many others, not forgetting a very artistic, though small, 

 piece of rockery, partly covered by a huge Yucca, which, instead of 

 growing upright, is creeping over it just near the principal entrance. 



And the roses? I really could not tell how many there are at 

 present scattered in groups and -borders all over the island, nor what 

 most of the newer ones are, as during one of my recent long absences 

 most of the labels o'f the recent introductions have been lost through 

 ignorance and carelessness. I can only say that there are many 

 hundreds of varieties, and amongst these many beautiful old friends, 

 which year after year and almost during the whole of it form the 

 permanent coloured ornament to garden and vases. In fact, winter 

 does not seem to exist for them here, as * Mar^chal Niel ' has been 

 found flowering on Christmas Day against the sunny wall of the house, 



