CULTURE OF THE GENUS EDWARDSIA. 
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reference. The generic characters are an obliquely five-toothed calyx, with the 
upper side cleft. Corolla papilionaceous, composed of five distinct petals. Keel 
long". Stamens ten, inserted into a cup- shaped, many angled, thalamus. Filaments 
falling off, (deciduous). Legume (pod) necklace-shaped, (moniliforme), one-celled, 
two-valved, four winged, many seeded. Leaves pair, pinnate, without foot stalks, 
(e^tipulate), deciduous. Flower's produced in short axillary racemose spikes. 
E. grandijlora may be regarded as its name imports, the most handsome 
species in the genus, and certainly when in flower it is a splendid ornament, 
exhibiting by its large, and in a healthy plant numerous clusters of pendulous 
yellow blossoms, which are produced before the leaves, a garland of golden hue. 
It is a native of New Zealand, whence it was brought into this country about the 
year 1772. The leaves, which are compound, consist of from seventeen to twenty- 
one oblong, somewhat linear, lanceolate leaflets, hairy beneath, petals of keel bent 
like a sickle {falcate). The season of its flowering generally happens about April 
or May, in which state it continues for a considerable time. It is rather hardy, 
and will do well planted in a good border of open loam and peat, against a south 
wall, when it will flower and perfect its seed, by which it may be increased, or 
cuttings of the young wood put in sand will strike readily under a hand-glass. 
E. microphylla^ or small-leaved Edwardsia. This is a valuable species, with 
leaves composed of from twelve to fifteen pairs of roundish emarginate leaflets, 
smooth, sometimes pubescent on the under side. Flowers papilionaceous, petals 
of the keel elliptical, hooked on the back. This species is a native of New 
Zealand, introduced to this country a little more than a century ago. It produces 
its large pendulous branches of golden coloured flowers about May and June, thus 
forming an elegant shrub well suited to a warm place in the arboretum, or flower 
garden, whence it can be conveniently moved to a frame or greenhouse, or otherwise 
protected in extreme frost. It delights in a good open loamy soil, blended with a 
little sand, or destitute of the latter, if the loam be open, it will grow well. It 
may be propagated by seeds, which generally ripen, or by cuttings put in sand 
under a hand-glass. 
E. chrysophylla, or golden coloured Edwardsia, so called from the young 
leaflets being clothed with small yellow hairs (pubescent). The compound leaves 
of this species consist of seventeen obovate leaflets ; with the petals of the keel 
like the preceding elliptical, and the dorsal (growing on the back) margin straight. 
It is a native of the Sandwich Islands, and not quite so hardy as the former 
species, it therefore must at present be considered to prefer the greenhouse, where 
it will grow and flower well ; the flowers are rather small, still their uniform yellow 
colour renders the plant handsome about May and June, which is the general 
season of its flowering. It should be potted in rich loamy open soil, mixed with 
a little peat, carefully watered at all times. Propagation may be easily eflfected by 
cuttings of the young wood being potted in sand and placed in a little heat under a 
hand-glass. 
E. myriophylla, or many leafletted Edwardsia. This is an interesting and 
desirable species, with its individual leaves formed of twenty pairs o iobovats. entire 
emarginate leaflets, either smooth or pubescent on the under side. This is also a 
