BOTANICAL INDEX. 
15 
FICUS. 
No one in the United States, to our knowledge, lias made a very extensive collec- 
tion of Rubber trees, and as they make such grand specimen plants, we publish a list 
of our species for the benefit of any one in search of any particular variety. This fam- 
ily of plants embrace the India Rubber tree, the Banyan tree ( Ficus Indica) of India, 
the Figs, and several species of less notoriety, and are all natives of the warmer por- 
tions of earth. The ornamental varieties (Rubbers) require the sun and rich soil, 
with a plenty of water during summer, to do well as decorative plants in our climate; 
and during winter they must be kept warm and in a light situation, with very little 
water. The vine, or creeping varieties, must have heat and plenty of moisture to 
flourish, and when they do have the proper requirements they grow very fast and 
make fine plants in a short time; and as their leaves are small and thickly set on the 
vine, they are excellent for trimming. The fruiting varieties (true Figs) are decidu- 
ous, or ripen their leaves in fall, and can be kept in a cool cellar over winter, or they 
can be protected by winding with straw and left in the ground from year to year. 
Others lay them down and cover with straw and earth during winter, and think they 
fruit with such treatment the best. Although our collection is small, we have some 
very scarce ones. 
L. B. CASE'S COLLECTION OF FIGS AND RUBBERS. 
Order--MORACEiE. Towrnfort. 
Ficus Australis. Ficus Japonica. Ficus Nitida. 
“ Carica , ( True Figs.) “ Lanceolatus. Repens. 
“ Elastica. “ Macrophylla. “ Sycarnorus. 
“ Imperialis. “ Macroc.arpa. 
HIBISCUS 
We add a list of the Hibiscus in our collection for the benefit of any who may de- 
sire choice lawn plants. The Syriacus varieties are from Asia Minor and are usually 
misnamed Althea, but the true Althea is a herbaceous plant, the Hollyhock, Althea 
rosea , the type of the family. They are usually hardy, and will make a fine display 
in the shrubbery during summer; however, a few hybrid varieties are not hardy 
enough to stand a very severe winter in the Northern States, and must be protected. 
The Chinese varieties ( Hibiscus sinensis , and their hybrids,) are all tender, and must 
be kept from the frost, and if kept in a hot and moist atmosphere during winter will 
bloom quite freely. During summer they flower freely, and make splendid growth 
if planted in the open ground; but the soil must be rich and mellow. As specimen 
plants for the lawn, we think the old single red Chinese Hibiscus is by far the finest; 
but as double flowers are the most sought for, the double red varieties are the most 
saleable plants for the trade. 
L. B. CASE'S COLLECTION OF HIBISCUS. 
Order-- MALVACE JE. 
Type — Althea rosea, Cavanilles. 
Hibiscus Syriacus albus plena. Hibiscus sinensis , double crimson. 
u 
bicolor. 
LL 
ll 
“ orange. 
u 
“ coccinea. 
LL 
ll 
“ red. 
LL 
“ marginatus. 
u 
Li 
“ salmon. 
u 
“ purpurea. 
(. 
U 
“ yellow. 
u 
“ plenus. 
u 
. LL 
fulgides. 
LL 
ruber. 
ll 
LL 
grandijlora. 
4 
toto albus. 
u 
LL 
Kermesinus. 
ll 
“ variegatus. 
u 
LL 
metallicus. 
Hibiscus sinensis carminatus perfectus. 
u 
LL 
mineatus. 
LL 
“ conspicua. 
LL 
LL 
single rose. 
U 
“ Cooperii tricolor. 
U 
U 
single red. 
LL 
“ cruentus. 
LL 
LL 
vivicans. 
