THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GDIDE. 
239 
have been touched with the frost, but witli the month of May it has 
alwavs regained the full beauty of its foliage. Once only has it been 
really injured. The heavy snow of March, 18(37, injured its branches, 
and it had to be cut back to the stock. Although not so large as it 
was before this disaster, it has attained the respectable size of forty- 
two feet in circumference. The main stem is divided into two parts, 
close to the ground ; one stem measures eighteen inches round, and 
the other may be a trifle smaller. Numerous layers have been taken 
from this plant, which also thrive luxuriantly in all positions and 
aspects. The Escallonia has been the usual favourite evergreen for 
winter decorations, mixed with the Venuta rhododendron (?), also 
in the open air. The gardens at Ashbury are on high ground, but 
well sheltered with trees. The soil is fibrous, and good peat easily 
procurable. All American plants grow in perfection. The pretty 
Kalmia latifolia attains a great size, one specimen measuring forty- 
seven and a half feet round. The white Indian azalea has flourished 
in all aspects without protection of any kind, in the open ground, 
for full thirty years, blooming profusely in May and June. One 
plant measures twenty-six feet round, and some may be even larger. 
They spread rather flat and low. The pink Indian azalea has been 
as long-lived, but it is capricious in flowering. The old plant has 
been divided into two, each about nineteen feet round. No other 
varieties of Indian azaleas have been tried in the open air. 
The Arbutus unedo has flourished for ten years, and fruits well. 
Three varieties of Euonymus have stood the past winter as well as 
Veronicas, but the latter cannot be depended on. The trailing 
Tropoeolum speciosum is a perfect weed. The round-leaved Cycla- 
men of Italy (Cyclamen coum) covers the turf in February with its 
lovely little flowers, mingled with snowdrops. It is supposed a 
potful of corms was accidentally thrown away, and that they planted 
themselves, and have increased from year to year. 
I inclose with this a small piece gathered from the old Escallonia, 
and from the white and pink Indian azaleas, each thirty years old. 
I would add, myrtles will rarely live at Ashbury in the open air 
during the winter, the sea-coast being, at the nearest point, twenty- 
five miles distant. J. H. W. 
DESIGN FOR A FLOWER-STAND. 
subjoined figure represents a useful and effective 
)wer-staud for the conservatory or entrance-hall; and 
has the advantage that any carpenter could make it, 
id it admits of a higher degree of ornamentation than 
shown in the figure. The inside of the lower com- 
partment should be coated with pitch, or fitted with movable zinc 
trays. The stem and branches should be of stout iron rods, and 
the pots should be movable, and consist of some light, elegant 
material, such as bitumenized paper or zinc, and they may be 
August. 
