HARDY EVERGREENS. 
119 
most handsome when the plant is in flower, 
so that it can hardly be surpassed in useful- 
ness in the planting of a shrubbery,, or deco- 
rating any dressed ground. It is a handsome 
growing shrub, is obedient to the knife — for it 
bears pruning well at the right time — and is a 
most abundant bloomer. It grows to a con- 
siderable size as a shrub, and therefore, though 
not planted in a forward situation on a border, 
it ought not to have anything before it ; for, 
among other pleasing qualities, it feathers 
completely to the ground, and forms a line 
cone of dark green foliage, relieved with as 
much flower as leaf. Small, therefore, as they 
may be planted, it is best to put them where 
they will not be disturbed, and to have nothing 
too near. The Laurustinus moves at this time 
of the year worse than any; perhaps the spring, 
before it begins to grow, is the best ; but, to 
be quite safe, it is better to buy them already 
well established in pots, and they may be then 
planted at any time or season. The next that 
call for attention are the 
PORTUGAL AND COMMON LAUREL. 
Both of these grow fast, but especially the 
latter, and the narrow-leaved varieties of it. 
The Portugal Laurel does not move well 
when old. Young trees must be chosen, and 
allowance must be made for their growth. 
The Common Laurel is the more rapid grower 
of the two ; not that it grows more in actual 
quantity, because three or four shoots take a 
sort of lead oiF, and unless they are topped to 
check them early, the rest of the shrub hardly 
moves at all ; so that to make them grow 
handsome and bushy, the shoots should be 
stopped at a foot length, and the lateral 
branches be thus encouraged. These may be 
calculated on to form thick wood, and fill up 
spaces rapidly ; and of course are, on that 
account, considered common in planting, and 
in fine work are used sparingly. Yet the 
Portugal Laurel, with its dark bushy foliage, 
and the Common Laurel, with its shining 
bright green leaves, form an excellent con- 
trast, and are well adapted to aid the proper 
diversity of large or small work. The Portu- 
gal Lauiel may be moved well from nurseries 
where these awkward and mifly plants are 
constantly shifted ; but if they have not been 
moved every two or three years, we should 
not like to trust them more than eighteen 
inches or two feet high. The Common Laurel 
is a free grower, and may be well moved three 
or four feet high ; but plants bushy at the 
bottom should be chosen, and when once 
planted should be kept in shape, or trained to 
the form required. 
THE BOX. 
Box is one of those curious plants which 
may be clipped into any form, and has been 
as much played with and spoiled as the Holly 
or the Yew. It is handy in planting, because 
you may cut it into any form, and make it fit 
any place; and the very first year's growth 
finishes the surface of the foliage off even as 
well as some things would in half-a-dozen 
years' training. Of this there are but two 
varieties cared about in plantations — the one 
green, the other variegated. It is very hardy, 
very easy to move of any size-, and is unlike 
all other Evergreens. Its very small leaves, 
growing so very close together, render it a 
contrast to everything. Its growth under 
trees forms a very good underwood generally, 
but is handy when the object is to show a con- 
trast in foliage. 
ACUBA JAPONICA. 
This is a splendid plant, and was once in 
this country considered not only tender, but 
there were those who hardly trusted it out of 
the stove. This is valued on account of its 
rich foliage, unlike anything else, forming a 
striking contrast to everything in the form of 
a plant. The leaves are large, bright, flat, 
shining, and close together. The shrub is 
very close, bushy, and handsome ; grows to a 
large size as a shrub, and deserves a place in 
the most choice plantations, though now cheap 
and common. It perhaps contributes as much 
brilliancy to the winter garden as any other 
shrub in existence, not excepting the best 
variety of variegated Holly. The colour of 
the leaf is bright green, blotched with white, 
or yellowish-white spots, of all sizes. As 
there are no varieties of it, our description is 
necessarily short, but we should never think 
of making a winter garden without it; and 
we have removed them when they were six 
feet through, and as high, without, so far as 
we know, losing a leaf. The roots are very 
much matted, and bring away a good deal of 
soil generally ; and the same may be said of 
Box. 
THE CYPRESS, OR CEDAR. 
This is an elegant tree, and the varieties 
for garden and shrubbery purposes are called 
by the nurserymen Cupressus Baciformis, C. 
Sempervirens, and C. Thyoides ; there are 
others, but we want no more. The first and 
last are called also Cedar of Goa, and White 
'Cedar. They are beautiful trees, and though 
not absolutely necessary, aid in diversifying 
the foliage, which is the great feature to be 
aimed at. These are common nursery plants, 
and should be bought in pots. But the Cedar 
of Lebanon, which does not come under this 
name, but Cedrus Libani, is a most beautiful 
plant ; and where it has attained any age, it 
is a magnificent tree. These should be planted 
only where they have plenty of room, if we 
once admit that we are to be guided in our 
