HARDY EVERGREENS. 
IL'1 
situation ; for in all places there is a different 
set of shrubs prosper most. In some places 
the Hollies, in others the Pinus tribe : in 
some the American plants generally do best ; 
and therefore, besides choosing what we like 
best, we must endeavour to throw as much 
responsibility of the appearance as possible 
upon that class, or those classes, of plants which 
we see succeed in the neighbourhood ; for 
atmosphere, as well as soil, has something to 
do with the permanent welfare of plants. If, 
therefore, the Phillyrea is seen to grow large, 
healthy, and fine, more may be done with 
these,, and less with some others ; although 
most places will do well enough for a plan- 
tation in which enormous growth is neither 
looked for nor cared for. 
RHAMNUS ALATERNUS. 
The Evergreen varieties of Rhamnus are 
worth notice, even in select plantations ; but 
the nursery name, Alaternus, comprises all 
the principal kinds. Still, like the Phillyrea, 
they are not absolutely necessary where we 
can get others already named to flourish. It 
may be, however, that some of the bright 
good Evergreens are scarce, or cannot be had 
the sizes we require ; and it is in such cases 
that we must take anything we can get hold of 
that is of the right size. For this reason 
would we have all Evergreens looked at, and 
selections made; for, in planting a piece of 
ground, of any pretensions, we require varia- 
tions of half a foot from the tallest shrub 
down to the most dwarf ; that is, if we are to 
study immediate effect, and we are great ad- 
vocates for that. We have heard or read 
somewhere, of a man being as fond of altering 
the situation of plants every year as his lady 
was of removing the pieces of furniture, and 
altering the complexion of her rooms. We 
see no objection, if a man likes it, to the 
whole plan of a garden being altered every 
year. It is a hobby, which the horticultural 
world has no right to complain of; and 
though it would seem barbarous to lift about 
things that were doing well, there are worse 
things than that done, and things that annoy 
the world more. But we must proceed to 
another fine tree, for even large plantations — 
THE EVERGREEN OAK. 
It is not many years since we raised a quan- 
tity of these from acorns ; and the great diver- 
sity of foliage which they displayed was to us 
somewhat astonishing. They were not so 
varied as the Holly ; but what struck us was, 
that we had seen hundreds of plants, said to 
be varieties, with not half so much difference 
as here was among only Evergreen Oaks. This 
subject forms, as you please to use it, a 
shrub or a tree. It breaks out freely when 
stopped ; and we found that, hardy as the tree 
may be, the very hard winter of 1837 or 8 cut 
off some of the tops, which caused them to 
break out at the bottom, and form most 
beautiful shrubs. These ought to be placed 
where they have room to grow ; for, though 
rather slow while in pots, or in nursery rows, 
they go off rapidly when they once lay hold 
of the ground, and soon assert their pre- 
eminence among the less pretending subjects. 
These are to be found in most nurseries in 
pots, and may be planted in places requiring 
trees ; for they must not be depended on for 
any of the foreground ornaments. 
THE MAGNOLIA. 
Here we have Evergreen and deciduous ; 
but with the latter we have nothing to do 
now. Of the kinds proposed to be used in a 
choice plantation, none excel the Magnolia 
Grandiflora, a beautiful shrub, with large 
shiny leaves, not unlike the common Laurel, 
only much larger, and with a, white bloom, 
forming, until it opens, a bud as large as a 
swan's egg. The varieties of Grandiflora are 
many : — 
Magnolia Grandiflora, white, blooms in 
August; tree; Carolina, 1734. 
M. G. angustifolia, white, July ; tree ; 
Paris, 1825. 
• 31. G. crispa, white, June ; tree ; North 
America. 
31. G. elliptica, white, August ; tree ; Ca- 
rolina, 1734. 
31. G. exoniensis, white, August; tree; 
North America. 
31. G. ferruginea, white, August ; tree ; 
North America. 
' 31. G. lanceolata, white, August ; tree ; 
Carolina, 1734. 
31. G. obovata, white, August ; tree ; Ca- 
rolina, 1734. 
31. G. p?'(BC0x, white, August ; tree ; 
North America. . 
31. G. rotundifol'ia, white, August ; tree ; 
North America. 
All these are splendid, and though in reality 
trees, may be made shrubs by cutting down 
young. They are of fast growth, and though 
hardy, at least so classed, they are apt to grow 
late in the autumn in some places, and 
therefore require to be in high and well-drained 
situations, for the sake of being forward in 
the growth. If secured from wind, so much 
the better, for that is often more fatal than 
frost to growing shrubs. Any or all of these 
varieties may be used, and there are hybrids. 
There is also a Japan species, called M. 
Kobus, with purple and white blooms, intro- 
duced in 1804, and this is classed as a shrub. 
There are immense trees of Magnolia of vari- 
ous kinds in different parts of the country. 
