3_>3 
GROWING, SHOWING, AND SHADING THE DAHLIA. 
M 
ARCTOSTAPHYLOS NITIDA. 
(Bentham.) 
THE SHINING-LEAVED BEARBERRY. 
Besides the true heaths, and the showy- 
families of the Rhododendron tribe of the same 
natural order (Ericaceas), there are others very 
nearly related to them, of great beauty and 
value as evergreen shrubs. We allude espe- 
cially to the family of Arbutus, and also to the 
various genera which will be sufficiently under- 
stood by making use simply of the typical 
name of Andromeda. The flowers of most of 
these are pitcher shaped; that is, subglobose, 
or swollen near the base, above contracted to 
a very narrow neck, beyond which are five 
little pointed segments, spreading outwards, 
and often recurved. A great number of these 
produce white blossoms: some, however, are 
slightly and delicately coloured. 
The Arbutus is well known, with its ever- 
green, shining leaves, and little bunches of 
greenish white flowers, succeeded by handsome 
scarlet berries, resembling strawberries, and 
hence the popular name of Strawberry-tree has 
been applied to the Arbutus. Allied to these, 
in the general features of their growth, are 
some half-hardy plants from Mexico, of con- 
siderable beauty, one of which, the subject of 
the present notice, unites the foliage and habits 
of the Arbutus with the branched spikes of in- 
florescence borne by some of the Andromedas. — 
Leucothoe floribunda (formerly known as an 
Andromeda) may be instanced as illustrating 
this branching of the flower- spike. 
Arctostaphylos nitida, is an evergreen 
shrubby plant, with oblong lanceolate saw- 
edged leaves, of a shining and rather greyish 
green colour; the habit of the plant is erect, 
growing from four to six feet high ; and the 
branching racemes of flowers, white, pitcher- 
shaped, and drooping, are produced from the 
ends of the branches. These flowers are pro - 
duced in May, and sometimes again in the 
autumn. The plant has been introduced to 
our gardens from the mountains called Car- 
men, and other places in Mexico. 
Unfortunately this fine plant is not hardy, 
and therefore its interest and beauty will be 
unavailable to many. In the mild and genial 
climate of Cornwall, and of Devonshire, and 
probably in some parts of Ireland, it might 
succeed pretty well, in mild winters; but near 
London, and in other parts of Great Britain, 
it would not succeed without protection. It 
is an admirable plant, in connexion with the 
Berberries noticed in a former page for plant- 
ing against conservative walls. A good loamy 
soil is suitable for it. 
GROWING, SHOWING, AND SHADING 
THE DAHLIA. 
So many contrivances have been invented for 
growing these gaudy flowers, that we shall 
hardly be thanked for disputing the propriety 
of covering at all against the sun, the wet, or 
the cold. We do not dispute that the cover- 
ing from the sun and air and rain brings 
some flowers larger and more perfect, but it 
also changes the colour, or rather, makes the 
flower come a different colour from any that 
have all the air ; and, strange to say, one 
grown without artificial shading, but grown 
on the shady side of the plant, will travel 
infinitely better than any that have been sub- 
jected to the treatment which has, perhaps, 
become almost universal, but which, never- 
theless, takes from the brilliancy and perma- 
nence of the bloom. One great temptation to 
cover with pots and glasses is, perhaps, to 
defeat the earwigs; but that which is efficacious 
in shutting them out, shuts out the air, and 
when covered with an opaque cover, the light 
also. Now, either of these deprivations alters 
the very texture of the flower, and takes from 
its brightness and general character. We have 
had spring shades made, which have been use- 
ful, without this evil ; and the only fault we 
find with them, is, that they were nearer to 
the flower than was desirable. This must be 
obviated by the shade being larger. But there is 
a notion among cultivators, that covering with 
pots brings up a hard eye better than when 
there is light. Others, who think light indis- 
pensable at times, have a cover, like a pot with 
the bottom out, and put glass on it, which, they 
consider, draws up the centre still better. 
What really conduces, however, to develop 
the centre petals is warmth, or rather even 
