118 
THE FLORIST AND POMOLOGIST. 
[ august, 
THE NEW ZEALAND FLAX, 
PHOEMIUM TENAX. 
Gpp HAVE now grown this magnificent 
p decorative plant out of doors, at Castle 
Kennedy, for upwards of twenty years; 
and the more I see of it, the better I like it. 
As a distinct, striking, ornamental, free-growing 
hardy plant, it has no equal here. Many of 
the specimens first planted form large masses 
from 3 ft. to 4 ft. in diameter, with crowds of 
upright, long, sword-shaped, light green leaves, 
throwing up every season flower stems 10 ft. or 
12 ft. in height, loaded in autumn with their 
bean-like pods, and in most seasons ripening 
abundance of fertile seeds. 
The Phormium tenax has of late years been 
extensively and successfully used here for de¬ 
corative purposes ; hundreds have been planted 
on the lawn near the Castle, in the shrubberies 
and around the margin of the lakes, in groups 
and masses, producing a telling effect. They 
thrive well in a great variety of soils, preferring 
a moderate loam to a tenacious clay. In 
mossy soils they are quite at home, as also in 
light loams, if not too dry. They thrive much 
better in a moderately sheltered than in an 
exposed position, but when planted in an ex¬ 
posed situation, if the leaves are tied together 
during the winter and early spring months, 
and slightly protected with a few branches, 
they thrive surprisingly. In planting in cold 
localities, a site neither very high nor very low 
should be selected. 
I prefei 4 the latter end of April for planting 
in permanent positions. Strong, well-esta¬ 
blished plants should be selected, and slight 
protection given for a few weeks, till the plants 
get well established. If the weather is dry, an 
occasional watering will aid much in securing 
success. When planted, as is too often done, 
during the autumn or winter, especially if the 
plants are small, they are almost sure to suc¬ 
cumb to the first severe weather, and the plant 
is unjustly pronounced to be “ not hardy.” I 
do not mean to assert that in every locality 
this highly ornamental fine-foliaged plant will 
prove quite hardy. In inland and highly ele¬ 
vated situations our winters may be too severe 
for it, but in the warmer and less elevated 
situations, particularly near the sea-coast, it 
should be extensively experimented with, and 
where it succeeds, it will well repay the trouble 
of those who interest themselves in its cultiva¬ 
tion. 
Seeing that the normal species did so well 
here, I procured, eight or ten years ago, a few 
plants of the variegated varieties, and planted 
them out of doors, in a warm, sheltered situa¬ 
tion. The result is that they grow nearly as 
freely, and are quite as hardy, as the common 
variety, the variegation being all that could be 
desired. 
This year we have introduced some of them 
as centres of beds in the flower garden with 
good effect, and I propose shortly breaking up 
some of the old plants for propagation, and 
thus largely increasing our stock of variegated 
plants ; others we propose to grow for flower¬ 
ing, when interesting variegated seedlings may 
justly be expected to follow.— Archibald 
Fowler, Castle Kennedy , Stranraer. 
DEACiENAS AS TABLE PLANTS. 
HESE useful and handsome plants take 
a foremost rank among those which are 
suitable for table decoration. There 
are now so many beautiful varieties, perfectly 
distinct in form and character, that the same¬ 
ness of aspect which was once so apparent 
when several varieties were brought together 
may now be altogether avoided. To be effective 
as table plants, they should be furnished to the 
base ; therefore, it is necessary to be continu¬ 
ally propagating, to keep up a suitable stock. 
Undoubtedly the best mode of raising Dracaenas 
in quantity is to propagate them from eyes. I 
have also seen the tops converted into new plants 
by partially severing the stem, binding the cut 
over with moss, and keeping it continually moist 
by syringing several times a day ; but it takes 
some time for them to emit sufficient roots to 
permit of their being taken off and potted, and 
then they are very likely to lose their lower 
leaves. The best mode of procedure, when a 
plant is becoming too tall, is to cut the head 
clean off, and insert it in a bottle of water con¬ 
taining some pounded charcoal, to keep the 
water sweet, and to place the bottle near or on 
the hot-water pipes, so as to excite root action. 
When sufficiently rooted, draw them out of the 
bottle and pot into small pots, simply using 
silver-sand, in which the roots will make rapid 
progress, if stood in a warm, shady situation. 
They will soon become fit to pot on to any size 
required.— Geo. Potts, Jun. 
