1872. ] 
ON CONIFERS AS ORNAMENTAL PLANTS. 
155 
which, would have astonished a correspondent in a contemporary, who recently 
seriously recommended growing these plants on for several years until they were 
five feet high, with the splendid results of a dozen flowers at long interval's. 
In another garden, managed by a very intelligent German, I saw on one side 
of the Orchid house a bed with liot-water pipes beneath, which gave a bottom- 
heat of 90° ; the top-heat was from 65° to 70°. In this bed imported German 
roots of Lily of the Valley were planted as thickly as the roots could be placed, 
in light soil, like asparagus-roots for forcing. A loose light soil was laid over to 
draw them up, and every root had a strong flower-stem. Patches were put in 
at intervals for succession, and when cut they were rooted out, and replaced by 
others. This was, of course, for cutting ; but I have seen splendid pots grown 
at the same place, by filling the pots with roots and plunging them. Of course 
they were hardened off before being placed in the greenhouse or rooms. I was 
informed that 40,000 roots yielded a profit of 200 dollars, or say roughly, £1 
per thousand—not a bad result, considering the small outlay, little trouble, and 
small space occupied, and that the flowers were all sold wholesale to a dealer.— 
James Taplin, South Amboy, New Jersey, U.S. 
ON CONIFERS AS ORNAMENTAL PLANTS. 
^ONIFERS never shine more conspicuously as ornamental plants, in the 
borders of mixed shrubberies, than during the month of May, when they 
are putting forth their young growth ; and by their extensive use in such 
borders there are grand effects to be produced, such as cannot be attained 
by any combination of evergreen and deciduous shrubs without their valuable 
assistance. Take, for instance, the rounded form and brilliant golden tinge of 
the Biota aurea, planted at equally recurring distances along or near to the front 
of mixed borders, which follow the serpentine windings of pleasure-ground walks; 
how beautiful they are by their very contrast to the varied forms of the numerous 
varieties of shrubs, and how gloriously they light up the scene, especially when 
there is a brilliant sunlight! Then, again, by way of contrast in form, flank them 
at equal distances with the lovely Biota orientalis elegantissima, with its upright 
habit of growth and most brilliant tints of colour ; and that again by the 
darker foliage and more robust growth of Biota orientalis itself, the whole 
being backed up in wide borders with Thuja Lobbii, with a due admixture 
throughout of evergreen and deciduous shrubs. Amongst the latter the various 
forms of Aucuba japonica ought to figure largely ; it is a plant which lights up 
shrubberies in a wonderful manner when allowed to grow into specimens; and 
now that there is a fair prospect of our having it clothed with beautiful 
berries, by merely planting male plants among the rest, it is to be hoped that they 
will lose their character of being cockneyfied because they happen to accommo¬ 
date themselves to London smoke. In this way may be obtained splendid effects 
t 
as regards contrast of foliage, similar in its way to the varied contrasts to be 
found in a house devoted to fine-foliage plants, only on a much larger scale. 
