August 13, 1898. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
793 
from the intruders and their filth at as early a date 
as possible. 
Nerines. — Rob : If the bulbs are fairly strong they 
should be showing signs of throwing up their flower 
spikes. Until they do you may keep them dry at 
the root in the same way as you have done for the 
last three months. 
White Strawberry. — E. R. L.: The best white 
Strawberry in cultivation is undoubtedly Bicton 
Pine. The fruit is of medium size and good flavour, 
although not up to some of the scarlet fruited 
varieties. The plant is a capital bearer, and carries 
heavy crops even on dry soils. You cannot do 
better than try it. 
HARDY BAMBOOS. 
(Continued from page 757 .) 
Phyllostachys. 
The species of Phyllostachys have their flowers 
arranged in small spikes, generally numerous, and 
those again are collected in loose panicles terminating 
the stems; but botanists only occasionally have an 
opportunity of inspecting or beholding them, even 
in their owa,country, not to mention Britain. The 
plants themselves are grasses of arborescent habit, 
though we may regard them as grassy shrubs or 
shrubby grasses in this country. The sheaths on the 
main stems soon tall away, leaving the wood naked and 
polished, hence the stems constitute no mean feature 
of their ornamental value. Another characteristic 
is that they are semi-terete, that is, rounded on one 
side, and flattened or grooved on the other, from the 
axil of one leaf to the base of the next that comes 
above or perpendicular to it. Every second leaf is 
alternately on the opposite side of the stem to that 
next above or below it, so that this flattened or 
grooved portion of the stem shifts from one side of 
it to the other alternately. The joints are rather 
thickened, and the branches or twigs arising from 
them are generally numerous, slender and graceful. 
The species of Phyllostachys contain many of the 
princes of theBamboo family as far as the hardy mem¬ 
bers are concerned. The leaves are nearly always 
of very moderate or even small size, so that well de¬ 
veloped stems, with their myriads of graceful, leafy 
twigs, are ornaments of no small importance and 
beauty 
The Genera, Plantarum reckoned that there were 
four or five species, natives of Japan and China; but 
the Index Kewensis records twelve that have been 
described. Seventeen are included in the Kew list, 
including a variety and a species that has proved 
too tender for open air culture. Even this number 
has some likelihood of being augmented by fresh 
introductions, which may or may not prove to be 
either distinct or hardy ; but time will tell. Phyllo¬ 
stachys is the third and last of the genera under 
which all the hardy Bamboos are classified. Their 
culture is precisely similar to that of the species 
already described under Arundinaria and Bambusa. 
A substantial soil, capable of retaining moisture in 
summer is one of their mainstays, and shelter from 
gales of wind is another, calculated to retain the 
beauty of the foliage. All of the species of Phyllo- 
stachy s are eminently adapted for the conservatory 
and for temporary decorative work in dwelling 
houses, halls and ballrooms, in company with Palms. 
They have a particular grace and character of their 
own, for which it would be impossible to find a sub¬ 
stitute. 
P. aurea. —In this we have one of the most frequent 
in gardens and one of the most handsome. The 
stems grow 8 ft. to 12 ft. high in our climate, and 
when well ripened assume a beautiful golden-yellow 
hue by which it may be readily recognised ; but in 
our murky skies they seldom attain anything better 
than a greenish-yellow hue. Even then they are 
handsome, especially after their myriads of 
ascending, fascicled twigs and twiglets are developed. 
The lanceolate or oblong-lanceolate leaves are ser¬ 
rulated on one edge 2 in. to 5 in. long, finger-like, 
and light green. The sheaths are bearded at the 
apex. It is also generally known as Bambusa aurea 
in European gardens; and in its native country, 
Japan, it is either very popular or its identity often 
mistaken, for it has received several names such as 
Horai-chiku, Taibo-chiku and Hotei-chiku. This 
latter name recalls another well-known Japanese 
plant, often named Hoteia japonica in British 
gardens. The accompanying illustration shows one 
of the clumps of this popular Bamboo at Kew. 
There is a small portion of Arundinaria auricoma 
in the foreground, and behind it the Lily showing 
itself is Lilium pardalinum. The camera faithfully 
records everything coming within its scope, so that 
the wealth of greenery present makes it difficult to 
show the individuality of any one Bamboo distinctly 
P. bambusoides. —This species forms a bush 
about 3 ft. high, and the branchlets are covered with 
lanceolate, rich green leaves, glaucous beneath, and 
bearded at the apex of the sheath. Japan is its 
native country, where it is known as Ya-dake. 
P. boryana. —The stems of this graceful and hand¬ 
some species are erect or ascending, slender, naked, 
and vary from green to olive-brown. At Kew they 
have attained a height of 8 ft. to 9 ft., and bear 
slender, ascending twiglets, thinly arranged at the 
nodes. The leaves are lanceolate and small, being 
only 2 in. to 3 in. in length, dark glaucous green 
and shining when mature, glaucous beneath, and 
very numerous. The sparse arrangement of the 
side branchlets and the small size of the leaves gives 
to this species a light and airy or graceful appear¬ 
ance, at least when grown in the open air. Its 
native country is Japan, and being as hardy as any 
should be liberally planted in suitable positions in 
the garden or pleasure ground. Bambusa boryana is 
a name given to it on the Continent. 
P. Castillonis.— The erect or ultimately arching 
stems of this Japanese Bamboo are flexuous, and 6 ft. 
to 8 ft. high. The ascending branches are thinly 
disposed, forming a leafy, twiggy, bush. Both stems 
and twigs are pink and yellow on one side, while the 
other is green. The green side arises in the axil ot 
any leaf, and passes lo the base of the leaf next above 
it, and then the colours change positions at each 
successive leaf. The leaves are lanceolate, much the 
broader at the base, serrulate light green, shining and 
often striped or lined with creamy yellow. In the 
more shady positions the leaves assume a much 
darker green hue. The variegation is best seen when 
the foliage is in its prime, whether grown in the open 
air or under glass. The apex of the sheath is 
bearded. In France the species is known as Bambusa 
Castilloni and B. Castillonis. The Japanese name of 
it is Kimmei-chiku. The channel or grooved side of 
the stem above mentioned as peculiar to the species 
of Phyllostachys, is the portion that is green. 
P. fatuosa —Though this Japanese species is 
fairly hardy, the foliage seems liable to considerable 
injury during the winter months, but that may be 
due as much to a filihy atmosphere as to actual 
frost.’ The stems reach the fine dimensions of roft., 
and are dark green, with ascending branches and 
twigs, and dark green, finger-like leaves, 4 in. to 6 in. 
in length. The withering and browning of the foliage 
of this species in winter are the greatest faults to be 
placed to the credit of an otherwise first-iate 
Bamboo. Its native home is Japan. 
(To be continued.) 
Phyllostachys aurea. 
