Ajui°eT'm4.RM'}        A         t°  Shaw's  Gardens.  263 
One  thrifty  specimen  particularly  engaging  our  attention  is  the  at 
present  medicinally  fashionable  Eucalyptus  globulus,  and  by  its  side 
the  famous  Banyan  tree,  Ficus  indica.  Equally  interesting  is  a  fine 
healthy  specimen  of  Camphora  officinarum,  from  Japan,  the  product  of 
which  is  in  such  active  demand  at  this  season  at  our  dispensing 
counters. 
We  notice  also  Melia  azederach,  which  brings  fresh  to  our  memory 
our  student  days  under  Professor  Maisch,  and  our  inability  to  rightly 
place  the  habitat  of  this  plant ;  to  the  right  we  find  Piper  nigrum 
with  Ficus  elastica  (India  rubber  tree),  and  Isonandra  gutta  (gutta 
percha  tree),  neither  of  which  are  "  Goodyear's  patent."  Further 
on  we  find  probably  forty  specimens  of  cactus  and  other  Mexican 
and  South  American  plants. 
Upon  entering  the  Conservatory  the  first  plant  noticed  is  the  New 
Zealand  flax,  Phormium  tenax,  and  next  to  it  is  the  Egyptian  pepper 
plant  ;  next,  the  Australian  fig.  A  specimen  of  Aralia  angustifolia 
nearly  reaches  the  ceiling,  and  upon  either  side  are  fine  specimens  of 
Coffea  arabica,  and  also  one  solitary  specimen  of  Cinchona  alba.  The 
Musa  chinensis,  or  sweet  banana  tree  of  China,  is  the  central  figure 
of  the  groups  of  plants  in  this  room,  and  surrounding  this  are  eleven 
species  of  Ficus. 
The  central  room  of  the  Conservatory  is  mostly  devoted  to  ferns 
and  palms.  The  most  prominent  are  the  Talipot  palm  (Ceylon ) 
Royal  palm  (Cuba),  Fan  palm  (China),  Areca  palm  (New  Holland), 
and  Sago  palm — of  the  latter,  several  fine  specimens,  besides  one 
curious  specimen  from  the  Sandwich  Islands.  Intermingled  with 
these  are  two  fine  specimens  of  Aloe  arbor escens  from  the  Cape  of 
Good  Hope,  and  the  banana  tree,  Musa  sapientum,  from  the  same 
locality,  is  found  with  the  African  dragon  tree,  and  Chinese  fragrant 
olive,  Ficus  carica,  while  numerous  species  of  Cassia  and  screw  pines, 
from  Java  and  the  Isle  of  Bourbon,  with  elegant  bamboo  cane,  com- 
plete this  group. 
In  the  next  room  are  several  varieties  of  aloes,  the  most  prominent 
being  Aloe  socotrina  and  A.  spiralis;  not  less  interesting  are  several 
specimens  of  ribbon  sugar  cane  from  Otaheite. 
Fronting  the  Conservatory  are  the  flowering  and  herbaceous  plants, 
arranged  in  beds,  each  of  which  is  devoted  to  a  particular  natural 
order.  The  beds  are  arranged  concentrically  with  borders  of  Arbor 
vitos,  which  gives  the  whole  a  very  attractive  appearance.  We  noticed 
