cultivated in England before 1730, as it is included in the Hortus Anglicus, published in that year. M. c. 3 pumila Michx. Fl. Amer., ii. p. 228., Pursh Fl. Amer., Sept., ii. p. 620., has the leaves linear-lanceolate. In the Nouveau Du Hamel, it is suggested that this is only a variation produced by some difference of climate or soil. It is very low, and its leaves are not larger than those of the sweet gale of Europe. Description, &c. The American candleberry myrtle is a large evergreen shrub, growing to the height of 12 ft. and upwards, in favourable situations, and forming a thick bush. Its general appearance and habits closely resemble those of the European species; the leaves are, however, larger, and more serrated; they are evergreen, and, in M. c. latifòlia, greatly resemble those of the sweet bay. The male catkins are axillary and sessile; but have not the shining scales of the Myrica Gale. The fruits are globose drupes, about the bigness of a grain of black pepper; covered with an unctuous substance as white as snow, which gives them the appearance of a kind of sugar plum. The candleberry myrtle is found in North America, from Virginia to Carolina; and the varieties, in New England and Pennsylvania: the species, and M. c. pùmila, often in dry shady woods; while the broad-leaved variety, like the Myrica Gale of Europe, delights in wet places about swamps or rivers. A kind of candleberry myrtle is found in Canada; but it appears to belong to Myrica Gale, and not to M. cerifera. The principal, if not the only, use made of the candleberry myrtle, in America, is the collecting from it of its resinous wax. This substance, according to Duplessy, was formerly procured by gathering the berries carefully with the stalk attached, and boiling them till they burst, when the oily matter they contained rose to the surface; it was then skimmed off, and set aside to harden, till it became a substance of about the consistence of putty, and of a greenish colour, which was easily blanched, and was readily inflammable when made into candles. A better way is said to be, pouring boiling water on the berries, by which means a purer wax is extracted, of a pale yellow colour. The candleberry wax is so brittle, that a piece will break if let fall: it may also be reduced to powder, like common resin. It becomes, however, soft, like common wax, by pressure. When made into candles, it is necessary to mix it with bees' wax, or a little suet. The water in which the berries were boiled or infused is used to give a greater degree of firmness to tallow candles. (Végétaux Résineux, ii. p. 60.) Cultivated trees are said to yield more wax than those that are found wild. The candles formed of this wax burn long, and yield a grateful smell (Smith's Corr. of Linn.); and they are said to have the advantage of producing an agreeable aromatic fragrance when they are blown out, or otherwise extinguished. According to Kalm, a soap is made from the wax, and it is used by surgeons for plasters. In Carolina, a kind of sealing-wax is made of it; and the root is accounted a specific in the toothach. This shrub has been cultivated in English shrubberies since 1699; and there are plants of it at the Duke of Devonshire's villa at Chiswick, and at various other places in the neighbourhood of London, from 6 ft. to 8 ft. high. In France and Germany, it has been cultivated with a view to its producing wax; and it is said to thrive in sandy peat, rather moist, and to produce an abundant crop of berries every year. In Prussia, it has been cultivated in a garden on the banks of the Spree, near Berlin, in lat. 52° 53′; which is nearly 1 degree farther north than London, but where the mean annual temperature is 2° 9′ higher than London; and wax and candles have been made from the fruit. It has been suggested by Dr. Hamilton (Gard. Mag., vol. i. p. 403.), that it might be cultivated for the same purpose in high sandy wastes in Hampshire, and other parts in the south of England. App. i. Half-hardy Species of Myrica, cultivated in British Gardens. M. Faya Ait. Hort. Kew., ed. 1., 3. p. 397., N. Du Ham., 2. p. 194., Lodd. Cat., ed. 1836, and our fig. 1969.; the Azores Candleberry Myrtie; has the leaves elliptic-lanceolate, somewhat serrate. Male catkins compound. Drupe with a 4-celled nucleus. (Willd. Sp. Pl., iv. p. 747.) An evergreen shrub, M. quercifolia Lin. Sp. Pl., 1453., Reich., 4. p. 424., Burm. Fl. Ind., t. 98. f. 1., Hort. Cliff, 456., Pluk. Alm., t. 424, N. Du Ham., 2. p. 193., Lam. Encyc., 2. p. 593., Lodd. Cat., ed. 1836; Laúrus africana, &c., Com. Hort., 2. t. 81., Rai Supp. Dend., 85.; has the leaves ovate-wedge-shaped, sinuate, serrated, bluntish; the divisions often angular. (Lam. Encyc.) A shrub, 2 ft. or 3 ft. high, with numerous reddish and slightly tomentose branches. The leaves are quite smooth, and dotted. A native of the Cape; flowering in June and July. Introduced before 1752, as it was cultivated in that year by Miller. M. q. hirsuta Mill. Dict., Ait. Hort. Kew., edit. 2., v. p. 380., only differs from the preceding in having the leaves hairy. M. cordifolia Lin. Sp., 1454., Reich., 4. p. 245., Hort. Cliff., 456., Pluk. Phyt., t. $19. f. 7., N. Du Ham., 2. p. 193., Roy Lugdb., 527; Alaternöldes licis folio, &c., Walt. Hort., S. t. S.; M. foliis sub. cordatis, &c., Burm. Afr., t. 98. f. 3.; Gàle capensis, &c., Petiv. Mus., 774.; Coriotragematodendros I'licis aculeatæ folio Pluk. Alm., 65., Pluk. Phyt., t. 319. f. 7.; M. capensis Lodd. Cat., 1836; has the leaves somewhat cordate, serrate, sessile. (Lin.) An upright-growing evergreen shrub, with wand-like branches; downy and reddish when young, and much leafed; according to the Nouveau Du Hamel, the most ornamental species of the genus. The leaves are numerous, small, heartshaped, and dentated. It flowers in May and June. The berries are rather larger than those of M. cerifera. A native of the Cape, cultivated 1759, by Miller. Thunberg, in his Travels, says: "The branches of the wax shrub (Myrica cordifolia), the berries of which are covered with a fat substance, resembling bees' wax, were put whole into a pot of boiling water, in order to melt and skim off the wax. It resembles grey impure wax, is harder than tallow, and somewhat softer than wax. The farmers use it for candles; and the Hottentots eat it like a piece of bread, with or without meat." (Thunberg's Travels, i. p. 167.) We have little doubt that this species would thrive against a conservative wall. App. ii. Half-hardy Species of Myrica not M. spathulata Mirb. Mém. Mus., 14. p. 474. t. 28. f. 1.; and our fig. 1970. 1970 GENUS II. COMPTONIA Banks. THE COMPTONIA. Lin. Syst. Monce'cia Triándria. Identification. Gærtn. Fruct., 1. p. 58.; N. Du Ham., 2. p. 45. Synonymes. Liquidambar Lin. Sp.; Myrica Lin. Hort. Cliff, 456., Gron. Virg., 2. p. 155.; Gale Petiv. Mus., 773.; Comptone, Fr.; Comptonie, Ger. Derivation. Named in honour of Henry Compton, Bishop of London, the introducer and cultivator of many curious exotic plants, and one of the greatest patrons of botany and gardening of his time. Description, &c. A low evergreen shrub, a native of North America, in moist peaty soils, nearly allied to Myrica. Only one species has hitherto been described. 1. C. ASPLENIFO'LIA Banks. The Asplenium-leaved Comptonia. Identification. Ait. Hort. Kew., S. p. 334.; Gærtn. Fruct., 1. p. 58.; L'Hérit. Stirp., nov. ed., 2. t. 58.; N. Du Ham., 2. p. 46.; Dend. Brit., t. 166.; Pursh Fl. Amer. Sept., 2. p. 635.; Lodd. Cat., ed. 1836. Synonymes. Liquidambar asplenifolium Lin. Sp., 1418., Du Ham. Arb., 1. p. 366.; L peregrinum Lin. Syst., 860., Reich., 4. p. 171.; Myrica Lin. Hort. Cliff, 456., Gron. Virg., 155., Cold. Noveb., 224, Mill. Dict., No. 4.; Gale mariana Pet. Mus., 773.; Mýrtus brabántica affinis Pluk. Phyt., t. 100. f. 6, 7.; The sweet Fern Bush, Amer. Engravings. Pluk. Phyt., t. 100, f. 6, 7.; N. Du Ham., t. 11.; Dend. Brit., t. 166.; and our fig. 1971. Spec. Char., &c. Leaves long, linear, alternate, crenately pinnatifid. (Willd. Sp. Pl., iv. p. 320.) A deciduous shrub, 3 ft. or 4 ft. high. The young branches are downy. Leaves alternate, oblong, linear; cut on each side into rounded and numerous lobes, like those of the ceterach; and sprinkled with shining dots, like those of the gales. The male catkins are oblong and sessile; female catkins sessile, solitary, lateral, and bristly, with numerous filaments. According to Pursh, the whole plant, when rubbed, has a resinous scent. A native of North America, from New England to Virginia, in sandy, stony, or slaty woods. It was introduced in 1714, by the Duchess of Beaufort. The shrub is very hardy, but it requires peat earth and a shady situation. It may be propagated by layers, suckers, or seeds. The first and second methods are the most common, as good seeds can rarely be procured. Plants, in the London nurseries, are from 1s. to Is. 6d. each; at Bollwyller, 3 francs; and at New York, 37 cents. 1971 CHAP. CX. OF THE HALF-HARDY LIGNEOUS PLANTS OF THE order CASUARA CEÆ. THIS remarkable family consists of branchy trees, the branches of which are in all cases, when fully grown, "long, drooping, green, and wiry, with very small scale-like sheaths, in the room of leaves. The flowers are unisexual, and disposed in verticillate spikes; they have neither calyx nor corolla, are monandrous, and their ovaries are lenticular, with a solitary erect ovule. The fruit consists of hardened bracts, enclosing the small caryopses, or nut-like seeds, which are winged." (Lindl. in Penny Cyc.) Natives of Asia, Australia, and Polynesia. This order was formerly considered to belong to Coníferæ ; but is now placed by botanists next to Myricàceæ. The timber of some of the species forms the beef-wood of the New South Wales colonists, and is of excellent quality. In British gardens, the plants are more hardy than most of the Australian trees; and, in warm situations in Devonshire, or sheltered by evergreens in other parts of the south of England, would probably attain a timber-like size without any care or trouble whatever. Casuarina equisetifolia Ait. Hort. Kew., iii. p. 320., Willd. Sp. Pl., iv. p. 190., Bot. Cab., t. 607., and our fig. 1972.; C. littòrea Rumph. Amb., iii. t. 57.; Swamp Oak, Austral.; Filao à Feuilles de Prêle, Fr. Monacious. Branchlets weak, round. Scales of the strobiles unarmed, villous; sheaths of the male 7-parted, ciliated. A lofty tree, with a large trunk, and numerous branches. These branches are long, slender, wand-like, cylindrical, weak, and drooping, bearing a great resemblance to those of the common horsetail. Six or seven scales, or teeth, on each branch, serve instead of leaves. The catkins are upright and terminal; the scales of the cones are downy; and those of the male catkins are ciliated. In Australia, it flowers in October and November. It is a native of the East Indies, New Holland, and the South Sea Islands; from which last country it was introduced in 1766, by Admiral Byron. From the cone-like shape of its fruit, it was at first supposed to belong to the Coníferæ, and was called the Tinian pine. It stands out in the climate of London; and there is a tree in the garden of Wm. Bromley, Esq., 11 ft. high, of which our fig. 1972. is a portrait, taken in 1834. In the Transactions of the Horticultural Society for 1818 is an account, accompanied by a figure of the entire tree, of a species of Casuarina then growing in the gardens of Belvedere, near Weimar, communicated by His Royal Highness Charles Augus tus Grand-Duke of SaxeWeimar. The species of Casuarina here alluded to was sent to Weimar originally under the name of Casuarina equisetifolia Linn.; and was, in the year 1810, but a very small shrub, not more than 3 ft. high, and the trunk three fourths of an inch in diameter. In that year, it was planted in the open air, in good soil, containing a portion of calcareous matter, the substratum of the country being of that nature. It was SO placed as to receive the full influence of the sun in summer, and to be protected from the northern and eastern winds. In the winter, it was covered with a temporary building, which was warmed by fire, so as to exclude the frost. The height of the tree, in 1818, was 16 ft. 6 in., the circumference of the head 42 ft., and that of the trunk nearly 20 in. Near to this tree was another, which was planted in 1813. It was sent from Paris to Weimar in a flower-pot, and was then a very small shrub. In 1818, it had already reached the height of 8 ft., and the trunk was nearly 2 in, in diameter. The larger tree flowered in 1818, but without producing any seed, being evidently a dioecious plant. With regard to the botanical character of this casuarina some doubts have arisen. It does not seem to be the species usually called equisetifòlia. The Belvedere plant appeared, in 1818, to be clearly diœcious: it was covered with male flowers, and not a single female was to be seen. Whether this arose from the circumstance that, in monoecious plants, one set of flowers sometimes so strongly predominates as to render the other imperceptible, and that a sort of equality between the two sets of flowers only takes place as the plant advances in age; or that the plant in question was not C. equisetifòlia, but another species of the genus, which is diœcious; is uncertain. C. nodiflora Forst. Prod., No. 335., Willd. Sp. Pl., 4. p. 190. Moncecious. Branchlets erect, tetragonal. Scales of the strobiles unarmed, glabrous. Sheaths of the male 4-cleft, glabrous. A tree, 15 ft. high; a native of New Caledonia. Introduced in 1823. C. distyla Vent. Cels., t. 62., Willd. Sp. Pl., 4. p. 191. Dicecious. Branchlets erect, round. Scales of the strobiles unarmed, ciliated. Sheaths of the male 7-cleft, somewhat ciliated. Flowers 2-styled. A tree, 15 ft. high; a native of New Holland. Introduced in 1812. Diœcious. C. stricta Ait. Hort. Kew., 3. p. 320., Willd. Sp. Pl., 4. p. 190., Bot. Rep., t. 346. Branchlets erect, furrowed. Scales of the strobiles unarmed, smoothish. Sheaths of the male multifid, glabrous. A tree, a native of New Holland. Introduced in 1775, by Messrs. Kennedy and Lee. It flowers in November and December. There is a plant in the Horticultural Society's Garden, which has stood against a conservative wall since 1830; and there are plants at Messrs. Loddiges's. C. torulosa Ait. Hort. Kew., 3. p. 320., Willd. Sp. Pl., 4. p. 191. The cork-barked Casuarina. Dicecious. Branchlets weak. Scales of the strobiles villous, tuberculate, rough. Sheaths of the male 4-cleft. A large tree, a native of Holland. Introduced in 1772, by Sir Joseph Banks. There are plants at Messrs. Loddiges's. Culture, &c. As all the above species are probably equally hardy, we would recommend as many of them as possible to be got, and planted in warm situations, in dry, sandy, pine or fir woods, where they would be thoroughly sheltered. The pines should be at least 6 ft. or 8 ft. higher than the casuarinas; but their branches should never be allowed to come nearer them than within 2 ft. or 3 ft.; and the roots of the pine trees, on the side next the casuarina, should be cut off annually with a spade. As the casuarina in creases in size, the pines or firs surrounding it should have their branches cut in, or the trees should be cut down, so as to allow the former room to expand on every side, and to increase its power of resisting cold and wind, as it increases in size. Ultimately, a space of such dimensions might be left round it as to admit of a spectator looking at the top of the tree, at an angle of vision of from 30° to 35°. We mention this angle of vision, because experience proves that no tree or other object can be seen to the greatest advantage when the angle of vision is either much greater, or much less, than from 30° to 35°. The casuarinas, when grown in pots, thrive well in equal parts of sand, loam, and peat: but, in the open ground, a sandy loam, with a dry subsoil, would probably suit them best; because, in such a soil, they would probably not make more wood than they could ripen before winter. They are all propagated by seeds, but would probably succeed by cuttings of the points of the shoots, in sand, under a bell-glass. CHAP. CXI. OF THE HARDY LIGNEOUS PLANTS OF THE Order GNETA CEÆ. EPHEDRA Tourn. Devoid of obvious leaves. Leaves scale-like, opposite, in pairs; the direction of the pairs decussating. Flowers unisexual; those of the two sexes upon distinct plants.-Male. Flowers in axillary groups. Flowers in the group opposite, in pairs; the pairs decussate in direction each pair subtended by a perfoliate bractea. Calyx tubular, bifid in the upper part; first including, then surrounding, a straight column situated at its base, extended beyond its tip, and there divided into 2-8 short pedicels, proper to as many anthers: each anther has two cells, and each cell opens by a terminal hole. Female. Flowers borne about the terminal parts of a branch, or of branches; in pairs: the pairs 1--2 together, at the tips of axillary peduncles; or 3 together at the tip of a branch. Each flower consists of an ovule, plano-convex, upright, perfoliated at the tip, and terminated by a style-like hollow process, formed from the secundine of the nucleus. The ovules are disposed 2 together, with their flat faces approximate; and the 2 are bracteated by perfoliate decussate bracteas. Each ovule, if not abortive, becomes a seed. The seeds are partly invested with the uppermost and upper of the bracteas, enlarged, and rendered fleshy. Embryo in the centre of fleshy albumen. Radicle uppermost. - Species few, natives of the temperate parts of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Shrubs; much branched. Stem and branches jointed, and separable at the joints. (T. Nees ab Esenb. Gen. Pl. Fl. Ger.; Lindl. Nat. Syst. Bot.; and observation.) GENUS I. EPHEDRA L. THE EPHEDRA. Lin. Syst. Dice'cia Monadélphia. Identification. Lin. Gen., 1136.; Reich., 1242.; Schreb., 1554.; Tourn., 447.; N. Du Ham., 3. p. 17. Derivation. From ephedra, the Greek name for the Hippùris, or Horsetail, which it resembles. Description, &c. Low shrubs; evergreen, from the colour of the bark of their branches, and in that respect resembling the genera Casuarina and Equisètum. They are natives of the south of Europe, Barbary, and Siberia, on the sea shore, or in saline or sandy wastes; and they have been but little subjected to cultivation. They might, however, be used in ornamental scenery as evergreens, and even cultivated for their fruit; which, in their native coun |