The variegated Japan Eulalia, Eulalia Japonica variegata, is a very beautiful hardy perennial plant, belonging to the natural order Graminaca?.

It is a reed-like plant of robust habit forming when well established large clumps from four to six feet in height and having long narrow green leaves, which are beautifully marked with alternate stripes of creamy white and green, much after the manner of the old ribbon or striped grass of our gardens, and presents quite as much variety in the stripings or variegation of its leaves, but differs in being more robust and complete in its manner of growth. The flowers appear about the middle of September, and the panicles are produced from the centre of the stalks; at first they are brownish with erect branches and not at all showy, but as the flowers expand, the branches of the panicles curve over gracefully in a onesided manner, thus bearing a strong resemblance in form to what is known as a Prince of Wales feather. Each of the individual flowers, which are very numerous upon each branch of the cluster, has at its base a tuft of long silky hairs which greatly contributes to the feathery lightness of the whole.

If the flowers are gathered as soon as they are at their best and carefully dried they will prove to be very desirable as parlor ornaments, for when placed in a dry room they fully expand and present a most graceful and beautiful appearance, not unlike that of an ostrich plume, and moreover they will last for many years.

This Eulalia is a plant easily cultivated and when well grown is especially valuable for subtropical work, although it is equally at home in the mixed flower border, or in groups or single specimens on the lawn. It prefers a rich deep loamy soil, and requires copious waterings during seasons of drought. After the plant becomes well established it should be given a good dressing of well decomposed manure every fall, and this should be dug in in the spring when the plant should be cut back close to the ground.

For the introduction of this beautiful plant we are indebted to Mr. Thomas Hogg who discovered and introduced it from Japan.

Propagation can only be effected by a careful division of the plant and this operation is best performed early in the spring, before the plant starts into growth; but it should be borne in mind that the plants make but little growth the first season; afterwards every season's growth adds to the beauty of the plant both in size and vigor. From this it will be seen that frequent removals or divisions should be avoided and that a liberal application of manure every spring, with copious waterings during seasons of drought, are the essential requisites to the successful cultivation of this very beautiful plant.

Queens, N. Y., June 1st, 1885.