Makaviscus Arboreus is a fine old-fashioned shrub related to the Abutilons, which constantly bears erect, crimson flowers. It is a native of the West Indies and is hardier than some tropical plants. It does fairly well here if given good soil and plenty of fertilizer. Although it bears the specific name "arboreus," meaning a tree, it is only a shrub and the appellation is, no doubt, one of the playful liberties the botanists take to relieve the tedium of systematic work.

Murraya Exotica

Orange Jessamine, is a beautiful shrub from the Oriental Tropics having glossy, three to eight foliate leaves and small white, fragrant flowers. It is used in the West Indies for hedges.

Mussaenda Frondosa

Mussaenda Frondosa is a fine shrub with small orange-colored flowers, the cluster subtended by a large, leathery, pure white bract which holds its beauty for a long time. It is a native of the East Indian Archipelago and is quite tender.

Myrtus Communis, Common Myrtle

A pretty, hardy shrub from South Europe which, so far as I can learn, does well in the cooler parts of the state. It fails here.

Nerium, Oleander

I write this name with great satisfaction for the varieties of this shrub are among our finest and most satisfactory garden ornaments. It is hardy throughout most of the state; it grows well in all kinds of soil from brackish muck to high pine land. Mr. Pleas reports that it does well at Chip-ley but is a little tender. The old semi-double pink is one of the finest, the flowers being large, beautifully colored and very abundant; there are single and double whites, cream color to almost yellow. There are many varieties of pink, red and crimson and variegated sorts. The Oleander makes a fine hedge as it stands shearing well.

Ormosia Dasycarpa, Necklace Tree Of Jamaica

A small tree or large shrub belonging to the Pea family, having pinnate leaves and large blue flowers.

Osmanthus Fragrans, Usually Sold As Olea Fragrans

A hardy shrub from China and Japan with opposite, shining leaves and small whitish, very fragrant flowers. It does well in regions free from limestone.

Phyllanthus

Several species of ornamental shrubs are placed in this genus, among them P. nivosus and its varieties which are often cultivated for hedges in the lower part of the state. The type has delicate green foliage mottled with white, a lovely plant. The variety roseo-pictus is like the type but has in addition shades of pink, red and brownish. Variety atropur-pureus is a stronger grower and has foliage varying from green to brownish purple. It sprouts very badly. P. angustifolius is one of the oddest things we cultivate. It has compressed branches and distichous branchlets, the latter with serrated edges and strong, raised veins. The small, purplish, salver-shaped flowers have a way of roosting around the edges of these, singly or in clusters. The botanists say it is a native of the West Indies and that it is only two feet high but I have a young specimen that is fully ten. It is tender.

Pittosporum

A genus of hardy shrubs with evergreen leaves and small, often fragrant flowers, natives of Australasia. They generally do well throughout the state and here they grow finely but are shy about blooming. At Rockledge P. tobira blossoms abundantly. P. tobira variegata is prettily marked with creamy white; P. viridiflorum is a rank grower; P. undulatum has wavy leaves.

Plumbago

A few species of fine, straggling shrubs of which two are in common cultivation, P. capensis, a lovely pale blue flowered plant, and its variety alba with white bloom. Both are hardy and do well in pine land. P. rosea has charming rosy red flowers but is considerably more tender. P. larpentae with vivid blue flowers is now called Ceratostigma. It has not succeeded with me.

Baphiolepis Ovata

Baphiolepis Ovata is a slow grower with heavy, glossy, obovate leaves and pretty pinkish white flowers. P. indica has smaller, narrower leaves and pinkish or reddish blossoms; both are hardy and are doing well for me.

Rondeletia Odorata

Rondeletia Odorata is an exquisite shrub from the West Indies. I have a plant which has had a hard time of it. I first planted it out in the sun and it didn't do well; then I was told by Mr. Theodore Mead of Oviedo to put in it the shade, which I did and it began to grow. Twice it has been scratched up by chickens and once it was accidentally buried and lost for awhile. Then it was cut down with frost; later it fell into innocuous desuetude, probably from too much shade. Two years ago I was over in Cuba and saw it growing there in a most exposed place on the high bank of a small river in the blazing sun. I came home and cleared away around my plant and now it is looking fine and is in bloom. I think it will do well now for it seems to me it has met with and overcome all the calamities, and that its pathway should now be bright and shining. It has fine oval leaves in pairs and verbena-like heads of orange scarlet flowers with a yellow eye.

Rosa, The Rose

I do not think one can honestly say that roses are perfectly at home in Florida, certainly not in the way they are on the western coast of the United States. Roses prefer a strong soil, rich, well-drained clayey loam being preferable, and they should be sheltered from high winds. They also need plenty of water and if one attempts to grow them on high pine land it is almost absolutely necessary to have some means of irrigating, for water is a crying need for roses on such soil. If one has only a few plants it will pay to dig out a couple of feet of the sand and fill in with marl or any kind of strong soil, sods from an old pasture being good. Liquid cow or horse manure will be beneficial and bone meal is a fine fertilizer. The Monthly roses are so glorious that it is worth any trouble to raise them, and some of the Hybrid Perpetuals succeed if well cared for. A large portion of the roses grown here are budded, it being believed that this is better than growing them on their own roots. They do better during the cooler part of the year and should be transplanted during autumn or winter.

Spirea

Hardy shrubs cultivated at the north, some of which do well in the upper districts. Among these are S. reevesi and its double-flowered variety; S. salicifolia and 5. van houttei. All have white flowers.

Tabernaemontana Coronaria

Tabernaemontana Coronaria is one of the finest shrubs (sometimes almost a tree here) that we cultivate. The large, glossy, oblong leaves are handsome and almost all the year through it bears a profusion of waxy white flowers about two inches across that are fragrant a part of the time. It has been suggested that in their native country certain insects which visit their flowers for honey are only active at certain hours of the day. As these plants find the insects useful for purposes of cross-fertilization their blossoms give out fragrance in order to attract these insects only while they are active. There is a species from Kashmir received without a name, with narrow leaves and fine single white flowers that I have seen in bloom at Fort Myers. They should be well fertilized.

Tecoma velutina is much like T. starts but has pubescent leaves and paler yellow flowers.

Veronica

This genus which consists mostly of herbs contains a few shrubs. They have long spikes of dainty blue or purplish flowers which are fine for bouquets. I have not had sufficient experience with them to say whether they will succeed here or not but they have failed with Reasoner at Oneco and with Schanbel at Gainesville.

Viburnum Tinus, Laurustinus

This fine, hardy old shrub from the Mediterranean region has opposite leaves and cymes of pretty white or pinkish flowers which are slightly fragrant. It does finely with me though it has been reported as failing in some parts of the state. There are several other species, some of which may do well here.