t and September.

Hedera Conglomerata.

CONGLOMERATE IVY; _Nat. Ord._ ARALIACAE.

I do not introduce this as a flowering subject, but as a dwarf
ornamental shrub; it differs so much from all other species and
varieties of Ivy, and is so beautiful withal, that I trust no further
apology is needed for giving it a place amongst decorative plants and
shrubs. I have not been able to learn its habitat or origin; its stunted
tree-like shape, together with other peculiarities, would indicate that
it is a species; be that as it may, it has long had a place in English
gardens, and yet it is seldom met with--it would be hard to explain why.
On a bit of rockwork I have grown a specimen for nearly five years, and
it was an old shrub when planted, yet it is not more than 2ft. in
diameter and 1ft. high. It is much admired, and many notes have been
taken of it. For rockwork, it is one of the best dwarf evergreen shrubs
I know.

It has very small leaves, densely arranged in flat or one-sided wreaths.
They seldom exceed 1in. in diameter, and are of various forms, as
heart-shaped, sagittate, oval, tri-lobed, and so on. Some are notched,
others slightly toothed, but many are entire. All are waved or
contorted, wrinkled and thickened at the edges, where the younger leaves
show a brown line; the under sides are pale green, and furnished with
short stiff brown hairs, as also are the stout leaf stalks. The upper
side of the foliage is a dark glossy green, with shadings of brown. In
substance the leaves are leathery, inclining to stiffness. The stunted
branches have a cork-like appearance as regards the bark, are diffuse,
curiously bent, and sometimes twisted loosely together. It is of slow
growth, more especially in the upward direction, and though provision
may be made for it to cling and climb, and it has also well-formed roots
on the branchlets, still, it assumes more the tree-shape. I never saw or
heard of its flowering, much less that it ever produced seed; if it does
not seed we are not only deprived of an ornamental feature belonging to
the genus from the absence of berries, but it proves that it is only a
variety of some species.

It may be grown in any kind of sandy soil, and nothing special whatever
is needed. An open sunny situation will favour its form and colour of
foliage; under trees I have found it to produce larger leaves of plainer
shape and more even colour. During the winter it becomes a conspicuous
object on