The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1906-02-14
only a dwarf form of the tree box
deScrihed in the following article:

described In the following arUlcle:
When the adaptable, evergreen box
bush-a native of Europe and Asia
this country, there was little thought
that it would reach such marvellous
growth and present such freaks of
nature as some of the century-Old
specimens that are found in many
country gardens today. When a single
root of the common bOx-bush forms a
clump of evergreen brilliant foliage
from twelve to fifteen feet i'm diameter
we consider it well deserving of it's
botanical name. BuXus sempervirens.
by which it is most commonly known
in Europe; and yet such remarkable
specimens are not uncommon in this
country. 1t is not unusual develop
ment alone that attracts attention to
rare old bushes, but the genuine freaks
of nature peculiar to certain speci-
MEMS
Originally, both in Europe and Asia,
as well as i'm the United StateS-after
it came into general use here-the
hardy little evergreen plants were
used almost entirely for edgings i'll
ornamental gardening. 1t was so adj
aptable in the care of the practical
landscape gardener that it was al
ways considered the bush par excel
lence for all Old-time hedges, anu was
frequently trimmed in fantastic forms,
sending out its compact green foliage
in such close even growth that garden
erS had little difficulty in training it
according to their various ideas OF
hedge-beauty. Accordingly the pre-
sent generation remembers grand
mothers garden cOmpactly hedged
with box, and even the flower beds
and walks throughout the flower gar
den showing neat, trim outlines of the
same evergreen growth. 1t WAS sell
dom that the gardeners OF ii century
ago were content to allow the adapt
able bOX-bush to develop without their
ever present and frequently disiiguring
shears and pruning knives.
Occasionally, however, we find such
specimens in Old-time gardens today
specimens that give every evidence
of having been allowed to develop
naturally, through years of slow
growth, without the touch of pruning
knife, from the time the little cutting
WAS started until the single root de
velOped an eXpanse of evergreen
foliage many feet i'll diameter. 1t is
among the undisturbed grOwthS that
genuine freaks of nature are discover
ed today.
One of the rarest of the quaint
freaks to be found in old gardens is
the great circle of bOX-bush forming
a complete weil-rOunded dome with a
hollow center. 1t is a peculiarly OF
this plant that as the main trunks en-
large from the root, the small glossy
green leaves spread out to the light on
all sides, until a hollow forms in the
center of the bush while it is still
small, when years of added develop
ment form a circular dome several feet
in diameter the hollow in the center
becomes in time gOOd-SiZed outdoor
room, or tent of green, which with a
little judiciOus trimming of decaying
branches Oh the interior, will form an
ideal green canOpied summer house.
One of the oldest specimens found in
this country is fully fifteen feet in
diameter, and although it is necessary
to assume a STOPPING position on enter
ing or leaving the rOOmy interior, it
forms an ideal reading room, or a
cool, fragrant shadOwy retreat for
meditation.