nk ; ilii §: lltll 2 %7~ 2 6 6 16 I - H4 Ik? - ^ £t ^ ~ ^ Ul V * ? 5tf>. ts&r • - O ef t^j it r>*£v a* lt(£ 1 CK j & £ 6 THE FLORAL GAZINE : /igurcs tmtr JRsengtimts POPULAR FLOWERS. BY THE REV. H. HONYWOOD DOMBRAIN, A.B. THE PLATES BY JAMES ANDREWS, F.R.H.S. VOL. V. LONDON: LOVELL REEVE & CO., 5, HENRIETTA STREET, COVENT GARDEN. 1866. J. E. TAYLOE AND CO., PRINTEES, LITTLE QUEEN STREET, LINCOLN’S INN FIELDS. INDEX. \_Erratum. — Plates 313 to 320 are by mistake numbered 309 to 316.] Allamanda Hendersonii . Alpine Auricula, Victorious . Alternanthera Sessilis, var. Amoena . Aucuba Japonica variegata . Azaleas, Charmer and Vivid . Azalea, Princess Alexandra . Bignonia Argyrea Violescens . Bougainvillaea Laterita . Calanthe Veitchii . Camellia, Nonpareil . Cattleya Exoniensis . Chrysanthemums, Iona and John Salter . Clematis Bubella, and Lanuginosa Candida . Clianthus Dampieri, var. Marginata . Cyclamen Europseum Peakeanum . Cypripedinm Ltevigatum . Delphinium, Triomphe de Pontoise . Dipladenia Amabilis . Epidendmm Vitellinum Majus . Epiphyllum Truncatum Elegans . Euchsias. New . / Gladiolus, Milton . Gladiolus, Sir J. Clarke . Hyacinth, Sir H. Havelock . Ivy-leaved Pelargonium, Silver Gem . Kerria Japonica variegata . Lobelia Coronopifolia . Lobelia, Progress . Mar ant a Illustris . Maranta Bosea Picta . Nerine Eothergillii . Odontoglossum Ceiwantesii . Orchis Maculata Superba . Pelargonium Peltatum Elegans . PLAT K . . 263 ^ . .300 > - . .316 . . 277 ** 303, 304 . . 268 ^ . . 267 v- . . 260 ^ . . 280 . . 295 ^ . . 269 ^ . . 279 v- 310,311 *"* . . a m . . 262 . . 298 v- . . 318 V— . 309 w* . . 261 ^ . .285 I** 270,271 ^ . . 315 V* . 266 W- . . 292 w . . 305 . . 296 .259 b . 319 w . 287 ^ . 283 ^ . 282 w* . 294 w- . 308 ^ . 286 INDEX. IV PLATE Pelargonium, W. Hoyle and C. Turner . 257 ^ Pelargonium, Nosegay, Duchess of Sutherland . 317 ^ Pelargoniums, Lord Lyon and Favourite . 301 Pelargoniums, Sylvia and Liberty . 314 w Pentstemon J affray anus . . . : . 313w^ Picotees, Milton and Mrs. Fisher . 264 Pitcairnia Tabulseformis . 297 w Pompon Chrysanthemums . . 284 ^ Primula Cortusoides Amcena . 276 Primula Kermesina Plena and Queen ol England . 288 Rhaphiolepis Ovata . 299 .Rhododendron Denisonii ' . 291 v* Rose, Hybrid Perpetual, Black Prince, W. Paul . 290 y Rose, Hybrid Perpetual, Mrs. J. Berners . . . . . . . . . . . . 312 ^ Rose, Hybrid Perpetual, Mrs.. AYcfoxl I C . 306 i - Rose, Hybrid Perpetual, Mademoiselle Marguerite Dombrain . 302 >* Rose, Hybrid Perpetual, Princess Mary of Cambridge . 25 8 Siphocampylus Fulgens . 320 Sphacele Caendea . 281 i*" Stauranthera Grandiflora . 272 Swainsonia Magnitica . 273 w Tacsonia Van Yolxemi . 289 *** Tropaeolums, Beauty and Attraction . 293 ^ Urceolina Pendula . . . . 307 Verbena, Really Blue . . . 278 w* Verbenas, New Striped . 275 v Zonale Geranium, Wiltshire Lass . . 265 \ 4 257 J. Andrews , del. et dth- . Ifincent Brooks .Imp . Plate 257. PELARGONIUMS, WILLIAM HOYLE AND CHARLES TURNER. When great perfection has been attained in any particular flower, the steps in improvement must he very gradual, and are not generally attained by chance, but by a careful study of the laws of hybridization, of the improvements already made, and of the most likely method of attaining a desired object. Thus, that magnificent flower which we figured in our last volume, John IJoyle , was the result of fifteen years of careful hybridizing on the part of its raiser, Mr. Hoyle, — no amount of care and skill being spared to effect it ; when therefore it is said that no flower of the present season equals it, it is perfectly true in one point, but in another point of view, we see as great a step gained in other styles of flowers. Two classes of Pelargoniums have been favourably considered, those with every dark lower petals, and those of the bright-scarlet tint found in the Zonale or bedding section. Indeed, for some years the Royal Botanic Society has offered a distinct prize for best seedlings in this latter class, and we have no hesitation in saying that the two now figured are the best flowers that have been exhibited in their respective sections ; and we do not won¬ der therefore that they have obtained the high awards that have been given to them, as they have both received first-class certificates wherever they have been exhibited. Charles Turner (Eig. 1) is a flower of a very brilliant scarlet colour, — so brilliant indeed that no pigment can possibly ade¬ quately represent it (a difficulty more connected with scarlet than with any other colour) ; the upper petals have a large blotch of dark maroon, shading off towards the eye, with a broad rim of scarlet, the throat is white, and the flower well formed. William Hoyle (Fig. 2) is the darkest Pelargonium ever yet raised ; the deep, brownish crimson of the lower petals never having yet been equalled, fully as dark as Acme and other flowers of a similar character in the fancy class ; the throat is beautifully clear and white ; the upper petals are, though brilliant in colour, a little inclined to turn back, but it is a splendid flower, and must be highly prized for its valuable properties. This, with several others, will be let out by Mr. Charles Turner, of Slough, in the course of the present autumn. 258 J. Andrews , del. et lith. _'£ncent Brooks, Imp Plate 258. ROSE, PRINCESS MARY OE CAMBRIDGE. A very celebrated grower and raiser of Roses, M. Margottin, of Bourg-la-Reine, said to us some time ago that the blood of General Jacqueminot had so largely entered into the Roses which were now sent out every year, that he determined to hybridize dowers that had been brought out previous to its being raised, so as to avoid the great similarity and profusion of crimsons, light and dark, that are every year produced. Something of the same kind seems to have influenced M. Granger, the raiser of the Rose now figured, as it is a seedling raised from Duchess of Sutherland , crossed with Jules Margottin , and partakes appa¬ rently of the qualities of both parents. It is now in the hands of Messrs. Paul and Son, of the Old Nurseries, Cheshunt, by whom it will be let out in the spring of next year. The new Roses of last season have not been largely exhibited this year, and hence we have to look for the reports of growers as to their qualities ; it is therefore with considerable pleasure we add here the observations of Mr. George Paul, jun., who has bloomed the new flowers in his own nursery “ We have Marechal Niel just blooming again in our rose-house, and another plant out-of-doors is just opening its flowers in spite of the rain which we have been having daily; it is undoubtedly the greatest addition made to Roses for the last three years, and cannot be too highly recommended.” This quite confirms our own view, as given when we published a figure of it some months ago. “ Next to the yellow,” Mr. Paul adds, “we should place Duchesse de Caylus , Duke of Wellington , Madame Boussett , Marguerite de St. Amand , Xavier Oliho , Madame Gustave Bonnet , and Monsieur Boncenne , an improvement of P. Camille de Bohan , in the first rank, and Achille Gonod , Madame Charles Verdier, Dr. Aiidry , Comtesse de Paris, and Rushton Padcly ffe, in the second rank. Duchesse de Medina Cceli is another finely-coloured Rose, very rich and dark, but not quite strong enough in petal; the rest of Gonod’s, and all Trouillard’s Roses, are flat, uninter¬ esting, and, to our English taste, worthless.” As Mr. Paul has been the most successful exhibitor of Roses at all our great Rose Shows this season, his opinion is the more valuable. “ Princess Mary is remarkable for its hardy habit and good autumnal qualities, being at this time (August 15th) in full bloom, in fact with better flowers than during the past hot summer, which has not been at all favourable for rose-flowers.” So writes Mr. Paul ; we have not ourselves seen this flower, but we have every confidence in Mr. Paul’s judgment and Mr. An¬ drews’s fidelity, and believe it will prove a very useful flower. 259 J.Anclrews , del.et ]itb_. "%icen.t Brooks , Imp Plate 259. LOBELIA CORON OPIEOLIA. We are indebted to Messrs. Backhouse and Son, of York, who have introduced so many valuable and beautiful herbaceous plants, for the opportunity of figuring the very beautiful Lo¬ belia, which forms the subject of our present Plate, At a time when every one who cultivates flowers is seeking to have them, not merely for the decoration of their gardens in summer, but also to ornament their houses and conservatories during the whole year, any plant that will effect this must be considered an acquisition, and when that dower is a blue one, the acquisition is ail the greater ; and such is the character given to this showy Lobelia by Messrs. Backhouse. They re¬ ceived it, as they inform us, “ from a correspondent in the inte¬ rior of Caffraria ; when grown out-of-doors during the summer months, it forms a dense tuft, with spreading shoots, each ter¬ minating in an ascending rosette of leaves ; from each of these shoots and their branches a dower-stem rises, of from four to six inches in height, bearing three to dve or six large and lovely blue blossoms, having a faint tinge of violet, each of which remains in perfection many wee fa, so that the plant is gay with dower throughout the whole range, of the winter months, — a time when so much beauty has a double charm.” The character of the plant has been very admirably delineated by Mr. Andrews, and it remains for us but to say a few7 words on its cultivation. Like many herbaceous plants, it dourishes well in an open but not too rich soil ; sandy loam, peat, and leaf-mould forming an admirable compost for it ; it should be kept in a greenhouse during the winter months, and when in¬ crease is desired, this may be obtained by dividing the roots or suckers in spring, after the growth has commenced. Lobelia cor onojoi folia is not by any means a new plant, but, like a great many old and valuable things, it has passed out of notice to give way to other things which have nothing more than novelty to recommend them, and hence there is often now a 44 hue and cry” raised for some long-forgotten flower. We hope herbaceous plants are again coming into favour, and we may expect to see many more old plants brought forward. 260 Tencent Brooks, Imp J. Andrews , del- et lith Plate 260. BOUGAINVILLEA LATEBITIA. There has not been a greater sensation in the horticultural world than that produced some four or five years ago by Mr. Daniels, gardener to the Ley. C. E. Luck Keene, at Swyncombe House, near Henley-on-Thames, when he exhibited some sprays of the beautiful Bougainvillaea speciosa , loaded with its light magenta-coloured bracts, as, although that plant was a well-known one, it had not been so grown as to produce in any degree of profusion its flowers, and had consequently been but little thought of ; we shall not readily forget the naive question of an enthusiastic lover of the modern style of garden- . ing, when it was first exhibited at the Loyal Botanic Society,*— “ Will it do for bedding-out T Happily all lovers of plants have not their ideas bounded by the modern parterre , and hence it has become largely grown and valued. The treatment adopted by Mr. Daniels, and which was then considered the only one by which the plants could be induced to flower, was, to use his own language, “towards the end of January to plunge it in the driest and hottest part of the house, to give water sparingly for the first month, afterwards more frequently, and towards the end or February or be¬ ginning of March, it will begin to unfold its charms ; it must have all the light and sun that can be given it while in bloom, or the colour will be found to be very faint. The large plant here is growing with its roots close to the boiler, which projects through to the inside of the house, this made the end of the house so hot that any other plant placed near it was destroyed with insect, as spider, scale, etc. ; but it is a great recommendation to Bougainvillaea to say that no insect except green-fly touches it. I believe too much dry heat cannot be given, and too little water.” This opinion, however, must now be modified, as Mr. Fleming, of Cleveden, has caused it to flower freely under the more ordinary treatment of a warm greenhouse plant, and fine pot-plants of it have been exhi¬ bited by Mr. Turner, of Slough. Bougainvillcea lateritia was exhibited by Mr. Charles Turner, of Slough, who obtained it from Mr. Daniels, and has received three first-class certificates ; the entire stock of the plant was purchased from Mr. Turner by Mr. William Bull, of Chelsea, by whom it will be let out during the present autumn. The colour of the bracts, in which the great beauty of the plant consists, is a delicate salmony-pink, forming therefore a pretty contrast to the mauve-coloured bracts of Speciosa. o - ■= 261 Plate 261. EPIDENDEUM YITELLINUM MAJIJS. Few subjects have increased more in interest during the past few years than what is commonly known as the cool treatment of Orchids ; large importations of the varieties most suitable for this purpose have been made, a ready sale has been found for them, while houses have (we have been informed) been erected in large numbers for their reception. Amongst those which were earliest subjected to this treatment, and success¬ fully, was the well-known Epidendrum vitellinum , and the far handsomer one which we now figure is equally suitable for that purpose. We have had an opportunity during the present season of seeing at various times the cool Orchid-house of Mr. James Yeitch, and have been surprised to find what a continuous bloom was kept up in it, from earliest spring, or rather winter, until late on in autumn, and will still be maintained for some time to come, — the permanence of bloom of these Orchids mak¬ ing them most desirable objects for this purpose. Beginning with the Ly castes and Barkerias, on through several species of Odontoglossums, and then with Epiclenclrums, it was always gay. We had also an opportunity of seeing Mr. Pucker’s houses of a similar character at Wandsworth, where two. divisions of a long pit-like house were devoted to this pur¬ pose : in the first the temperature was kept at from 45° to 50°; here the flowers above-named flowered in great vigour; while in the second division, where the temperature was kept about five degrees higher, Cypripediurns, Calanthes, Dendro- biums, Leptotes, and Cattleyas were doing well: and thus the idea heretofore attached to Orchids of a steaming East-Indian temperature (and still applicable to many species) is being gradually dispelled, and some very beautiful and remarkable flowers are now within the powers of the multitude. Ejpidendrum vitellinum majus is, as its name implies, a larger variety of the well-known Ejjidendrmn vitellinum , and the colour is much brighter, and in every way an improved form. We are indebted to Mr. Veitch for the opportunity of figuring it; and in a note received from him, he confirms the statements above made, and also adds that the cut blooms of this Orchid last for a very long time in bloom. 262 J.Andrews , del et Iith. . ^Vincent Brooks, imp . Plate 282. CYCLAMEN EUROPIUM PEAKEANUM. Few flowers are more graceful and elegant than the different varieties of Cyclamen, while their early-spring-blooming qua¬ lities add greatly to their value ; and when combined, as in the case of C. persicum odoratum , with a delicious perfume, they are especially desirable, although no great diversity of colour is found amongst them. The Cyclamen which we now figure, and which has been exhibited frequently by Mr. Holland, the intelligent gardener of R. W. Peake, Esq., of Spring Grove, Isleworth, besides the beauty of its appearance, both in foliage and flowers, has the additional recommendation of being evergreen, as will be seen from the following note, for which we are indebted to Mr. Holland, who has been most successful in the culture of this beautiful tribe of plants. 44 This very distinct variety was collected by E. W. Peake, Esq., in the South of Europe in 1859, and has been exhibited at all seasons of the year; and has obtained at the shows of the Eoyal Horticultural, Royal Botanic, and other Societies, first-class certificates. The re¬ markable features of this plant are its being evergreen, and in a constant state of efflorescence, while its blossoms are very fragrant, and continue for a long time. I have raised several seedlings from it, and they all maintain the character of the parent bulb.” It will be at once seen that there is, in many respects, a considerable departure from the character of C. Eu¬ ropium , and that its qualities are such as to make it a very valuable plant. At present Mr. Holland is unable to say when it will be let out, but doubtless, during the coming season, there will be many opportunities of seeing it, together with those remarkably successful specimens of Cyclamen culture which Mr. Holland is wont to exhibit ; a success which he mainly ascribes to giving the plant abundance of room, and not allow¬ ing the bulb to become too dry during its season of rest. 263 .Andrews . deL et Jith . ‘\5ncent J3rodks , imp Plate 263. ALLAMAKDA HENDERSONII. Few frequenters of the great Metropolitan shows can have failed to observe the very fine plants of Allamanda which are exhibited there by some of our leading plantsmen, the vigour of the foliage, and the bright clear yellow of these large and handsome flowers, always marking them out as objects of much interest. Beautiful, however, as they are when thus treated, it is not in such positions that they are seen to the best advantage, it is when trained along the rafters of a stove, and allowed free liberty to roam at will, that the beauties of the several varieties are seen. Allamanda cathartica and ScJwttn are the kinds most generally in cultivation ; and we have seen a beautiful effect in the stove produced by one of these varieties, and the glo¬ rious Stephanotis floribunda mingling together their flowers and foliage, the latter attracting as much by its delicious per¬ fume as by its pure white waxy “loo king flowers. None of the varieties of this remarkable family are, how¬ ever, at all to be compared with the very beautiful and striking flower which Mr. Andrews has so faithfully represented in our Plate. It was originally imported from Guiana by Messrs. A. Henderson and Co., of Pine Apple Place, from whom it was purchased by Mr. W. Bull, of Chelsea, and will be by him distributed during the present month. The description given of it by Mr. Bull is as follows : — “ Allamanda Hendersonii is the largest-flowered orange-yellow Allamanda known, lobes finely formed, immensely thick and wax-like, and tinged with brown on the reverse side. The plant begins to flower about the same time as the other Allamandas ; but, when once it com¬ mences, it possesses the excellent property of being continuous ; r* thus the blooming is prolonged throughout the season, so that it will be available for exhibition purposes, and as a free-grow¬ ing stove-climber unequalled. The habit is good, with excel¬ lent rich dark-green glossy foliage ; it has received two first- class certificates for its superior merit/’ distinctions which, in this case, we believe to be well deserved. 264 Plate 264. PICOTEES, MILTON. AND MBS. EISHEB. The complaint made some time since in the columns of one of our most influential gardening-papers, that the culture of Picotees and Carnations has rapidly declined of late years in the South of England, is unquestionably true ; nor is it diffi¬ cult to find the reason, for, independently of the fact that the rage for bedding-out plants is fatal to florists’ flowers, and, indeed, to many other branches of gardening, there is so much of care and trouble required in their cultivation, that when the stimulus of prizes is withheld, those who have grown them abandon their culture, and give their attention to other matters. When we state this, we do not mean to imply that they are difficult of cultivation (not one-tenth part so much so as the Auricula), but that they require patience and attention in a larger measure than the bedding-out system demands at the hands of its followers : unlike the Bose, too, they will flourish in the centre of a town, provided there be sunlight and air; indeed, two of the most successful growers we ever met with grew their flowers in a crowded part of the Irish metropolis. It were needless for us to enter into the details of their culti¬ vation, but simply to correct an error which many persons have fallen into, viz. that of growing them in very highly manured soil ; this has not only the effect of causing many of the flowers to run, but also to engender a highly artificial state of consti¬ tution, which becomes, after a time, fatal to them, — a less ex¬ citing compost, thoroughly sweetened and well exposed to the action of frost, being much more suitable for them. The only place in the neighbourhood of London where these beautiful flowers can now be seen in perfection Ch aides Turner’s, of the Royal Nursery, Slough. There, the most bril¬ liant colouring, and the most refined and delicate marking, are to be seen in the different classes of Picotees and Carnations ; from the former we have selected two new varieties for our illustration. Milton (Fig. 1) was raised by the Rev. C. Fellowes, of Shot- tesham Rectory, near Norwich, a name well known in the floricultural world. It is a flower of exquisite beauty, the ground a clear white, the petals large and well-formed, and the edge a broad lively purple, and strictly confined to the edge. Mrs. Fislier was raised by Mr. Taylor, of Oxford, and is a most beautiful light rose-edged flower of remarkable purity and delicacy of colouring; it is a fuller flower than Milton , but both are models in their respective classes ; they will ap¬ pear, we believe, in Mr. Turner’s Catalogue for the present autumn. - ■ .• . I J.Andrews , del.et iith.. llncent brooks, Imp . Plate 265. ZONALE GERANIUM, WILTSHIRE LASS. Nothing more is needed to show the great popularity of this tribe of plants than the production of the vast number of seed¬ ling flowers, of various degrees of merit, which are being con¬ tinually raised and brought into public notice. During the present season, Mr. Bull, of Chelsea, Messrs. F. and H. Smith, of Dulwich, Mr. George Smith, of Hornsey, Mr. Hally, of Blackheath, and other growers, have sent out a large number ; in fact, the lists are now being so much augmented, that they will, ere long, require considerable weeding out. We are con¬ vinced that no more desirable acquisition has been made than Wiltshire Lass , which we now figure. The pink-coloured flowers have always been favourites, — Christina , Eve, Charmer , Helen Lindsay , and others being much esteemed. We have seen another excellent addition to this class in Serena , which bids fair to be an excellent flower ; to this class Wiltshire Lass belongs, and has been greatly admired by all who saw it. It was exhibited by Mr. Keynes, of Salis¬ bury, at one of the meetings of the Floral Committee of the Royal Horticultural Society, where we saAv it ; it is thus de¬ scribed in the Transactions of the Society: — “One of the finest of the pink-flowered bedding varieties yet seen, remarkable not so much for the size of flower as for the size and completeness of truss ; the leaves were marked with a pale zone, the flowers were rosy-pink, the base of the upper petals white, and the trusses were remarkably large and dense, having the valuable property of retaining their blossoms for a long time in the truss. It will be a most valuable decorative variety. First certificate.” It has also received a first-class certificate from the Royal Botanic Society. Amongst the flowers in this section that we have seen during the present year, the following will, we think, be found valu¬ able : — Magnum Bonum (F. and H. Smith), orange-salmon, light eye ; Pre-eminent (F. and H. Smith), crimson-scarlet ; Premier (F. and H. Smith), velvety scarlet, white eye : Pev. PL. Pombrain (F. and H. Smith), rich cerise, tinted with lake ; Glow (F. and H. Smith), large and fine, deep rich scarlet ; Se¬ rena (Bull), light pink, large and fine ; Governor (Bull), rich scarlet, large flower; Manfred (Bull), brilliant scarlet, very large; Venus (Halley), beautifully formed, scarlet flower, with white eye, fine form, and beautiful dark, horse-shoe foliage, slightly tinted with brown ; Glory (George Smith), very large and fine flower, with fine truss, bright scarlet; and Princess (George Smith), fine orange-scarlet. We have only to add that Wiltshire Lass will be let out in May by Messrs. Downie, Laird, and Laing, of Stanstead Park, by whom the stock was purchased from Mr. Keynes, of Salis¬ bury. Plate 268. GLADIOLUS, SIX! JAMES CLARK. The past season has been a wonderful one for the Gladiolus. Where care was given to watering during the early part of the summer, when the weather was so dry, and the bulbs were not allowed to suffer for that cause, which they are very apt to do,— growers have been amply rewarded ; we have grown them ourselves for some years, but never had we such fine spikes of bloom, or less loss among the bulbs. The season was indeed a very early one ; when the Crystal Palace show took place on the 30th of August, we had very few blooms left, and when the Brighton show was held on the 14th of September, where we took first prize last year for twenty-four, we could not, had we tried our utmost, have cut six spikes of bloom. We had the opportunity of seeing, previous to their bloom¬ ing, a fine collection grown by Mr. J. F. Lombard, near Dublin; and, when in bloom, Mr. StandislTs large stock of his own seed¬ lings at Ascot, and we never saw them finer. The flower we figure is one of his seedlings, and is from a bloom in our own garden. There were four new varieties sent out by M. Souchet, of Fontainebleau, last season, and they are all flowers of first-rate quality. Madame Furtado is a beautiful flower, of the same style as Mr. Standish’s Eleanor Norman , figured by us last year, delicate French-white, striped and barred with rose ; Meyerbeer is a glowing brilliant scarlet, flamed with vermilion, and with amaranth red spots, — a noble spike ; Madame de Sevigne, clear rose, largely spotted, and lined with pure white, colour very fresh; Fulton , transparent vermilion-red, very lively, large dower, of magnificent colour, somewhat in the style of James Veitch; these are all excellent flowers. Amongst the newer kinds of Mr. Standish we noticed Miss Howell , light rose, pencilled with carmine, yellow throat ; Scottish Chief “, fine peach-striped, and spotted with carmine-purple feather on damask ; Lord Clyde , cerise-yellow throat, plum feathers ; Joseph Maston , fine scarlet; Sir James Clark is a beautiful, bright salmon-rose, with very deep scarlet feathers in the centre of the lower petals, and a scarlet spot in the throat ; it has a long, noble-looking spike, and is unquestionably a flower of great merit. The secret in growing Gladiolus is to dry the bulbs well, to give good rich soil, and to water freely in dry weather ; where these are attended to, we do not think much difficulty will be experienced in their growth ; and, although in some few in¬ stances we have seen symptoms of disease this season, yet we are inclined to think that a good deal of this results from want of care in drying off the bulbs. 267 J-Aadnews , deleb Jith . 15n.cent Brooks ,Imp . Plate 267. BIGNONIA ABGYREA VIOLESCENS. There can be little question that there is truth in the obser¬ vation that the fashion which is now extending in horticulture is chiefly running in the direction of fine foliaged plants ; “this commenced in the first instance with Ferns, British and exotic, until now it has extended in every direction, and plants with large leaves, metallic leaves, and, above all, variegated leaves, are now eagerly sought for and it has been said, “A species which would not be looked at for preserving the natural green of its foliage, became at once an object of interest for labour¬ ing under a kind of albinism, so as to make it appear mottled ; but white and green, and yellow and green, were not enough to cause beauty, the eye wanted more, and during the last few years the whole of the inhabited and uninhabited world has been searched for plants with leaves having more than two colours, if possible all those of the rainbow.” During the present year we had the pleasure of visiting M. Linden’s establishment at Brussels, and, from what we there saw, we are inclined to believe, that beautiful as are some of the foliaged plants which have been introduced by him, some that he has received and is receiving from his collector, M. Wallis, from the depths of the virgin forests of the High Ama¬ zon, will exceed in beauty anything that we have yet seen. Thus we know what a beautiful thing Maranta Veitchii is, but M. Linden has received one in which there is a broad, trans¬ parent band of glowing crimson, and has also one, which will be shortly introduced to the public, where the veins are of a bright, rich rose-colour. Amongst the latest introductions has been the plant we now’ figure ; it is a very pretty, ornamental stove-climber, introduced from South America. The leaves of this plant are very beau¬ tiful ; when young they are of a purplish-green, with the midrib and veins bordered on each side with bright violet-rose, and as they become matured, changing to a bright green ground¬ colour, with borders on each side of the midrib and veins of silvery whiteness, the colour of the under-surface being bright purple-crimson. It has been exhibited by Mr. W. Bull, of Chelsea, and obtained a first-class certificate from the Floral Committee of the Royal Horticultural Society. It succeeds under the ordinary treatment of stove-climbers, to which class of plants it will form an interesting addition. * -J 268 J -Andrews, dsletMi. ~Vm.cent Brooks, Imp Plate 268. AZALEA, PRINCESS ALEXANDRA. We have again hacl recourse to the Dorking Nursery, from whence so many good and valuable varieties of Azalea have emanated, for our illustration ; the very beautiful and distinct flower figured in our Plate being one of the seedlings of Messrs. Ivery and Son. We had this year the opportunity of comparing the style of growth adopted by the Belgian nurserymen, VerschafFelt, Van Geert, Van Houtte, and others, and comparing it with that of our English growers, and we found that the plants with a circular contour were cultivated in preference to those of a pyramidal form, and that their custom is to place the Azalea out-of-doors after it has done blooming, and there allow it to make its growth, having first carefully cut it all over, to induce young growth. This is quite different from our course, and very probably the difference in climate would prevent the ap¬ plication of the same plan here, our best growers never allow¬ ing theirs to be placed out-of-doors at all. As regards the shape of the plants, we are rather inclined to agree with the Belgians than with our own growers, although we should much prefer to see even a still more natural style of growth, — a point to which we believe we must be ultimately brought. With regard to new varieties, we have already noticed and figured in the Magazine in 1864 and in February of the pre¬ sent year, two fine varieties raised by the same grower, — For- get-me-not , a brilliant, glossy, reddish purple ; and Fascination , one of those beautifully mottled flowers in the style of Etoile die Gaud , etc. We have also seen one belonging to Mr. Bull, PiCine dies Pags-Bas, which promises to he a very attractive variety ; we have also heard Grande-JDucJiesse de Bade, an orange- scarlet, well spoken of; while the Stella and Vesuvius of Mr. James Veitch have been so often exhibited, that it is needless to speak of their merits. Princess Alexandra was raised by Mr. Ivery from a pod of seed gathered in 1861 off a large, light-coloured seedling (not named), impregnated with the pollen of Azalea Flower of the Pay. It partakes of the character of the latter flower in the remarkable substance of its petals; it is of moderate growth, with neat green foliage, the colour white, with beautiful pink stripes and bars ; it has only been exhibited once at the Crystal Palace show, in May of the present year, where it obtained a first-class certificate, and was admired by all who saw it. It will, we believe, be let out in the course of next autumn. J. Andrews, daLet liih.. Yincenl Brooks , Imp Plate 269. CATTLEYA EXONIENSIS. It was a bold thought to submit the aristocratic tribe of Orchids to the same process which had produced such wonder¬ ful results in the more common and easily-managed classes, known as florists’ flowers. And all honour be to Mr. Dominy, the intelligent foreman of Mr. Veitch, for the manner in which he carried out, so successfully and perseveringly, his plan. If he had done nothing else, this charming Orchid, which we now figure, is sufficient to attest his skill and success. Cattleya Exoniensis was raised more than ten years since by Mr. Dominy, from seeds raised from Cattleya Mossice , impreg¬ nated with Loelia purpurata, and successfully unites the beauties of these much-admired Orchids. It must surely have greatly rejoiced the hybridizer, when, after years of long and patient watching of the little seedlings, he saw the expanding of this lovely flower, proving so conclusively that it was possible to produce varieties by the hybridization of our loveliest Orchids. “ It proves to be an autumnal bloomer of fine sturdy and robust habit ; the stems are one-leaved, and the spathes one- or more flowered ; the sepal and petals vary in width, are of waxlike substance, and blush-coloured, the terminal half of the lip ranging from rosy-purple to a rich deep like crimson-maroon ; the lateral part of the lip is white, and sometimes with a large purple margin, and a central portion of yellow streaked with purple. It obtained a first-class certificate from the Eoyal Horticultural Society, in September, 1864.”* We would take this opportunity of referring to a new' Orchid-pot invented by Mr. Dominy, and which vve saw in successful operation at Mr. Veitch’s Nursery during the past * So Mr. Veitch kindlv writes to us. summer. It is made with a false bottom with bars, like an ordinary drain, and is most useful for growing epiphytal Or¬ chids, as it admits of the free circulation of air among the roots, which is of such great importance to epiphytal Orchids, and obviates the use of the objectionable potsherds for drain¬ ing, which tend so much to harbour insects and produce fungi. The false bottom fits into the Orchid-pot about two or three inches below the rim, the whole of the part underneath being open to the air. I 270-271. I J, Andrews , del. el ]ith . Vincent.’ Brooks, Imp . Plates 270, 271. NEW FUCHSIAS. In order to give a better illustration of the new Fuchsias which have been raised by our friend and neighbour Edward Banks, Esq., of Sholden, near Deal, the most successful hybridi¬ zer of this beautiful tribe of plants in England, w7e have given a double Plate, containing four of the best varieties of the pre¬ sent season, which will be let out in the ensuing spring by Messrs. E. G. Henderson and Son. While many strange sports have taken place in Fuchsias, and those with double corollas and white corollas have found favour with many, there are those who, like our friend, still mainly confine their attention to the more regular and normal style of flower, and it is hardly possible to conceive that much advance can be made on those which have been already raised. Yet w7e are warned against making any rash assertions on this point ; they have been so often made before, and have so often been showm to be fallacious, that it is impossible for us to say w7hat further advance may yet be made. We ventured the other day to make a somewhat similar remark to Mr. Hoyle, of Beading, as to his beautiful Pelargoniums, and he at once pointed out many particulars in which advance might be made, and w7e have in his set of this year a remarkable proof of the truth of this, his scarlet flower Charles Turner being the first of that colour that has been raised having a white throat,- — a feature which adds greatly to the beauty of the flower. Mr. Banks raises every year five or six thousand seedlings from carefully hybridized seed, and if, out of that number, he obtains eight or ten of first-rate quality, he is satisfied, but he is not content with one year’s trial ; he knows w7ell that seed¬ lings are oftentimes very fickle, and hence his first selections are tried over again a second time, and sometimes even a third year, so that none of the varieties sent out in the spring were raised later than 1864, and some of them in 1863. He thus ensures, as far as he can, that his name as a raiser is main¬ tained. Day Dream (Fig. 1) is a flower of remarkable size as to its corolla ; looking at it, one would almost fancy it to be a double-corolla’d flower, but this appearance entirely arises from the remarkably large petals, and their very great sub¬ stance ; the colour of the tube and sepals is bright crimson, and of the corolla, lavender with crimson base. Dizzy Hexliam (Fig. 2) is a beautifully symmetrical flower, the sepals recurved and beautifully formed ; the corolla, of a deep rich purple, very dark, with crimson feathering at the base ; altogether this is a very telling flower. Catherine Parr (Fig. 3) is a beautiful white- tubed flower, with bright crimson corolla, and very fine flower¬ ing; while Lacly Dumbello (Fig. 4) is a very large and bold-look- ing variety ; the tube and sepals crimson, the corolla very large, the petals of great substance, of a bright mauve colour, probably not so free-flowering as the others, but very remarkable in ap¬ pearance. Altogether we believe that these flowers will fully maintain the reputation of their distinguished raiser. The cultivators of Fuchsias would do well to try the effect of Standen’s manure* on those plants which they grow for exhi¬ bition ; we have tried it on other plants and have found its effects very beneficial, and we have heard that it is equally so with Fuchsias, giving great vigour to the plants and size to the flowers. # Sold in canisters by Barr and Sugden, King Street, Covent Garden. 272 J. Andrews , delet 1th.. ’VLncent Brooks, Imp Plate 272. STAURANTHERA GRANDIFLORA. Free-blooming stove plants are always a desideratum ; the expense of maintaining a stove being always so much greater, that it generally occupies a smaller place in the establishment than the greenhouse and the conservatory ; so that, when plants will only flower when in a large state, they become com¬ paratively useless to those who are compelled to be contented wTith a small stove, and hence the plant wre now figure w7ill be found valuable for that purpose. The search for novelties continues unabated; and from all parts of the world not only we, but our friends on the Con¬ tinent, are receiving continually additions to their already abundant store, and it would seem almost as if there would soon be nothing to be reported as new ; and yet there are, doubtless, many parts unexplored. May we not believe that the central portions of South America — those parts watered by the Amazon — contain many an unknown flower \ in fact, Mr. Linden’s collector, Mr. Wallis, is proving that by the re¬ markably fine things he is sending home ; then, Madagascar, notwithstanding what Mr. Ellis has done, doubtless contains many good plants; and Angrcecum sesquipeclale and Ouviran- dra fenestralis are, perhaps, only instalments of still finer things in store for us. The interior of China and Central Asia may yet afford us valuable additions; and even Japan, not¬ withstanding Mr. Veitch and Mr. Fortune, may still further enrich us. Mr. H. J. G. Veitch has shown us that Australia has still other stores to yield us ; and that enterprising tra¬ veller will, no doubt, add more discoveries to his already nu¬ merous ones ; and then, when we see that even in nature various forms of old plants are constantly making their appear- ance, and that even Orchids are submitting to the skill and energy of the hybridizer, as our present number testifies, we do not think that there is any need for us to fear “ the sup¬ plies will be stopped.” Stauranthera grandiflora is a native of Moulmein (from whence it has been recently introduced), with large glabrous leaves ; the flowers are of a delicate light blue, with which the bright yellow throat contrasts remarkably well, blooming freely on small plants : it has been introduced to England by Mr. W. Bull, of Chelsea. V 273 J. Andrews, (tel. et Ith. ~SFinc ent Broo"ks,Txnp Plate 273. SWAINSONIA MAGNIMCA. New Holland, so rich in flowers belonging to the class to which Swainsonia belongs, has already contributed some very beautiful plants of this genus, one of which we figured in our former volume (p. 106), and we have now the pleasure of adding this very delicate and bright-coloured species to our illustra¬ tions ; for the opportunity of doing so, we are indebted to Mr. B. S. Williams, of the Victoria Nursery, Holloway. The seeds of Swainsonia magnified were received by Mr. Williams from Australia with some other miscellaneous seeds, and first flowered with him in 1863. It was then considered sufficiently good to merit a further trial ; and when it flowered in 1864, proved to be quite distinct from any other Swainsonia known. “ The flowers are large as Clianthus magnificus, while the soft graceful growth of the Swainsonia adds greatly to its beauty. It produces its long pendent racemes of delicate bright-coloured pink flowers very abundantly, and is well adapted for a cool greenhouse, either grown as a specimen plant, or planted out in a border for pillars and trellis- work.” When grown from seed, it is better to soak the seeds slightly in warm water, if they have been kept any time ; but if sown as soon as ripe, this will be unnecessary; they should be placed either in a stove or slight hotbed. The soil which is best suited to these young plants (which should be potted off as soon as sufficiently strong for the purpose) is half-fibrous loam and half peat, together with a good proportion of silver sand. We think that there can be but little doubt that the Swainsonias, and many of these Australian plants, would suc¬ ceed in some of the sheltered nooks of Devonshire and Corn¬ wall in the open air, against a south wall, as we have seen many of them growing and flowering freely at Angers, in France ; and if, as we are told, Banksia , and such-like plants, succeed there, why should not the Australian climbers also ? There is no doubt that the increased desire to obtain effect in our gardens wrill contribute to such results. * 274 J. Andrews, del.etlith Vincent 3 r o aks, Imp Plate 274 CLIANTHUS DAMPIERI, var. MARGIN AT A. There are few flowers which make a more striking appear¬ ance than the beautiful Clianthus Damjpierii , and wTe can well remember how much it was admired when exhibited by the Messrs. Veitch, at St. James’s Hall, in the year 1858 ; its sin¬ gular shape, bright glowing colour, and dark boss, giving it a most remarkable appearance. The plant itself is by no means a novelty, having been discovered in 1699, by Dampier (after whom it was named), in the dry sandy islands of Dampier’s Archipelago, N orth-West Australia ; but it had not adapted itself to the culture that it received, and so had all the charm of novelty when it was then exhibited. Pew persons who have visited the well-known establishment of Messrs. E. G. Henderson and Son, but could fail to admire the beautiful plants which were and are still grown in one of their long light pits, and would find it difficult to decide be¬ tween the claims of this plant and Lapageria rosea , which was grown in the same house ; it is impatient of damp, and requires careful management during the winter months, and is best treated as a biennial. It is to the Messrs. Henderson that we are also indebted for this new variety, which, if it at all corresponds with the Plate,* will be as great an addition as is the white variety of Lapageria ; but as they regard it now as almost as sportive as a florist’s flower, they will not, we believe, guarantee that * Several gentlemen who have seen the drawing, and have at one time or other resided in Australia, have recognized the plant as one well known to them, and greatly admired in the colony ; so that we have every likelihood of seeing not only this, but other beautiful varieties, produced from the imported seed which the Messrs. Henderson are sending out. it will come true, and of this we can only of course judge by time ; in cultivation it will be found to succeed by the same method of treatment as the older variety, and is best planted out in a light and airy situation, no place suiting it better than such a pit as it is grown in by the Messrs. Henderson. 27 5 J.Axidrewg, del etlith.. Vincent "Brooks, Imp. Plate 275. NEW STRIPED VERBENAS. When we figured some time ago (p. 195) some of the new Italian Verbenas, which had then made their appearance from the Continent, we ventured to say, that although they were themselves very deficient in shape, and what gardeners call 44 weedy ” in growth, that they would be found most valua¬ ble as the parents and precursors of a new race of striped flowers ; the flowers which we now figure from the collection of Mr. Bull, are an evidence of the faith of our anticipations. Every season a large number of Verbenas are brought for¬ ward by various raisers, but very few of them are improvements on those we already have ; and indeed for bedding varieties and general effect, we are obliged to use flowers that have been many years in growth ; such sorts as Geant cles Bat allies ^ Lord Raglan , Nemesis , Purple King , and others, being still unsur¬ passed. It is not likely that such flowers as those we now figure will be serviceable as bedding plants ; for, as a rule, two- coloured flowrers, even those where only the eye is of a diffe¬ rent colour, do not succeed so well as those which are self- coloured or nearly so ; but for exhibition, and in contrast with the self-coloured varieties, they will be found, we imagine, very useful. The varieties here figured are Beautiful (Pig. 1), white, very clearly blotched, flaked and striped with purple, good shape, an exceedingly handsome variety. Carnation (Fig. 2), pure white, flaked with rich deep crimson, and striped with rose almost like a carnation ; the truss is large and good. Fascina¬ tion (Fig. 3), white, beautifully striped and blotched with dark crimson, also striped with violet-rose and carmine ; good truss, flowers large and finely formed. The first of these flowers being striped with two colours, gives them a new place amongst Ver¬ benas, and leads us to anticipate further improvements. In addition to these figured, Mr. Bull has Painter , a lavender- coloured flower, shaded with purple, and striped and flaked with violet-crimson. These will be all let out next spring. 276 J. Andrews, del. et Jith.. Vincent Brooks, Imp. Plate 276. PRIMULA CORTUSOEDES AM (ENA, var. ALBA. This is another of the very beautiful varieties of Primula for which we are indebted to the enterprise of Mr. Veitch,* it having been sent home by his son, Mr. J. Gould Veitch, from Japan, of which island it is supposed, by some, to be a native ; but in the c Botanical Magazine,’ where the dark-coloured variety is figured (t. 5528), the late Sir William Hooker says, after mentioning that Dr. Asa Gray, in his collections of Williams and Thomson, gives it as an inhabitant of Simoda, adds, — “ but as we have never received it in any of the nume¬ rous collections of specimens we have received from Japan, is it not likely, since the Japanese are great gardeners, they may have imported it from Siberia, as they appear to have done with Primula sinensis ? The variety there referred to we have ourselves figured (p. 249); and there can be no doubt that the estimate formed of it by Sir W. Hooker is correct, “ that it is a great acquisition to European gardens;” and we think the same may be said of that which we now figure. The flowers are somewhat pendulous, and thereby display the beautiful magenta-coloured under-surface of the petals, which are themselves white. The plant is of very easy cultivation ; indeed, we have seen it re¬ commended as desirable for open-sheltered places in the open border, either in or out of pots ; “ if in pots, they should be only plunged during their period of bloom ; and when done blooming they should be removed to an east or open border, where they will not receive much sun from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. This is a good place to grow them in, namely, a cool border, * Owing to the smallness of the stock, we are informed that this plant cannot be distributed for some time. 3 . t where they may receive the morning sun before it becomes too hot for them ; the subsoil to be well drained, and a compost of leafy loam, and well-decayed leaf-mould or peat, in equal parts, to be used.”* We have had one of the varieties of double Primroses, let out by Messrs. Smith, of Dulwich, in bloom for now nearly twelve months, and with every prospect of its continuing to bloom throughout the winter. This continuous flowering pro¬ perty is very important, and considerably adds to the value of the plants, which are meritorious also in other points of view. * Mr. Abbey, in ‘Journal of Horticulture.’ - 277. .Andrews, del- el lith Plate 277. AUCUBA JAPONICA VAEIEGATA. It may surprise some of our readers, perhaps, to see so old and common a shrub as the common Aucuba represented in our pages ; but we have felt that the value of the discovery of the male plant by Mr. R. Fortune, and its consequent intro¬ duction to this country, through Mr. J. Standish, is best repre¬ sented by the effect likely to be produced when it becomes common ; and so, instead of giving a representation of one of the many plain and variegated-leaved varieties which have been recently introduced, we have figured the common varie¬ gated variety in fruit. We extract from the Journal of Horticulture the following notice: — 44 Few plants, if any, have received such unanimous and well-merited approbation as the specimen of Aucuba Ja¬ ponica vera , exhibited by Mr. Standish. It has been the only new plant of the year which has been signalized by having the Society’s Silver Flora Medal awarded to it. At the time when V this fruit-bearing Aucuba (it being a female plant) was intro¬ duced, the stamen-bearing, or male plant, was brought with it, by the fertilizing powers of which we were, in due time, pro¬ mised to be able to make the well-known Aucuba Japonica variegata a fruit- or berry-bearing plant. The time is not far distant when the male, or pollen-bearing plant, of this shrub will be attainable by all ; but, at present, few only possess it, the value being so great, and the stock so limited ; in the meantime, we may anticipate the privilege of seeing these shrubs, which grow so luxuriantly in every situation in this country, covered at Christmas (a rival with our truly-loved English Flolly) with brilliant scarlet berries.” Being much struck with some bushes of these at Mr. W. Bull’s some time ago, we determined to give a plate of it rather than of one of the newer kinds. We question if any variegated will he prettier or more constant than the old one. Amongst the newer varieties which we have seen at Mr. Bull’s, and introduced by Dr. Yon Siebold, we may enumerate of the female variety A. fcemina elegans , Iciti folia , variegata , macrophyllci ; and of the male plant, angustata , bicolor , and maculata. We anticipate quite a change in the aspect of our shrubberies when these plants come to be extensively grown. , / .j.^-r.are'.ys.cei.' Plate 278. VERBENA, REALLY BLUE. There are two classes of persons for whom the raisers of Verbenas endeavour to cater ; those who require them for exhibition, and those who only need them for bedding pur¬ poses. A variety may be, and very often is, suitable for both ; but really show dowers do not, as a rule, make the best plants for out-of-door work. Of the many beautiful varieties raised and exhibited by Mr. Perry, of Castle Bromwich, near Birming¬ ham, few are valuable for out-of-door work ; nor can blooms, such as he produces, be obtained except from pot-plants. He used formerly to grow them in frames ; but even that, he in¬ formed us, interfered with the cleanliness of the bloom, so that now he only grows them in pots. Amongst bedding Verbenas Purple King is the typical plant ; and the attempt of raisers of seedlings has been (although, as yet, unsuccessfully) to obtain the same dwarf habit and free¬ dom of bloom in other colours that it presents as a purple dower ; while another object eagerly sought after has been to obtain a th o r ought v blue dower. There are several which are so called, such as Mrs. Moore , Garibaldi , Blue Bonnet , etc. etc. ; but they are either not blue, or their habit is such as to pre¬ vent their being of any service as bedding plants ; but in the Verbena, which we now dgure, Mr. Bull, of Chelsea, believes he has supplied this long-felt want, for his description of it is as follows: — “ This unique and interesting variety supplies the long-felt desideratum amongst bedding Verbenas, viz. a really blue variety. This is not only of a rich blue colour, but its habit is free, close, and compact, just such as a Verbena ought to be ; it will, therefore, be very valuable for that purpose, as well as for ribbon ornamentation, and all out-of-door decora¬ tion.” The great variety in colour in bedding flowers, and the great improvement in habit and form of flowers, has led to the ex¬ clusion of Verbenas of the same shade; but in such colours as these there can be no substitute, and we are therefore glad to welcome what seems to be so valuable an addition. We have only to add that it will be let out by Mr. Bull in April. 279 Plate 279. CHRYSANTHEMUMS, IONA AND JOHN SALTER. Among the autumnal sights of London there is not one that the lover of beautiful flowers more values than Mr. Salter’s exhibition of Chrysanthemums in his winter garden at Ham¬ mersmith. We must confess ourselves to indifference to Chrys- anthemum shows. We do not care about the huge cut-flowers which have been twisted, and dressed, and fattened until, like the prize cattle, the real and ordinary character of the subject is lost ; nor do we care for the exceedingly carefully grown plants exhibited, — there is a want of brightness in colour which, in the dull murky days of November, tell very much against their effect when massed together in this way ; but in Mr. Salter’s garden the light and airy character of the house, the charming manner in which they are grouped, and the novelty of sorts, all combine to make it a place of great interest to the florist. We have selected from those which we saw at Mr. Salter’s last November, the two forming our Plate, as being the most distinct. Mr. Salter has other fine sorts, which he has selected from several hundred seedlings for distribution in April. Amongst the varieties of last year which have proved to be excellent additions to our already large lot of good varieties, we may mention Blanche of Castile , pure white incurved flower ; Golden Ball , bright orange with golden back (figured by us last year); Lady Carey , large lilac; Mr. Brim lees, large Indian red, with gold tips ; Mr. Wynes. violet-puce incurved ; Mr. Kaimes , transparent blush incurved ; Prince of Wales , dark purple-violet, with lighter shade, beautifully incurved ; Sam Weller. Indian red with golden tips ; Venus , large delicate lilac-peach (figured by us last year) ; and Virgin Queen , pure snow-white. Amongst the Chrysanthemums to be let out this season there are, besides the above, Crimson Velvet :, glaring dark-crimson ; Fair Margaret , pale rose-anemone ; Gloria Mundi , seedling of Jar din des Plantes , and an improvement on that fine flower ; Golden Beverley , a fine canary sport of white Beverley; Hereward , fine purple and silvery back ; Lady Palmerston , fine large prim¬ rose ; Sabina , straw, white and yellow centre ; Mozart , dark red, bronze and gold ; Countess of Granville , white, very deep and full. Of the varieties figured in our Plate, Iona (Fig. 1) is a beau¬ tifully rich-coloured flower, bright golden flower, well filled up to the centre, without any artificial dressing. John Salter (Fig. 2) is a rich bright orange, of very large size, and well meriting the name it bears ; the petals are backed with Indian red, and are larger than in Iona, the flower altogether being one of the finest ever raised. H 280. J. Andrews, del .etlith . Yincent brooks, Imp. Plate 280. CALANTHE YEITGHII. We figured, a short time since, one of the most beautiful of Mr. Dominy’s results in the hybridizing of Orchids — for Cattleya Exoniensis may certainly lay claim to such a title ; we now have the pleasure of adding another, which, if pos- sible, is still more interesting, as combining so thoroughly the properties of both parents. 44 It forms a tuft of flower-stems one foot and a half in length, loaded with blossoms of the richest rose-colour, of dif¬ ferent degrees of intensity. Mr. Dominy produced it in the Nursery of Messrs. Yeitch and Sons, of Exeter, by fertilizing Limatocles rosea , a rich rose-coloured beautiful Indian Orchid, with that variety of the white Calanthe vestita , which has a deep purple spot at the base of the lip. The result has been most curious : the hybrid, although completely intermediate between the two parents, yet shows a greater tendency to its mother than to its father ; of the father it has exactly the manner of growth, and the peculiar four-lobed lip ; but it has the rich colour of its mother, and some other peculiarities of her lip, along with an entire correspondence in form with her column.”* When we had the opportunity of seeing this very lovely plant at Mr. Yeitch’s, it was in the cold dreary month of November, and the fact of its being a winter-flowering Orchid gives greatly-increased interest to it. Amongst the properties of Limatocles rosea shared by C. Yeitchii , is that of the flower- stem lengthening as the bloom expands, so that frequently it forms one of three or four feet in length. As the flowers at * ‘ Gardeners' Chronicle,’ quoted in Botanical Magazine. the base die away, fresh buds are formed at the tip, so that the period of blooming is greatly prolonged. This adds another advantage to the beautiful tribe of Orchids, that many of them remain so long in bloom ; and as their cultivation is now better understood, their value and interest in this respect will be more appreciated, for no one can see the very beautiful groups of Orchids in any of our great plant establishments without admiring their singularity of form, richness of colour, and, in many instances, their delicate perfume. Plate 281. SPHACELE OffiRTJLEA. During the last autumn, Mr. Bull, of Chelsea, had in his establishment a plant which attracted the attention of all who visited it, it was so profusely covered with bloom, and was evidently so free in habit and so easily managed ; although only in an 8-inch pot, it had thirty-seven spikes of bloom on it of a delicate lavender blue, and believing it to be likely from its character and season of blooming to be a useful plant, we have figured it in our present Plate. The demand for flowers for decorative purposes, both for drawing rooms and also for bouquets, is now so great, that it is almost impossible to keep pace with it, and a curious state¬ ment appears in a late number of the 4 Revue Horticole,’ of the clever manner in which turnips and beet-roots are made to do duty as Camellias in the Paris markets. In London the demand is continuous, although reaching its height in the season from Easter to the end of June, when fortunately flowers are more plentiful ; but at Brighton, where the season is from October to Christmas, it requires a great deal of ingenuity to adapt the different flowers to that season for blooming, and we were much struck some years ago with the manner in which the Brighton nurserymen were able to cater for the demand of their customers both in fruit and flowers. For all such purposes, we cannot doubt that this plant will be found very useful, especially for its colour; it is easy to get flowers of different shades of red, pink, crimson, etc., but blue flowers are more scarce. Mr. Bull says of it, that it is a useful winter-blooming plant. It is soft-wooded, with thick ovate serrated foliage, and if cultivated in a warm greenhouse, pro- duces its pretty blue flowers all through the winter in the most abundant manner.” Sphacele cceruleci is amongst the new plants introduced by Mr. Bull during the present season, and to him we~are indebted for the opportunity of figuring it. Plate 282. NERINE FOTHERGILLII. Although our object is to introduce new plants and dowers to our readers in each of the various departments of horti¬ culture, there are times when we think it well to remind them, that in the search for novelties and love of new things, there are oftentimes some of very old date which have been so utterly neglected and put on one side, and yet which are of such excellence, that it is worth while now and then to bring them into notice, and it may be into favour. Amongst these we must number the beautiful tribe of Nerines, and having recently met with examples of the old and favourite bulb, A. Fothergillii , which exhibited some departure in colour from their normal condition, we have thought it well to figure it, certainly not as a novelty, but as an interesting decorative plant which ought to receive more attention than it has met with. That Cape bulbs, as they are generally called, should have been so little cultivated of late years, does not speak well for the taste of our horticulturists. The gorgeously beautiful tribe of Amaryllids are much more in favour on the Continent than they are with us, and we saw last summer, at M. Louis Van Houtte’s, at Ghent, tens of thousands of these lovely flowers in every state of progress, and heard from him, that they are very much in request in France and Germany. Col¬ lections are sometimes exhibited by Mr. Parker, of Tooting, and Mr. Cutbush, of Highgate, but as a rule, they are very unfrequently seen. At one of the floral meetings of the Royal Horticultural Society in September last, Messrs. Paul, of Cheshunt, exhibited a collection of this very bulb, and the remark was then made that it was a great pity that it was not more generally cultivated, Then how gracefully delicate is the pretty Nerine undid ata, remaining as it does so long in bloom, and at a season of the year when flowers are scarce. Nerine coruscans and its improved variety corusccms major are also very beautiful, while, when we diverge into the Brunsvigias, we have in such as Brunsvigia Josephince the very king or queen of bulbs. We hope, then, that our figuring of this old flower may induce some to commence the growth of a tribe which affords great variety of character and colour. J 283 Plate 283. MARANTA ROSEA-PICTA, Lind. We have great pleasure in bringing under the notice of our friends, and the horticultural world generally, a plant which, even amongst the striking tribe to which it belongs, will, when introduced amongst us, be a general favourite. It is at pre¬ sent unknown here ; but in the course of a few months will be found, doubtless, in every extensive collection of fine foliaged plants. During last summer, when paying a visit to M. Linden, the celebrated botanical collector, and at present Curator of the Jcirdin Loyal de Zoologie of Brussels, we were very much struck with some treasures of rare beauty and novelty which he had received from his zealous and indefatigable collector, M. Wallis, from the region of the Amazon in South America, whose virgin forests are now enriching with their treasures the horticultural collections of Europe. We were particularly struck with the appearance of two Marantas, different, indeed, in their character, but each in their way equally remarkable ; and through the kind permission of M. Linden, we are enabled to figure one now, and hope to figure Maranta illustris next month. We were also furnished by M. Linden with the fol¬ lowing memorandum concerning the subject of our Plate: — “Maranta Bosea-'picta was discovered in October, 1864, in the equatorial regions of the High Amazon, between Loreta and Xquitos, by my zealous and indefatigable collector M. Gustave Wallis. Its introduction into my establishment took place in the month of January, 1865 ; and in the following April the first plant was exhibited at the International Exhibition of Amster¬ dam, and was the object of general admiration, and contributed much to the success obtained by my group of twelve new plants.” The leaves of this exquisite variety are of a beautiful rich glossy green. The midrib is of a lovely rose-colour, and two irregular bands of the same colour run up each side of the leaf, midway between the midrib and edge of the leaf. This colour is brighter in the younger leaves ; as figured, they are about the size of nature, although probably, like M. Veitchii and others, they will become more largely developed by successful cultivation. We believe it is the intention of M. Linden to exhibit it at the Great International Exhibition to be held in London in May, after which it will be distributed. We have only been able to figure separate leaves, and not to give the whole plant. ,-sr * s„.. . .... i v ,s c LW /:‘f '^.4- ^., t—**?? :- y^i ”s *- 'n ' - -'ft *''H ■:*?-• - S' : ' ' A'flSfc ■ • '•*•. 4fr%jf£: i - \J^%. '"■ > "*i> tCj^, ,'I ^ r 74.^. V4< ^ \--"\ Plate 284. POMPON CHRYSANTHEMUMS, EAIRY NYMPH, ROSE D’ AMOUR, AND TORERIDA. The forthcoming novelties that Mr. Salter is about to in¬ troduce to Chrysanthemum growers comprise more of the beautiful class of Pompons than for some few years past he has been able to bring out, and from amongst them we have selected those which we believe will be found to be great acquisitions. In his valuable work on the Chrysanthemum, Mr. Salter says : — “ The great beauty of a Pompon consists not only in fine foliage and good habit, but in a multiplicity of bright, distinct, and well-formed flowers. In growing specimen Pompons for show, exhibitors usually train their plants into a shape which will, at a glance, present the largest amount of bloom, namely, a flat or slightly convex surface ; but however advantageous this plan may be for the purpose, it is not by any means the most elegant, for the more we can retain the natural growth of any plant, the greater will be its beauty.” “It is not neces¬ sary,” he adds, “ that disbudding should be carried to the same extent as with the larger varieties ; the top bud must always remain, but those belowT only require judicious thinning. Liquid manure should be used, and its strength increased until the buds are fully formed, when it must be entirely discon¬ tinued. To prevent any injury from early frosts, it is always advisable to put the plants into pits in October, giving them air whenever the weather is fine. Syringing in the evening will improve the foliage, but must be discontinued as soon as the blossoms expand. It will sometimes be necessary to shade the blooms from the sun, otherwise the brightness of the colours runs the risk of being impaired.” Of the varieties figured, all of which we had the opportunity of seeing in bloom at Mr. Salter’s Nursery, Fairy Nymph (Fig. 1) is a clear, full-sized white Pompon, of fine form, and very free- blooming habit. Bose cT Amour (Fig. 2) is a beautiful clear rose, base of the petals white, and in form and substance every¬ thing that can be desired. Torfrida (Fig. 3) is a bright golden amber, very full, and rich in colour. All of these will, we have no doubt, prove to be general favourites, and will supersede older varieties of the same style. Besides these, Mr. Salter will send out Coquette , Grace Balding, Innocence , Little Beauty, Marie Stuart , Prince Victor , and Sidonie . / 285 Plate 285. EPIPHYLLTJM TRUNCATUM ELEGANS. Amongst those plants which have been forced to give way to the rage for novelties, and to the exigencies of providing room for bedding-out plants in small establishments, Cacti of various sorts may be enumerated. In our younger days, we remember when they were the almost necessary adjunct of every warm greenhouse ; and even now, on the Continent, where the modern system of gardening does not so much pre¬ vail, they are much more largely cultivated. Me have our¬ selves seen, at some of their exhibitions, collections containing from 100 to 150 species, attracting considerable attention. It is true that prizes have been for many years offered for Cacti at our great exhibitions ; but the mistake has, we think, been made of regarding more the size of the plants than the number of varieties, and consequently very little attention has been paid to them ; whereas, had a larger number of their very curious forms been constantly brought before the public, we doubt not they would have been much more appreciated. Amongst the sorts most in vogue on the Continent, the va¬ rious varieties of truncatum are perhaps in as great favour as any, and, formed into standards, they are admirable plants for table decoration, the heads drooping gracefully down, co¬ vered with their brilliant scarlet flowers. One of the newest of this class is Epiphyttum truncatum tricolor , figured in our present Plate, and sent out from the establishment of Mr. V\7. Bull, Chelsea. The blossoms are of a brilliant orange-red, having the centre of a rich purple, and being in all respects, perhaps, the very best of its class ever sent out. It has re¬ ceived the highest award that can be made to a new plant, and is a most desirable acquisition to our winter-blooming plants. In order to give, more clearly, a representation of the bloom, our artist has represented one of the branches in a semi-erect position ; but the plant has the drooping charac- racter of the class. 286 tl Andrews, dei.et IltIl "Vincent Broaksjntp. Plate 286. PELARGONIUM PELTATUM ELEGANS. While the efforts of the hybridizer have been devoted to every class of Geranium, with results of which we are now reaping such solid advantages in the vast improvement that has taken place in them all ; the popular class, with ivy-leaved foliage, has not been altogether overlooked, and, in the variety now figured, Messrs. E. G. Henderson and Son have obtained a very decided improvement. It is difficult to say where the improvements being made in the Geranium are likely to stop ; the foliage has been in one direction so altered, the flowers so increased in size, shape, and brilliancy, and so many new tints are being obtained, that it would almost seem as if we might rely on the Geranium alone for the ornamentation of our gardens during the summer months; at any rate, there is no doubt that they are being, in many places, much substituted for the Verbena; their vigour of growth, and persistency of bloom, but little affected by wet or wind, giving them a precedence in these respects which, in our variable climate, is no slight recommendation. The Ivy-leaved Geraniums, from their trailing habit, have been generally used for vases and the edging of beds ; but the insignificance of the flowers has greatly detracted from their value. It will be seen by our drawing that this has been, in a great measure, overcome, and that the flowers of this new variety, although not equalling those of the Zonale section, are attaining a far greater size than at one time was considered possible. Pelargonium 'peltatum elegans has very thick fleshy foliage, distinctly ivy-leaved, the leaves being marked with deep green at the edges, and with a dark spot in the centre ; the flowers are of a delicate bright pink, freely produced, and attractive in appearance. Its habit is more like P. scutatum in its trailing character, and forming a fine contrast with that which is remarkable for its conspicuous white blossoms. The constitution of the plant is good, requiring the ordinary treat¬ ment of the ivy-leaved varieties. 28 7. J.Andrews.del.etlith. 'Vincent Brooks, Imp Plate 287. MARANTA ILLUSTRIS. In accordance with the promise made in our last number, we present now an illustration of the second of the two re¬ markable Marantas introduced recently by Mr. Linden from South America ; and in Maranta illustris will be found, we think, a formidable rival to the many remarkable plants be¬ longing to this family. In a communication received from M. Linden, he informs us that Maranta illustris was discovered at the same time as Maranta roseo-picta* by M. Wallis, in that part of the regions of the High Amazons belonging to the Republic of Ecuador. We mention this, because the term employed by us last month is liable to misapprehension, equatorial being applicable to the whole region. It was sent home at the same time, and will be exhibited by him at the International Exhibition in May. At the same time that the leaves were forwarded to our artist, M. Linden was good enough to send also a tracing made by M. Wallis on the spot, giving the natural size of the leaves; but the size of our Plate has compelled us to reduce the drawing, and the leaves now figured are one-third less than the natural size ; the colour of the leaves is a brilliant bright pea-green, marked with transverse bands of a deeper shade of green, sometimes reaching down to the midrib. This latter is of a pale rosy tint, while two irregular zigzag bands of yel¬ lowish white commence at the base of the leaf, continuing one * In reference to our last Plate, M. Linden says, u Jlf. roseo-pictci (as he prefers it to rose a picta) is beautifully executed ; but the bands extend quite to the extremity of the leaf; doubtless,” he adds, “in the leaves sent to Mr. Andrews they were not as well marked as in some others.” oil each side of the disk, until they again meet nearly at the extremity of the leaf, giving it a most remarkable appearance. The reverse of the leaves is of a purplish-maroon tint, not showing, as in some of the species, the banding through, but being of an uniform tint. Doubtless, from the size of the leaves, and also from the vigour of the plants, which we saw at M. Linden’s establishment, it will prove to be a robust-grow¬ ing plant. J . Andrews, del.etlitH- "Vincent Brooks. Imp Plate 288. PRIMULA, KERMESINA PLENA. AND QUEEN OE ENGLAND. When some years ago we figured two of the new species of double Primulas, we expressed a hope that we were on the eve of a revolution in these flowers, and that, useful as were the single varieties of fringed Primula, the double ones would be much more so. To a certain extent this has been true, although, in other points, some disappointment has taken place. We are indebted to the same firm from which we re¬ ceived our former subjects (Messrs. F. and A. Smith, of Dul¬ wich) for those forming the present Plate; and it will be seen, on referring to our former one, that there is a considerable improvement in the size and shape of the flowers. Of the advantages afforded by these new double varieties, we may mention their greatly lengthened period of blooming ; for we have had plants of Fairy and Candidissima in flower for nine or ten months ; while the points in which disappointment has taken place are, that they do not seed nearly so freely as the single varieties, so that Messrs. Windebank and Kings¬ bury, of Southampton, who were the originators of these new varieties, had great difficulty in supplying the orders that poured in upon them ; while, we fear, it is a fact that the more colour there is in the flowers the greater the difficulty of keeping the plants. This may probably be remedied by some fresh hybridization ; but there is no doubt that these dis¬ advantages considerably detract from the great value of the plant. We saw the very beautiful varieties now figured at Messrs. Smith’s nursery during the winter, where also one house was entirely filled with blooming plants of the older varieties men¬ tioned above, thus showing their great value for bouquets at a time when flowers are scarce. Kermesina plena (Fig. 1) is a beautiful large double flower, of a rosy-carmine tint, showing a fine head of bloom; while Queen of England (Fig. 2) is a de¬ licate white, with a soft blush tinge suffused through it. We may mention that we have also seen double flowers of the fern-leaved varieties, which will probably prove useful ad¬ ditions to the class. . i iirtfc m Plate 289. TACSONIA VAN VOLXEMI. When we can say of a new greenhouse creeper that it bids fair to rival, if not surpass, the lovely Lapageria rosea , we are perhaps giving it the very highest praise it is in our power to offer, and this may safely, we think, be said of the very beau¬ tiful flower which we now figure, and for which we are in¬ debted to Mr. Prince, of the Exeter Nursery, and we cannot do better than give his description of their treatment of it. “ Our plant, which is now twenty feet long, with numerous branches, is growing in a mixture of rough peat, loam, and coarse sand, with abundance of drainage, and plenty of pieces of broken brickbats, crocks, sandstone and old lime rubble mixed in with the soil. Occasional syringing and copious sup¬ plies of water to the roots during the summer and autumn pro¬ mote luxuriant growth. It may be requisite now and then to cut back vigorous shoots which have flowered, in order to bring up fresh flowering stems. From the pendent position of the flowers, it is obvious that this beautiful climber can be seen to better advantage trained to a rafter on the roof of the con¬ servatory than if put against a wall. I have alluded to its comparative hardiness, in support of which, and in addition to the general lowness of the temperature of our show-house, I may say, in conclusion, that we had a plant of it growing luxu¬ riantly on an eastern wall out of doors all last summer and autumn.” The flowers of this beautiful creeper are nearly five inches across. The colour of the sepals and petals, of which there are five each, is a brilliant carmine-crimson. The tube is white, surrounded by a blackish-purple ring ; the stamens and pistils protrude from this for two and a half to three inches. These flowers are suspended on long slender footstalks, about a foot in length, so that they hang clear from the foliage, and are described as having the appearance of brilliant parachutes suspended in the air. M. Van Yolxem, who brought it from New Granada to Eu¬ rope, says that the thermometer often descends in those regions to freezing-point, and hence it might seem, coupled with Mr. Prince’s statement, as if it would succeed well in a cool greenhouse ; but it is well to add that a writer in one of our contemporaries, who has grown it successfully for two years, questions whether this holds good, except in such a climate as Devonshire, and describes his experience with it, stating that it has flourished best with him in a temperature of from 50° to 55° at night, and on sunny days 10° higher, during the past winter. Wherever it does succeed it will prove a most valuable acquisition. 290. j . Andrews . del . et litti . "Vincent Brooks, imp. Plate 290. BOSE, BLACK PBINCE. {Wm. Paul.) For the subject of this Plate we are indebted to Mr. Wm. Paul, of Waltham Cross, Herts. It is one of a series of novel¬ ties raised or introduced by him, of which Dr. Lindley , Glory of Waltham , Elisabeth Vigneron , Prince of Wales , Lord Herbert, Lord Macaulay , Beauty of Waltham, etc., were the precursors. Some of these varieties having been for some years before the public are already well known, and the most recent are gene¬ rally admitted to compare favourably with the best varieties of French origin ; indeed our English Pose-growers seem deter¬ mined that their neighbours across the Channel shall not have all the honour connected with originating new flowers. Our pages have already borne witness to this in such Poses as John Hopper, Lord Clyde, and King's Acre, and we have great satisfaction in adding Black Prince to those we have already figured. Black Prince has been described as “ a very dark Gloire de Santenayf and the colours of the flower, black and scarlet, are beautifully blended. The form is globular and the depth of the flower very great ; the foliage is large and handsome, and the growth vigorous. It is a fine show Pose, and forces well. It was first exhibited before the Poyal Horticultural Society on the 20th of March last, and was awarded a first-class certificate. Although the stock is at present exclusively in the hands of Mr. Wm. Paul, we are informed that the plants will be sold during the present month. We have had the opportunity of seeing some of the more recently introduced French Poses, and we believe that some of them will be found to be valuable additions to our lists, although one cannot always determine from pot-Roses their value for the open air. Very full Roses do not show their beauties suffi¬ ciently, for they require more room for their full development, but we are inclined to think that Souvenir de Dr. J amain, Mdlle. Marguerite Dombrain and Pline , will be found valuable flowers. J -Andrews, del etlitK. Vincent Brooks^Tmp, Plate 291. RHODODENDRON DENISONIL We have on several occasions in our former volumes figured different varieties of this beautiful tribe of plants, — some adapted for the open air, others thriving well in a cool green¬ house, and some suitable only for the warm greenhouse or stove ; and in our Fourth Volume, Plate 206, we gave, in Mr. Veitch’s Princess Alice , a flower of very similar character to the present variety, and also, in some degree, of the same pa¬ rentage. Mr. Veitch’s Rhododendron was the result of a cross between P. Edgworthii and B. ciliatum , while Mr. Williams announces this as the product of B. Dalhousieana crossed with Edgworthii and Gibsonii ; and while somewhat larger in size than Princess Alice , it is also distinguished from it by the beautiful lemon stain towards the base of the flowers, dotted with spots of a deeper tint of the same. It was raised by Mr. Bousie, late of Stoke Park, near Slough, and from the freeness of its flowering is a valuable addition to greenhouse Rhododendrons. Nothing can be finer than some of these Rhododendrons. We saw last year, in the Royal Dublin Society’s Botanic Gar¬ den at Glasnevin, a magnificent plant of one of the Indian va¬ rieties, with flowers as large as white Lilies and most deliciously scented, while the gorgeous hues of other kinds contrasted ad¬ mirably with its extreme delicacy. Unfortunately they require a great deal of room, and are only, as a rule, within the reach of those who possess large conservatories ; but there is one great advantage derived from these hybrids, that they readily bloom on small plants, while their delicious fragrance adds greatly to their value. Bhododendron Penisonii is in the hands of Mr. B. S. Williams, of Victoria and Paradise Nurseries, Holloway, to whom we are indebted for so many good things, and whose plant of i?. Nut- tain , when in bloom, is well worth a journey to Holloway of itself. We think the flower now figured will not detract from his character as a distributor of fine plants. 292 Plate 292. HYACINTH, SIE HENRY HAVELOCK. There is no more charming display than that which is made at the earliest of the spring shows by the splendid groups of Hyacinths exhibited by Mr. Paul, of Waltham Cross, and Mr. Cutbush, of Highgate, and we have annually endeavoured to give a plate of the most beautiful of the novelties then exhi¬ bited. Hitherto we have selected our illustrations from the collection of Mr. Cutbush, this year we have taken one from that of Mr. Paul. Sir Henry Havelock was exhibited before the Royal Horticul¬ tural Society in March, and received the highest awarded merit, viz. a first-class certificate. There is but one bulb of it in Eng¬ land at present, which is in the possession of Mr. Paul. The colour of the flower is entirely new, nearer to Haydn than to any other variety, but of a darker and more intense colour, and possessed of a freshness and brilliancy, the absence of which in Haydn is its greatest fault. In one stage of the flower, the colour — which it is alike difficult to paint or to describe — is that of a ripe Orleans plum. The spike of the flower is long and massive. The flowers individually are of good average size and form, — certainly in advance of others in that class. As the Hyacinth is propagated but slowly, it will be proba¬ bly some years before bulbs of Sir Henry Havelock can be pur¬ chased, in the meantime we must be content to admire it in the hands of the fortunate exhibitor. Of other novelties shown in company with this were Vunxbaak , intense crimson, a flower of very great brilliancy ; Bird of Paradise , yellow, a very pretty shade of colour ; Beauty of Waltham , red, white eye ; Princess Mary , porcelain blue ; and King of the Blues, dark-blue, — all forming varieties. Mr. Cutbush exhibited also Auriculas Oocj , purplish-violet, with a white eye ; Orion , somew7hat similar, but deeper in colour ; Hogarth , like Dame du Lac , but brighter ; Mrs . James Cutbush , a good clear white ; and Grand Vainqueur (the third Hyacinth that we have of that name), a striped pink All the older varieties were shown by both gentlemen finer than we think we have ever before seen them. % i Plate 293. TBOPiEOLUMS, BEAUTY AND ATTRACTION. We noticed at one of the fortnightly meetings of the Royal Horticultural Society in April, two pans of Tropseolum blooms very neatly arranged and having a most charming appearance, and were not surprised to find that they received a special certificate from the Floral Committee. We were also pleased to see that they had been sent by a new exhibitor, Mr. Williams, of Fortis Green Nursery, for we are always glad to see a new and successful raiser of any description of flower. The value of the different varieties of Tropseolum has long been recognised, and many of our leading horticulturists have “ sent out ” varieties of the different sections, some being dwarf and adapted for pot-culture, others being of larger habit and better calculated for covering trellis-work, and others making a brilliant display in the bedding-out system so universally practised. Those we now figure are of strong growth, and will conse¬ quently be fitted for places where it is desired to cover spaces with brilliant flowers and handsome foliage. Beauty (Fig. 1) is a large flower of a delicate sulphur-yellow ; the petals well formed, and in the centre of each towards the base a deep maroon-crimson spot, contrasting remarkably well with the pale yellow ground. Attraction (Fig. 2) is of smaller growth ; the colour a deep orange-yellow with scarlet blotches, also very effective. In addition to these, we are informed by Mr. Williams that he has a brilliant crimson flower of good habit, called Sunset , which will be let out at the same time as those figured. We have no doubt that the acknowledged skill of our various horticulturists will appropriate these to the places most suited for them ; and we think that Mr. Williams, by the manner in which he showed them, has given a valuable hint as to the effective manner in which they may be used for dinner-table stands and other decorative purposes of a similar character. • 1 294. T r « • ■ . * . \ s*:* *; fel ^kJ >lf f J ^ JrJrl wlSfW f f rtf tf > f {IS trf f f f ] WMallilWIBi III! H »Jy « >?wj ffiw f > wmJinRw m;mm