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THE FLORIST

GARDEN MISCELLANY.

1850

LIBRARH ?
NEW YCRig

30TAN1CAB
GARDEN -

LONDON :
CHAPMAN AND HALL, 193 PICCADILLY

MDCCCLI.

THOSE LADIES OF THE UNITED KINGDOM

BY THEIR PERSONAL EXERTIONS

HATE SO LARaEf.Y PROMOTED THE CIRCULATION

tl)f /lariat anb (fJarben JUisffUani),

THIS VOLUME IS GRATEFULLY DEDICATED

THE SUPERINTENDENT.

INDEX TO COLOURED PLATES.

Auricula, Lancashire Hero, 161.
Calceolaria, Pearl, 281.

Resplendens, 281.

Captivation, 281.

Surprise, 281.

Hamlet, 281.

Negro, 281.

• Model, 281.

Camellia, Countess of Ellesmere, 113.
Carnation, Jenny Lind, 233.

Justice Shallow, 233.

Cattleya spectabilis, 89.
Cineraria, Madame Sontag, 209.
Lady Hume Campbell, 209.

Cineraria, Beauty of Lorimore, 209.
Erica regalis, 33.

laqueata lutea, 33.

Cavendishii var., 33.

Fuchsia striata, 6.5.

unique, 65.

duplex, 65.

Hoya Bella, 1.

Mimulus, Prince of Wales, 137.
Mitraria coccinea, 1.
Pelargonium, May Queen, 257.

Oscellatum, 257.

Tulip, Bijou, 185.

INDEX TO WOODCUTS.

Apiary, 280.

Conservatory in Regent's Park, 197.

Cottages in Norfolk, 101.

Daisy-fork, 39.

Fishing temple, 32.

Mill (tailpiece), 232.

Miltonia Morelliana, 123.

Nepenthes Rafflesiana, 77.

Old Godfrey, 70.

Palm-house at Kew, 147.

interior of, 245.

Pansy-stands, 93.
Poor frozen-out gardeners, 302.
Platy cerium grande, 47.
Rose insects, 43, 104.
Trichomanes speciosum, 16.
Ventilating frame, 10.

yTs

^ ^ }-^'

S.Eolden dd.

C'lnith sculp.

1. Hoja Belb..

2. Mitraxia Coccinea.

THE FLORIST,

HOYA BELLA AND MITRARIA COCCINEA.

In answer to our application, Messrs. Veitch and Son, Nur-
serymen, Exeter, have obligingly furnished us with the fol-
lowing particulars respecting the subject of our present Illus-
tration, and a notice of the services of their collectors, the
Messrs. Lobb, which we hope will prove acceptable to our
readers. It is an act of simple justice on our part to record
the nam.es of those who enrich our collections by their re-
searches in foreign lands. Nothing would be more interesting
than the publication of extracts from the journals of such en-
terprising men. The drawings were made from life, and have
been ready some time, but we have not been able to present
them before.

To ourselves it is a pleasing, and to lovers of flowers an in-
teresting circumstance, that in your accompanying plate you have
most happily succeeded in grouping together two lovely plants, sent
to this country from different hemispheres by those ardent and inde-
fatigable travellers and brothers, Messrs. William and Thomas Lobb.

The Hoya^ comes from the Taung Kola mountains, in Moulmein,
Straits of Malacca, East Indies; the Mitraria from the island of
Chiloe in South America. Both plants are of easy culture ; the former
delighting in the heat of the warmest stove, whilst the latter equally
luxuriates in the coolest greenhouse or conservatory.

We find the Hoya succeed admirably in the hottest department
of our Orchid-house, planted in a wire basket, in a mixture of
chopped sphagnum moss, fibrous peat, leaf-mould, and sand, and
suspended from the roof as we do our ^schynanths and the pen-
dulous-growing Dendrobes, In this position it produces in great
abundance and constant succession, throughout the summer and
autumn, its most deliciously scented bunches of crystal-like flowers.
Sir W. J. Hooker, in writing of it, calls it " the most lovely of all
the Hoyas," " first gem of the air," and hkens it to " an amethyst
set in frosted silver."

* We have reason to fear there is a spurious plant sent out by some parties
as this Hoya; it will be well, therefore, for all persons wishing to possess it, to
make sure that they get the true Hoya bella of Hooker.

VOL. III. NO. XXV. B

THE FLORIST.

Although we cannot say the Mitraria is a perfectly hardy plant,
yet. from its having stood with us the two last winters against a north
wall without protection, and with but very trifling injury, we have
eveiy reason to believe it will do well in the open air, in sheltered
places, especially when protected by other shrubs. It is, however,
us a hardy conservatory plant that we recommend it. We pot it as
we do Eriostemons and such-like plants, in a mixture of turfy loam,
fibrous peat, and silver-sand. It is a close, compact-growing shrub,
of neat foliage, and the blossoms, which are quite equal both in
colour and size to the figure, are produced in great abundance. It
blooms freely in a small state.

We consider the present subjects two of the very best of our as
yet published introductions through the Messrs. Lobb ; and it is with
great pleasure we avail ourselves of the opportunity of your thus
uniting the fruits of their successful labours in your publication, to do
them thus publicly an act of justice by recording our sense of their
energetic, persevering, and in every way meritorious labours. It is
an additional satisfaction to know that the greatest botanists of the
day highly appreciate their exertions.

It may not be amiss to inform your readers that these gentlemen,
whose names will long be remembered as botanical collectors, are
practical gardeners ; and that for the last seven years, actuated by a
love of botanical science, they have explored, the one in the Eastern,
the other in the Western hemisphere, Peru, Patagonia, the island of
Chiloe, the Organ mountains, Java, the Philippine islands, Moulmein,
Mount Ophir, and Acte, with but little illness, and without meeting
with a single accident, or with any insult or molestation from the
natives.

Nursery, Exeter. Veitch and Son.

ODE.

WRITTEN AT THE DESIRE OF E. G.
1.

A GARDEN claims the lay:

Nor would the Muse forget
Where dwelt our parents ere they tasted woe ;

Where beauties still repaj'^

Man's fostering care ; and yet,
In times to come, where brighter scenes shall glow.

2.

To make his glory known,

And on the world He made
To stamp his image, ere its course began ;

When earth, air, seas, be sown

With seed ofhfe. He bade,
Sole lord of all, God last created man.

JANUARY.

3.

A garden then became

The cradle of our race,
When first the new-born pair beheld the light:

There naked, without shame.

They walked, and face to face
Saw their Creator, and adored the sight.

4.

Where roll'd the fourfold brook

Its streams that Eden fed,
Their way of worship first they learn'd and trod.

The garden was the book,

Reveal'd in which they read
Their Father's care, the providence of God.

5.

Their altar it, " to dress

And keep it" was the praise
They offer'd morn and eve for sacrifice.

While all was righteousness

Toil wearied not ; the days
Flew swiftly, spent with God in Paradise.

6.

In mythic fables this

Is shadow'd still, and e'en
Where He is known not, to whom Adam knelt :

Type of a future bliss,

By Pagan dimly seen,
Faint gleam of light mid darkness to be felt.

Earth, all a garden, pour'd

Forth its full wealth, and made
Plenty the universal heritage.

Disease and strife abhorr'd

Slew none, while Chronos sway'd
His peaceful sceptre in the golden age.

8.

Nor has this nought of sooth,

Like tale of fairy-land.
To lull their babes to rest by nurses sung ;

For at the torch of truth

Tradition lit a brand :
There icas an age of gold when Time was young.

9.

But nations there were none

When with the Fount of Good
The first man only, as a friend, conversed:

For Adam reign'd alone,

When all beneath him stood
His loyal subjects ere the earth was cursed.

THE FLORIST.
10.

With full dominion crown'd

O'er all the Lord had made.
Their names He gave to all, tiieir habits saw ;

The birds and beasts around

God called, and they obey'd
With joy ; for " peace on earth" was yet the law,

11.

Not yet the golden chain

Lay broken in the dust.
Which Nature bound in mutual sympathies :

Not cruelty, in pain

Rejoicing fierce ; nor lust
Of pow'r or gain had glared in Adam's eyes.

12.

Willing they came ; for he

And they one purpose knew,
And that was love, to God, and each to each.

His mind's supremacy,

His very passions too,
But raised his service more than theirs could reach.

13.

Earth peaceful then, and rife

With herb and flower and fruit.
From her full bosom all her children fed :

None prey'd on others' life,

Nor, culling herb or root.
Found poison lurking in the treacherous mead.

14.

How alterM now ! For sin,

" The wormwood and the gall,"
Scowls from the ruins of that happy state.

When there's a hell within.

Without 'tis certain all
Is anarchy and strife, and love exchanged to hate.

15.

Bound in the iron chain,

Creation weaves a scourge
By war of elements to punish man.

Consumption, and the train

Of wasting fevers, urge
The step of Death, who then his race began.

16.

Yet 'twas by Wisdom plann'd

The curse of God should glance,
And miss the ruin of a helpless world ;

For, turn'd by Mercy's hand,

The bolt but struck askance
And broke, against the Rock of Ages hurl'd.

JANUARY.
17.

See the pure Lamb of God,

Made sin though sinless, led
To death, that God in place of man might die :

Under his Father's rod

He meekly bow'd his head.
And drank to its dregs the cup of misery.

18.
Now throned in power on high,
The Lord of Righteousness,
He guides the Gospel-car to speed his word.
Till in his majesty
He comes his work to bless.
And earth shall bloom the Garden of the Lord.

Iota.

SEEDLING FLORISTS' FLOWERS.

I AM quite an enthusiast for raising seedling florists' flowers, and
would strongly urge both nurserymen and amateurs to devote some
portion at least of their time and space to this interesting process ;
for there yet remains much to he done. On the advantages thereof,
and the interest excited thereby, I need not dwell ; but I would
briefly advert to one source of disappointment to which the raiser
of seedlings is subjected, viz. a disposition in seedlings to degenerate
the second year. I have frequently seen seedling-blooms of Dahlias,
Pansies, and Calceolarias, particularly the latter, very promising;
indeed, possessing all the essential properties of a good flow^er, the
second year so to degenerate as not at all to resemble the same
thing. As to whether this is a common or casual occurrence, and
to what extent generally, I should like to have the opinion of ex-
tensive seedling raisers. That the circumstance is not rare I am
fiiUy persuaded, by the fact of having bought varieties the second
year, which were highly praised when seedlings, not only by the
raiser but by respectable journals, and which have turned out the
veriest rubbish, not worthy of either name or place in any collec-
tion ; such as no nurseryman who valued his reputation would
have dared to ofi^er to the public, had the seedling-blooms been of no
better character than those produced the succeeding year. If seed-
ling flowers generally, then, are so apt to degenerate, surely this
argues in favour of nurserymen blooming seedling plants another
year before sending them out, and perhaps at very high prices }
Whitby, Dec, 12, 1849. Zephyrus.

[All seedlings should be exhibited and seen as two-year old plants.
Parties who buy new varieties from descriptions given in gardening
periodicals on flowers sent for opinion are very likely to be misled ;
and this makes us anxious that our " Note-book" should be found a
register of all the really fine things that have appeared during the
( rent season. — Ed.]

6 THE FLORIST.

HINTS ON THE CULTIVATION OF BULBS.

The principal danger against which the cultivator of Cape Bulbs
has to guard is, excess of wet ; and in the case of Gladioli, this is best
effected by choosing a piece of sloping ground, rather than by the
use of artificial drainage. I have found that, generally, they do
better if the slope is towards the north, though I do not recommend
this invariably. Even the July rains are, in some cases, more than
they can bear. With the exception of G. cardinalis (which I have
grown better in peat than any other soil), I have observed that these
bulbs, either in pots or the open ground, do better in pure loam
than in a mixture of loam and peat, whether in the unctuous
oolitic loam of the vale of Cheltenham, the limestone soil of the
Durdham Down Nursery, or the rich sandy loam overlying a bed of
gravel in my own garden, using in the latter case a layer of rotten
cow-manure, placed at some little depth below the bulbs, and into
which the roots can readily go for nourishment. Latterly I have
found charcoal very useful in preserving the bulbs from decay, and
aiding their growth.

On the approach of severe weather, generally in December, I
cover my beds of Gladioli a few inches deep with partially rotten
leaves.

Ixias have been grown in the nursery here to a large extent,
for about fifteen years, in the open ground, well drained with brick
or stone rubble, and of late without any protection from frost : they
also do well in a mixture of light loam and peat ; for which latter,
leaf-mould, may, I think, be substituted without disadvantage. I
am quite inclined to believe there is an increasing taste for these
charming little flowers, and that we shall see them obtain that
place in the flower-garden which they richly deserve. The nomen-
clature of this family is involved in much confusion, partly from the
difficulty of clearing the ground of the roots of one sort before
another is planted, and partly from seedling varieties getting mixed
with named sorts. About fourteen years since, Harry Dobree, jun.
Esq., of Beau Sejour, Guernsey, did me the favour of submitting to
me for correction a hst of thirty-six varieties of Ixia, which had been
cultivated by him, and which he afterwards published in the Gar-
doners Gazette, with explanatoiy observations, with a view " to
establish something like uniformity of nomenclature ;" but I fear
the object was not attained. I earnestly wish some lover of this
interesting family would again take up the subject ; and if I might
be allowed to mention a name, I should say I know of no one so
well qualified as John Rogers, Esq. of Streatham, who, about the
time above referred to, most kindly furnished me with descriptive
lists of several sections of the family, which fully bear me out in the
opinion I have given of his qualification for the work.

The hst of Ixias to which I have referred, if deemed worthy of
insertion in the Florist, I shall have pleasure in sending you.

JANUARY. 7

In the late lamented Dean of Manchester we have lost one who
stood pre-eminent as a cultivator of bulbs, and whose equal I never
expect to see. A few months since I was looking over his work on
the Amaryllidaceae, when my eye very unexpectedly caught sight of
a paragraph containing a warm and just eulogium on the late Dr.
Carey, one of the earliest labourers sent out by the Baptist Mis-
sionary Society. It is so simply and beautifully written, that I
think the readers of the Florist will thank you for recording in its
pages a testimony so honourable to both parties.

" Crinum Careyanum. — This beautiful plant was brought to light by Dr.
Carey, late of Serampore ; and I had the pleasure of naming it after one of the
best, the most amiable, gifted, and indefatigable of men ; whose virtues and
talents adorned his country, and Avhose labours have promoted the glory of the
Almighty. I never saw that excellent man ; but fifteen years' correspondence
has accustomed me to look upon him as a dearly valued friend. His life was
devoted to the diffusion of the Gospel; horticulture, natural history, and botany,
afforded the brief recreation he allowed himself from his daily toils. His
favourite plants were the Amaryllidaceous family, and to him Ave are indebted
for our knowledge of many of them. He was Ijorn in 17fil, at Hackleton in
Leicestershire, and embarked for India in 1793. In 1800 he was settled at
Serampore; and he closed the labours of his useful hfe in 183-4, beloved by all
who knew him, honoured by all whom his name has reached ; having translated
and superintended the publication of the Gospel in forty Oriental languages,
which he had the perseverance to acquire for that purpose. Born in the hum-
blest circumstances, often uncertain of his daily bread, at first a journeyman
shoemaker, then a village schoolmaster, he had, before his departure from Eng-
land, taught himself to read the Bible in Greek, Latin, Hebrew, French, Italian,
and Dutch, and had become conspicuous by his eloquent preaching, and his
ardent desire to bring about the mission to India, which originated in his
powerful mind. When he arrived there, he found it necessary to offer his ser-
vices by a hand-bill, to make or repair shoes ; and after he had risen to the head
of a flourishing establishment, and occupied the chair of three professorships, he
was not ashamed to nail up the original hand-bill against the wall of his study,
but took pleasure in considering from what a humble grade he had been lifted,
up to a more useful and distinguished station, by the grace of God and his ovra.
virtuous perseverance."

Elm Cottage, Taunton. John Young.

HAMILTON'S IMPROVED SUPPORTER FOR HYACINTHS,

We have received specimens of the above, and regret that they were
not forwarded to us before ; for it is one of the great objects of the
Florist and Garden Miscellany to call attention to all contrivances
of the kind.

It consists of three wires in two fixed rings, forming a cradle
for the bulb, above which there is a movable ring, to shde up and
down, according to the height at which the stem may require assist-
ance : under the cradle and within the glass the wires extend, acting
as springs to keep the contrivance steady.

Its use is not confined to the glasses usually made for Hyacinths ;

8 TUE FLORIST.

Mr. Hamilton having shewn us some ornamental flower- vases, which,
by the introduction of his supporter, are fitted for growing these
favourite sj)ring flowers ; the vases being available for their legiti-
mate purpose after the Hyacinth and Narcissus have bloomed and
are over.

If simplicity be the test of usefulness, Mr. Hamilton's supporter
is well calculated to effect its object ; and we gladly recommend it
(to use his own language) to all who would preserve the beauty of
these favourite flowers. In detail, it keeps the bulb stationary, pre-
vents the necessity of tying up the stem, while it aff"ords increased
convenience in other necessary manipulations, such as changing the
water, &c. We think its cheapness an additional recommendation.
We have obtained some for ourselves ; and lest it should be thought
we are under any undue influence, we may add we have paid full
price for them.

FANCY DAHLIAS.

I BEG your acceptance of the accompanying list of Fancy Dahlias
for insertion in your pages. My name, which I hand you, will satisfy
yourself, and consequently your readers, that the selection is made
after a most favourable opportunity of observing the flowers in all
parts of the countr)^ and under all kinds of cultivation. The general
lover of the Dahlia, who has not hitherto cultivated this class, is
unable to form a just conception of their varied beauties when seen
under good management, and cannot fail to be gratified if he com-
mences with the following selection : —

Belle de Nogent {Med). This is a large variety, with long
footstalks and fine erect habit ; petals reflexed ; globular, good form ;
colour red and white. 3 to 4 feet.

Candidate {Barnes). Maroon, tipped with white ; high centre,
thin ; very showy, and free bloomer. 5 feet.

CoMus {Tassart). Carmine and white; colours well defined;
large open petals, which do not make a very compact flower ; flowers
beneath the foliage. 2 feet.

CoMTE DE Flandre {Van Renynghe). Red, tipped with white;
flower of medium size ; fills well in the centre ; good habit. 4 feet.

CoNSPicuA {Salter). Violet purple, with white down the centre
of each petal. Similar to Master G. Clayton, but fuller of petals ;
fine habit. 5 feet.

Discount (Barnes). Dark maroon, tipped with white; large fine
form, and of the best habit. The only fault is, that the early blooms
have a hard green centre ; late, it is one of the best : therefore such
varieties, to be more useful, should be grown to a large size in pot
before planting-out time. 4 to 5 feet.

Empereur de Maroc {Huidoux). Maroon, shaded and tipped

JANUARY. 9

with white. This flower at present stands at the top of the fancy
Dahlias. It has, however, this drawback, producing self-coloured
flowers, sometimes throughout the season ; and has caused many to
suppose they had the wrong variety : propagate from the plant that
has most constantly produced tipped blooms. There are good and
bad strains in Dahlias as well as in Tulips. The form is good; flower
large. 3 to 4 feet.

Gasparine Furstin Reuss (Sieckman). A beautiful flower, and
some may think a pretty name ; rich velvety maroon, with distinct
white tip ; not a large flower, but the best received from the continent
the past season : equally attractive on the plant and in the stand.
3 feet.

General Cavaignac (Hunt). Violet purple, white tip, good
habit, but thin of petals, and has not been so good this season as it
was in 1848.

Jenny Lind (Girling). White, with maroon stripe each side of
the petal ; a good constant variety. 3 feet.

Madame Wachy. Purple, white tip ; a flower of fine properties,
but a little uncertain in the centre. 2 feet.

Miss Stevens (Dodds). This is barely a fancy variety ; pale
buff", with indistinct white tip ; the form is good, but blooms in the
foliage. 3 feet.

CEillet Parfait (Paris). Orange buff^, striped and spotted with
bright crimson ; novel, and of good form ; it has often a green centre,
and is of a drooping habit.

CEillet de Boheme. This is another striped variety, and a
showy one it is ; yet this class is not generally admired ; neither will
they, until we get them with a purer ground-colour. This is an im-
provement in that respect ; blush, with purple stripes.

PosTSECRETAiRE Hane (Deegeu). Violet, tipped with white;
compact form, inclined to quill. 2 to 3 feet.

Rainbow (Keynes). Showy, scarlet and white; reflexed petal,
but high centre. 3 feet.

Striata perfecta (Salter). Lilac, spotted and striped with
purple ; good form ; one of the best of its class. 3 feet.

Sunbeam (i^eywes). Red, white tip, a showy variety ; petals are
notched too often. 4 feet.

Triomphe de Magdeburgh (Ehrig) . Scarlet, tipped with white ;
noble garden variety from its fine habit, and occasionally of fine
form ; but in this respect it is uncertain, as all are more or less.
6 feet.

Vicomte de Ressequier (Dubras). Purple and white; a good
old variety, either for the border or for exhibition. 5 feet.

The new varieties must be described on a future occasion. The
following have been most conspicuous at the shows: — Prockter's
Elizabeth, Bragg's Lady Grenville, Liddiard's Miss Compton, Tur-
ner's Mrs. Labouchere, and Dodds' Highland Chief.

Exuibitor.

10 TUE i'LOmST.

VENTILATING FRAME

FOR THE BLOOMING OF AURICULAS, &c.

BY DR. HORNER.

I FEEL assured that those of your readers who grow Auriculas, and
especially who hloora them for exhibition, will receive the highest
satisfaction and advantage in the adoption of the cold frame which
I am about to describe. It is well known that the Auricula, being
an Alpine plant, delights in, and requires for its health and vigour,
a free and plentiful circulation of air, and that at all times ; damp
and confinement being, in an equal ratio, fruitful of evil.

The frame now recommended secures this principle to its fullest
extent, and hence its especial adaptation to the cultivation of the
Auricula; as also, indeed, to all other plants which bear not con-
finement,— as to the wintering of Verbenas, Pansies, Carnations, &c.
It possesses, however, yet other advantages, whereby much trouble
is saved to the exhibitor. It is well known that those Auriculas
which are purposed for exhibition are removed from the frame, or
place of growth, and are placed under hand-glasses, elevated to the
height of the rim of the pots ; such plan being highly favourable to
the perfect development of their flowers, as aflfording at the same
time shelter and a due admission of air. The trouble and watching
attending all this I need not point out, it being so great that many
rather forego its advantages than adopt the plan. In my frame,
however, all the benefit of hand-glasses is secured, and the pots
remain undisturbed ; whilst the cultivator gets his whole collection,
and not a few selected plants only, into bloom ; and that under the
most favourable circumstances.

On reference to the woodcut and explanation, it will appear
obvious that, by this contrivance, any degree of ventilation, from
the smallest admission of air to a free draught, may, by simply re-
gulating the sliding- doors, be secured. Thus, if both the sliding-
doors at the front and back be opened, there is a free draught
below, around, and above the plants ; if the lower doors only, the
air but circulates beneath and amongst them ; whilst if the door or
doors at one end only be opened, as when cold winds prevail, there
is the moderate admission of air without draught.

The shelves on which the pots are placed having an open space
throughout their length, and, what is of much moment, being ele-
vated from the ground, not only is the principle of ventilation more
efficiently carried out, but all such evils as worms, damp, saturation,
&c. are wholly excluded. Giving blooming plants air by tilting up
the top-lights, as commonly practised, is very objectionable ; expos-
ing them as it does, to be chilled and disturbed by cold air or wind
coming directly upon them, or even to the yet greater evil of being
wet by a driving shower. In the frame now recommended all such
evils or contingencies are impossible ; the top-lights may be left down

JANUARY.

11

at all times, the florist leaving his plants for the whole day in perfect
security, and with just so much air as he pleases to give them, — an
advantage which will at least be duly estimated by those whose gar-
dens are at a distance from their dwellings, or who have other occu-
pations to attend to.

As the Auricula cannot have too much air, I would observe that,
during the earlier time of its growth, and whilst it is throwing up
the flower-stem, it may often be advantageous or necessary to tilt
up the top-lights freely, or even to remove them altogether, during
fine days, in order that the stems may not become drawn ; but when
the flowers begin to expand, let the lights be always down, and the
sliding- doors open, as before explained.

Hull, 1th April, 1848.

P.S. I have tried doors letting down with hinges ; but prefer the
sliding -doors, as better fitted for regulating the quantity of air ad-
mitted.

o p

o E

-^-

References to Cuts.

A. The side-board of the frame, inner side.

B. The rest nailed to the side-board to support the shelves, and graduated

according to slope of the top-light.

C. The shelf, formed of two pieces of strong laths, and fixed together at

each end by short cross-pieces at the under side.

D. Outside view of the back-board of the frame, with its two sliding doors,

E being shut, and Y y open, and having a small knob for handle.
The doors slide in a grooved beading of wood. The front-board of the frame
is similar to the back-board, D, now described.

12 THE FLORIST.

NEPENTHES RAFFLESIANA.

This very interesting species is now in full bloom at the Royal
Botanic Garden, Kew, being the second time since its introduction
from Singapore ; the plant is about sixteen feet high, and has a
cylindrical tlower-spike thirteen inches long. It is placed at one
end of the Orchidaceous house along with a group of other kinds,
and suspended from the roof, presenting a truly beautiful collection
of vegetable pitchers, such as could scarcely be conceived, unless
seen in a living state.

KeWy November lOth. J. H.

THE CHRYSANTHEMUM.

So fine and so long an autumn has done much to increase the taste
for this flower. In the cottage and the nobleman's garden, out of
doors or within, the Chrysanthemum has been unusually gay this
season.

We will, as briefly as possible, give our readers the benefit of
the information we acquired by attending the Stoke Newington and
Norwich shows, as well as by visiting the principal collections about
London. There were some fine specimens at Stoke Newington,
both growing and in a cut state ; yet, generally, the plants at Nor-
wich were superior, more dwarf and healthy, and altogether better
grown, with their dark green foliage and abundant bloom. We
believe that the cuttings of these plants were put in about the first
week in June ; fine healthy shoots were selected, placed in gentle
heat, and not allowed to flag, or in any part of their after-growth
to stand still. Six cuttings, each in small pots, when struck were
divided into three, and potted off into a 4-inch size, thus giving two
plants to a pot. These plants were then grown in the most open
part of the garden, and placed at a good distance from each other
in all their stages of growth, and never allowed to suffer for want
of water, in fact never allowed to get dry. Liquid manure v/as
used when the pots had become full of roots. The plants required
stopping once only, about three weeks after they had been potted
off. For this part of their culture a certain guide is, when the roots
have tolerably filled the pots, and the plants have swollen well, then
take a good piece off, and from four to six shoots will break ;
whereas if topped in a young state, by merely pinching out the top,
two eyes will be more likely to break than more. Two plants thus
grown together will form a fine bush, if repotted once or twice when
they require it. It will be seen that the principal things to bear
in mind are, not to put the cuttings in too soon, and to select such
as are stout and fine, and to keep them well at work throughout
their after-growth. We need scarcely add that the Chrysanthemum

uriates in strong, rich soil.

JANUARY.

13

Instead of reporting both the Norwich and Stoke Newington
shows, we will give our readers a descriptive list of the best varie-
ties seen at both, adding a few new ones not so well known.

Ann 3 Salter, pale yellow, very double,
and fine.

Barbette, rosy pink ; very pretty.

Beauty, rosy lilac, fine and large.

Comte de Rantzan, noble dark crim-
son ; petals very wide.

Cyclops, buff, cups very much ; under
side of petals shaded with orange-
salmon.

Campestroni, purple.

Duchesse d'Aumale, blush.

Emile Lebois, rosy blush.

Fleur de Marie, white, anemone-flow-
ered centre.

Florie, rosy lilac.

Goliath, blush, very large.

Helvetius, deep crimson, compact flow-
er, rather loose habit.

Jenny, purple crimson, fine.

Justine, pale lilac.

King of Crimsons, deep crimson.

King, rosy pink.

L'Ange Gardien, white, good habit.

La Reine d'Or, pale orange ; inclmed
to quill, but good.

Madame Poggi, noble crimson.

Madame de Commerson, crimson, neat
and compact, good habit.

Madame Miellez, blush.

Nonpareil, large lilac, free bloomer ;
fine showy variety.

Nelson, rose.

Nancy de Sarmet, white, anemone-
flowered centre; similar to Fleur
de Marie, but has only one row of
guard-petals.

Pilot, deep pink, or rose.
Pharamond, orange-crimson, large but

loose.
Pluton, bro^vu-crimson, rather small.
Phidias (Salter), shaded rose, fine

shape ; one of the best.
Pompon d'Or, nankeen, good petal.
Pomponette, orange, small compact

flower.
Pius IX., orange-crimson, bronze tip,

fine.
Polar Star, white, large and showy,

quilled.
Queen of Gipsies, orange, good.
Queen of England, blush, large, and

fine.
Reine des Beiges, blush, good shape,

late.
Rigolette, orange-salmon, large.
Rose et Blanche, pale lilac, delicate,

pretty.
Superb Clustered Yellow, large gold.

yellow.
Standard, crimson, fine shape, early.
Satyr, pale orange.
Strictum, white, with purple stripes.
Saturne, orange, small, good shape.
The Duke, blush, good shape.
Temple de Salomon, gold yellow ; a

noble variety.
Unique, white, yellow centre, compact.
Vierge Marie, white, yellow centre

when opening.
Vulcan, crimson.
Vesta, white, fine shape, and good in

every respect.

Those who procure or possess the above will have a first-rate
collection. The quilled varieties are thought but little of now ; we
never liked them.

TRANSPLANTING ROSES.

I READ with much pleasure the remarks on Roses by my esteemed
friend Mr. Rivers, which appear from time to time in the Florist.
In the last number, however, he gives me credit for assertions which,
I believe, I have never made. The words to which I allude are these:
" I think it is Mr. W. Paul who tells us (but I quote from memory),
that to remove a Rose once is to injure its growth, to do so twice
is a still greater injury." Mr. R. then proceeds to disprove the
accuracy of this statement. But do not let me be misunderstood ; I
do not charge Mr. Rivers with an intentional misquotation — indeed

14 THE FLORIST.

his remarks are qualified with "I quote from memory" — but the
evident bearing of tlie reasoning is, if uncontradicted, against the
soundness of the opinions given in the Rose-Garden. If any of your
readers feel sufficiently interested in the matter to refer to p. 132,
division II. of the Rose-Garden, they will find the passage to stand
thus : " The practice of removing them (Tea-scented Roses) from
the ground for protection during winter, and again transferring them
to tlieir j)laces in the rosarium in spring, cannot be too highly de-
precated." Then follows the passage alluded to : " To remove a
plant once endangers its growth and perfect flowering the first year,
and to remove it twice more than doubles the risk of failure." To
this opinion I still firmly adhere. I think your scientific readers
will say, theoretically it is true ; and repeated experiments satisfy
me that it is true in practice also.

Nurseries, Cheshunt, Herts. W. Paul.

ON GLADIOLI.

I HAVE read Mr. Brown's excellent article on this subject in your
last Number with much pleasure, and I do not doubt that it will
tend to bring these fine plants more into notice. I beg, however,
to state, that I do not consider them all to be " perfectly hardy ;"
experience has satisfied me to the contrary, especially as respects the
class called early- flowering varieties, or, in other words, the Cardinalis
section, which includes by far the most numerous, and, I may say,
the most beautiful of the tribe. The reason why they are not hardy,
is their tendency to early growth ; consequently, if planted in the
open ground unprotected, they would be killed by frost. Many of
the varieties in this division are in a growing state early in Novem-
ber, and all of them are in action in February ; therefore I cannot
agree with Mr. Brown as to their being hardy. If their growth
could be retarded by any means, in order that they might be planted
about March, with Gandavensis, psittacinus, floribundus, and their
varieties, we might consider them to be hardy. And here lies the
value of hybridisation ; we want crosses of Gandavensis with Car-
dinalis, or any of its varieties, and then I have no doubt they would
be hardy. The colours and markings of the latter are also much
wanted in the habit of Gandavensis and floribundus and its allies ;
but the question is, how to get them "^ it has puzzled the hybridist
hitherto ; and if we are to believe Dr. Herbert's statement, which
deserves great weight, the thing has not been eflfected.

My mode of managing the early-flowering kinds is, to pot them
as they shew symptoms of growth, and plunge them in a cold frame,
merely keeping the frost from them. I plant them out in May, in
a bed composed of light rich soil, where they continue flowering for
a considerable time, and produce a fine display. I subjoin a list of
the best sorts, selected from about sixty varieties :

JANUARY. 15

Bright Scarlet or Pink, loith ichite markings.

Cardinalis sujierbus.
Ignesccns.
Garrick.
Prince Albert.

Magniflorus.
La Beauts.
Salmonii.
Lord Palmerston.

Prince of Wales.

Albion.

Venustus speciosus.

The best dark varieties are, Semiramis, Rex rubrorum, aiid In-
signis. The best lights, or whites, are, Incoraparabilis, Queen Vic-
toria, La Princesse, Princeps, and Invincible. And the best hardy-
kinds, Gandavensis, Gandavensis coccinus, Tamsesus, Polystachia,
Vernalis spicatus, and Albicans roseus.

NEW PLANTS.

Clerodendrox Bethuxeaxum. This fine species of Clerodendron is equal
in beauty to any that are at present in cultivation. It is a large-growing plant,
with a panicle of crimson-coloured flowers, forming a pyramidal bunch two to
three feet long. It is a native of Borneo, and requires stove heat. Figured in
Botanical Magazine, from Messrs. Lucombe, Pince, and Co., Exeter.

Brachvsema aphyllum. a pretty greenhouse plant, with pea-shaped flower,
of a deep red colour ; a native of Western Australia. Figured in Botanical Maga-
zine for December, but not yet introduced. Seeds are sown here.

Taberx^moxtana loxgiflora. An erect branching stove shrub, with large
white or cream-coloured flowers ; a native of the tropics. Figured in Botanical
Magazine, from Messrs. Lucombe, Pince, and Co., Exeter.

IxoRA laxiflora. A shoAvy stove shrub, growing from three to four feet
high ; calyx deep red ; corolla white, tinged with pink. This species is well
worth cultivation ; the flowers are sweet-scented. Its native country is Java.
Figured in the same work, from the same establishment.

Bigoxia cixxabarixa. One of the handsomest of the genus, having bright
red-coloured foot-stalks, and large cinnabar- coloured flowers. It is a tuberous-
rooted plant, and will therefore require to be kept all but absolutely dry during
winter. It is a native of Bolivia. Figured in Botanical Magazine, from Messrs.
Henderson's, Pine-apple Place.

EsFELETiA argextea. A vcry ornamental greenhouse plant ; the leaves are
narrow, lanceolate, and densely silky on both sides, forming a crown of dense
spreading leaves, similar to those of an aloe ; flowers yellow, inclining to brown.
It is a native of New Grenada, where it grows about five feet high. Figured in
the same work, from the Duchess Dowager of Northumberland's, Sion.

Wailesia picta. a rather pretty species of Orchid, with the habit of a
Vanda or Angraecum ; flowers pale yellow, spotted with crimson ; a native of
Malacca. Figured from Chatsworth in Botanical IMagazine.

AxGURiA Makoyana. A perennial plant, of the cucumber tribe ; flower of a
rich vermilion colour. Native country unknown ; it Avas introduced from Liege
by Messrs. Knight and Perry, Exotic Nursery, Chelsea, where it flowered, and
was from there figured.

Adamia versicolor, a dwarf greenhouse shrub, something similar to Hy-
drangea japonica, having a corymbose head of l)lue flowers nearly one foot in
diameter. It is a native of China. Figured from Chatsworth.

ScHOMBURGKi A TiBicixis, variety grandiflora. The leaves of this variety
are shorter, more ovate, flowers larger, and much brighter in colour than Schom-
burgkia tibicinis ; probably it may l)e a more perfect state of the plant. It was
figured from these gardens ; and was imported from Honduras, where the hollow
stems are used by the natives as horns or trumpets.

Cycxoches barbatum. This singular and handsome Orchid was imported
from Costa Rica, and is in the collection of Mrs. Lawrence of Ealing Park, from
which it was figured in Botanical Magazine, It very much resembles Gongora

IS THE FLORIST.

maculata ; petals and sepals arc reflexod ; the whole flower is spotted all over.
The plant' has verv little appearance of a Cycnoches, or even of a Gongora; but is
referred to Cvcno'ches bv Dr. Lindley, the column being free, and not bearing
the upper sepiil ; or it might without hesitation have been referred to Gongora.

KnoDouKNnRON Clivianum. This is one of the many hybrids raised at Sion
House, the Dowager Duchess of Northumberland's, and is one of the best in
cultivation ; flowers large, whitish, with red spots ; believed to be produced be-
tween R. catawbiense and the white variety of R. arboreum.

AcHiMK.NEs Klef.i. This resembles A. longiflora in habit ; is a very interest-
ing species, being a large flower of a dullish red colour. Native of Guatemala,
where it was discovered by Mr. Skinner. Figured from Messrs. Lane's of Berk-
ham pstead.

Roi/al Botanic Gardens, Kew. J. Houlston.

CULTIVATION OF TRICHOMANES SPECIOSUM,

OR THE IRISH FERN.

Amongst all the Ferns grown at the present time, this species seems
most to baffle the skill of cultivators. It is one of the scarcest of
British plants, and is found at the Lake of Killarney in Ireland ; hence
it is commonly known by the appellation of the Irish Fern.

; There is a considerable number of species belonging to this
genus, but only four in cultivation, all exotics, except this one.
They are difficult of importation, as, from their membranaceous tex-
ture, it is almost impossible to transport them to England from their
native swamps and forests in a living state.

There is one species found clinging to the trees in the West
Indies which corresponds with our Irish Fern, and is described by
Swartz as T. radicans ; another is found in TenerifFe, and is de-
scribed by Willdenow as T. speciosum ; hence the specific name of
speciosum is adopted for our Irish plant. There is not a shadow of
doubt that all who grow this truly elegant plant feel anxious that
it should thrive with them ; but the reason why it is so often seen
in an unhealthy state is simply because the atmosphere by which it
is surrounded is not congenial to the development of its proper
functions.

Let us take a lesson from the book of Nature, and we shall
find that the proper habitation of this plant is a wet dripping rock,
screened from the sun and wind, and an atmosphere always loaded
with moisture. From thence we may justly infer, that it would be
impossible to cultivate this plant in a dry spot, where the sun and
wind have much influence ; hence, although it is found in cultiva-
tion amongst most collections of British Ferns, it is mostly, with one
or two exceptions, in a small and miserable condition.

About five years ago, a plant was received at the Royal Botanic
Gardens, Kew, from the late Mr. Cameron of Birmingham, which
had then three small fronds upon it; it was potted in a 4-inch pot
filled with broken potsherds and a few pieces of peat. Some time
after, two other specimens were sent to Kew direct from Killarney,

JANUARY. 17

under the names of T. speciosiim and the variety Andrewsii.
They were treated similarly to the preceding one, and both placed
under a glass case, in the interior of which was formed a little
stone- work with broken bricks and stones. They continued to grow
until the rhizoma reached the outside of the pot; the roots then
began to adhere to the outside, and the plants grew more vigor-
ously than ever ; the rhizoma began to ramify, and are at this time
(November, 1849), if extended in a straight line, many feet long.
The one plant in the 4-inch pot has more than sixty fronds upon
it, and the other thirty-five ; they seem perfectly at home, and are
growing with as great luxuriance as at the Lake of Killarney or in
the laurel-forest of TenerifFe. The case is placed within a pit hav-
ing a western aspect, where it is screened from the sun on the south
and east sides, — the wind never reaches it, and the atmosphere is
kept constantly loaded with moisture. By this means it is always
cool in summer, and never so low as the freezing-point in winter.
The accompanying plate represents one of the fronds and rhizoma of
the natural size.

Keio, November 1849. J. Houlston.

SCRIPTURE ILLUSTRATIONS.

The Rose. — This flower, so celebrated by the poets of antiquity,
is only mentioned twice in the Bible : Solomon's Song ii. 1 ; Isaiah
XXXV. 1. But there is more to be learned in these two passages than
some who have been Rose-cultivators for years have ever imagined.
As in noticing other flowers referred to in the Scriptures, I have
mentioned the original Hebrew, I shall do so on this occasion, as it
is not a mere name in that language, but a word conveying ideas full
of instructive meaning.

In English letters, the word translated Rose would be chahatze-
leth or kJiohzeleth ; and though, from old associations, we may prefer
our monosyllable as a name for this favourite flower, the Hebrew
trisyllable will be more admired the better it is understood. Some
roots (bulbs, for instance) contain, as we are well aware, the flower
in embryo ; and though the derivation of this word is a disputed
point among Hebraists, yet, according to our own version and other
high authorities, it is composed of two parts or roots, which contain,
I may say, a miniature of the flower in question. One of them signi-
fies to hide, and the other to overshadoiu ; and with all due deference to
our venerable translators, some learned men have judged that ' open-
ing Rose' would be the most literal rendering of the Hebrew word in
the passages of Scripture to which we refer. As to the flower itself,
which every true Florist will still allow to be \.\\q fioicer- royal of the
parterre, is there any that appears so beautiful in the opening stages ?
Petal overshadowing petal, one leaf hiding as it were in the bosom of
the next, truly describes the khohzelcth. A Rose may be a perfect
beauty, either when partially unclosed or in its full bloom ; and
some who are not scientific Florists probably esteem it most highly

VOL. in. NO. XXV. c

18 THE FLORIST.

in the former condition. Looking at the Rose in its perfect deve-
lopment, we see no lines but the curves of beauty; circle within
circle, even to the innermost circlet, we perceive only one round of
perfectness after another. Again, as to each separate leaf; there is
not one misshapen, not one inodorous. And the man of science will
tell us that the much-r.dmired variety in the colour of the Rose
depends wholly on its various capabilities for the reflection of light —
the pure white reflecting equally to our eye all the rays ; and the
pure red Rose the rays that are red.

Let us carry with us all these various thoughts about the natural
Rose, in attempting to consider the first text of Scripture wherein
it is mentioned : Song of Solomon ii. 1 : / am the Rose of Sharon.
Sharon, be it observed, on account of the excellency of its fruitful soil
(see Isa. xxxv. 2), is said to have produced the richest fruits and the
sweetest flowers, so as to be quite proverbial for its beauty, till it was
turned into a wilderness (Isa. xxxiii. 9) because of the sins of the in-
habitants of the land. Who is it, then, my friends, that in these re-
markable words — condescending, as it were, to address us in language
on a level with our understandings and tastes — challenges our admi-
ration, as in the full consciousness that none but the blind can dispute
His title to the pre-eminence He claims ? I have on my side the unani-
mous judgment of all commentators, Jewish and Christian, in saying,
a gj^eater than Solomon is here. It is Christ Himself who chooses
this language to draw our regards, graciously using every means to
awaken our attention to His supreme excellency.

The word khobzeleth, already explained, may remind us of the
overshadowing perfection and hidden glories of the Son of God,
which we may not now penetrate ; and that it is but the opening, the
partial unfolding of His excellency that even the most earnest be-
liever can contemplate in this present world. But there is every
thing unfolded that can attract and enchain the love of every human
heart that needs relief from its sins, or a resting-place in its sorrows.
The circle of perfection knows no termination. The heart once
fixed on Christ will find enough in Him to satisfy it for ever. In
the same book to which we refer for this simile of the Rose of Sharon,
there is a passage which may remind us of what has been said as to
the white and red Rose. (See Song of Solomon v. 10.) Coming forth
from the Father in spotless purity, the light of the world, He might
be compared to the white Rose, reflecting all the assembled rays of
heaven, as it is written, " the brightness of His glory," " without
blemish and without spot ;" and, going back to the Father, how ex-
pressive an emblem do we find in the red Rose of Sharon ; for then,
if I may so speak, the red rays were reflected before a guilty world.
The wrath due to sinners was borne by Him, and " by His own
blood He entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal
redemption." Heb. ix. 12.

Oh, that we may not only taste the great salvation thus accom-
plished, but know what it is to have Christ in us. And if this Rose
be treasured in our bosoms, even though the rich possession be un-
seen by others, the odour will make it known ; the fragrancy of holi-

JANUARY. 19

ness will be diffused over our whole walk ; others will take know-
ledge of us that we have been with Jesus.

The second passage of Scripture in which the Rose is mentioned
is prophetic, and would carry us beyond our present limits. I need
only say that the simile of blossoming as a Rose, applied to a place
that had previously been a desert, is abundantly beautiful, as setting
forth that succession of bloom peculiar to some Rose-trees, which
are never without their blossoms from one end of the year to the
other.

SHANKING-OFF OF PANSIES.

I HAVE grown during the last twenty years nearly all the different
kinds of Florists' flowers, and with tolerable success ; but the Pansy
has always been my favourite, and has had the most of my atten-
tion. I would recommend those who wish to be successful in its cul-
tivation, &c., and to excel at floricultural exhibitions, to read and act
upon the instructions given by Mr. Turner, of Slough, in the former
Numbers of your truly valuable work.

This is by far the best article on the subject that I have seen ; if
any one has any doubt about it, I would direct him to the success
which attends Mr. T. at all the places where he exhibits ; I have no
recollection of ever finding his stands any thing but first. I have
also observed that the stands placed second and third have, in many-
instances, contained nearly the same varieties ; to me di sufficient
proof of the superiority of Mr. T.'s mode of culture.

In vol. i. p. 24, Mr. Turner says : " Entire beds have been
known to shank-off during a very hot summer ; and all we can say
on this part of the subject is, that the farther the Pansy is removed
from its original state by high cultivation, the more they shank-off
in this manner : plants that appear to be full of health and vigour in
the morning will be down before midday, as if they had been severed
with a knife." This is a fact well known to all Pansy growers;
moreover, watering, shading, &c. will not restore them after they
have once fallen. To remedy the evil must be our next consideration.
My plan is simply this : as soon as I find the plants drooping, I im-
mediately take off all the young shoots, and prepare them in the
usual way (as cuttings) ; I then insert the lower parts of the stems in
cold water (say one inch deep) for twenty-four hours; and have inva-
riably found, after this simple treatment, the withered shoots so far
renovated as to take root, and grow almost as well as if nothing had
happened.

In conclusion, allow me to recommend all cultivators of what are
termed Florists' flowers to use charcoal broken into pieces the size
of a nut, or smaller ; for quantity, say a tenth part of the whole. I
have used this year for striking or rooting Pansy-cuttings, Pink-
pipings, Pvose-cuttings, &c. equal parts of charcoal, leaf-mould,
yellow loam, and sea-sand, and I never succeeded so well, or had
my plants in such fine condition.

Whithy, Dec. 6th, 1849. W. F.

20 THK l-LOKIST.

THE LADIES' PAGE.

In undertaking to instruct in flower-craft, or rather to furnish some
useful hints to the lady- readers of the Florist, I labour under con-
siderable disadvantage in following a writer like Mr. Burgess, who
so eminent!}^ possesses the art of conveying profitable instruction in
graceful and jilcasing language, and thus arresting the attention of
his readers, when a less attractive writer, more conversant with the
l)runing-knife than with the pen, might fail in doing so. It will,
however, be my aim to supply information of a more practical cha-
racter ; for which reason it will be requisite to enter rather minutely
into the details of this department of gardening.

To ensure a brilliant flower-garden, it is necessary to begin at the
ground ; — a large outlay of money in the purchase of appropriate
bedding-plants will give only an indifferent return, if the soil in which
they are to grow is not properly prepared to receive them ; and this,
the resting-time of vegetation, is a fitting season for improving or
renewing the worn-out soil of old beds or borders, and also for making
any required alterations in their form, or in the general arrangement
of the parterre. But no alterations of importance should be begun
without a well-considered plan to be guided by, or the result is cer-
tain to be unsatisfactory ; and ladies who take pleasure in designing
their own patterns will do well to avoid pointed corners, unnecessary
twists, and, above all, those narrow snake -like figures sometimes
seen, which are as objectionable in point of taste, as they are difficult
to keep well filled with flowers. Moderate-sized beds, with grace-
fully curved outlines, are the most proper for flowering-plants, being
more easy to plant, and more effective when planted, than fanciful
figures.

With regard to the quality of the soil, if too good, the plants will
grow luxuriantly and bloom but sparingly in it ; therefore very rich
ground is not desirable. For new beds, what is called sandy loam
is suitable, and this, if moderately good, will not need manure the
first season ; such soil may also be beneficially mixed with the earth
of the old beds which require renovating, instead of more fertilising
substances. For the annual manuring of such beds as require it, the
refuse of the pleasure-ground, composed of grass, leaves, the rakmgs
of the beds, parings of turf, &c., which have lain in some obscure
corner till decomposed, might be used with advantage. But if
it was observed last summer that any of the bedded plants grew
strongly and did not bloom freely, such beds ought not to be ma-
nured. All these operations, however, must be suspended if the
ground is very wet ; for it is bad gardening to disturb soil when in
that state, especially if it be of an adhesive nature.

The foregoing observations of course apply only to vacant beds,
which are intended to be filled at a later period of spring ; clumps
of mixed herbaceous plants had better not be meddled with for two
months longer, unless frosty weather aflfords a favourable oppor-
tunity for wheeling some well-rotted manure on to them.

JANUARY. 21

The moist weather which generally concludes tlie year in our
climate tests the condition of garden- walks ; and as the enjoyment
of garden- scenery depends very much on our means of convenient
and comfortahle transit from one part to another, it will he advisable
to take advantage of the present dormant season to alter the direction
of objectionable, or to repair defective, walks. To ensure dryness,
without which walks are comparatively useless, a substantial layer
of stones or brickbats ought to be placed under the gravel ; and if
the ground slopes so much as to cause the surface-gravel to be
washed into channels by heavy rains, there should be a drain made
beneath one side of the walk, into which the surface-water can be
admitted at intervals. Work of this kind can be carried on in bad
weather without detriment to the ground.

Although autumn is unquestionably the best time of the year for
planting successfully, yet, in a garden, it is not always possible to do
things precisely when they ought to be done ; therefore, if any contem-
plated work of this sort has been unavoidably deferred, it is better
to do it in the present month, if the plants are large and the weather
is open, than to wait till March or April, when numberless important
matters will demand attention : besides, at that late season, when
the power of the sun and the dryness of the air are daily increasing,
transplanted trees are much more likely to die. The principal cause
of death, however, is the loss of the fibrous roots by careless taking
up. The science of vegetable physiology teaches, and practice amply
confirms its truth in this instance, that the fine fibrous rootlets are
the mouths by which the sap is sucked up from the earth ; therefore
it is important to retain as many of these as is practicable. It is also
of consequence to prevent the roots from being much dried by ex-
posure during removal; and when this unavoidably happens, or when
the soil with which they are to be covered contains but little mois-
ture, a liberal watering should be given before the hole is quite filled
up with earth. Attention to these few rules will save the life of
many a valuable tree and shrub,

January is the month when, in this climate, the severest frosts
generally occur ; it therefore behoves those upon whom the manage-
ment of greenhouses or plant-pits devolves to be upon the watch
against the intrusion of that very unwelcome visitor, whose presence
inside of those structures for only a short time might wholly destroy
our pleasing anticipations of a gay greenhouse in spring, and of a
showy flower-garden during summer. In frosty weather, then, give
air very sparingly, and always as early in the morning as the tempera-
ture of the external atmosphere will permit. Open the upper lights
only, by wliich a draught of cold air will be prevented, and close them
again early in the afternoon, by way of economising heat ; for it is
bad gardening, as well as wasteful management, to keep a plant-
house open till its temperature falls below the desired point, and then
to set the heating apparatus at work to raise it again. Too much
fire-heat is as injurious to plants as to their proprietor's pocket ; there-
fore an unnecessary expenditure of it should be guarded against by
timely attention. A considerable degree of cold can be excluded by

22 THE FLORIST.

covering the front and exposed ends of a greenhouse with mats, which
can be taken down or put up in a few minutes, as occasion requires.
Pits for the wintering of bedding plants having frequently no heating
apparatus, necessarily require a substantial covering in severe weather.
Dry liay sj)read over tlie glass and covered by mats, or a layer of hay
between two mats, will exclude a very sharp frost; and a rough
frame-work of wood, made to cover one light, and thatched with straw,
is a very efficient protector. A lining of tree-leaves round the out-
side of the pits is also of great assistance in keeping out cold.

But dajnp will be found as destructive as cold to such plants,
unless they are freely aired at every favourable opportunity. On fine
dry days take the lights quite off; and when mild but rainy weather
occurs elevate the side of every light by setting one end of a tilt
under the stile, and the other upon the rafter; this plan admits
much more air than tilting the lights at the back in the usual way.
Dead leaves favour the extension of damp or mouldiness in moist
weather ; so they should not be suffered to remain on the plants.
Water, too, must be very sparingly given at this season, especially
if no provision exists for drying the air by artificial means. When
the soil in a pot is too dry, it is only the work of a few seconds to
remedy the evil by giving it water; but if too wet, a considerable time
must elapse before the excess of moisture is removed by evaporation,
and in the interim the roots of the plant are liable to be perished by
the chill. Plants with semi-succulent stems, such as scarlet Gera-
niums, will hardly require watering at all during the dead of winter.
Among greenhouse plants. Pelargoniums are exceedingly susceptible
of injury from overwatering ; so likewise is Mignonette ; and indeed,
as a general rule, it is better to under than over water at this time of
the year.

HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY.

At a late meeting, Mr. Schroder of Stratford produced a most lovely
exhibition of Mr. Skinner's Barkeria (B. Skinneri). It consisted of
three plants of this charming Orchid, each bearing from twelve to
fifteen spikes of rosy-purple flowers. It is difficult to conceive any
thing more handsome at this proverbially flowerless season than these
were ; and we would advise all who have the means, to cultivate this
Barkeria pretty largely for winter decoration. It forms a worthy
companion to the ever-blooming, chaste, white-flowered Phalaenopsis
amabilis and grandiflora. Mrs. Lawrence of Ealing Park sent, among
other things, the very scarce Vanda violacea, having two beautiful
pendent spikes of pink-stained white waxy flowers, which, a short
distance off", might easily have been mistaken for those of an Aerides.
The same garden also furnished the rather new orange-flowered
Aphelandra, which bids fair to become a favourite stove-plant. Of
other subjects, perhaps the most beautiful was a dwarf Chrysanthemum
from Mr. Moore of Chelsea. It measured tw^enty inches high and
the same across, and had thirty-one stems or branches, ofwhich

JANUARY. 23

twenty-eight bore one or more blossoms each. It had been raised
from a cutting put in in March last, and topped occasionally to keep
it dwarf. In conclusion, we should not forget to mention that Sir
W. J. Hooker of Kew communic ited a well-executed water-colour
drawing of the country where the Sikkim-Himalayan Rhododendrons
are found. In the foreground it represented Dr. Hooker, together
with his attendants, in the costume of the country, in the act of
receiving Rhododendron flow^ers from the natives. It will be recol-
lected that Dr. Hooker is now collecting these fine Rhododendrons,
which grow plentifully there, almost within the range of perpetual
snow.

NOKTHERN TULIPS.

I THINK I told you that I would give you some account of the Chel-
laston (or Swarkstone) Tulips ; and 1 will now endeavour to redeem
my promise, premising that if there ever was a gordian knot in this
class of flowers, it is amongst these, which would require even the
summary measures of an Alexander to disperse or disentangle them.
One serious drawback is, that the breeders have many of them been
sold out as mixtures, without name or number ; another is, that
though the breeders had a certain number on the raisers' bed, yet
they were altered. Some say, that as they broke or became rec-
tified, another number was given them ; if so, it was bad policy in
the raiser.

It is also asserted by Mr. Gibbons, that they were originated
from Rose Vesta, a foul-cupped rose, and a bizarre known in the
neighbourhood of Derby as Count Villaflor. In the absence of any
other information, we must conclude that this is correct, though the
seedlings evince a much higher and better parentage.

In bizarres there appears a scarcity ; though what few there are,
are good, with few exceptions.

Pilot was broken first by Mr. John Spencer of Adholton, near
Nottingham ; at all events, he first' shewed it, and named it as
above ; and this title was adopted by the raiser. It is a flower of
good form and purity, being a shade more than half a globe when in
full bloom. In some situations the flame is apt to be light ; but I
have grown it in good style, when, take it all together, there were
few to beat it. It favours Captain White, or San Joz most, without
that incurving at the upper part of the petal, which detracts from
that fine old flower.

Caliph was broken and named by Mr. J. F. Wood of the Cop-
pice, Nottingham ; it is a third-row flower, from a strong bulb ;
equally good in form with the preceding, but not quite so coarse or
heavy ; a very fine variety, pure, the flame reddish brown, but a very
distinct and attractive sort.

Captain Sleigh I do not think much of; the beam is apt to run
through at the top of the petal, and is otherwise coarse, slightly
stained also at the base of the petals.

i24 THE FLORIST.

Competitor, with tlic exception of a similar fault, I have seen
a j^oocl feathered bizarre ; but it is either uncertain or scarce, as it is
seldom cither staged or noticed in any part of the countrj^ as far as
my observation goes.

The great majority of these breeders are byblosmens ; and T much
fear, that^Nvhen broken feathered, they have been christened one thing,
and when flamed, from the same breeder, another. 'J'his is the case
with Princess Royal (llame) and Maid of Orleans (feathered). The
breeder is light coloured, and remarkable for its purity and the large
and bold anthers which surround the seed-vessel. In the flamed
state it is often beautiful ; but when well feathered, there are few
bybloemens to beat it.

Criterion is a very distinct variety, beautifully flamed with violet ;
a broad petal, of much substance, and with an excellent-formed cup ;
it will reach about the third row.

Model of Perfection is a plum-coloured feathered bybloemen ; a
strong root will reach the third row : it is, however, very uncertain ;
the colour apt to be muddy. The form is good, and the marking
very heavy ; in fact, there is too much of it.

Duchess of Sutherland, alias Midland Beauty, is a feathered rosy
bybloemen, rather sportive, and has been shewed both as a rose when
young, and, at a more advanced period of its growth, as a byblcemen.
I fear this sort has other designations than those above quoted.

Grace Darling is a flamed bybloemen, nine times out of ten, I
should say, with too much colour in it. It is very difficult to meet
with the correct variety, as most Florists who broke any thing very
good from unnamed breeders all concluded they were possessed of
" the heroine." I should say that there are several better flowers
amongst these seedlings, and certainly much more to be depended
on. The cup is good, and the marking peculiarly rich and glossy ;
the flame is very heavy, and the feathering laid on in a piece, without
those delicate markings and pencillings so desirable in the feather.
I do not think that even the raiser knows the breeder when he sees
it ; in fact, one of the oldest and best judges amongst the growers
of the neighbourhood has repeatedly stated as much.

The Countess of Harrington is, when in good character, one of
the best ; but the great fault of this, as well as many others of these
flowers, is, the beam breaking out heavily at the top of the petal,
instead of stopping short, and the feathering meeting it. This
variety has an excellent cup, pure and well marked. There has
been a feathered flower lately broken, certainly a beautiful thing,
appropriately called " The Chellaston Beauty." This has all the
character of the Countess, except being a deep, dark feather. I think
it likely to be one of the best amongst them. Whether Sir James
Harper Crew, a recent aspirant for public favour, is also broken,
from the same breeder, I cannot say, but certainly appearances are
very much in favour of the supposition.

Britannia. About this variety there appears to be great diversity
of opinion : in its true character it should be a fourth-row flower,
with large bold cup, finely feathered with dark purple. I under-

JANUARY. 'Jo

stand it was once finely grown by the late John Thackeray, who
resided in the neighbourhood of Nottingham ; I have not, however,
heard of it being fine elsewhere, I have grown it fiamed ; in that
state there is not much character about it.

Lady Flora Hastings. Tkis is one of the most steady feathered
bybloemens I have ; the cup is good, and the marking nicely done.
It is not so dark as some of the varieties approaching the hue of the
Norwich Black Bagot ; it will reach a third row. In really good
roses there is. much scarcity ; for I consider Fanny Cerito, Nonpareil
(with its stained base). Lady Leicester, and Lady Vernon, but second-
rate. I can, however, give a different character to Catherine, which,
when not too full of colour, is a superb flower ; it is large, pure,
and highly coloured ; the petals are thick and velvety, and the
marking nicely laid on. I think this decidedly the best rose of
the family.

I must now conclude this brief notice by stating that as breeders
and as rectified flowers they make a conspicuous figure on any bed,
and will be welcome to every collection, however small : true, they
are often coarse and sportive, but time will rectify this ; and were it
not for the excessive confusion that prevails amongst them, they
would be much more valuable than they really are.

H. S. M.

GAMBLES IN THE WEST IN SEARCH OF BRITISH PLANTS.

January may fairly be called the dead month of the year for flowers
of every description. If the weather holds tolerably mild, we may
hope to collect enough of " odds and ends" from the garden to
make something like a bouquet ; but with the first sharp frost of
early morn departs the " last rose of autumn," removing every in-
ducement to neglect our rambles abroad.

It excites no small surprise amongst East-country men, on first
visiting the West at this season of the ye;ir, to find the aspect of
vegetation so entirely diflerent in character : the grass has a fresher
appearance ; the laurels and other evergreens appear more luxuriant ;
and the orchards and woods have a peculiar soft, hazy look, from the
thick coating of lichens and profusion of mosses, which, seen at a
little distance, partially compensate for the loss of foliage.

If we examine the stone walls, or, as they are called, " hedges,"
we find them completely covered with small plants, and crowned
with a small neat ivy, tinted with every colour, from a brilliant crim-
son to an emerald green. Then we have large round patches of the
Navel wort {Cotyledon Umbilicus) rooting into every crevice, its long
decayed flower- spikes still remaining, and mixing with the black
Maidenhair Spleenwort {Asplenium Adiantum nigrum), the wall
Spleen wort (Asplenium Trichomanes) , and the wall-rue Spleenwort
(Asplenium Ruta muraria), and probably some starved plants of the
common Hart'b Tongue (Scolopendrium vulgare). In the neigh--

26 THE FLORIST.

bourliood of Torpoint you will see the rare Ceterach officinarum
growing so thickly, that you can scarcely place the tip of a finger
between the plants. Walking on, we come to some high banks
on either side of the road, and stop to admire the noble bunches
of the Hart's Tongue hanging its shisiing fronds, in company with
Lastrea dilatata, intermixing with forms of other allied species. And
now look at that famous crown of Basket Fern {Lastrea Filix mas) ;
and well it answers to its local name, each frond standing nearly, if
not fully, five feet high ; it? erect and somewhat stiff form relieved
and broken by the graceful fronds of Lastrea spinulosa, and the
variety dilatata intermingled with plants of the northern Hard Fern
{Lomaria sp'tcans), which latter, as we get farther west, appears al-
most to form the hedge of itself, so thickly do its stiff comb-like
fronds overlap each other. Below that thick velvety covering of
Dicranum taxifolium, by the water w^hich crosses the road, you will
find the little neat Cornish Moneywort {Sibthorpia Europcea), with
its somewhat round, hairy foliage. ,We will now go into Pelgut
parish, and search the woods at Trelawney for the beautiful and
scarce little filmy Fern, Hymenophyllum Tunhridgense, which is said
to be found there, as well as at the waterfall at Trebartha : here,
among the long soft featherlike moss, indeed it is, with many of the
last year's fronds still retaining their freshness, and laden w^ith fruc-
tification. Here are also plants of the close-leaved prickly Shield
Fern {Polystichum Johatum) ; and in darker nooks of the wood some
of the soft prickly Shield Fern {Polystichum angidare), waving their
graceful fronds. On that slate rock you will see the Marchantia
polymorpha throwing up its inflorescence like miniature Palm-trees ;
and the old Pollard above seems almost compensated for the loss of
its leaves by the thick coating of the Common Polypody {Polypodium
vulgare), the evergreen fronds of which are hanging in various direc-
tions about its ragged branches, w^hile the trunk itself is covered with
various- coloured Lichens and Jungermannia.

In another month we will again explore the country, in hope of
finding fresh subjects of interest in the early budding of the first
spring flowers, which some time in February begin to peep from their
winter quarters.

Tregoning. Jesse Barraqw^eneth.

A FEW SELECT STOVE-CLIMBERS.

Stephanotis floribunda. This is certainly one of the most lovely
sto\e-chmbers ever introduced. Ii has charming waxy-white flowers,
which are borne in large umbels, and in great profusion, from the
axils of its dark -green foliage; they are, moreover, deliciously
scented, and remain a long time in perfection. The time of bloom-
ing is from May to July. It succeeds well in a compost of turfy
loam, peat, and half-decomposed leaf- mould, with a portion of silver-
sand, and is much benefited if planted out where the roots can have

JANUARY. 27

the advantage of bottom heat, particularly in the spring months,
when starting- into growth. It is a native of Madagascar.

Dipladenia crassinoda is another charming creeper, having deep
rosy-pink flowers, with an orange throat ; it is a free-growing plant,
with neat glossy green foliage, requiring a moist atmosphere to grow
it well, and when favourably treated will bloom thi'oughout the sum-
mer ; the flowers have also the advantage of remaining a long time
in perfection. Two parts turfy loam, one part turfy sandy peat, one
part leaf-mould, and plenty of sand and broken charcoal, is a very
excellent compost. It was introduced here from the Continent, but
Brazil is its native country.

Passijlora Bonapartei. This werj handsome species should be
grown in the most select collection ; it is a robust-growing sort,
with large handsome foliage, and very free bloomer ; the flowers are
deep red and green, with a purple and white crown, and fine fra-
grance. It requires planting out where the roots will have plenty
of room to spread ; and if it can have the addition of bottom heat
it will thrive well. A plant which I have growing in my stove,
planted out in a border where the hot- water pipes pass underneath,
was scarcely ever out of flower all last year ; it was only planted out
in September 1848, and in March following it bloomed in succession
nearly two hundred flowers ; it again came into flower the end of
June in greater profusion ; and after this blooming was over, which
was towards the end of July, I cut away many of the strongest
shoots, and shortened the others well in, and about the middle of
August it began again to bloom for the third time, and had on an
average from six to eight of its lovely flowers out every day, up to
the close of September, when I cut it well in for the winter, and by
degrees discontinued water. The flowers of this, and also several of
the other species, if impregnated with the pollen of other kinds, will
fruit freely ; the fruit is of an orange colour, similar in shape and
size to a lemon, and when hanging on the plant in the autumn has
a very handsome eff^ect.

P. quadrangular is insignis is a fine hybrid variety, similar to the
above, only the flowers are deeper in colour ; the fragrance, how-
ever, is not near so strong.

P. alata is a fine old species, introduced from the West Indies
in 1772. The flowers are something similar to Bonapartei; the
only difference is in the colour of the crown, which is more of a blue
than purple ; it is also deficient in fragrance.

P. quadrangularis is another fine old species, with large deep
red and green flowers, and purple and white crown ; the filaments
are long and tasselled, quite distinct from the preceding. A native
of Jamaica, from whence it was introduced in 1763.

P. kermesina, a slender- growing handsome variety, with deep
crimson flowers, and white rays ; a very free bloomer : introduced
in 1831.

P. kermesina Lemicheziana. This is a very handsome hybrid,
raised in Paris, and recently introduced here. It is of a luxuriant
habit, with dark green foliage, and abundant bloomer ; the flowers
are deep crimson, after the manner of P. kermesina.

28 THE FLORIST.

P. racemosa lias scarlet flowers ; exceedingly handsome. A na-
tive of Brazil.

P. Middletoniana is a beautiful sort, of a luxuriant growth, with
handsome dark green shining foHage ; the flowers are purple, and
the nectary or crown consists of two rows of beautiful purple and
white filaments ; they are also very agreeably scented. A particu-
larly showy variety : introduced from the West Indies.

Altogether the Passifloras are a very elegant and interesting
genus, admirably adapted for stove-cHmbers, being of easy culture,
free growers, and if allowed plenty of room will be sure to produce
abundance of beautiful flowers, and many of them are very sweet-
scented. All the species will thrive well in a mixture of good rich
loam and rotten dung, rendered open by the addition of sandy peat ;
the compost should be used in a rough state, and should always
have good drainage. Cut them well in every autumn, after they
have done blooming, and in the summer give plenty of water.

Clerodendron splendens is a climbing species of this genus. It
has very handsome evergreen foliage, and rich scarlet flowers ; ex-
ceedingly showy : it should be grown in a somewhat shaded place
in the stove, and planted in a rich loamy soil.

Hull. [To be continued.] J. S. NouMAN.

THE HOLLYHOCK.

Having been requested by several readers of the Florist to supply
some instructions on the cultivation of the Hollyhock, I readily
respond to their wishes.

Varieties of this beautiful flower have been for mnny years
crowded into the uncultivated parts of our shrubberies ; and perhaps
justly so, not deserving a better situation. But the time is come
when some of the improved sorts of this old ornament of our gar-
dens should be brought out of the shade, and be prominently placed
on the lawn and in the flower-garden, where they will assuredly
claim the admiration of the amateur, and repay the care of the Florist.
The Hollyhock is worthy of the same care and attention as the
Dahlia ; and, properly cultivated, should be planted in beds or rows.
The ground best suited for them is rich old garden-soil, well trenched
over to the depth of two feet, with plenty of decomposed manure
well mixed up with it. If the subsoil is wet, they will thrive re-
markably well in the summer ; but are apt to suff'er from it in the
winter. tSand laid round the stem of the roots I find to be an
excellent preventive from rot and slugs, which are very troublesome
in the winter months. A situation shaded by distant trees from the
noonday-sun is to be preferred ; only the roots of the trees must not
be allowed to interfere with those of the Hollyhock. They will
bloom earlier in a warm south border, but not so finely, nor retain
their flowers so long, as when planted in a little shade. If cultivated
in rows, let them be placed three feet apart, and four feet from row
to row ; if in beds, about the same distance should be preserved ;

JANUARY. 29

but care should be taken to select the tall growers for the centre,
and so to arrange the colours that tliey may harmonise, and make a
pleasing mass of beauty.

The Hollyhock may be removed with safety in almost any month
of the year and stage of growth, if the weather is favourable ; still
I consider September and October the very best time to ensure a
fine l)loom in the following summer. The best way to obtain a suc-
cession of flowers is, by transplanting a portion at different seasons
of the year. Plant some in the spring : it is surprising how much
later they bloom by adopting this method. The spikes of flowers
exhibited by me at the Surrey Gardens in 1848 on the 12th of
September were part of a large bed I had transplanted in February
or March :^ those which remained on the old bed bloomed in July
and August ; while those that were transplanted bloomed in Sep-
tember and October. If the plants are to be removed but a short
distance, let them be taken up with a good ball of earth, and planted
in holes prepared with plenty of good rotten manure well mixed
with the soil, and they will grow very fine the first year. In May,
when the spikes are grown about a foot high, thin them out accord-
ing to the strength of the plant. If well established and very strong,
leave four spikes ; if weaker, two or three, or only one ; at the same
time placing a stake to each spike separately. They will not require
tall stakes ; the most robust grower needs one no higher than four
feet 'from the ground; three feet is quite sufiicient for most sorts:
tall stakes are not only unsightly, and mar the appearance of the
plant, but they are injurious, as they spoil the flowers where the
stem touches them. Let the stakes be properly placed early in the
season, and the young shoots carefully tied ; very short ones will be
sufficient to induce erect growth. Most of the best sorts will begin
to bloom at about two feet from the ground. Thin the flower-buds,
if they are'^crowded together ; and some of the sorts may be im-
proved by cutting off the top of the spike. This will make the
individual flowers finer ; but it requires judgment, or the plant will
be very much disfigured, and its duration of flowering shortened.
I shall be happy to continue my remarks at a future time.

Nursery, Saffron Walden. William Chater.

ON THE PROPERTIES OF A PELARGONIUM.

I TAKE 'a greater interest in the Seedling Pelargonium Fund than is
to be inferred from the absence of m.y name from the subscription-
list ; and as it is always easier to dispose of other people's money than
one's own, I venture to suggest an improvement in the distribution
of the prizes.

I wish the amount to be given away would admit of a different
arrangement ; but, on the supposition that you have the same sum
to award as last year, I assume, without underrating the value of the

30 THE FLORIST.

prize itself, that the place on the prize-list is more to the raiser than
the actual money received. And I imagine the Pelargonium-loving
public to look on with interest at your proceedings, and to form its
judgment in part from your decisions ; in fact, that the result of
that exhibition shall to a certain extent (it might to a considerable
extent) represent the annual progress of the flower. Then, I think,
you will agree with me, that four prizes will not be enough. What,
however, is to be done? Twelve pounds cannot be stretched into
twenty-four ; neither should the lowest prize be reduced below thirty
shillings, or the pubhc will think too meanly of the flower it represents.
But you may give eight prizes where you now give four, if you make
each prize exceed the one below it by five shillings. And as I think
we may fairly look for eight or more seedlings annually that are
improvements, this is the plan I would recommend ; and then the
value of the highest prize, and the aggregate number of prizes, will
depend on the state of the subscription-list.

To shew you that I do take an interest in the institution, I beg
to subjoin for the assistance of the critical taste, or for the exercise
of the critical propensities of Florists, the following table of nineteen
points of a Pelargonium grouped into five classes.

OF THE PLANT.

Class I. Nature. 1. Habit. 2. Freedom of bloom. 3. Constancy of bloom.
4. Robustness of constitution,

OF THE FLOWER.

II. Shape. As a whole : 1. Circularity. 2. Surface-curvature. 3. Sit on
the calyx. In its parts: 1. Smoothness of edge. 2, Smoothness
of surface. 3. Breadth of under petals, especially at the extremity.

III. Size. As a whole : Even a trifle in advance of the current average of

good varieties. In its parts : Proportion between the upper petals
and the lower.

IV. 1. Colour. Brightness and distinctness of each component, including

the white, if any. 2. Harmony of colours, or high quality of com-
position. 3. Freedom from veins, and other unevennesses of colour
(except under certain circumstances in the blotch). 4. Richness and
velvety appearance, or high quality of tone. 5. Contrasts, namely :
In the margin, by the clearness and evenness of the colours con-
trasted by position. In the eye, by the abruptness of termination of
the colour, and purity of the white. Between the blotch, and the
ground on which it is laid. 6. Variety. In the number of harmo-
nising colours. In the forms in which they are disposed. In the
number of times they occur.
V. Substance. Of sufficient stoutness to maintain its shape, to avoid
transparence, and to escape " burning."

On some of the above a few observations will be necessary, as it
is convenient to condense a table into as short a compass as possible.

Class I. — There are some varieties which naturally grow too
stocky to be graceful, as there are many which run too long and
spindly, and a few which are little better than creepers. Several,
also, disperse their sap unevenly, and, without great care, would always
form straggling plants. The habit, therefore, should be close, and
inchned to throw out laterals ; yet with a decided tendency to grow

JANUARY. 31

freely upwards, or it will be intractable to the trainer. If it presents
barren axils, or throws up blind shoots, it should be discarded.

Constancy also is a great point. Some of our best varieties (best
when true) are inconstant ; as Hebe's Lip, Mont Blanc, and others.
Some, as Foster's Favourite and Beck's Competitor, rarely bring a
bloom true, and should be thrown away. Those which bloom cor-
rectly at one period of the season and not at the rest, as Cavalier,
should not be branded as inconstant.

Class II. — The general circularity of the blossom is understood
and acknowledged as a requisite by all ; and yet many flowers are
highly vaunted which offend more against this canon than ought to
be tolerated ; for nothing can compensate for its infringement.

By surface-curvature is meant the absence of flatness, of course
"without crumple. The centre should always be slightly cupped, and
the flower may be equally graceful whether concave throughout, or
whether it change at three-fourths the length of the petals, and as
gently reflex, presenting something of the open trumpet or bell-
mouthed figure.

The way in which it sits on its calyx makes a great difference in
its general appearance ; for in this are involved the chief properties
of the throat, which should be open but not staring, and taper but
not elongated.

The freedom from fringe at the edge, and from crumple on the
surface, need no remark. But on the breadth of the under petals,
and especially at their extremity, depends the filling up of the inter-
vals between petal and petal ; and by consequence the flowing nature
of the outline, and the circularity of the flower. Therefore the lower
petals should be broad, and increasing in breadth outwards. And
the curve with which the petal terminates should have a radius of
considerable length : in flowers of high refinement, from half to the
whole length of the petal ; in bold flowers it may be less, say a third.
If it descends below a fourth, the petal will be too pointed for a
modern collection. The individual shape of the upper petals may
vary considerably without much change in the general effect.

Class III. — The average size may now probably be called an inch
and three quarters, and a flower should be expected to be this at
least.

A due relative size, or rather length, between the two classes of
petals is of great importance, and should always be required. If
otherwise, the flower will always sit uneasy on its calyx, besides that
the proportion and the contrast are both injured.

Class IV. — The first four requirements in this class appear to me
sufficiently to explain themselves. Harmony should rank high, be-
cause here position of itself involves contrast.

The contrast exhibited by the margin maybe either of two kinds.
It may arise simply from position, it being a part of the general ground
colour on which a blotch is laid ; if so, the blotch should be large
and even, and terminate abruptly, or the contrast will be feeble. Or
there may be a contrast of colour as well as of position ; and then it
will admit of tlie upper and outer edge of the blotch being starred.

32

THE FLORIST.

which, in «i contained outhne, adds much to its effect. This is still
more the case when there is an intermediate shade between the blotch
and the margin, as in several higli-bred flowers, such as Gipsy Bride ;
only the contrast should always be preserved unimpaired by a clean
circular margin catching the eye.

Variety of colouring has become general of late ; and, in fact,
the Pelargonium is now the richest example we have of the harmo-
nious blending and contrast of cognate colours by overlapping.

Variety of outline in the form in which the colours are disposed
should also be looked for ; as an angular-edged blotch, instead of the
comparatively tame pea-blossom appearance of one perfectly smooth ;
which, however, when velvety, and occupying all the petal except
a narrow bright margin, is very effective and rich.

Also the blotch-colour, or other besides the ground, may appear
several times in splashes on the lower petals ; and although this im-
pairs the contrast between the upper and low^r petals, it is w^ell to
have some varieties thus marked ; besides that it adds another feature
to the group. Iota.

^ ^

ii

l.;L!l»

:Mf

XCsj DraJoi Dfl^

Fred* Sr-ii^i.

ERICAS.

story's SEJSTZ, l^' G .

1 Eeg-alis 2. laq-ueata lutea .H. (.^avendisliiajiA. /Var/

FEBRUARY. 33

ERICAS.

Heaths belong to a Natural Order which contains some of
the most beautiful plants of which we have any knowledge.
In addition to the interesting forms of their blossoms, Ericas
themselves may be said to comprise almost every shade of
colour which we could expect or desire to find in flowers.
We have snowy whiteness in the little hail-like blossoms of
the common Grandinosa ; pink and white, in charming contrast,
in the beautiful Metulaeflora bicolor; yellow in Cavendishii ;
green in Viridis ; scarlet in Splendens ; and red in species
without number ; and then, again, these are blended and soft-
ened down to every tint and shade of which such mixtures
are susceptible. But we have as yet no blues or violets ; and
it is said these should be present in every harmonious arrange-
ment of colours: a skilful disposition of the plants in the
Heathery, however, will easily compensate for the loss of
these ; and, of course, where Heaths are intermixed with green-
house plants, these colours can be supplied by other genera.

But it is not variety of colour alone that constitutes the
great value of Heaths for decorative purposes. Their long sea-
son of flowering is another feature in this fine tribe of plants
not to be lost sight of; for under careful management, and
with a moderatel}' good collection, either one or other of its
many sorts may be had in bloom nearly all the year round.
In spring, the beautiful little purple-flowered Gracilis and
the sweet-scented Regerminans put forth their tiny blossoms
in abundance, and usher in the floral year to the Heathery,
while their period of beauty continues on till some of the
larger and finer-flowered kinds make their appearance and
take their places ; these, again, are succeeded by other sorts ;
and thus from almost the earliest dawn of spring and vernal
sunshine, until aged Autumn, " still and sublime," casts her long
shadows around us, we have some favourite greeting us with
a " handful of blossoms." Indeed, were it possible to take our
Heaths from us, and place them again in their native homes
at the Cape, we should be bereft of our finest ornamental
plants, and should mourn little less over their departure than
the early Highland emigrants did over their heather, when
they found that it would not grow with them in Canada.

But the object we have more immediately in view on this
occasion is, to introduce the subjects represented by our plate ;
and having done that, we do not know that we can do better,
as the homely phrase goes, than let them speak for themselves.

VOL. III. NO. XXVI. D

34 THE FLORIST.

They were raised by Mr. Story, a <rentleman who, as most
of our readers know, has been most fortunate in producing
seedling Heaths of first-rate excellence. They are well worthy
of the attention of every Heath-grower ; and respecting thern
he has favoured us with the following particulars. Sorry we
are to add, two of them are misnamed ; and we must request
our readers to reverse those of Laqueatus lutea and seedling
Cavendishii.

To the hybridist it is interesting to be made acquainted with the
genealogy of any new production submitted to the ordeal of public
criticism.

The subjects illustrating the present Number of the Florist
bloomed for the first time in June 1848. I am sorry it is not in
my power to do more than guess at the parentage of Regalis, the
labels having got displaced in removing my plants from Isleworth in
1844. At that time the seedhng in question v;as a little puny thing
in a thumb-pot, unlike in all things to any other plant in my collec-
tion ; this circumstance secured for the solitary stranger more than
an ordinary amount of care, — repaid subsequently by rapid growth
and a display of unusual vigour. There can be no doubt, I think,
but Vestita rosea was its male parent ; the habit, vigour, and foli-
age bespeak thus much : further I can form no conception. Be
its parentage what it may, there is no doubt but it will rank as one
of the first in its class. Mr. Henderson of Pine-Apple Place pur-
chased the plant, and exclaimed when he first beheld it, " This is a
fine flower." Laqueatus lutea was submitted to Mr. Henderson's
judgment at the same time as the above ; he much admired it for the
novel form and colour of its flowers, combined with the advantage
of an excellent habit and deep rich foliage, forming a compact bush
without the aid of stakes or stopping. The colour and form of the
flowers are so correctly delineated in the attached drawing, that it is
unnecessary to dwell on them here. This seedling was obtained
from Tricolor coronata set with Depressa : it flowers at the termi-
nals like the latter, and in clusters of three, four, and sometimes
five. This seedling will also be found in Messrs. Henderson's col-
lection. The third seedling here figured was obtained in the same
way that Cavendishii was, viz. Depressa set with Patersonii : it
approaches very closely to the clear rich colour of the latter, ^\dth the
habit of the former, and though unquestionably it is an improvement
on Cavendishii, yet it too closely resembles it to merit a distinct name.
Whitehill, January 12, 1850. W. H. Story.

COYEHING FOR PITS AND FRAMES.

Few things In the gardening world are so ill adapted for the purposes
to which they are applied as Russian mats. They are expensive in

1-KBUUARY. 35

the first instance, and they last but a few months ; they are trouble-
some to put on and remove, very far from being efficient when on ;
and whenever they are employed, there unavoidably occurs a large
quantity of broken glass ; for it is all but impossible to obviate this,
especially in the case of old thin crown-glass. I tried various sub-
stitutes for this evil, but with little satisfaction, until I happened to
meet with a person fond of introducing novelties. I mentioned my
difficulty to him ; he prepared to set about removing it, and in the
course of a few days shewed me a waterproof cloth, and informed
me that he could supply it at 9d. per square j^ard. It appeared to
me too slight a cloth to last long, but he assured me that he had
had a piece in constant use for three years. I therefore gave him an
order for as much as would cover a pit in which I stored bedding-
plants ; and finding it uninjured by a twelvemonths' wear, I was
anxious to procure a further stock ; but my friend was no where
to be found ; he had removed. I was therefore obliged to try my
own hand at preparing the cloth. The following is the plan which
I adopted ; and the material I produced answers the purpose per-
fectly, although not so well as that prepared by my chemical friend,

I purchased the cloth, a strong, coarse cahco, and 5 ft. 10 in.
wide, for 6d. per yard. I had this made into convenient sizes, as
required, and bound round with a cheap tape in order to strengthen
it. I stretched it to a piece of wood under an open shade, and
tacked the under side to a 4-inch batten, when it was ready to
receive the composition. I was aware that my chemical friend used
a '* black varnish" got up by a chemist in Bristol; but this cost
'2s. 4d. per gallon, and I judged that it was composed principally of
gas-tar. I was anxious on that account to substitute the latter, and
so save my '2s. I therefore used one gallon of gas- tar from the gas
works, to which I added four pints of boiled oil, one pint of turpen-
tine, and one pound of kitchen-dripping: the last should be dissolved,
to cause it to mix with the others, it will also be found necessary,
or rather convenient, to apply the composition at a temperature of
about 90° or 100°, which is easily effected by placing the can con-
taining it in warm water. In applying it, I use a white-w^ash brush
which has been worn rather short. The cloth being properly stretched,
as directed above, it may be easily and speedily covered with the
composition, and will be fit for use when dry. I may state, however,
that it does not dry very soon ; and on this account I am not satis-
fied with my composition, which I hope to improve when I require
its use again. I cannot state exactly what the cost per yard was
when finished, but I know that I was supplied with covering for
less than mats for the same purpose had annually cost ; and after
two years' service, it is but little the worse, and will last a third. I
consider that it will cost about one-third the price of mats. In regard
to convenience and comfort, it is every thing that could be desired ;
and mats occasion a continual litter, which this will be found to
entirely obviate.

Florists and amateurs do not require to be informed that a light,
pliable, waterproof cloth, which can be procured for one- third the

36 THE FLORIST.

price of mats, is exactly what they want. I wish, however, that
cloth- makers could he induced to turn their attention to the matter,
and furnish us with a suitable article at a moderate price ; for I must
admit that I am not partial to the smell of my workshop while the
cloth is drying. Alpha.

NEW PLANTS,

And others, figured and described in Ilooker'^s and Paxton''s Botanical Magazines

for January.

MiCROSPERMA Bartonioides. An herbaceous rather tender annual, rivalh'ng
Bartonia aurea ; grows about one foot high ; flower, sulphur-yellow colour.
Introduced when in flower from Hamburgh to the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew,
and from there figured.

EcHixocACTUs RHODOPHTHALMDS. A showy dwarf spccics ; petals of a rose
colour, Avith a dark red, almost crimson, spot at the base. Introduced to the
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, from San Luis Potosi in Mexico. This species,
like other Mexican Cacti, requires to be kept rather dry during winter. Figured
from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

OxALis ELEGANS. This very showy species is a native of the Andes of Loxa
in Colomba, bordering on Peru. It was received by Messrs. Veitch and Son,
Exeter, from their collector, Mr. William Lobb. Its flowers are from six to
nine or ten in an umbel, of a purple colour, with an intensely dark j)urple eye.
It is a tuberous-rooted plant, growing about six or eight inches high; suitable
for a greenhouse or warm border : it is said to be quite hardy. Figured from
Messrs. Veitch and Son, Exeter.

Ophelia corymbosa. A tender annual, rather pretty, of slender growth,
about a foot high ; corolla of a pale purple colour, with a white eye. Intro-
duced from Nilgherry to the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew ; and from there
figured.

JNIetrosideros tomentosa. An evergreen greenhouse shrub, having corymbs
of very shoAvy blossoms of a vivid scarlet colour. Introduced to the Royal
Botanic Gardens, Kew, from New Zealand, where it visually inhabits the rocky
sea-coast and shores of the Bay of Islands, and is called by the natives Pohutu-
Kawa. Figured from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Valoradia plumbaginoides. This is the Plumbago Larpentse of Dr. Lind-
ley. Figured in the Florist and Garden Miscellany for 1849, for which see the
description there.

Blanfordia flammea. This beautiful species is an evergreen herbaceous
tuberous-rooted perennial plant, growing about one foot high ; the flowers are
very showy, of an orange-yellow and light red colour, remaining several weeks
in perfection : it is a valuable acquisition to our greenhouses. Introduced by
Messrs. Low and Son, of Clapton, from the banks of the Hunter river in
Australia, It will require a similar treatment to Cape bulbs. Figured from
their Clapton Nursery.

RoNDELETiA SFECiosA MAJOR. Both variety and species are dwarf shrubby
stove-plants of great beauty, growing about two or three feet high, of a com-
pact habit, having corymbs of very sliowy flowers of a bright orange-yellow and
dark crimson colour ; they are old inhabitants of our stoves, and which no col-
lection should be without : their native country is Havannah. Figured from
Chatsworth.

Tabernjemontana coronaria FLORE PLENO. An evergreen stove shrub,
about four or five feet high, with large white flowers, of a delicious fragi'ance. It
is a native of the East Indies, and has long been an inhabitant of our stoves.
Figured from Chatsworth.

Royal Botanic Gardens^ Kew. J. Houlston.

FEBRUARY. 37

OUR GARDEN:
BIRDS. INSECTS, &c.; THE DAISY, AXD ITS ERADICATION.

Kind Readers, — The thought has sometimes crossed my mind, as it
has perhaps the minds of others, how far man is justified in destroying
many of the birds, insects, creeping things, and the Hke, which he
looks upon, sometimes with, more frequently we may fear without,
reason, as plagues ; how far, in short, man, as a creature, is doing
what he ought to do in destroying the life of creatures.

The slaughter of animals and birds /br/oorf may be looked upon
as necessaiy, and therefore blameless ; but even to this it seems to
me that there should be some limit.

I will put an instance : when a number of persons of good edu-
cation, and frequently of high position in the world, meet in some
well-stocked preserves of game, and at the end of w^hat is called a day
oi sport, the slaughtered pheasants and hares are counted, not by
tens, but by hundreds, is this necessary ? Can it be right ? Can a
merciful Creator look upon this wholesale destruction of His crea-
tures with approval } I leave others to answer the question for
themselves ; but my own heart tells me that such a destruction of
life, mainly for the sake of sport, can no more be justified than the
bull-fights of the Peninsula.

I now come to what are called the gardeners' J9e5^5, birds, insects,
creeping things, &c. There can be no doubt but that all these were
created for some wise end ; nothing has been made in vain, of this
we may rest assured. Some over-busy people have learnt this by
experience. Those who have endeavoured to destroy rooks, chaf-
finches, sparrows, &c., have often found to their cost that God had
given these birds a necessary work to do ; and that when they have
not been permitted to perform their appointed duty, evil has come of
it in the shape of unchecked myriads of grubs and the like. For my
part, I cannot believe that one of the birds which frequent our fields
and gardens ought to be destroyed ; I would frighten them away
by all means when they are particularly troublesome, and keep them
oflf with nets, &c. ; but I should at other times leave them unmolested
to perform their appointed work.

Insects doubtless have their uses, though, I must confess, I have
greater diflSculty in discovering what they are ; still I would say, Do
not destroy more than are absolutely necessary. I feel sure, if we do
destroy these living armies, some other pests will rise up in increased
numbers, and bring unlooked-for destruction in their train.

Again, as regards creeping things ; I cannot say much in behalf
of slugs and snails, yet I never have them destroyed in large quanti-
ties without a qualm of conscience ; surely they must be the destroyers
of something else which needs destroying ; and if they multiply upon
us in an unusual manner, may not this circumstance suggest to us the

38 1I1E FI.OKlc^T.

jjossibility that, in our over-anxiety to rid ourj^elves of some otlier
fancied pests, we have been destroying the natural enemies which
would have kei)t in check these troublesome hordes ? I have more
to say for earth-worms. 1 believe them to be the active members of
a large draining association for the benefit of man ; and 1 do not
hesitate to affirm, that he who chops a worm in two with a spade, or
otherwise destroys it, has done a cruel and a foolish action.

Of a like character is the common practice of kilhng harmless
toads and frogs, — some of the most useful auxiliaries of a gardening
establishment.

The sum of all this is, that it appears to me to be worth the con-
sideration of every gardener, how he may destroy as little as possible
of the sensitive creation ; and that he should not think he has done
well when, with fell determination, he has destroyed as many as pos-
sible of God's creatures, but when he has learnt to spare every one
which he caimot convince himself, on due reflection, to be a downright
plague.

Descending in the scale of creation, I come now to the vegetable
world. Here, as we have no pain to inflict, no blood to shed, I have
no doubt we may exercise our discretion as to the destruction of
plants, weeds, &c.

At the Fall the ground was cursed, and it began to bring forth
briers, thorns, and the like. As, then, they seem to have been sent
to punish man for his sin, to increase his difficulty in tilhng the
ground, I see not but what man may do his best to root them out,
and thus lessen the labour which has become his portion.

Yet even the destruction of small plants and weeds cannot be
carried out, without exciting in the minds of the thoughtful some
passing feeling of regret at uprooting a being full of life, thus bring-
ing it to a premature, an early death. Burns the poet seems to have
felt this when he wrote his sweet little poem on " A Mountain Daisy,
upon turning one down with the plough in April 1786." The first
stanza shews the poet's feeling :

" Wee, modest, crimson-tipped flow'r,
Thou's met me in an evil hour ;
For I maun crush amang the stoure

Thy slender stem ;
To spare thee now is past my pow'r,

Thou bonnie gem."

The poet's moral in the last stanza is also worth recalling :

" Ev'n thou Avho mourn 'st the Daisy's fate,
That fate is thine — no distant date ;
Stern Ruin's ploughshare drives, elate.

Full on thy bloom.
Till crush 'd beneath the furrow's weiglit

Shall be thy doom."

Kind readers, will it be believed, that after this v^ord of mercy
for the sensitive creation, this pleasing reminiscence of the poet's
tenderness of heart, I should come forward to counsel the destruction

FEBRUARY.

39

of the Daisy, — to place before you a weapon for its extirpation?"'' Yet
so it is : it may be thought inconsistency on my part ; be it so. I do
not desire its destruction every where, but I must counsel its com-
plete removal from lawns, and all portions of neatly kept grass. I
look upon a Daisy as one of the worst, perhaps the very worst, enemy
of a good grass-sward.

1 only know of one method of eradicating this weed from a lawn,
and that is the use of a small instrument like a dock-fork in minia-
ture. This roots them out with ease when the ground is not too
dry ; it can be used readily by a woman or child.

'%16

^Y<

^

'7v1

I do not know any thing that spoils a good lawn so much, or
overpowers the grass so quickly, as the " wee, modest, crimson-tipped
flow'r." This fork will, at a very small expense, and w^ith little
amount of labour, supply the remedy. The dimensions and the plan
of it are given in the accompanying woodcut. Any persons looking
upon a lawn after it has been freed from the Daisy, though regret-
ting its untimely fate, may reap the benefit of Burns's moral ; or
they may be reminded of the final separation and rooting out of the
wicked from the righteous, of the unsullied scene of Heaven, where
nothing will be allowed to have a place which offendeth or deiileth.

J. H. G.

* Our correspondent sent us a very neat drawing of his fork, and the dimen-
sions of the several parts ; but we have used the above, which differs from it in
nothing essential, and which may be made by any village blacksmith. The
whole length of the iron part is about five inches, and that of the liandle nine
inches. It must be understood that we do not entirely concur with our aniiable
correspondent on one or two points. The destruction of birds, in our opinion,
becomes a duty when they are too numerous : the extirpation of slugs and snails
from our gardens should alwavs be enforced to the utmost. — En.

40 THE FLORIST.

THE LADIES' PAGE.

Where the modern system of planting flowers in masses of distinct
colours is practised, it is presumed that the particular kind intended
to occupy each bed was determined upon in autumn, and that due
provision was then made by taking up and potting, and by putting
in cuttings of the various plants wanted for that purpose : if, how-
ever, this important business was neglected at the proper period, the
oversight must be remedied, so far as possible, by putting in during
the present month all the cuttings that can be obtained of the re-
quired plants. For this purpose artificial warmth is indispensable ;
and if the garden establishment does not afford a heated pit which
can be applied to this use only, it will be advisable to construct a
hot-bed, to be employed solely for propagating ; which will be found
more convenient and in every way preferable to the common prac-
tice of encumbering the early cucumber or melon frame with pots of
cuttings. A very simple affair is the making of this hot- bed, which
might, if necessary, be composed wholly of the tree- leaves swept off
the lawn or the garden-walks three months ago ; only a larger body
of material will be requisite than if the bed is partly made of stable-
litter. A thickness of three feet, after being well consolidated by
treading, will afford a gentle heat for some time ; but if a small (or
one light) frame is intended for the reception of the cuttings, the
bed must be made to extend from two to three feet beyond each side
of the frame, otherwise the quantity of leaves will be insufficient to
maintain the requisite temperature in cold windy weather. If such
should prove to be the case under the present arrangement, the frame
can easily be encased all round with leaves, building them up nearly
to the level of the top, and covering them with long litter, to prevent
them blowing about. Set the frame on the middle of the bed, keep
the light close, and fermentation will soon commence in the leaves,
when, after spreading three or four inches of fine coal- ashes over the
bed within the frame, it will be ready to receive the cuttings.

The propagation of the plants now under consideration demands
more attention than skill. Well- drained pots of any convenient
size, three parts filled with light soil and the remainder with sand,
or a mixture of sifted leaf- mould and sand, must be prepared to re-
ceive the cuttings, which when taken off need not be more than two
inches long for Verbenas and other short-jointed plants. Remove
the lower leaves from the cuttings, cut them off smoothly close below
a joint, and insert them firmly but not deeply in the sand ; then give
a sprinkling of water, and set the pots in the frame. The after-
management is comprised in ^vatering moderately whenever the sur-
face of the sand feels dry and loose, and in guarding against damp,
by admitting a little air at favourable opportunities, and taking the
light quite off for half an hour occasionally on fine days. In a tem-
perature ranging from 65 to 70 degrees, cuttings of Petunia, Verbena,
Heliotrope, and of other similar things that are popular for bedding,
will become rooted plants fit for potting singly in from three to four

FEBRUARY. 41

weeks. Use light soil and small pots for this purpose, and return
them to the propagating frame, or other close and warm place, for
a fortnight or so, till they get established ; afterwards they must
be removed to a more airy situation, to be gradually inured to bear
exposure. If a sufficient number of cuttings were put-in in autumn,
the young plants ought in the course of this month to be separated
and potted singly, to make them dwarf and stocky ; for if permitted
to occupy the store-pots till the proper season arrives for planting
out, the plants will get long and attenuated, and, in consequence,
much inferior for bedding to those which were potted singly.

Many of the early-blooming annuals are of great service in a
flower-garden, especially in places where there is not extensive con-
venience for wintering tenderer plants ; as, if sown thinly early in
September, and transferred to the flower-beds in the end of this
or the beginning of next month, they will have covered the ground,
if they are not quite in blossom, by the time when such things
as Geraniums can be safely risked out of doors. It is best, no
doubt, to sow the seeds of annuals in the beds where the plants
are to bloom ; only at the season when that ought to be done, these
beds are generally in their greatest gaiety. If no autumn-sown
plants have been provided, seeds might now be sown in pans under
glass, for which purpose the following species are suitable : — Nemo-
phila insignis, blue and white ; N. raaculata, white with blue spots ;
Gilia tricolor, blue, white, and dark brown (there is also a white
variety) ; Collinsia bicolor, blue and white ; Eucharidium grandi-
florum, red ; Clarkia pulchella, red (also a white variety) ; Viscaria
oculata, pink with dark eye ; Leptosiphon androsaceus, lilac ; Ery-
simum Perofskianum, orange; Schizanthus pinnatus humilis, varie-
gated : Campanula speculum album, w^hite (Venus' s Looking-glass) ;
Mathiola annua (the Ten- week Stock), various colours. These are
all lovv^-growing plants, which come early into flow^er, and are sufficient
for the purpose under consideration ; but there are many other highly
desirable annuals, especially amongst these that are now considered
old kinds, of which we will take another opportunity to give a des-
criptive list.

Many very beautiful and interesting flowers are also to be found
among the early-blooming perennials, well adapted either for plant-
ing in masses, that is, entire beds, or for enlivening the borders
of mixed plants ; and yet we rarely see these desirable things em-
ployed to the extent they deserve, even in gardens of the greatest
pretension. The following species are recommended to all who do
not possess them : — the Hepatica {Hepatica triloba), all the varieties ;
double Primroses {Primula vulgaris), white, yellow, buff, lilac, crim-
son, and purplish red; double Daisies (5e///5 j9crc;m/5), many different
mixtures of colour ; Arabis alpina, white ; Sanguinaria canadensis,
white ; Anemone apennina, blue ; Anemone nemorosa flore pleno,
double white ; Veronica saxatilis, blue ; Alyssum saxatile, yellow ;
Aubrietia deltoidca, purple.

Then that universal favourite, the Pansy (Viola tricolor), must
not be forgotten ; not the high-priced sorts exhibited for prizes, as

^2 TUE FLORIST.

these would be too costly for our purpose, but a selected assortment
of good forms and striking colours, which can be obtained from any
of the leading growers for a moderate sum. This plant possesses
the estimable properties of blossoming early and for a long period ;
and it has besides such an inherent tendency to sport into varieties
when raised from seed, that some novelty might always safely be
calculated upon.

In addition to the double-blossomed Primroses before mentioned,
numerous varieties of the native single species are to be met with.
I once served a lady who possessed fourteen or fifteen different
coloured Primroses, — not a plant or two of a kind, but many hun-
dreds, with which the ground in a small wood was literally carpeted ;
and few objects could be imagined surpassing this in beauty when the
plants were in full bloom. From a small portion of seed from such
a collection an extensive stock of plants could be obtained in a year
or two, as no plant bears dividing better than the Primrose ; or, want-
ing this, seed of the common wild kind might be sown, and some of
the offspring will be almost certain to give coloured fiowers, from
which again other varieties could be obtained by sowing seed. So
also of the common Cowslip, from which, by successive sowings for
three or four generations, a Polyanthus might be raised. These and
similar inxepensive experiments may afford recreation to many who
have not under their control the costly apparatus of a regular flower-
garden. Early- flowering bulbs are a great acquisition to a garden,
but these ought to have been planted in autumn ; there are, how-
ever, some kinds which bloom later in the summer, and these may
be planted now. Among them the single Anemone is one of the most
desirable, either for forming a whole bed of mixed colours, or for
mixing with other plants in herbaceous borders, as it produces its
showy flowers in succession for a long period ; and by varying the
time of putting in the roots, it can be had in blossom nearly through-
out the flowering season. By marking the best flowers from which
to save seed, and sowing a bed every spring, a great variety of
colours may be obtained. All the varieties of Gladiolus are hand-
some, and some are surpassingly beautiful. For a list of the best,
with directions for their culture, see p. 295 of the Volume for 1849.

J. B. Whiting.

TRICHOMANES SPECIOSUM.

I AM much pleased with Mr. Houlston's illustration of " The Irish
Fern" in your last Number. I am afraid, however, that ere long
it will have to be classed as an extinct British species. I was in
Ireland this autumn, and visited the Tore Cascade, Killarney ; but
I did not find it there. It is reported to grow at Youghal, and pro-
bably may still be found in one or two other localities ; but I believe
it is daily becoming more difficult to be met with. This fact, there-
fore, should induce people to take the greater care of those they may
have under artificial cultivation. J. W. J.

FEBRUARY.

43

ROSE INSECTS.

We are indebted to the Editor of the Gardeners' Chronicle for the
following article, extracted from that popular journal, and also for
the use of the accompanying woodcut. The subject is one of no
common interest, and opens a wide field for observation.

" If our readers will take the trouble to refer back to our volume for 1848,
p. 254, they will observe an article entitled the ' Florist and the Rose-maggot,'
requesting our particular attention to the history of this destructive insect, with
reference to the observations then recently published in the F/or?s^, and extracted
then into our columns of the same year, p. 191, announcing the discovery, in
little cylindrical burrows in the dead "snags of Rose-bushes, of the winter-quarters
of a small black-headed maggot, which was therein asserted to be the young
state of the Rose-maggot (a term applied, by the way, to the larvee of any of the
numerous small species of moths which burrow into the Rose-bud and eat out
its heart). In a subsequent page (299) a woodcut is given of a Rose-snag cut
open, shewing a number of cells, each of which is said to have been the birth-
place of these destructive larva;.

Since the pubhcation of thesa several notices, our attention has been directed
to this subject; and the result of our examinations renders it necessary for us to
advise the gardener not to cut oft" the dead ends of these snags ; since, although
in a very few instances we have met with the little black-headed maggot in ques-
tion, yet in the majority of cases we have found that the burrows are inhabited,
and, in fact, formed by a ditterent insect, whose economy is in the highest de-
gree singular, and which deserves the protection of the gardener, from the benefit
which it confers upon him by destroying great numbers of liis enemies, the plant-
lice. But this is not the whole of the result of our examinations, for we have
thereby picked up some facts in regard to the natural history of four or five other
species of insects inhabhing the same situation, the economy of which has hitherto
remained unknown, or has bathed the researches of entomologists ; so that we
may safely affirm that these Rose-snags offer a mine of interesting observation
to any person disposed to regard such investigations in their proper light.

Cemonus unicolor, magnified and of the natural size, carrying an apliis in its mouth ;
together with a Rose snag cut open, shewing a provisioned cell, a cell with the full-grown
larva, and one with the insect in its cocoon.

In the present article we shall confine ourselves to the species which, from its
curious economy, may be aptly tenned the Aphis Sexton of the Rose-snags.
On the 20th of June, 1848, whilst looking over some standard Roses, to examine

44 THE FLORIST.

the state of the dead ends, which had been cut ofF obh'quely, we observed a
little glossy black flv, full of activity, alight on the top of one of the twigs, and
as suddenly creep into one of the little circular burrows which we had observed
formed in the soft pithy part of the twig. Our attention was immediately roused,
not onlv by the action'of the insect itself, but also from the fact that it carried
some small green ol)jcct in its mouth. It soon flew out of the hole, and after
patiently watching the stem, we saw it again approach, but more carefully, in
consequence of our being so close to its burrow. We had, therefore, an oppor-
tunity of observing that its load was a green aphis, which it at length took into
its hole, as it had done with the former.

This ol)servation let us into the whole secret of the manufacture of the
burrows, the insect by which, and the object for which, they were made. Our
little black fly was one of the small burrowing wood-wasps; and it made these
holes for the' purpose of fitting up a cell for the abode of its progeny still
unborn ; the food of which, when hatched, was to consist of the store of aphides
which it was then engaged in burying. Such is the course of proceeding of
many species of sand and wood-wasps, whose economy has been often observed,
and is well known ; but this species presented several circumstances worthy of
notice. The aphis Avas carried by the wasp in its jaws ; whereas many of the
allied species make use either of their fore, middle, or hind legs to clasp their
prey, but here it is so weak and so light in weight, that the wasp is able to carry
it without the assistance of its legs. Several aphides are thus deposited in the
little oval cell previously formed at the bottom of the burrow, together Avith an
egg, and then a covering is fixed over the whole ; another cell is then filled,
which is, of course, nearer to the top of the twig than the first, and so on, several
cells are thus successively formed and filled. It is important to notice that the
imprisoned aphides are not killed by the parent wasp (in which case they would
become putrid), but that the young larvae, when hatched, have a store oi fresh
food ; they do not, however, keep their victims long in suspense, as they are
quickly hatched, and are very voracious ; indeed, by the end of July or August,
they have attained their full size, and entirely consumed their stock of food,
which the parent fly has the instinct to apportion to their entire wants ; but
what is sufficiently curious, although they are full-grown at this early period
(when the heat of the weather is si;fticient to cause them quickly to imdergo
their transformations), yet they remain unchanged as larvae all through the
winter in the shape of small yellow footless gi'ubs, enclosed in a shining silken
kind of case, becoming pupae in the spring, and assuming the perfect winged state
about the end of INIay. We have reared the same insect in burrows formed in
the pith of elder-sticks stuck in our garden ; and Mr. F. Smith states that it also
burrows into bramble-sticks, depositing small green caterpillars in its cells.

This wasp, which belongs to the Hymenopterous family of Crabronids, is
named, from its uniform black colour, Cemonus unicolor. It varies from rather
less than a quarter to more than a third of an inch in length ; it is slightly
covered Avith fine silvery down on the head and thorax, and has the abdomen
glossy, finely punctured, and affixed to the thorax by a curved footstalk scarcely
longer than the remainder of the first segment. The male differs from the
female in having more of the silvery down on the face. It is one of our com-
monest of insects. — J. O. W."

CUPHEA PLATYCENTIlx\.

As a bedding-plant, this prettiest of all the Cupheas deserves a place
in every flower-garden. It is true that a great many flowers are
more showy in the distance than this ; but upon closer inspection,
few \vill be found to possess more interest. When near, its white-
tipped bright crimson tubular blossoms are very handsome. It has
also the desirable property of standing rough and stormy weather

FEBRUARY. 45

much better than many of our more cherished flower-garden fa-
vourites, and of blooming beautifully towards the fall of the year.

Its cultivation is so easy, that every flower-grower may possess
it. Cuttings put in any time in February, in a little bottom-heat,
wi!.l strike freely. When struck, they should be potted off singly,
and kept in a greenhouse or frame until April, when, if the weather
be favourable, they may be put out in some sheltered place to
harden, till they are bedded out in the middle or latter end of May.

'I'his kind of Cuphea looks best in a small circular bed, say five
or six feet in diameter, well rounded up towards the centre. Twenty
plants are sufiicient for a bed of this size. It flowers from the time
the cuttings are struck till the frost destroys its blossoms, late in
autumn.

Warrington. Edward Gree2>\

PRIMULA SINENSIS.

A PRETTIER object of greenhouse cultivation than this does not exist,
nor one more useful and ornamental for the autumn and winter
m.onths. It may well be such an universal favourite. Years ago
I gave more attention to it than I have done lately, and intend
doing for the future. Then I always saved my own seed ; but
about three years since my stock had degenerated into small starry
plain flowers, and I found it the same in a great many places. How-
ever, a friend supplied me with seed, and again I have the large deep
rosy-coloured flowers, the admiration of all who see them. I sow
the seed in March, and place it in a warm part of the greenhouse,
or at the coldest end of a little stove. As soon as they are large
enough, I put them into 3-inch pots ; and when well established,
I shift them into the blooming size, say 6 -inch, keeping them in
a cold frame all the summer. The soil I use is a mixture of equal
parts turfy loam, peat, and old cow- dung, with some silver- sand.
Nothing new in all this, many will say ; but I send these few hints
for new cultivators ; and I will just add, that our seedsmen would do
well to assure themselves that their seed of this flower, and of many
others they vend, is really to be depended upon as saved from the
best varieties, for I am sorry to say that there is just ground for
complaint on this subject. I have purchased seed of respectable
houses, and at full price, with the assurance that it w^as to be re-
lied upon, and have been mortified wath the results. The first cost
is a trifle compared with that involved in its cultivation. I am not
speaking of the more rare species, for every one knows that eminent
raisers will not part with their best seed ; but I allude to the com-
moner varieties, such as the Primula, the Anemone, &c.

Exhibitor.

46 THE FLORIST.

PINKS, PICOTEES, AXD CARNATIONS.

Iraq^ars to me that a few remarks in the pages of the Florist might
tend to settle the difference which has for years existed between the
Northern and Southern raisers of these popular flowers ; which diflfer-
ence seems to consist merely in the Northerns hein? challenged by
the Southerns for an extreme thinness, only one remove from primi-
tive single blessedness ; and in the Southerns, on the other hand, being
blamedfor raising and distributing /tf 7/ flowers, with some vulgarity
denominated " mops.

That all growers agree as to colours, their brilliancy and distribu-
rion, shape of individual petals, the desirableness of smooth edges,
thickness of texture, and imbricated arrangement for the better dis-
plav of such colours and markings, size of flowers and distinctness
of varietT, no one has ever yet denied ; therefore the diflference appears
far from insurmountable, if we calmly discuss the subject through the
various floral organs which off'er so happy a medium for intercom-
munication. In order clearly to define who are the Northerns and
who are the Southerns, let us draw a line of demarcation from Lynn
to Swansea across the entire land. This would, I think, be a fair ap-
portionment of interested counties and localities ; but should any feel
themselves F.srgrieved by this arrangement, let them appeal to some
constituted authority, who should hear evidence, and award a final
and satisfactory judgment. This point being settled, then let a
universal canvass be made to obtain the desired end. I therefore
propose that every cultivator furnish me with lists of the best twelve
Pinks, twelve Picotees, and twelve Carnations, giving the names of
each flower in full, by whom sent out, and the locality in which they
were raised. This will give a stepping-stone for lasting reference ;
these returns must be tested, men of weight and character chosen,
the tilting-ground decided on, and in 1850 a floral tournament pro-
claimed throughout the land, with "quality not quantity" for its
gathering cry. I have in preparation a printed form, with full in-
structions, for general distribution to all post-paid applicants who
may enclose a stamped and directed envelope ; and 1 earnestly so-
licit applications for the same from every town and county ; to which
prompt attention shall be given. The result of this must ultimately
be the increase of that spirit of friendly rivalry, the want of which
has alone kept up the seeming diflterences, I may almost say animo-
sities, which I trust are soon to be entirely dispelled. If the subject
be rather lengthily handled, there is yet matter of so much import-
ance still untouched, that at a future opportunity I may again off'er
some remarks upon it.

Vf^ace Cottage, Holloicay, Jan. 1850. Johx Edwards.

^'mw'^'

PLATYCERU'M GRANDE.

This remarkably strange but interesting- plant, of which our illus-
tration represents a full-grown specimen in miniature, taken from
life, is one of the family of Ferns, belonging to the class Crypto-
gamia. According to the present state of botanical nomenclature,
Ferns are di\-ided and subdivided into various groups ; the present
species is one of the representatives of the tribe Acrosticheep, and is
denominated Platycerium, in allusion to a broad horn, which the
fronds resemble. There are only three species belonging to this
genus at present in cultivation, all epiphytical,* attaching them-
selves to rocks or trees in their native localities, in moist situations,
and existing upon the decayed vegetable matter formed with their
own fronds and roots. They have a very striking appeai-ance, and
are highly ornamental, from the horizontal and pendulous position
of the fertile fronds contrasting with the more erect habit of the
sterile ones and the hom-like process of the disc. Without fertile

* Adhering to other plants for support, and vegetating amidst the decayed
vegetable matter that is collected at the fo-^t or on the trunks of all trees grow-
ing in a hot humid climate.

48 THE FLORIST.

fronds, in an early or more advanced state of development, the plant
very much resembles in appearance a marvellous great lichen or
fungus.

The two fronds, as represented issuing from the centre, are fer-
tile ones, produced annually ; the fructification is situated in the
sinus, in a large triangular patch, of a rich brown colour on the
under surface. When these fronds are mature, they fall sponta-
neously from the plant, being attached by an articulation, and are
of no further service. The u])per portions are produced alternately,
right and left, covering the entire surface of the side as they expand ;
the one shewn in the figure is expanding towards the left hand.
When arrived at maturity they become brown, ultimately fall and
decay, for the support of the subsequent ones that are forming the
future plant.

The present sjDecies was introduced into England, in a living
state, in 1843, from the Illawara district in New South Wales, by
J. T. Bidwill, Esq. ; but long before that period it was known by
dried specimens. It is cultivated by being attached to a board sus-
pended in the shady humid atmosphere of an ordinary plant stove.
The plant is at present about three feet in diameter, very healthy,
and growing vigorously.

Kew, Jan. 11, 1850. J. Houlston.

REVIEWS.

A Packet of Seeds saved by an Old Gardener. Chapman and Hall.

We have purchased a dozen of this little ninepenny work, with the
hope that its distribution may set others thinking as much as it has
done ourselves. We are all apt to get into a habit of looking at
things in one point of view, and it is well when a trifle of this sort
places them before us in a fresh light. We should have been much
better pleased had the writer's name been attached to this produc-
tion ; but this shall not prevent the expression of our hope that these
seeds may be sown broadcast, and bear fruit abundantly in both
masters and men. Our readers may like the opinions of others
quite as well as our own ; and coming, the first from a gentleman
and large employer, and the other from a practical gardener, they
may be considered, perhaps, as an index of the opinions likely to be
entertained by the right-thinking portion of both sections. The
first says, " Thank you most heartily for the * Packet of Seeds ;' I
hardly know when I have had such a treat as this morning after
breakfast ; I could not leave, my chair until I had finished them, and
then exclaimed. How I wish there were more !" The practical gar-
dener observes, " The observations and hints recorded by the old
gardener are well worth the attention of all. Some of us that have
roughed it through so much of the journey of life, have herein re-
called to our recollection much we have known ourselves, or seen

FEBRUARY. 49

in others. I cordially wish all, and particularly young gardeners,
to peruse this book, and to value the instructive lessons it contains.'*
We would give an extract or two, but it is difficult to select,
and we prefer (as the cost is so small) recommending all our readers
to purchase it.

Curtis' s Beauties of the Rose. Part II. Groombridge and Sons.
The present Number contains four plates of as many beautiful Roses,
viz. Geant de Batailles, Eliza Sauvage, Archduke Charles, and
Pompone de St. Radegonde. Both plates and letterpress are fully
equal to the preceding Number, of which we have spoken so favour-
ably.

Morning Rambles in the Rose-Gardens of Hertfordshire.
By William Paul. W. and T. Piper.

In this little work our friend Paul takes us into the grounds of some
of our largest amateur Rose-growers of his own county, which is
justly noted as the county for Hoses; for although there are other
spots famous for the cultivation of this flower, like Curtis 's, at Moor
End near Bristol, Wood's, of Maresfield, Sussex, and many, many
others, yet, for the queen of flowers, Hertfordshire bears the bell.
The cultivator who may purchase this trifle will not have thrown a
shilling away ; though he will perhaps agree with us, that sixpence
would have induced a much larger circulation.

ANOMATHECA CRUENTA.

The adaptation of this bulb for a small mass-bed is, I think, not
sufficiently known or appreciated. It will do very well planted in
March in the open bed ; but is greatly strengthened and improved by
potting in equal parts of rich loam, sand, and leaf-mould ; putting
four or five bulbs in a pot, and placing them in a pit or frame, till
the season for putting out bedding plants ; then turn them out of
the pots into a bed of similar compost, without disturbing the balls.
With ordinary attention, they will grow vigorously and flower pro-
fusely from June to November. If bloom is all that is required, cut
out the infant seed-pods as the blossoms fall, and this will strengthen
the succession flower-buds. Where increase of stock is an object,
seed may be easily saved and bulbs raised. It is also increased freely
by off'sets. The neat dwarf habit of the plant makes it desirable in
a small bed, or near the edge of a large one ; and the multitude of
pretty scarlet and crimson blossoms makes it worthy of the small
attention it claims at the hands of the Florist. The bulbs should
be taken up when frost comes, and stored for the winter in dry
sand.

Wallingford. Carey Tyso.

VOL. III. NO. XXVI. B

50 THE FLORIST.

RAMBLES IN THE WEST IN SEARCH OF WILD FLOWERS.

February. — Alas ! the weather has not been sufficiently mild to
tempt the buds from their hiding-places ; there is little else than a
few scattered blossoms of the Furze spangling the road-side hedges,
which, indeed, it does all the twelvemonth through, verifying the
adage, " that when the Furze is out of flower, kissing is out of
fashion !" A few, but very few, stray Dog Violets enliven the banks,
giving promise of what will next month appear ; but we must not
be in a hurry, for we have the rough east winds of March yet to
encounter, often called '* Blackthorn winter," and which, in the
mild climate of the West, is generally far more destructive than the
utmost severity of frost as thei^e felt : the warmth and often the
bright sun of February moves the sap into circulation, and slocks
(in Cornish vernacular) the young and eager buds to unfold their
premature growth, to be ruined, after a short reign of a few weeks,
by the sharp curling drying blasts from the envious East. But this
warm bright day, fit for any " pic-nic" party, we may easily content
ourselves by a look at the sea and a ramble on the cliffs. The sea
is itself a sight ; so deep yet bright a blue, that were a painter to
colour it true to nature, he would be called a gross flatterer, and
it would be said he had the Bay of Naples in his eye, and had
tried to bring it home to his own foggy land . But see the bright
light on yonder Deadman headland, stretching out to sea ; beyond,
again, is a dreamy bank of soft purple, which shews the Lizard point ;
and the rough dark line of rocks immediately to our left is the Bolt
head, forming a natural breakwater from the seas impelled by the
strong south-western gales from the wide Atlantic. Across the bay,
to the east, we see the point of Menabilly and Greberhead, with its
sea-mark obelisk, and the white cellars of Polkerris glistening against
the dark overhanging cliff; and beyond, again, the bold Ramhead
stands clearly defined ; and when the light strikes in that direction,
the white sails of the shipping leaving and entering Plymouth Sound
form an interesting feature in the scene; and immediately at our
feet the broken cliff, circling round the bay till closed by the bright
yellow sands of Par and Polmeer, forming a picture of itself, with
the scattered buildings along the beach, and the spars of the craft
at Charlestown pier.

But let us, as we w^alk, examine the vegetation beneath our feet,
and we shall in many places find the Sea Spleenwort {Asplenium
mainnum), which is so common on the northern coast of the county.
Here its fronds are generally only the length of some three or four
inches ; but I once, at Bodruthen in St. Eval parish, succeeded in
obtaining a plant with the fronds fully ten inches long ! Here is
Glaux maritima, and many others peculiar to a marine situation ;
it is covered with tufts of Sea Thrift {Armeria marithna), and the
naked rock is clothed with the varieties of Sedum, as annuum,
acre, and sexangulare ; and in the west, by the Lizard, will be

FEBRUARY. 51

found the Asplenium lanceolatum, which hangs its fronds just above
high water-mark on the serpentine cliffs. We will this month also
search for the true Maidenhair Spleenwort {Asplen. trichomanes) ,
which grows in a quarry near to Penryn, as also in a cave called
Carach Gladden, between Hayle and St. Ives ; and on our way
back we will turn out of the road before we reach Lostwithiel, and
see a curious form of the Male Yexn {Lastrea filix mas) in the garden
of the Rev. T. Grylls, at Luxulyon Vicarage ; it is hi and even tri-
pinnate, and is, I believe, the only plant of the species yet found
breaking into this monstrous form :* it is well worth a visit, as,
indeed, is the garden itself, an oasis amidst the wild rocky valley in
which it is situated, shewing that the Fern is in the hands of those
whose love of plants gives it a fair value and appreciation as a botani-
cal curiosity.

Tregonning. Jesse Barragweneth.

HERBACEOUS PEONIES.

Peonies ! what old-fashioned spring-flowers ! reminding one of the
cottage- gardens in our rural districts, where they seem to grow like
wild flowers ; surely nothing can be written about them but what is
known, — no mysteries of culture, for they grow without it; what, then,
can be said about them to make an article for the Florist ? Let us
see, or rather think. It is just probable that some of your readers
may not know that, in common with all our flowers, very many new
varieties of Peonies have been raised from seed, prolonging the bloom-
ing season till June ; these I propose to describe, not forgetting our
old spring friends, too often neglected to be planted, — all they require ;
for in all soils and in all seasons they will, with a constancy rare
among garden-flowers, gladden our eyes in April with their rich and
gaudy blossoms.

The very earliest species is the Pseonia tenuifolia, with its beauti-
ful hair-like leaves, each stem crowned with a crimson globe ; for
such is the appearance of its flowers before expansion, nestling as it
were among its leaves. P. tenuifolia latifolia and P. tenuifolia ful-
gida bloom in succession ; the latter is remarkable for the extreme
brilliancy of its flowers. So hardy are these species, particularly
the first, and so durable in tenacious soils, that a root will endure for
fifty years, and bloom constantly every season without cultivation.
I say this on the authority of my father and grandfather. The vari-
ety of this Rose with double flowers, P. tenuifolia flore pleno, is as
yet rare ; its flowers are too double to be beautiful, as they are crowded
with petals, so as to be irregular in shape.

The single Peonies, with purple flowers of diflerent shades, suc-

* A peculiar monstrosity o^ Lastrea filiv mas is growing in Kew, with all the
pinnai multifid at the apex throughout the whole frond: it was received from
Cornwall.

o2 THE FLO III ST.

ceed the above. Some years since a large collection of varieties or
species \vas sent out by the Horticultural Society ; Mr. Sabine, at
that time an officer of the Society, took much interest in their cul-
ture : some of these are interesting, but merely as early bloomers, for
they are too much alike in their flowers to be worth keeping dis-
tinct. They all bear seed freely; and many varieties, with slight
distinctions in colour, may be originated with but little trouble among
these single purple Peonies. The following are perhaps equal to
any ; they bloom immediately after P. tenuifolia : Andersoni, Baxteri,
compacta, decora, foliosa, pubescens, splendens, Russi. There are
many others in catalogues ; but a bed of seedlings will sui)ply varie-
ties without end, quite equal in quality ; the difficulty will be to find
names.

Peeonia lobata is a very distinct and pretty early-blooming species,
with pale carmine Howers.

P. paradoxa fimbriata, with double flowers, is also distinct and
pretty ; very dwarf in its habit, and one of the first double Peonies
that blooms ; then follow the common double Peonies, varieties of
Pa^onia officinalis.

P. officinalis albicans, the double blush Peony, with large double
pale blush flowers fading to white.

P. officinalis rosea, the double rose Peony, with large double
rose-coloured flowers fading to blush.

P. officinalis rubra, the well-known double crimson Peony, than
which no flower in cultivation is more gorgeous. P. officinalis car-
nescens proves here identical with P. officinalis rosea.

P. officinalis anemoniflora is, as compared with the above, a new
variety from the continent, and really very beautiful ; its stamens
form themselves into narrow riband-like petals edged with gold.

P, peregrina anemoniflora is equally beautiful, but diflers a little
from the foregoing ; they are well named, for they remind one by
their filament-like inner petals of large double Anemones.

Thus far I have noticed in succession a few of the most desirable
of our early-flowering Peonies. No sooner have the double Peonies
commenced fading, than our more modern Chinese Peonies (Piconia
albiflora) begin to unfold their charming flowers of the most varied
hues, from crimson to almost yellow\ These differ from all the above,
not only in their flowers, but in the colour of their leaves, which
are of deep glossy green tinged with purple. The earliest bloom-
ing species of this Peony are : P. albiflora siberica and P. albiflora
vestalis, with single flowers of the purest white ; P. albiflora tatarica,
with single rose-coloured flowers ; then follow P. albiflora Whitleii,
with large double white flowers ; P. albiflora lleevesi, with pale rose-
coloured flowers, large and double ; P. albiflora fragrans, with large
double flowers of a deep rose, and slightly rose-scented ; P. albiflora
Humeii, also with large rose-coloured flowers ; P. albiflora Pottsii, a
distinct and beautiful variety, with large double flowers of deep crim-
son ; P. albiflora grandiflora carnea plena, a variety from France, with
immense flower-cups, of a delicate flesh-colour. P. albiflora grandi-
flora nivea plena, flowers of equal size to the foregoing of pure white.

FEBRUARY. 06

central petals pink ; the central petals of these varieties are not too
much crowded, and are very elej^ant.

P. albiflora anemoniflora striata, flower-cup rose, central petals
rose mixed with salmon.

P. albiflora elegans, flower-cup pale flesh, central petals yellowish
mixed with carmine.

P. albiflora Hericartiana, flower-cup purplish rose, central petals
rose and salmon.

P. albiflora lutea plenissima, flower-cup pale straw, central petals
approaching^ to yellow when in full bloom.

P. albiflora papaveriflora, flower-cup white tinted with yellow,
central petals tipped with carmine.

The seven last mentioned are from the continent, and, with the
preceding varieties of this group, are well worthy of culture. This
is not by any means diflicult ; but these Chinese Peonies require
a soil more light and rich than the common species and varieties.
A light sandy loam suits thfm admirably; they are easily propagated
by parting the roots in A])ril, when the young shoots are about two
or three inches above ground ; this, however, will prevent their
blooming the succeeding season.

In addition to some of the above quasi yellow Peonies, a new
species, P. Witmanniana, has been recently introduced from the
Caucasus, described as being really yellow ; in habit it is very dis-
tinct, but its flowers are of a greenish yellow only, much to the
disappointment of many, who hoped to have from that interesting
locality something rich and rare.

Nurseries, Sawbridgeworth. Thomas Rivers.

EIGHTEEN FINE VERBENAS.

Bride, white, large truss ; Briseis, rosy purple, distinct and strik-
ing ; Chauvierii, crimson, with a dark centre ; Defiance, scarlet, fine
large truss, strong habit ; Duchess, blush, with pink centre ; Eclipse,
blush, with pink stripes ; Emperor of China, rich crimson ; Heloise,
bluish purple ; La Coquette, blush, rose centre ; Lenormand, rich
crimson, with purple centre ; Madam Buenzod, white, with deep
crimson centre ; Psyche, rosy purple, with crimson centre ; Princess
Alice, white, with deep cherry centre, large truss; Royal Purple,
deep purple ; St. Margaret, crimson, with a violet centre, fine ;
Tomy, dark maroon, very striking; Valentine de Saveuse, bluish
lilac, fine ; Vulcan Superb, bright crimson, very large.

Our Note-Book.

54 THE FLORIST.

OX FLORAL TASTES, AND THEIR RESULTS.

The object of a short series of papers, with the above title, will be
to assert those higher claims which floriculture has upon the notice
and respect of intelligent and moral beings. Like every other pur-
suit in M'hich man can engage, this possesses two very different as-
pects ; the one prominent and seen by every eye, the other more
recondite and difficult to find. When gardening engages the atten-
tion from the first of these points of view, as a mere mechanical
occupation concerned with the production of articles of commerce,
it is even then highly interesting and important ; but when it is
also looked upon in its moral relations, as affecting the intellect and
the heart, it is raised into its primitive position as a divine institution,
and accomplishes the highest results. The conductors of the Florist
have always aimed at the cultivation of this more noble purpose of
their favourite science, and it is in harmony with this expressed de-
sign that we undertake our task.

The increase of floral tastes must be considered one of " the
signs of the times." Any one who is old enough to take a clear
view of the last quarter of a century, will, without any strong effort
of memory, recall many indications of the fact, that while, in that
period, towns and cities have increased in size and outward elegance,
the love of gardening and flowers has advanced with at least equal
steps. In London, for instance, what unmistakable proofs are fur-
nished of the truth of this statement, both in the increase of floral
literature, of floral commerce, and of floral tastes around and wdthin
its dw^ellings ! What attention floriculture received from the press
twenty-five years ago, we are not jDrepared exactly to say ; but we
are sure the literature then devoted to it was neither cheap nor
popular. Expensive works on botany, and numerous editions of
Mawe's Gardeners' Calendar, about met the demand; while now we
have gardening newspapers, and many serial works, which find their
w'ay into every circle where a flower is loved, or a plot of ground
cultivated. The capital expended on w^orks relating to the cultiva-
tion of the soil now, as compared with the commencement of the
period just mentioned, must bear a far greater proportion to the
present population of our country than it did then. If England has
doubled its inhabitants within that time, floral literature has certainly
increased a hundredfold ; thus proving that a taste for gardening has
rapidly advanced. We do not mean to assert that an increase of
books on floriculture proves an increase, to the same extent, of
floriculturists, for we do not forget that the press exerts an influence
then unknown on all subjects. But after making every possible
allowance, we think the pleasing fact is established by the literary
aspect of the question, that our countrj^men have advanced greatly
in the possession of those tastes which regard the productions of the
soil, and which contdbute in so many ways to innocent enjoyment.

The commerce of flowers furnishes certain indications of the fact

FEBRUARY. 55

we are pointing out in more ways than it is requisite to mention.
What man of forty years old does not remember the grotesque seed-
shops of his boyhood, dark with the foHage of dried herbs, and redo-
lent of mint, wormwood, and pennyroyal ! If, as was often the case,
such repositories of Nature's medicines exhibited leeches among their
wares, their cabalistic and wizard-like aspect was increased. Here
the gardener recruited his stores, and the housewife sought her do-
mestic remedies. Seedshops of our youth, how have ye vanished !
Now and then we meet with such a one, antique, and smelling of
rare vegetable medicines ; but other more gay depots of floral art have
generally superseded them. The seedsman and florist now attracts
the passer-by with the choicest luxuries of the season, with Azaleas,
Pelargoniums, and Heaths, in all their gorgeous beauty, in the spring
and summer, and with Hyacinths and Crocuses in bloom in the
winter. The increase of such repositories is wonderful, and may
be considered a characteristic of the age.

But a walk through the streets of any large town, either in its
more crowded recesses or its suburbs, will do more than any thing
else to establish the position that floral tastes have increased. Where
position denies a garden out of doors, art contrives to make up the
loss by the judicious use of a window or a balcony ; and in the least
likely places we are continually delighted by seeing dulness relieved
by a display of flower-pots. How delicious is the scent of Migni-
onette in a London square ! How deep and well-defined the colours
of a Pelargonium at a tradesman's sitting-room window ! But if we
go to the suburbs, we find floricultural tastes in greater activity ; for
not only are the little patches of inhabited houses enlivened with
evergreens, but even the proprietors of empty ones seek patronage
by this species of adornment. What a striking proof is this of the
spirit of the age in this particular ! It is so well known that an
Englishman loves flowers, that the builders of houses, as a source of
gain, attract him by their influence !

Floral tastes, then, have increased. What are their results on the
character and happiness of their possessors .'* The question is a very
interesting one ; and we shall endeavour to furnish a reply in suc-
ceeding papers. Henry Burgess.

A FEW GOOD FLOWERS IN THE NORTHERN COUNTIES.

The Northern Florists are frequently complaining that they are
badly represented, or rather not represented at all, by the metro-
politan periodicals ; that no Northern productions are fairly noticed
in their columns, and that each work is the exclusive machine of a
few of the principal Southern growers ; consequently that many a
gem in the Northern counties is " born to blush unseen" for lack of an
introduction to the floral world through the floricultural press. The
above complaints may perhaps in part be true as- respects some jour-
nals ; at the same time, the Northern Florists must remember that this

56 THE FLORIST.

evil principally arises from their not availing themselves of the advan-
tages of shewing their productions at the great metropolitan horti-
cultural/eYe^, where all the best things are expected to be exhibited ;
and which, if so exhibited, would then undoubtedly be noticed ac-
cording to their respective merits. Still it strikes me that some
more central place of exhibition is required, as the chief means of
reforming the matters complained of.

That " spirit of exclusiveness," so broadly hinted at by many,
cannot, however, have any reference to the Florist, a work " open to
all, and influenced by none," in whose pages every contributor, be
he from the north or from the south, from the east or from the west,
finds free admission and a hearty welcome, so long as his object is
purely the promotion of floriculture by honesty and impartiality ; to
this the Editor is inviting you monthly.

Many of our Northern Florists, I must admit, are too much in the
habit of acting like the carman in the fable, uttering their prayers
to Jupiter, without ever putting their own shoulder to the wdieel.
I would say to these : " If you excel in the cultivation of any par-
ticular flower, impart that knowledge to the Florist, for the benefit
of Florists in general and amateurs in particular, and to you will be
the reward. If you succeed in raising a good thing, seek also to
make it know^n by all legitimate means in your power."

I will make a beginning for you, as far as 1 have the materials.
During the last season I visited several horticultural exhibitions in
the North; and the following are my notes of a few good things
which I have seen, and expect will be sent out this next spring.

AURICULAS.

Surpass Blucher (Willison). A fine green-edged variety ; ground-
colour, rich bluish purple ; the eye pure white, good paste and circu-
lar ; thrum good and well up ; the green of the most vivid hue found
in the Auricula, and well defined ; perfectly flat, and fine truss. Its
defects are in the segments being a little too pointed ; the pip is
not so round as Dickson's Matilda, and some varieties ; in other re-
spects an excellent flower.

Ne-plus-ultra (Willison). An Alpine of superior properties ;
colour, deep rich velvetty crimson ; eye and tube of a clear yellow,
both circular, and the latter well filled with anthers ; segments stout
and smooth on the edge ; outline complete. A very rich flower.

The above were commended by the Florist, under head, " Seedling
Florists* Flowers." Let out by Mr. Willison of Whitby.

DAHLIAS.

Champion (Edward) . A very superior flower ; good size and
perfect outline ; deep crimson, or maroon, of great depth, with ex-
cellently formed petals. Obtained the premier prize at the Dahlia
show in York, as the best of any colour.

Magnificent (Edward). Colour, fine rich rosy purple of great
brilliancy, form excellent, centre good ; depth of florets amply sufli-

FEBRUARY. 57

cient; shape and substance quite perfect. Size, usual average.
This flower has been well tried two seasons, and has proved itself an
excellent show-variety. It is very constant.

The 3Iidland Florist and other journals speak in commendable
terms of these varieties. Let out by Mr. Edward of York.

Marchioness of Normanhy (Frankland). This is a splendid
thing. The Florist says it is "a flower of fine substance, good
shape, and evenly marked ; yellow ground, dark top-petals ; the
lower ones, margined with the same shade of colour, are bold and
distinct; size, medium. It is a considerable improvement on Presi-
dent." This will be found a great acquisition in its class. The
stock is yet, I believe, in the possession of the raiser ; and therefore
I cannot say by whom it will be sent out.

Blue-eyed Maid (Major). This is an excellent flower, and a
decided beat on Hall's Rainbow, and more constant; in fact, it is
showable all the season. It is indispensable as a self in any collec-
tion.

Madame Sontag (Major). Upper petal rich puce, the lower
ones broadly belted with the same ; centre straw ; blotch fine, and
very distinct ; size usual ; smooth flower.

Magjiificent (Major). Upper petals bluish lilac, and lower ones
broadly belted with the same ; centre creamy white, blotch very large
and solid ; size large, petals of great substance, and a smooth flower.

Major's Hehe and Sir J. Franklin are also fine flow^ers.

Let out by Messrs. Major and Son, Knowsthorpe, Leeds.

Mr. J. Harrison of Darlington has half a dozen superior varieties,
but which will not be let out till next autumn ; previous to which
their merits will again be fully tested, and a more accurate descrip-
tion obtained than I could at present furnish.

Mr. Nichol of Leeds, I am informed, has a Verbena of some
merit, which will make its appearance among the novelties of next
season.

I have some notes on Tulips ; but as they have been so ably de-
scribed by " H. S. M." in your January Number, any further notice
is unnecessary.

Many fine varieties of Calceolarias appear to have been raised
this year both in Yorkshire, Lancashire, and Durham ; and which
will probably be advertised by the various nurserymen letting out
the same in spring.

Mr. Deans has raised a few, which are highly spoken of, as being
both novel and possessing considerable properties, and which will
probably be sent out by Mr. Wilcke.

John Deans (Wilcke) . This Calceolaria is a dark variety in the
style of Kinghorn's Emperor, and a seedling of last season. Colour
very rich, and size and outline good ; free bloomer. As Mr. Wilcke
does not intend to send out this variety till the spring of 1851, I
shall reserve further description of it until it has been tried another
season. It is, however, a very promising flower.

58 THE FLORIST.

A Scarlet Geranium of very superior properties ; the trusses are
of immense size, and the flowers of good shape and substance. A
Florist who saw the plant when in bloom remarks, " The profuse -
ness with which it blooms is truly astonishing ; and the leaves are so
small, that scarcely any of them will cover a crown-piece; added to
this, the habit of the plant is dense and bushy. I feel confident it
M-ill be quite a novelty, as well as a decided improvement on the
Scarlets in cultivation." Raised by Mr. John Deans, gardener to
H. L. Pattinson, Esq., Felling, Newcastle.

The above comprise the best things I have seen ; there may
nevertheless be scores more ; if so, let others supply what I have
omitted; and I trust we shall have no more grumbhng about " ex-
clusiveness ;" but that those who have been wont to deal in mere
assertions will, for the future, take honest notes of all novelties, and
follow the example of

Whitby, Dec. 14, 1849. W. Woodhouse.

THE TROP^OLUM TRICOLORUM.

Than this, few plants possess more real interest ; and it is as useful
as it is interesting, for it continues to flower nearly the whole sea-
son through. It is so easily managed too, that it may be cultivated
successfully in a greenhouse, a pit, or even in a window, if frost is
kept from it ; and then its curiously formed lovely red flowers, when
once developed, create such a charming display, that any little care
bestowed on it during its early growth is amply repaid. Nobody
who loves flowers — and who does not ? — should be without this va-
luable httle plant, the training of whose tiny shoots over the slender
trellis that is destined to support them affords agreeable employment
for many an otherwise profitless half hour.

The mode of culture I pursue is as follows. As soon as the plants
have done flowering, they are removed to the back of the greenhouse,
or to any sheltered place most convenient, and are allowed to dry off^
gradually. When the stems have become completely dried up, and
break from the bulbs, the latter are carefully taken out of the pots in
which they have flowered, wrapped in paper, and preserved in a
drawer, until the time arrives for their being started again into
growth. This will be about the middle of September, when they
will have grown a few inches. I then pot them directly into the
pots they are intended to flower in. For bulbs from four to five
years old, I use 11-inch pots, and smaller in proportion to the size
of the bulbs.

The soil which I find to suit them best is a mixture of equal
parts of turfy loam . and fibery peat, with a portion of well-decom-
posed cow- dung, and a sufficiency of silver-sand to make the whole
gritty. These materials should be well mixed together, and used
in a rather rough state. In potting, I employ clean- washed pots,

FEBRUARY. 59

and place about an inch and a half of broken crocks over the bottom,
with a layer of moss to keep the soil from mixing with the drainage.
In fining the pots, I use the rougher portion of the soil first, and
the finer as the pots become nearer full. This mode of proceeding
secures a perfect drainage, which is of the highest importance'. My
pots filled, and lightly pressed down, I insert my bulbs, leaving
their crowns just below the surface ; I then give a good watering
with a fine-rosed pot, and keep them afterwards moderately damp ;
but I never allow water to stand in the pans, as they are impatient
of much moisture at any time, except when in full llower, and then
they require a rather plentiful supply.

I always fix the trellis on the pot at the time of potting, as it
saves the roots from being injured, as would happen, if the operation
was delayed to a future time. I carefully lay in the shoots as soon
as they are produced, and fill every part of the trellis, which is
brought over the front of the pot to within four or five inches of its
bottom. This gives them a neat appearance ; and a month before
they come into full bloom, I contrive to have the shoots equally dis-
tributed all over the trellis ; for when this is the case, the beauty of
the plant is very much enhanced.

December 14, 1849. T. R.

ON THE SIMULTANEOUS CONTRAST OF COLOURS.

BY M. CHEVREUL,
MEMBER OF THE ACADEMY OP SCIENCES, PARIS.

Amongst the pleasures presented to us by the culture of flowering
plants, there are few that exceed what we experience from the sight
of a multitude of flowers varying in colour, form, and size, and in
their arrangement upon the stem that supports them.

It is probably owing to the admiration bestowed individually
upon each, and to the affection cherished toward them in conse-
quence of the great care they have required, that pains have hitherto
not been taken to arrange them in such a manner as to produce the
best possible eff'ect upon the eye, not only separately, but collec-
tively. Nothing, therefore, is more common than a defect of pro-
portion observed in the manner in which flowers of the same colour
are made to recur in a garden. At one time, the eye sees nothing
but blue or white ; at another, it is dazzled by yellow, scattered
around in profusion. The evil effect of a predominating colour may
be further augmented w'here the flowers are of approximating but
still different shades of colour. For instance, in the spring we meet
with the Jonquil, of a brilliant yellow, side by side with the pale
yellow of the Narcissus ; in the autumn, the Indian Pink may be
seen next to the China Hose and the Aster, and Dahlias of different
reds grouped together, &c.

Approximations like these produce upon the eye of a person

60 THE FLORIST.

accustomed to judge of the effects of the contrast of colours, sensa-
tions that are quite as disagreeable as those experienced by the ear
of the musician when struck by discordant sounds. The principal
rule to be observed in the arrangement of flowers is, to place the
blue next to the orange, and the violet next to the yellow, whilst red
and pink blossoms are never seen to greater advantage than when
surrounded by verdure and by white flowers ; the latter may also be
advantageously dispersed among groups formed of blue and orange,
and of violet and yellow colours ; for although a clump of white
flowers may produce but little eff^ect when seen apart, it cannot be
denied that the same flowers must be considered as indispensable to
the adornment of a garden, when they are seen suitably distributed
amongst groups of flowers whose colours have been assorted accord-
ing to the law of contrast. It will be observed by those who may
be desirous of putting in practice the precepts we have been incul-
cating, that there are periods of the horticultural year when white
flowers are not suSiciently multiplied by cultivation to enable us to
derive the greatest possible advantage from the flora of our gardens.
Further, those plants whose flowers are to produce a contrast should
be of the same size ; and in many cases the colour of the sand or
gravel composing the ground of the walks or beds of a garden may
be made to conduce to the general eff'ect.

In laving down the preceding rules, it is not meant to be asserted
that a diff'erent arrangement of colours may not please the eye ; but
by adhering to the arrangement mentioned, we may always be cer-
tain of producing assemblages of colour conformable to good taste,
whilst we should not be equally sure of success in pursuing a difl^erent
course.

In reply to an objection that might be made, " that the green of
the leaves, which serves, as it weie, for a ground for the flowers,
destroys the effect of the contrast of the latter," we say, such is not
the case ; and to prove this, it is only necessary to fix on a screen of
green silk two kinds of flowers, and to look at them at the distance
of some ten paces. This admits of a very simple explanation ; for as
soon as the eye distinctly and simultaneously sees two colours, the
attention is so riveted, that contiguous objects, especially when on
a receding plane, and where they are of a sombre colour, and present
themselves in a confused manner to the sight, produce but a very
feeble impression.

PICOTEES.

The bloom of 1849 was decidedly good; we heard this disputed in some
quarters, yet those that attended the South-London, Slough, Stam-
ford Hill, Salisbury, and Derby shows, could not have had any doubt
on the subject. The improved method of exhibiting these flowers
added much to the general efl'ect. The shewing them in uniform
neat boxes, on cards, is a very superior mode to the old style of
raised tubes out of cards.

FEBRUARY. 61

We observe that, at the Horticultural Society's shows in 1850,
they are to be exhibited in boxes as usual, without cards : we cannot
help thinking there must be some mistake here ; however, one exhi-
bicion will serve to convince the sceptical that a fine effect will not be
produced by this plan.

We have not a large number of seedlings to speak of ; yet some
of these being a decided step in advance, it is right our readers should
know which they are.

Burroughes' Duchess of Sutherland^ a light red edge ; fine quality, rnd full ;
and we believe that in the estimation of all growers it is considered A 1 in its
class.

A^ewhairs Nourmalud, heavy purple ; has some excellent properties, the edge
being very solid, and the white good ; size rather small.

N^ormaiVs Lord Nelson and Prince Alfred are heavy purples, and two very
promising varieties of medium size.

Creed's Miss Edwards, heavy scarlet, very bright and very double ; rather
small, and edge not so solid as we could wish ; but it is one of a class we are very
deficient in.

Burroughes'' Lorina is a beautiful light purple ; we expect to see it very
generally shewn in 1850.

Brinklow'^s Goliath, heavy red ; very large and full, but there is a coarseness
about it.

Tumer''s Lady Harriet Moore is a good purple flower, having very large well-
formed flowers.

Matheiv's Juno and Witch are two light purples, yet very dissimilar, Juno
being lighter in colour; both flowers possess good properties, and are cezlainly
the right sort for exhibition.

DodwelPs Mary, light red; ditto, Alfred and Mrs. rz/r/zer, heavy purples,
are flowers that have their work to do, being seedlings of 1849 ; yet, if we mis-
take not, they will make some noise in 1850. Mrs. Turner has the broadest and
most solid edge we have seen ; but for shape and size Alfred must have the pre-
ference.

Marris''s Victoria Regina, heavy scarlet, is decidedly the best of its class.
Mr, Marris has also some very promising yearlings to be proved in 1850. The
same may be said of Mr. Harris's neighbour, that successful raiser, Mr. Holly-
oak.

Parkinson''s Mary Anne, heavy red, is very dissimilar to any other of that
class, and a very promising flower of medium size.

We look forward to the blooming time with considerable ir. ' erest,
knowing there will be great competition in the seedling class at the
shows in 1850. We have also heard that a new society is to be
established expressly for the promotion and encouragement of the
Picotee and Carnation.

The old flowers most conspicuously shewn during the past season
were : —

Mrs. Barnard, light rose ; Youell's Gem, light red ; May's Juliet, light
purple ; Venus, heavy scarlet ; Marris's Prince of Wales, heavy red ; ditto,
Prince Albert, heavy purple ; Cox's Regina, light purple ; liolliday's Delicata,
medium purple ; May's Poitia, heavy purple; Holliday's Queen of Roses, heavy
rose ; Willmer's Princess Royal, heavy scarlet ; Read's Schamel, heavy red ;
Green's Queen Victoria, heavy scarlet ; May's Jessica, heavy purple ; Headley's
King James, heavy red, l)ut rather small. Wildman's Isabella, heavy red ;
Burroughes' President, heavy purple ; ditto. General Jackson, medium purple ;
ditto. Amy, light purple ; May's Constance, medium purple ; Edmond's Ernest,
light red.

Carnations in our next. Our Note-Book.

62 THE FLORIST.

ON THE

VARIOUS MODES OF PREPARING RANUNCULUS BEDS.

Having seen the Ranunculus cultivated in many instances with less
success than I could desire, I am anxious to offer through your pages
a suggestion to your practical readers, and to solicit their co-opera-
tion in a proposed experiment.

I have eagerly read all I could meet with of the writings of Mad-
dock, V/illiamson, Hogg, Tyso, Glenny, Miles, Lightbody, Horner,
Reid, Brown, Carr, Harrison, &c,, respecting the culture of this
flower ; and while I find almost uniformly the highest importance
attached to the preparation of the compost and making the bed, yet
the mode of procedure is very diversified. Loam, dung, and sand, are
ingredients usually approved, but variously applied. The plans of
these writers, though differing in detail, may be arranged under three
heads :

1. Mix the manure and soil equally throughout the bed.

2. Place a stratum of six or more inches of pure manure at about
as many inches below the surface.

3. Apply the manure in a liquid form, pouring it on successive
layers of soil till the mass is saturated, except the surface-layer of
two or three inches.

With respect to sand, one class advise mixing it with the soil ;
another, sprinkling it over the tubers at planting ; and the third, its
use as a top-dressing an inch thick after the plants are up.

I know one or two extensive growers are this season about to try
a small bed on each of the three schemes, and intend to plant, as
Dr. Horner recommends, about St. Valentine's day. My object is to
invite those cultivators whose stocks admit of experimentalising to
make a similar trial ; to prepare the beds carefully, to note atten-
tively the results during growth, and the final issues in vigour of
bloom and health of tubers. The relative success of the three plans
should be reported in detail through your pages about the month of
August ; so that you might give in a condensed form in one of your
autumn numbers the aggregate approvals and disapprovals of such
persons as may be induced to make the experiment. The document
would be of infinite value to all who are interested in this flower, as
the evidence would not be from any one particularly favoured locality
or soil, but, embracing every variety of condition, might be safely
directive in future to your readers throughout the country.

Crowfoot.

THE HARDINESS OF GLADIOLI.

Finding that my remarks at the close of last year, p. 295, respect-
ing the hardiness of the Gladioli tribe have elicited some observa-
tions from a correspondent who does not unite with me on that

FEBRUARY. 63

point, T am induced to give my reasons for saying they are hardy.
We have grown them for many years in our Nursery ; and our
whole collection, both of the early and late kinds, is annually
planted in the open ground. The early varieties, which are planted
in October and November, are left to take the chance of severe
winters without any protection whatever; and the loss of roots
from growing them in this way is of rare occurrence : they grow
vigorously and bloom freely. I am w'illing to admit that they may
be lost on soils of a heavy or retentive nature, like many other
hardy bulbs ; and I would advise all cultivators on such soils to
guard against this by proper attention to drainage and preparation
of beds, as I recommended last December. With regard to their
'* tendency to early growth," mj practice will be found to check
this to a considerable extent. Roots kept under glass before turning
out in the spring will necessarily be brought to maturity earlier than
those treated in a more natural way, inducing a habit to push into
growth before they are required for the next autumn planting. I
allow that " many of the varieties are in a growing state early in
November" under my natural mode of treatment ; but few are seen
above ground till after danger of frost is over. In cases where they
have not been taken up in the summer, and therefore made their
appearance very early, they have proved themselves quite hardy.
I w^ould recommend the writer at p. 14 to pursue my course with
those sorts which he considers tender, and I have no doubt he will
succeed.

In the culture of bulbs, I consider it always desirable to treat
them as hardy where it can be done with safety, by which means a
more vigorous stock is kept up than when artificial means are resorted
to. By a more natural mode of cultivation an immense deal of time
is saved ; and the culture of an abundant tribe, like the Gladiolus,
can thus be carried on to a much greater extent.

Stephen Brown.

Seed and Horticultural Establishment,
Sudbury, Suffolk, Jan. 8, 1850.

A FEW SELECT STOVE- CLIMBERS.

[Continued from p. 28.]

Combretum purpureum (now Poivrea coccinea) is a fine old stove-
creeper, introduced from Madagascar in 1818. It does well planted
in rich loam, peat, and leaf-soil, in a moist heat ; the flowers are
scarlet, and particularly handsome. It should be grown in a tolerably
high temperature.

Ipomcea Learii cannot be too highly spoken of as a stove-creeper;
it is familiar to most ; but how often do we hear complaints of its
being a shy bloomer ! With me it has proved quite the reverse ; for

64

THE FLORIST.

a plant which I have growing in a bed formed in one corner of the
stove, and trained to a wire beneath the roof, has flowered in the
most gratifying and satisfactory manner imaginable. This specimen
w^as only planted out in September 1848, and in the following spring
it began to grow exceedingly freely, forming flower- buds at every
joint. From a memorandum I made at the time, I find it commenced
blooming early in June, and continued loaded with its singularly
splendid flowers up to the end of October. No stove should be
without it ; for it is next to impossible to overrate its surpassing
loveliness. Good fresh turfy loam, peat, and leaf-soil, used in a
rough state, is the compost mine was planted in ; and it was grown
in a house in which a rather high temperature is maintained.

AristolocJiia hyperborea. To those who value a plant more for
the novelty and singularity of its flowers than its beauty, this will
prove a very interesting object. It is certainly a remarkable plant ;
its large and richly mottled flowers are both curious and beautiful,
and when seen hanging on the plant from amongst its handsome
foliage cannot but be admired. It is a very free-growing plant, and
with me has bloomed twice in the season. A shaded situation in
the stove is the most suitable, trained to the rafters of the roof. It
requires abundant syringing during the summer, as it is a plant
much subject to the attacks of red spider.

Hull, H. S. Norman.

NETTING FOR GREENHOUSES.

Now is the time to make preparation for the coming season ; and
we again urge our readers to prepare blinds for their greenhouses,
and other erections, where flowering plants are to be kept. Messrs.
Hay thorn of Nottingham supply an excellent article of the kind,
represented by our woodcut ; it is equally useful for covering wall-
fruit, seeds, &c.

65

SEEDLING FUCHSIAS.

Again we present our readers with an illustration representing
some of the productions of our friend, W. H. Story, Esq.

We followed out to the letter our published intention of
making coloured memorandums of the best seedlings which
reached us during the last season, and figuring the finest,
whosever they might be. Of this we gave ample notice ; and
those who may possess any seedlings which eclipse those here
presented, have only themselves to blame for not sending them
to us. We were promised a drawing of a light variety we saw
at one of the exhibitions, but neither the figure nor flower ever
reached us. We allow Mr. Story to describe the character
and flowers himself, because they accord with the judgment of
our censors on the cover of No. XXIII. for November 1849.

I am aware of the impossibility of new subscribers obtaining the
Volume of the Florist and Garden Miscellany for 1848, and yet I
cannot do justice to my subject, or to the many readers who possess
it, without remarking that at page 10 of that volume will be found
some remarks upon the method I had pursued for a series of years
in the attempt to raise something superior in hybrid Fuchsias. Ele-
gantissima and Newtoniensis — two varieties now well known — were
the first of the race I submitted to public criticism : I am happy to
hear from many quarters that they have given much satisfaction.

The seedlings of 1848 produced a vast number of superior flowers,
requiring much consideration, and many consultations with my flori-
cultural friends, in selecting the best for proving a second year.
About twenty-five were set apart for this purpose, when, on their
second flowering, another council was held, to reduce them to five or
six. Ultimately seven, deemed sufficiently distinct to be grown in any
one collection, were put aside, care being taken that quality, colour,
form, &c. should not be compromised, except in the one instance of
that most disthict and novel production, Striata, whose elongated
corolla, striped (carnation-like) with a dark rich purple, was consi-
dered a new and remarkable feature. Duplex was also thought to
possess much novelty, by a cluster of very dark purple leaflets, form-
ing a compact double corolla, somewhat beyond the ordinary pro-
portion to the size of the flower, the colour of the tube and sepals
being very brilliant, of great substance, glossy, and smooth. The
remaining four, Ignea, Unique, jMirabilis, and South Devon, are noble
flowers ; smooth, waxy, and brilliant ; large fine corollas of the ordi-
nary form, but perfectly distinct from each other. The sepals of
Alirabilis are somewhat narrow, but the exquisite form and colour
of the corolla more than compensate for that defect. Striata, Duplex,
and Multiplex, have proved quite constant.

VOL. III. NO. XXVII. F

66 THE FLORIST.

ON THE CULTIVATION OF ACIIIMENES.

Few plants are more interesting than Achimenes, and few better
reward the cultivator for his care and skill. We first had A. cocci-
nea, which still keeps a firm hold of our affections ; and, indeed, how
can it be otherwise, — for who could look on a specimen of it, four
feet in diameter, quite round, and covered with little scarlet flowers,
and not admire it ?

Then came A. longiflora, an equally valuable species ; and, if my
memory serves me rightly, this was succeeded by A. grandiflora,
rosea, some recently introduced species, and hybrids, altogether form-
ing one of the most handsome tribes of plants with which we have
to deal.

My mode of cultivating the different species is as follows. As
soon as they have done flowering, they are placed under cover in
some convenient corner, and watered two or three times, with a view
to aid the swelling of the tubers ; for they grow for some time after
they have done blossoming. They are then allowed to become quite
dry, previously to being cut down ; the pots are laid on their sides,
and piled up one above the other in any snug corner below a stage ;
but they should not be exposed to a lower temperature than 35° ;
40° minimum would be safer. Tliey winter better in the pots they
were flowered in, than if taken out and placed in drawers, as under
such circumstances they are apt to rot.

With a view to keep up the best series of successions, the first
batch of tubers should be started in the beginning of February, the
second in the beginning of April, and the third in the latter end of
May, or at any time between these periods, according to circum-
stances ; but if excited later than this, they would do little service
to the amateur who has not the assistance of a stove.

I'he tubers (before starting them) should be shaken out of the
pots in which they have flowered, placed in small shallow pans, with
a little fine earth about them, and transferred to a cucumber or melon
frame, in which a temperature of between 70° and 80° is kept up.
13ut if a heat of this kind cannot be obtained, then 60°, with rather
an abundance of atmospheric moisture, will suit them equally well.
Move the plants from the pans in which they were excited when
they are an inch or two in height, and put them into their flowering
pots at once. In doing this, the requisite number of tubers is placed
at equal distances over the pot, — five is the number we employ for
a wide-mouthed 6 -inch pot ; we prefer this pot to the more upright
kind, for it contains a greater surface, and the roots of Achimenes
run rather shallow. For growing fine specimens, pans should be
used a foot over, and six inches deep, ten plants being employed to
fill the pan.

The soil I use is a mixture of turfy loam and peat, with a little
well- decomposed cow-dung and silver-sand, all in rather a rough

MARCH. 67

state, with a good proportion of drainage. In filling the pots, I
place the rougher soil at the bottom, and fill up with the finer. The
plants are then inserted, with their tubers an inch below the surface.
They are watered with a little chilled water (using a fine-rosed pot),
to settle the soil about their roots. Thus potted, they are again
placed in heat (about 60°), with rather a moist atmosphere, and
plunged in a gentle bottom-heat.

Tubers excited in April, and after that, will not require this heat ;
and even those first started would do without plunging, but I find
them to succeed better with it. Where a stove and plunging mate-
rials cannot be had, a dung-bed frame, with a gentle bottom heat,
would effect the same purpose ; with this precaution, that a little
air must be given at night, increasing the supply by day ; and in
bright weather the plants will require shading, or the action of the
sun on their leaves, when covered with the vapour from the bed,
will blotch them, which would spoil their beauty. Indeed, however
well you treat them afterwards, all of them like a little shade, by
which the leaves are kept more healthy, and the flowers brighter,
and the latter hang longer. A late vinery, or a greenhouse with
creepers up the rafters, suits them very well.

The plants should be stopped back when they have grown four
or five inches in height ; this causes them to break freely, and makes
them handsome. I allow grandiflora to grow about nine inches high
before I stop it ; this prevents it from making shoots, but it has the
tendency of producing a greater abundance of flowers, and,, when a
pan of it is well tied out, it is a handsome object. I stop-back
pedunculata twice, leaving four eyes each time to break from ; and
I shift them out of the 6-inch pots when the latter become pretty
full of roots into a 9-inch size, as 1 find this is not too large for
this variet}\ In this way I have grown pedunculata with fine eflfect ;
its flowers being, in my opinion, little inferior to those of picta. This
last-named species seems to be better adapted for winter culture ; and
when gro\\'n in a moist stove, the foliage puts on that beautiful
marbhng which makes it appear very interesting.

Several of the varieties of Achimenes are subject to mildew. As
soon as you see it, attack it with sulphur vivum, which prevents its
spreading. On a watchful eye after this, and a few slight fumiga-
tions, depends greatly the success of the cultivator.

I may add, by way of conclusion, that where a supply of flowers
is required for decorating the drawing-room, conservatory, or green-
house, during the summer months, the Achimenes are most useful
plants ; and if persons will attend to the directions I have just given,
I have no doubt that the result of their labour will prove satisfactory.

T. K.

68 THE FLORIST.

GROWING SEEDLING GLADIOLI.

The raising of these fine plants from seed has hitherto not received
that attention it deserves. The late Dean of Manchester did much
in this way, and with the best results ; but nevertheless much yet re-
mains to be effected. It should now be the business of the present
growers to put into practice the principles the dean laid down, and,
by hybridisation and careful management, to improve on his practice,
and introduce such an amount of novelty and beauty into the field
as will bring these plants within the pale of Florists' flowers. They
possess every inherent quality essential to their reception into that
class ; and, if we -may judge from the comparatively inconspicuous
first parents of the now gaudy and highly- developed Pelargonium,
the difficulties to be overcome before they can be worthily acceptable
•will be easily surmounted.

The first step to be considered is, the best means of raising seed-
lings. About the second week in February, not having a dung-pit
here, sticks were placed three feet deep, and eighteen inches wider
than the frame intended to be put over them ; turfs were used to
cover the sticks with, and then the frame was put on. Six inches
of soil composed of two-thirds loam and one-third leaf-mould, with
a little sand, was put into the frame in a rough state ; and on this
was sifted about one inch of the same material to form a smooth sur-
face. Drills were drawn in this about half an inch deep and six
inches apart, and in these the seed was sown thinly, and covered
slightly; the lights were then put on, and w^re allowed to remain
about a fortnight, merely protecting the frame from frost. In the
mean time some stable-manure was prepared for linings by turning
it two or three times in order to sw^eeten it, and to prevent it from
emitting rank steam or generating too much heat ; the lining was
placed round the frame and up to its top, about three feet in width,
which produced from 65° to 70° of heat in the day. This, with the
assistance of solar warmth until the seed vegetates, which will be
from a fortnight to a month, according to circumstances, was suf-
ficient. Air and water were given when necessary, and the above
temperature was kept up during the day ; but it was allowed to be
10° lower at night, and, when necessary, shading was ajiplied. This
treatment was continued through the spring and summer months ;
about August, watering was discontinued, but plenty of air, night
and morning, was given, closing the frame in the middle of the day,
unless it was very hot.

Under such treatment, about November they will be fit to be
taken up, when some of the Cardinalis section will in all probability
be found growing again. They will require potting, and placing in
a cold frame ; and they should be protected during the winter.
House the others until they shew symptoms of growth ; and should
that be before March, pot and place them iu the frame with the

MARCH. 69

Others. Plant the remainder in a bed three inches deep, and about
three inches apart in the row, the rows being about six inches, as
under. Protect the bed with mats in case of necessity, and let it be
sufficiently large to receive those from the frame when the weather
will permit ; })lanting them with the balls entire, shaking and lining
will then be all that remains to be done. And b}^ this management I
have no douht the produce will amply reward the cultivator, pro-
vided the seed has been saved from good kinds ; but much depends
on that.

J. Cole,
Gardener to J. Williiore, Esq,, Aldford.

REMARKS ON BRITISH FERNS.

It is a long while ago since I first became familiar with these truly
beautiful and highly interesting subjects, and at that time I hardly
entertained an idea that ever I should see them forming a part of
our drawing-room decorations. But when we consider the pure and
exquisite pleasure which the denizens of a densely populated city
must derive from these homely gifts of Nature luxuriating in their
windows in a Wardian case, even in the very depth of winter, the
change is not to be wondered at; under such circumstances, indeed,
we frequently see British Ferns more luxuriant than in their native
habitats. Our best thanks are due to Dr. Ward, therefore, for his
admirable invention ; for previous to its existence, some species of
Ferns had almost defied the best- directed efforts of the cultivator's
skill to keep them alive, far less to grow them in any thing like
perfection.

Some thirty years ago, I visited Tunbridge Wells to search for
Hymenophyllum Tunbridgense, at the request of my much-regretted
friend, the late Mr. Cameron of Birmingham, than whom a more
enthusiastic botanist and successful cultivator did not then exist.
At the time of which I am now speaking, Mr. Cameron was gardener
to R. Barclay, Esq. of Bury Hill, near Dorking, and consequently
had every opportunity of giving the Hymenophyllum a fair trial ;
but he was only indifferently successful. In fact, the Wardian case
was wanting. Mr. Cameron's name is so associated with the cul-
tivation of both British and exotic Ferns, that I cannot suffer this
opportunity to pass without recording it.

I purpose in my next to give the result of many years' expe-
rience in the cultivation of British Ferns, as well as a few remarks
on the different species and varieties as now constituted.

Footscray, Jan. 18, 1850. Robert Sim.

OLD GODFREY

OR, MA.RKET-GARDENERS.

When I am tired of my easy chair, I sometim.es take a stroll to the
garden of Old Godfrey, one of the most original characters in our
neiijhhourhood, to watch him at his work, admire the unrivalled ex-
cellence of his vegetables, or sit in his hovel, and hear him recount
the adventures oif his early life. He was, in his days of youthful
energy, one whose pursuits w^e hardly know whether to praise or
blame : marked out by nature for a sporting squire, " chill penury
repressed his noble rage," and made him what is familiarly termed
" a poacher;" and no one ever practised his art with more skill and
success than he did. He was not one of those clumsy performers
who march out at night with bludgeons, and knock down game-
keepers with the butt-end of their fowling-pieces ; but with a faculty
of trapping, snaring, and netting all birds, beasts, and fishes, more
resembling an instinct than any modification of human sagacity :
quiet, stealthy, and vigilant, constantly did he baffle the squire's
keepers and come home with his bags filled with hares and phea-
sants, for which, in those days, there was always a ready market.
He was looked upon, of course, by the neighbouring justices with
that virtuous indignation which those game-destroying personages
always feel towards their more humble congeners. How can we
account for it, that, in all sects, parties, and coteries, aversion should
constantly be in an inverse ratio to their disagreement? Once Old
Godfrey was caught, and spent three months in our house of correc-

MARCH, 71

tion ; but he was not a man to repine, and his lot was cheered by
the humanity of the gaoler, who, in those good old times, before
prison- discipline was invented, set him to work with great advantage
in his garden; so that, on the whole, Godfrey rather enjoyed his
visit than otherwise, and came out with more money in his pocket,
and in much better condition, than he went in ; and his eye still
sparkles as he tells his hearers how successfully he worked at the
squire's trout as soon he was released from confinement. Godfrey's
knowledge of the habits and dispositions of all the/<?r^ naturce that
have come under his observation might enlarge the boundaries of
natural science, and afford some amusing chapters to future Whites
and Watertons. He knows every partridge's nest within a mile of
his garden ; and no strange beast can enter its precincts without
being discovered ; he is like a North American Indian in the quick-
ness with which he detects their tracks, and he knows at once how
to ensure their capture : for nothing is more surprising than the
certainty with which he catches whatever he tries for : this de-
pends on a peculiar faculty, and yet, no doubt, some portion of his
science might be communicated. He says, with regard to rats, that
people set traps for them as if they were anxious to catch them,
placing them in their runs or usual haunts, which must be seen by
so sensible an animal ; whereas his plan is, always to appear as if he
wished to hide his trap ; they are sure to find it out, and " the more
trouble," says he, "they have to get at it, with the more force do
their noses go into it." His organ of destruction, however, is only
active against a certain class of animals ; towards others he is hu-
mane ; and rather than crush a snail, he will pick it up and throw it
over the fence, saying, " There ! it will be some time before yov
find your way back again." This reminds me of a good stor}^ told
of Dr. Johnson, who was walking one day at Oxford with a friend
round his garden, and observing him throw the snails over the wall,
he reproved him sharply, saying it was ungentlemanly ; when his
friend replied, " Well but, doctor, my neighbour is a Dissenter."
On which the lexicographer growled out, " Oh, throw away then, as
fast as you like !" Now I have no doubt my humble acquaintance
is as far in advance of the doctor in toleration as he is behind him in
learning.

Old Godfrey has now for some years renounced his evil ways,
and cultivates seven or eight acres of land as a market-gardener,
almost entirely by the labour of himself and his sons. His proceed-
ings have been recently watched by me with increasing interest, as I
speculate upon the probable fate of our country under the strong
dose of free trade lately administered to her by our state doctors.
Can this densely-peopled land, with its swarms of industrious la-
bourers and its boasted Anglo-Saxon energ}^ ever become a wilder-
ness ? Surely not. When I see Old Godfrey's success on a few
acres of land of not more than average quality, I naturally ask why
more ground in England, fit for garden culture, should not be simi-
larly improved, and made to resemble that beautiful tract between
Antwerp and Ghent in the Netherlands, where, for many miles, the
traveller sees every variety of vegetable produce flourishing on land

72 THE FLOKIST.

as free 'from weeds as the best-managed gentleman's garden. Some
of our cold clays, fit only for growing oak-timber, will, I fear, never
pay for arable cultivation under a free-trade competition ; and these
our squires may plant as soon as they like for the benefit of their
descendants in the year 2050. Perhaps also some of our thin chalky
downs, intended for the production of South-Down mutton, may as
well return to their natural beauty, and the uses for which Providence
designed them ; but I cannot believe that the cultivation of the soil
generally in civilised England will ever be allowed to decline. Not
far from my residence, the " Sandy gardeners," a hardy race of men,
cultivate small plots of ground, and take their produce in one-horse
carts a distance of fifty miles to the London market. Their land is
curious for its minute cultivation, and produces a rent of 41. per
acre ; the air all around is redolent of onions, cucumbers are grown
by the acre, and the country is so studded with cottages, and swarm-
ing with labourers, that you might fancy yourself in the populous
regions of China. When the Great Northern Railway, which passes
through the midst of tiiis fertile district, is completed, no doubt a
still greater impetus will be given to cultivation, and the vegetable
wealth will be directed north and south in still more copious
streams.

But to return to Old Godfrey, his garden-house and furniture.
As times have improved with him, he has erected a respectable build-
ing, with good casement-windows, in place of the old tumble-down
hovel in which, a few years ago, he stowed his movables. It is
curious to sit down and look round upon the place and its owner ;
it might furnish an artist with a study for Robinson Crusoe : look
at our sketch, which certainly is not flattering, for Godfrey has
never sacrificed to the Graces ; the rough thatch of his shaggy
uncombed locks shades a forehead wrinkled

" by thinking of his whens and hows,
And half by knitting of his brows
Beneath the glaring sun."

His eye — for unfortiinately he has but one — is small, bright, and sa-
gacious ; and he is gifted with a smooth, easy way of expressing his
ideas, and a quiet self possessed manner, which many a gentleman
born would envy. How characteristic are all the surrounding ob-
jects ! From the ceihng hang ropes of the finest onions ; his garden-
seeds, in bags of various sizes, make a goodly show ; all about are
placed every kind of implement, traps, nets, and all sorts of inde-
scribable tackle : here an old garden-knife, which, like the dagger of
Hudibras, " can bait a mouse-trap or toast bread ;" there his double-
barrel gun, in good order, with its percussion- caps, ready for use at a
moment's notice ; in a corner, perhaps, crouches a well-bred pointer
or setter-bitch, with her litter of puppies, soon, under skilful train-
ing, to be well broken, and fit for the sportsman's use ; outside, a
snug pig-sty is sure to contain a sow of the best breed the country
produces ; and his potato-pits are stored with the most approved
varieties. vThe great peculiarity of Old Godfrey is, that whatever he
does, he does so -well ; the hawthorn hedge round his garden is the

MARCH. 73

perfect model of a fence of that sort, so impervious, so complete, and
trimmed to such exact symmetry ; his vegetables are not only of the
best quality, but perfectly in season ; but it is in strawberry- time
that he is in all his glory, — his fruit is so well ripened, the sorts are
so well selected, and his succession is so good, that it is almost a
favour, in some seasons, to be supplied by him ; in gooseberries he
is also very great, and can talk with critical discrimination upon
the claims of the " Old Ironmonger," the "Roaring Lion," and the
" Crown Bob." I believe, by this fruit alone, he has, in some years,
more than paid the rent of all his land. He boasts, not without
reason, that he has produced the best early pea ; and, by a skilful
selection and crossing of varieties, he has obtained a broccoli which
would almost have made his fortune, if he had been related to the
family of Mr. Worldly-wiseman ; but he never had the least ambition
for what is vulgarly called rising in the world. At one time he
would work after dark, sticking a caudle in the ground to dig by ;
but now, as he grows older, he takes things rather easier ; still you
will mostly find him in his garden, except in the shooting- season,
and then he is never long away. I must not omit to say that he
now always shoots with a certificate, like other gentlemen ; and
though he cannot help running a little cunning, he wishes to be
considered a fair sportsman.

His boys shew a good deal of the old breed ; though I fear their
father has been too indulgent, and not bestowed so much pains on
their culture as on his broccoli, peas, and rhubarb. Some time
since, a gentleman, who felt an interest in their welfare, had one
of them, a fine, intelligent-looking little fellow, bound apprentice
to a respectable sea-captain ; but he could not bear the change.
When the strawberry-season came on, he described his feelings as
intolerable : no doubt, like Wordsworth's boy,

" He in his hours
Of tiresome indolence woukl often hang
Over the vessePs side, and gaze and gaze :
And while the broad, green waves and sparkling foam
Flashed round him *****

Below him, in the bosom of the deep,
Saw gardens, saw the form of sheep that grazed
On verdant hills, with dwellings among trees,
And shepherds clad in the same country grey
Which he himself had worn."

When the ship returned to England, he took the first opportunity
of running off; and I dare say his master never inquired after him.
The boys w^ould have made excellent gardeners if they had been
forced from home, and thrown more upon their own resources.

Time has had a softening and mellowing effect upon Old God-
frey ; and I hope when his hour of departure may come, he will be
ripe for a better world. Still " what is bred in the bone will never
be out of the flesh ;" and I have heard a pious neighbour say, who
sometimes walks with him to a delightful eminence near his garden,
and reads to him in the Bible or some religious publication, which
want of education unfortunately prevents Godfrey doing for him-

74 THE FLORIST.

self, that when he supposes his hearer's attention to be riveted by
some impressive portion of Scripture or edifying story, the devout
ejaculation, " There goes a brace of birds !" will dispel the flattering
illusion. And when my old friend sat for his portrait, the artist
inquiring of him what he would like to be doing, his answer was,
'• Perhaps, master, you may as well paint me twisting a little bit of
wire!" — I am, yours truly.

The Sedentary Man.

NEW PLANTS,

Figured in the Bota7iical Magazine for February.

AcANTHOFHipnuM Javanicum. An orchidaceous plant of great beauty, with
an inflorescence similar to A. Sylhetense ; the pseudo-hulbs are elongated, and
have a bracteated scape about six inches long, bearing six or eight large hand-
some flowers of a yelloAv colour, beautifully veined, tinged, and streaked with
purplish red ; the flowers are not so bright in colour as A, bicolor, but are in
greater profusion, and remain a long time in perfection. It is a native of the
woods of the mountain of Salack in Java; introduced some years ago by Messrs.
Loddiges, and is at present very scarce in collections. Figured from Kew.

CoELOGYNE Wallichii. An elegant orchidaceous plant, differing from the
generality of the genus by being terrestrial like the Bletias : its pseudo-bulbs
are flagon-shaped, dark green, warted, and frequently covered with a strong
veining of loose network; flowers large, one from each pseudo-bulb, of a very
delicate purplish colour ; the labellum is pink, white, and yellow, with a few red
spots. It was discovered by Dr. Wallich, in the mountain district of Sylhet and
Khasiya ; also found by Dr. Hooker, in his present mission, near Darjeeling in
Sikkim Himalaya, and from him sent to the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, from
whence it was figured.

Clematis graveolens. A slender- growing species, quite hardy, suitable
for covering a trellis-work or a wall ; it attains the height of about six feet,
flowers moderately large, of a pale yellowish-green colour. It is a native of
Chinese Tartary and the snowy passes of Western Himalaya, at an elevation of
12,000 feet. Figured from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Dipteracanthus spectabilts. This is a very showy species, having a large
flower of a deep-purple blue colour (like Achimenes longiflora) ; it is an erect,
branching, soft-wooded plant, having an herbaceous aspect, and grows from one
to two feet high. It is a native of Cuenca in Peru; hence it will require an inter-
mediate house for cultivation : seeds were received from W. Lobb by Messrs.
Veitch and Son, Exeter, with whom it flowered, and from there it was figured.

Zauschneria Californica, variety latifolia. A low, probably hardy, half-
shrubby, perennial plant, having beautiful red flowers like a Fuchsia ; it is a
free-growing species, flowering abundantly towards the latter part of summer,
and continuing a long time in perfection. This will make a useful plant for bed-
ding out; if planted thick, and stopped back early in the season, it will attain a
tolerable degree of compactness before the end of summer; it is well worthy of
pot-culture, or as an ornamental object for a conservatory. It was introduced to
the Horticultural Society through Mr. Hartweg from California. Figured from
the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kcav.

Pentstemon cokdtfolius. a rather weak and straggling-growing herbaceous
plant of very distinct character, having bright scarlet flowers, which are produced
freely during summer ; it is an ornamental plant for shrubberies or flower-borders,
or for rockwork. It was discovered by Mr. Hartweg on the mountain of Santa
Inez in California, who sent seeds to the Horticultural Society. Figured from
the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Royal Botanic Gardens^ Kew. J. Houlston.

75

DR. HOOKER.

A GENUINE love of flowcis, and an ardent desire to enhance the value
and beauty of our already rich collections of exotic plants, tempted,
as most of our readers know, this distinguished traveller to visit the
hitherto almost unexplored Himalayas with a view to send plants
and seeds to Britain. The results of this great undertaking have
been eminently successful. Amongst other things, he has discovered
many magnificent new Rhododendrons, of which seeds and plants
have been received at Kew. Objects of natural history, as well as
several additions to our Orchidaceous plants, have also been received
from him ; and until lately he has been allowed to pursue his useful
and pleasing avocations without much molestation ; but our readers
will be sorry to learn that he and Dr. Campbell, an officer in the
East India Company's service, are now in the custody of a petty hill-
chief called Rajah of Sikkim. This information is derived from a
letter written by Dr. Hooker himself on the 12th November, and
superscribed, "All well, 24th of November," and which he contrived
to smuggle away by the fidelity of a servant, with a scanty hope that
it would be allowed to reach its place of destination, as it did, by the
Marseilles mail, which arrived on the 21st ult. The Southampton
mail, on the 2 6th, brought a part only of a letter of an earlier date
(Lachoong Valley, Oct. 25th, 1849), or rather two continuous let-
ters, but ending abruptly, giving an account of a visit to the plains
of Thibet ; from which the following brief extracts may prove of
interest.

" We have spent four days in Thibet ! It was, however, a serious under-
taking, and required a combination of fortunate accidents, together with all my
previous knowledge of the country. It was again by the Lachen Pass that we
entered, and we met with a great friend in the Tcheba Jama, a man of intelligence
and vigour. Scarcely had we reached the Thibetan frontier, than I set spurs to my
pony, and galloped a-head, as far as possible, over the sandy plains, determined
to see all I could. The elevation of 17,000 feet made any rapid movement so
fatiguing, that my animal soon gave in ; and I was obliged to pursue my way on
foot up the Lachen, in an easterly direction, and at the back of Kinchin-jhow,
over sandy or stony dunes, interspersed with a little grass, tufts of nettle, Carex,
an Ephedra, and a thirsty-looking Lonicera, only a few inches high.

" Proceeding north-east from Kongra Lama, I had long stony rolling moun
tains to the north and to the east ; while to the south, the stupendous snowy
mass of Kinchin-jhow rose almost perpendicularly from the sandy plains. As
the country was so traversable, I judged it best to follow the Lachen to its
source near the Donkiah Pass, which 1 wished to be, if possible, our return
route.

" Late in the day I arrived at the Cholamo Lakes, within sight of the Donkiah
Phss, but with my pony so knocked up, that I had the greatest difficulty to drag
him after me. Here, however, I refreshed him with some tufts of green Carex,
and led him gently back, suffering myself severely from headache, caused by the
sun's intense heat ; for at this elcA'ation (nearly 18,000 feet) a slight amount of
exertion brings on headache. The evening was considerably advanced before I
met my friends. When we proceeded, a party of Chinese soldiers followed us,
their Ding pun (or Lieutenant) mounted on a black yak {Bos grunniens)! He
was surrounded with pots and pans, bags, bamboo-bottles containing butter-milk ;

76 THE FLORIST.

his tent, blankets, and other possessions, were all heaped on the same yak, and
he, perched a-top of all, looked like a gipsy on a laden donkey. The rider
was a small witliered man, arrayed in a green coat ; his Tartar cap surmounted
with a brass button. Behind came the sepas (or soldiers), enormous ruffianly-
looking fellows, dressed in blanketing. Each was armed Avith a pipe, a large
knife, and a rude long matchlock lashed across his stern. The matchlocks of
the Cliinese are always carried slung at right angles across the hip; they are
very rude weapons, and have a pronged support or rest, which falls up with a
hinge, and projects like an antelope's horn beyond the muzzle. These ungainly
weapons worn behind and at the lower part of the back gave the sepas a most
comical look. They came in marching order, took no notice of us, and camped
close by. We pitched our tents within a low cattle-enclosure on the open plain,
burning yak's dung for fuel. The cold Avas intense, and the wind violent and
dusty ; the sky brilliantly blue. We resolved to remain here for a day of two."

Immediately after this passage (says the Gardeners' Chronicle,
from which the above information is mostly derived) the narrative
l^reaks off abruptly ; it is only from another, yet we believe authentic
source, that we learn that it was on their return into Sikkim after
another attempt, but an unsuccessful one, to enter Thibet at a more
eastern pass, the Rajah thought proper to send a band of soldiers,
who entered the tents while our travellers were totally unprepared :
they were suddenly and at the same instant seized, each by a
separate party ; their arras bound behind them with cords (in Dr.
Campbell's case, it is said, accompanied by cruelty) ; and they were
conveyed to the residence of the Sikkim Rajah at Tumlong, con-
fined as prisoners, and not allowed any communication with each
other. The R,ajah himself sent a letter conveying the intelligence
to the Governor- General, who, in the kindest manner, has written to
Sir William Hooker, with the assurance that he has replied to the
Rajah's letter, demanding the instant release of the prisoners as a
prehminary step to any treaty with him ; and his Excellency confi-
dently expects that the next mail will convey the welcome news of
the gentlemen being set at liberty.

Since the above was in type, we have learnt with great pleasure
that our enterprising traveller is released.

ON THE HARDINESS OF GLADIOLI.

I TRUST that Mr. Brown's statements on this subject may prove
satisfactory to those who may be inclined to follow his directions.

Should Gladioli prove hardy, as he states, I will with pleasure
give up the point, and acknowledge myself wrong ; but from various
experiments which I have made, I must still beg to differ from Mr.
Brown. I am of opinion that, except hybridising, or in other words,
except the disposition to early growth is prevented, which I think
cannot be done without hybridising with the Gandavensis section,
Gladioli will not prove perfectly hardy.

Alford. J. Cole.

K SbuLston del

irEPE]S"THES ]RA]F]F]LESIA:^A.

MARCH. 77

NEPENTHES RAFFLESIANA.

There is not a more interesting object in the vegetable kingdom, or
one that attracts more general admiration, than this wonderful plant.
It is almost universally known amongst gardeners and lovers of hor-
ticulture by fame, if not otherwise ; but many erroneous notions are
entertained respecting its structure, &c. The accompanying plate
gives, on a very much reduced scale, a fac-simile of a male species,
which we noticed as being in bloom in November last. Its absolute
height then was 16 feet, branching out al)out 3 feet; length of the
pitchers 11 inches, circumference of them 7 inches, and the flower-
spike about 13 inches in height.

In consequence of the genus having male and female organs on
different plants, they are referred in the Linnsean arrangement to
the class Dioecia. It is a half-shrubby caulescent evergreen climb-
ing-plant, supporting itself in its native habitats on neighbouring
trees, against rocks, or amongst herbage. It is the largest of the
genus, far surpassing any hitherto known in Europe, and is adorned
with two kinds of pitchers or urns, both elegant in their form and
brilliant in their colouring ; they have an elongated mouth, with a
curiously striated margin, the strise terminating internally in teeth,
which give a beautiful pectinated appearance to the inner edge ; on
the apex of the urn is an ovate incumbent membranous operculum
or lid, marked with two principal longitudinal nerves, and cuspidate
at its base on the back part ; this lid folds over similar to a hinge,
but has no articulation. The leaves of this plant have dilated folia-
ceous petioles, on the ends of which are produced the urns, assum-
ing a pendulous position; the lower ones have their cirrhus, or tendril,
not twisted, but coming direct from the stem to the urn ; the tendril
of the upper leaves has one or two spiral curves about the middle,
and terminating in long ascending funnel-shaped urns ; the inverted
margins of both forms of urns are beautifully and delicately striated
and variegated with parallel stripes of a pur])le, crimson, and yellow
colour, and the body of the urn is spotted with brown. The urns
produced on the lower leaves are furnished externally with two
membranous wings, fimbriated at the margin, which give them a very
peculiar appearance ; the upper ones are long, somewhat trumpet-
shaped, without wings, and of a totally different character, often ten
inches long, and capable of holding a pint of water.

The genus Nepenthes was established by Linnaeus, of which
only one species was then known, N. distillatoria, or the Chinese
distilling plant, — an admirably characteristic appellation, for in the
interior of the unopened pitcher, before any external process can
occur, there is a fluid which often fills the urn to the extent of one-
third, and which was found by Dr. Turner "to emit, while boiling, an
odour like baked apples, from containing a trace of vegetable matter,
and to yield minute crystals of superoxalate of potash on being
slowly evaporated to dryness." The fluid contained in the unopened

78 THE FLORIST.

urn is tasteless, and resembles water ; but after being exposed to
the influence of the atmosphere, it becomes mucilaginous, and at-
tracts insects in great numbers, where, in the attempt to suck up
the liquor, they become immersed, and are drowned. The flowers
of N. distillatoria, when fresh, have a very disagreeable odour ; but
in N. Rafiiesiana it is not found.

The geographical distribution of all the species belonging to this
genus seems wholly confined to the East Indies and China, where
they inhabit shaded jungles, rocky islands, humid forests, or other
situations where there is plenty of moisture. Eight species have
been found in the western part of Borneo. The present species
was found by Dr. Jack, inhabiting a forest in the island of Singa-
pore, with N. ampulacea ; and on the return of Captain Bethune
from his scientific mission from Borneo, a Wardian case was filled
with them, and brought to England, with the plants in a living
state ; it was received in the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, in No-
vember 1845. They were in good health, and were the first of this
species, which is one of the most valuable acquisitions, ever intro-
duced to this country alive ; but since, through the enterprising
spirit of a few of our principal nurserymen, others have been intro-
duced, and we are now^ in the possession of nine living species of
this genus of Pitcher-plants.

Ciihwation.— Being natives of a hot humid climate within the
tropics, they require the artificial heat of our stoves, where they can
have a sufficient supply of moisture : although they will bear a con-
siderable degree of cold with impunity, yet it is only by the ap-
plication of great warmth, combined with a humid atmosphere, that
they can be brought to any degree of perfection. They are most
suitable for an Orchidaceous house, where a high temperature is
kept ; there they generally thrive with vigour. When once esta-
blished, it is better to let them remain for several years without
much shifting ; for they become somewhat intractable by removal,
and are often lost, or become very languid. A mixture of chopped
sphagnum moss, a little sand, turfy peat, and loam, is a good com-
post to pot them with ; supply them freely with water while growl-
ing, and let the thermometer range from 70° to 90° Fahrenheit,
lowering gradually as they approach the season of rest. An arti-
ficial bank, with an undulating surface, formed with stones, broken
bricks, and turfy sphagnum moss, makes an excellent receptacle,
where the pots can be plunged up to the rim. From absorbing a
quantity of water, a continual evaporation of moisture is always
diffused through the atmosphere, which prevents it becoming too
dry ; by this means the plants are kept in a healthy condition. The
bank may be covered with Lycopodiums and a few dwarf-growing
ferns, which wall give a neat and natural appearance to the whole.
By this treatment the various species are cultivated in the Royal
Botanic Gardens, Kew, where N. Rafflesiana and N. distillatoria are
now more than sixteen feet high, very healthy, and bearing abund-
ance of pitchers.

Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. J. Houlston.

MARCH. 79

THE LADIES' PAGE.

" Here's flowers for you ;

The marigold, that goes to bed with the sun,
And with him rises weeping ;

daffodils,
That come before the swallow dares, and take
The winds of March with beauty ; violets, dim,
But sweeter than the lids of Juno's eyes,
Or Cytherea's breath ; pale primroses,
That die unmarried ere they can behold
Bright Phoebus in his strength ; .

bold oxlips, and
The crown-imperial ; lilies of all kinds,
The flower-de-luce being one." Shakspere.

From the beautiful language of Perdita we learn what flowers were
favourites with the ladies in the days when Shakspere wrote ; and it
is worthy of note, that the plants named in the above extract still
hold a prominent 'place in our esteem, notwithstanding the num-
berless kinds which, since that period, have been brought to this
country from all parts of the world by enterprising nurserymen and
private patrons of gardening.

Amongst all these modern introductions, there is not a greater
acquisition to the flower-garden as a decorative plant than the Ver-
bena; — not the shrubby fragrant-leaved plant frequently called by
that name (which is Aloysia citriodora) , but those beautiful things
with " flowers of all hues," that have been produced by the skill of
modern gardeners by means of hybridising some few natural species
originally brought from America.

Last summer I had an opportunity of inspecting the extensive
collection of sorts cultivated for sale in the nursery of Messrs. Hen-
derson, Edgeware Road, London ; and the following is a selection of
what appeared to me to be the most distinct and desirable kinds for
planting in masses. As, however, the purchasing of a sufficient
number of plants of each variety to fill an entire bed, would amount
to a considerable sum, those to whom expense is an important ob-
ject might procure one plant of each sort, which would make a
mixed bed ; then in autumn any number of the colours which are
preferred can be struck from cuttings. In the matter of colour, I
must claim the kind indulgence of those to whom this page is
more especially addressed ; for none but a lady or a painter can cor-
rectly designate the multitudinous tints with which the Verbena is
adorned.

Chauviere's John Salter, vivid scarlet, crimson centre, and whitish eye ; Due
de Gazes, purplish carmine, with darker centre ; Barker's Duchess of Northum-
berland, salmony pink ; Smith's Duchess, pale pink, or blush ; Smith's Psyche,
rosy pink, Avith whitish eye ; Dufoy's Favourite, dark blue, with white eye;
Bell's Vulcan Superb, crimson, with darker centre ; Andrews' Magniflora,
purplish rose, darker centre, and light eye ; Dufoy's Apollon, dark purple, with
still darker centre ; Ramona, maroon, distinct whitish eye ; Meillez' Loui^

80 THE FLORIST.

Napoleon, crimson scjirlct, darker centre and light eye ; Meillez' Louise de
France, pale rose; Barker's Bride, white j Wyness's Princess Alice, white or
pale blush, with deep cherry centre.

Those which follow, being older sorts, can be bought by the
dozen at a small cost ; and most of them are quite equal for planting
out to the newer and more expensive ones.

Barkerii, deep scarlet, habit close and neat ; Robinson's Defiance, vivid
scarlet, habit strong and coarse ; Barker's Marchioness of Ailsa, jmle pink ;
Barker's St. Margaret's, rosy crimson, centre suffused with purple ; Ivory's
Emperor of China, crimson, light eye ; Chauviere's Valentine de Saveuse, lilac ;
Gem of the West, rose, yellowish eye; Duchesse d'Aumale, lilac; Louis Phi-
lippe, maroon.

The Petunia is another plant which has been greatly improved
since its introduction to our gardens, although of late the skill of
hybridists has been misdirected to the production of size of blossom
and novelty of colour ; the first of which qualities lessens instead of
increasing the value of the Petunia as a flower-garden plant. It will
be found that the most effective kinds are those whose flowers are
not so large as to be incapable of retaining their proper shape, and
M'hose colours are bright and distinct; and such must chiefly be
sought for amongst the older varieties ; as, Elegans, bright rosy
purple ; Lady Peel, crimson purple ; Sir Robert Peel, French white,
with dark pencilled eye; Enchantress, pale pink or blush, with dark
throat ; Van Houttei, pink, veined with crimson. Of the new
flowers exhibited last season, one or two deserve attention ; and
perhaps the best of them for a bed is Count Zichy, a small rosy-
purple flower, with a distinct white throat, in the way of an older
variety named Shrubland Rose.

A greater assortment of colours may be acquired by saving seeds
in autumn from the diff'erent varieties. If the seed is sown towards
the end of the present month in pans under glass, and the seedlings
pricked out when large enough into other pans, the plants will come
in usefully to fill the beds vacated by the early-flowering annuals ;
then the most approved kinds may be propagated in autumn by
means of cuttings, and thus a stock of suitable sorts for bedding in
the ensuing spring can be obtained.

While on the subject of bedding-plants, we will make use of the
opportunity to indicate a few improved varieties of other popular
flowers. A species of Pentstemon erroneously known in gardens
as P. gentianoides, affords several new varieties, the best of which
that I have seen are called Princess Helena, Buckii, Fulgidus, and
Elegans. All these have red flowers of different shades. The kind
first brought to this country has purple flowers, on which account it
ought not to be lost sight of; then there is a variety of recent origin
with white blossoms, which makes it very desirable. There is also
a newly introduced species of Pentstemon called cordifolius, worthy
of a place in the flower-garden ; not, however, as a bedding plant,
for which purpose its dull red colour unfits it. Several of the finest
species of this eminently beautiful genus have been lost to the coun-
try by exposure in wet and cold borders, whereas many infinitely
inferior plants are petted in pots through the winter. One of the

MARCH. 81

handsomest, however, is yet obtainable, although much scarcer in the
country than its merit would lead one to suppose. This is P. spe-
ciosus, whose flowers are of the most beautiful blue colour imagin-
able. Seeds should be sown in spring, and the young plants grown
in pots till the next spring, then to be planted in the borders, where
their beauty when in bloom will amply repay this little extra trouble.

Then comes the Snapdragon {Antirrhinum majus), a common but
highly ornamental old plant, which has latterly been under the hands
of the improver, although hitherto without any very encouraging
result so far as the real advancement of the flower is concerned.
Some of the new kinds are highly praised ; but none that I have seen
surpass in efi^ect the old bi-coloured, tri-coloured, deep crimson,
white, and bright yellow varieties. Those who desire to try the new
sorts should purchase the set advertised by Mr. Turner in the last
number of the Florist, and propagate by cuttings the colours that are
preferred.

Among shrubby Calceolarias, the Kentish Hero is worthy of par-
ticular notice as a bedding-plant. The individual flowers are ill
shaped, and the colours (yellow and brown) not bright ; yet its
distinctness and profuseness of bloom combine to make it a very
desirable thing. C. amplexicaulis has bright yellow flowers, and
Kayana (or Caieana ?) is of a deeper yellow, and both these form
showy beds. Further remarks upon this class of plants must, how-
ever, be deferred till next month. J. B. Whiting.

N.B. Whenever I mention nurserymen's names, it is to be un-
derstood that any respectable man can supply the articles alluded to.

EXHIBITION OF INDUSTRIAL PllODUCTS IN 1851.

I HOPE that a very large niche will be allotted in the proposed Ex-
hibition for the products of floricultural industry. Although all the
exhibitions of French industrial products held at Paris were adorned
with specimens of artificial flowers, in the manufacture of which
our continental neighbours stand unrivalled, it was reserved for the
Exhibition of 1849 to see nature and art vying with each other as
candidates for popular favour.

The idea of adding floricultural specimens does not appear to
have been started until a very short time before the opening of the
Exhibition, or there can be no doubt but that a much finer display
of flowers would have graced the salle dC exposition.

Amongst the principal exhibitors in this department, the names
of Bertin, L'Homme, Ketter, and Michel, stood conspicuous ; and a
collection of Ericas and Azalias by the latter was much and justly
admired. As I do not wish that floriculturists should be taken by
surprise, I have ventured to address you on this subject.

E. H. D.

VOL. III. NO. XXVII. G

82 THE FLORIST.

CARNATIONS.

KEW OR SCARCE VARIETIES.

Pujtley's Perfection^ purple flake. Thia 13 a superb varietj, being full, yet
not so full but that the beautiful marking can be seen to adrantage in every
petal ; good white, and smooth edges.

May's Oiren Glendower, crimson bizarre. Figrired correctly in the FlorUt,
Tol- for 1849 : it is a full flower, a healthy, upright grower, but will be slow to
increase.

^fays Romeo, rose flake, of a delicate shade. This variety was also figured in
the Florist. We have seen it far superior to the drawing, having a large and
finely-formed petal. Grently cupped : the flower as large as Garland, but not
quite so many petals ; good white, of beautiful texture.

May's Falconbridge, pink bizarre ; has plenty of colour, which is not often
the case in this class ; good size, full and smooth.

Hoilyoake's Dido, scarlet flake, very bright, and a good white ; full, and the
best of its class ; care is re<iuired in blooming, as it is rather short of pod.

Hastings'" RainffCtc, crimson bizarre ; full size, and tolerably well marked ;
petal not of the best shape.

Pulley's Jenny Lind, crimson bizarre. This is a full flower, and rather late,
but of the most striking colours, and well marked ; one of the best.

Barrenger'i Duke of Devonshire, scarlet flake ; a neat flower, of medium size ;
white good.

ChuHingfortT s Africanus,sczilet flake, very bright, marking excellent ; rather
smalL

Pujrley's Robert Bruce, scarlet bizarre. Like all Mr. Puxley's flowers, it is
of good size ; colours brilliant, and evenlv marked.

ClerUe's Rev. J. BramhaU, purple flake. A flower much in the style of
Squire Meynell, but larger, and much more constant.

Pujcley's Emperor, scarlet bizarre ; fulL and much the shape of Brutus.

The following were shewn in fine condition last season, and may-
be depended on as first-class varieties :

Scarlet Bizarres. — Admiral Curzon (Easom) ; Brutus (Colcutt) ; Captain
Edwards ( Summerscales) ; Lord Rancliffe (Holliday) ; Prince Albert (Puxley) ;
Splendid (Martin).

Crimson j&ura rr«.— Caliban (3Iay) ; Count Pauline (Holmes); Hector
(Hepworthj ; Lord Milton (EIv) ; Rainbow (Cartwright) ; Sir Joshua Rey-
nolds (Hughes) ; Thomas Hewlett rHoIliday).

Pink and Purple Bizarres. — Henry Kirke White (Taylor) ; Prince Albert
(Puxley) ; Sarah Pa^Tie (Ward) ; Twyford Perfection (Young).

Purple Flakes. — Earl Spencer (Barrenger) : Beauty of Woodhouse(Mansley) ;
Princess Helena ^Puxley); Premier (Millwood); Squire Meynell (Brabbin) ;
Queen of Purples (Hollidav).

Scarlet Flakes. — Firebrand (Hardwick) ; King of Scarlets (Ely) ; Lydia
(Addenbrook) ; Queen Victoria (Simpson) ; Sir H. Smith (Hale) ; Ulysses
(Bucknall).

Rose Flakes. — Ariel (May): Flora's Garland (Brooks): I^renzo (Mav) ;
Lovely Ann (Ely) ; Princess' Roval (Puxlev) ; Prince Arthur (Mav) : Rosetta
(May.)

There exists a great deficiency in Scarlet Flakes ; but we are rich
in Purple Flakes and Scarlet Bizarres.

Our Noi£-Book.

MARCH. 83

MEETINGS AT WORTOX COTTAGE.

OcR readers will have observed a notice respecting these intended
meetings repeated several times on the second page of our cover.
A line or two will explain the object we have in view in their esta-
blishment.

A great many seedlings reach us during the season. We reside
in a neighbourhood easUy reached by railway, and aboundinsr with
intelligent nurserymen, amateurs, and gardeners. It has occurred
to us, that if all seedling varieties can be posted or sent so as to
reach us on the Wednesday morning of each week, many would attend,
and, bringing with them some of the best varieties in cultivation, the
seedlings would be tested against them under the most favourable
circumstances. We are amongst those who believe that the tests
cannot be too severe to which seedlings are subjected, and that in
no place can they be more fairly judged than under glass, side by-
side with their predecessors ; or if they are objects of out-door cul-
tivation, in the open clear air of the country. We are willing to try;
and the result will soon determine how far our opinion in favour of
the utility of these meetings is correct or not. But we must urge
our seedling-raising friends to keep before them a memorandum to
post all productions for opinion so as to reach us on Wednesday
morning, /ree of all charges. If articles arrive with any expense on
them, thev will not be noticed.

PLANTS FOR VASES.

Last season we were particularly struck with the very beautiful selec-
tion and arrangement of plants in the vases placed in front of the
Palm-house at Kew. These vases are of iron, thoroughly painted stone-
colour ; and however objectionable a material iron may be for the
purpose, on account of its continued tendency to rust, nothing could
be more beautiful for a length of time than the group of flowers in
question, shewing that it is not entirely unsuitable. Mr. Allen, the
foreman of the flower-garden department, has favoured us with the
following memorandum. "They were filled in the month of June
with the undernamed plants ; the tallest were placed in the centre,
and the colours mixed as I would do in making up a lady's bouquet :
the plants were not selected for the purpose ; theV were some left
over after filling the flower-beds.

"Geraniums — Prince of Orange; Frogmore, scarlet; Tom
Thumb, scarlet ; 'V'ariegated scarlet. Petunias — Xyctaginiflora,
white ; Ageratum mexicanum, blue, and A. album, white ; Salvia
patens, blue ; Calceolaria amplexicaulis and rugosa, yellow ; ^'er-
benas — Defiance, scarlet ; Barkerii, scarlet ; Emma, purple ; Ava-
lanche, white."

84 TIIK FLORIST,

ALLAMANDA CATIIARTICA.

This bcinj^ one of our most beautiful autumn-flowering stove-plants,
and as I have been very successful in its cultivation, perhaps a short
account of my mode of treating it may not prove uninteresting.

I will begin with a young plant in a 5-inch pot, bought in now
from the nursery. Such a plant, if in good health, will in general
be found to be what is termed "pot-bound." The first operation,
therefore, under such circumstances, will be to turn it out of the
pot, remove the crocks, and carefully to disentangle the roots. If
the latter are healthy, give rather a liberal shift, — say into an 8-inch
pot, using a mixture of one-half good fibry loam, one-quarter peat
and one-quarter leaf-mould, with a little sharp sand. Experience
has proved that a soil of this kind, well mixed, and chopped up with
the spade (not sifted), on an efficient drainage, suits it perfectly ; but
if peat cannot be had, then three-quarters loam and one- quarter
leaf-mould and sand will answer. In both cases, place a layer of
some of the most fibry and rough soil over the drainage, with a view
to make the latter act perfectly and permanently.

After potting, give a thorough watering, to settle the soil about
the roots, and place it in a smart bottom-heat in a moist stove.
When it shews symptoms of breaking, if the plant is weak or
" drawn," cut it down to a prominent bud on the ripe wood, or
in the case of a stronger plant, bend it down, in order the better to
equalise the flow of the sap, and cause the buds at the bases of the
shoots to start simultaneously with those at their tops. Judicious
watering and occasional tying will now be all that it will want,
until it has filled the pot with roots, and requires a shift, which will
probably be some time in June ; for it must be remembered, that it
should not be allowed to blossom the first year. The point to be
kept in view is, to have a good strong plant furnished in autumn
with well-ripened wood, from which abundance of yellow aromatic
flowers may be expected the following season.

About the beginning or middle of June, if all has gone on well,
it will be found to have filled its pot with fine healthy roots, and
should be shifted into an 11 -inch pot, using the same compost as
before. After shifting, continue the generous growing treatment
already recommended, until the end of autumn is approached, when
water should be gradually withheld, and all the light and air that
is possible given it, to ripen the wood well, an important point in
the culture of all plants, but more especially so in that of the Alla-
manda. Keep it ail-but dry during the gloomy months of early
winter, and about the middle of February start it into growth. Prune
the unripe tops off the old wood ; and if a large and fine specimen
is desired, shift it when it begins to break, and plunge it again into
bottom-heat. Train the branches well out on a barrel- shaped trellis,
which may consist of seven or eight nice hazel-rods of sufficient
length, placed in the soil immediately inside the pot, fastened to a

M Alien. 85

hoop about their middle, and then to a smaller hoop at their top.
Bend the shoots of the plant round this, so as to cover it regularly ;
and when the young branches have begun to grow freely, train the
strongest of them near the bottom of the trellis, so as to have your
plant regularly covered with flowers, which it will be by the middle
of Julv, if the foregoing directions have been carefully carried out.

In' the third and fourth years it will flower earlier and better
than in the second, and it will not require to be shifted ; but it
should be fed occasionally with clear liquid- manure water, to keep
it healthy and vigorous, without being over-luxuriant. By liquid
manure, I mean clear dung- water from the stable-yard.

G, M.

MUTABILITY OF COLOURS IN THE CHRYSANTHEMUM.

Our attention has been directed to this subject on account of our
having received from a correspondent in Norfolk two flowers re-
ported to have been picked from one plant, all of whose stems pro-
ceeded from one root, and on which there was about an equal number
of blossoms of each colour. One of the flowers measured 2^ inches
in diameter, bronze-coloured in the body, with yellow-tipped petals,
inchned to quill, full centre ; the other measured 31 inches in diame-
ter, and was a deep red maroon, with petals inclined to reflex, cen-
tre starry.

Our correspondent speaks confidently as to these two very dif-
ferently coloured flowers having been produced by one plant ; and
this being the case, we have ventured to bring the matter under the
notice of our readers, in tlie hope that some one may be able to
throw such light on the subject as may lead to an explanation of
the anomaly.

We have ourselves seen the old two -coloured incurved come
sometimes bright yellow or orange, while at other times it would
be a fine maroon; but it has always maintained the same shape,
which our correspondent's flowers have not.

Mr. Gordon, superintendent of the ornamental department in
the Horticultural Society's Garden, whose knowledge of flowers and
plants is very great, says, that " the mutabiUty of colours in the
Chr}-santhemum flower is of old date, and was observed to occur
many years ago, when it w-as no doubt more common than it is now,
and probably was owing to some diff^"erences caused by change of
climate on the plants being first introduced ; for the more common
cases happened in plants first propagated from the original stock,
shortly after they were imported from China. Mr. Sabine, in a
paper read before the Horticultural Society so far back as February
1820, states that the old changeable white, or Lee's white, as it was
sometimes called, was obtained from a sport of the old quilled purple ;
and that the variations in its colours were great : sometimes the florets
were pure white, especially in cold seasons ; sometimes the backs of

86 THE FLORIST.

the inner florets and the whole of the outer ones were pale purple ;
sometimes each floret was striped white and purple, and on which
account it had heen called the Magpie Chrysanthemum ; while in a
warm situation, and in a line autumn, the centre florets would be-
come pur])le, and the outer ones white ; and at other times, though
but rarely, one side of the whole flower would be purple, and the
remainder white ; and 1 have even seen the flowers become entirely
deep purple, like the original, in very warm seasons.

" Another old kind, known as the Buff or Orange, a sort with
dingy orange or buff florets, sported, and produced a variety with
rose-coloured flowers, which was recognised in old collections under
the name of ' Rose or Pink.' This variety first sported in the
garden of Mr. Veres at Kensington Gore, as far back as 1800, a
year or two after its introduction, and since then it has frequently
produced flowers, first of the one colour and then of the other. The
rose-coloured variety produced another variety in the same way with
very pale flowers. Since that time many similar freaks in colour
have been observed ; but the most distinct which I have seen oc-
curred on a plant in the Society's collection, in vrhich a kind with
dull brownish- purple flowers produced a stem with bright yellow
flowers, some of which had florets of the original colour, and one
flower three-fourths bright yellow, and the remainder dull brown-
purple."

Our best thanks are due to Mr. Gordon for his excellent letter ;
and we trust that others will come forward in the same friendly
manner, and record their experience in regard to this very curious
and interesting subject, which is well worth a little investigation.

REVIEW.

Nurserymen and Seedsmen's Catalogues.

These have reached us in great abundance ; and without alluding
to any one in particular, we may remark in general terms upon the
improvement observable in these publications. Of this our readers
may judge for themselves by the samples stitched in our present
and last Numbers. Competition is a famous thing for setting our
wits to work ; and he that would win the favour of the public in
these times must be prepared not only to supply a good and cheap
article in the way of plants and seeds, but also a considerable amount
of useful information respecting them. That many of our catalogues
are sadly overloaded, few will deny ; and a considerable reduction
might judiciously be made from quantity without at all impairing
the quality of the collection that would remain. More care is also
required in selecting seedling varieties for sending out; the distinc-
tions must be much greater than they have been of late.

MARCH. 87

RAMBLES IN THE WEST IN SEARCH OF WILD PLANTS.

The country is now assuming a gay appearance, on account of the
fresh flowers and new growths which are daily on the increase. The
Furze is becoming truly beautiful, and the hedges are thickly spangled
with the bright lilac of the Dog Violet, intermixed with the starry
blossoms of the Primrose in every variety of colour, from a pale
creamy white to a vivid crimson. The Whitethorn too enlivens the
wayside with its brilliant masses ; and the mildness of the weather
gives an assurance that the spring has really arrived, and each day
increases the idea that all severe weather is a thing which has been.
But let not our gardening friends be too sanguine ; for unless the
opening blossom be protected, the cold drying winds and morning
frosts will in one night destroy all hopes of fruit for the ensuing
season. A close examination of the hedges will shew the young
fronds of the various Ferns uncurling their crooks ; and if we search
the cliffs, we find the same thing going on among the Aspleniums
marinum and lanceolatum, in the interstices of the rocks into which
they have firmly rooted, sometimes accompanied by plants of Scolo-
pendrium vulgare. The two former, from being scarce varieties in
the more eastern part of the country, demand a passing notice. The
Asplenium marinum is found, I believe, near Torquay, and occurs at
intervals the whole length of the southern coast of Cornwall, and,
again, more abundantly on the northern coast, from the neighbour-
hood of Morvah towards the east, and probably for some distance
into the Bristol Channel. The Asplenium lanceolatum is confined
to the coasts more to the westward ; I have never heard of its having
been found to the eastward of St. Austell, and even there very spar-
ingly ; but in the parish of Creed I have found it upon old walls, as
also in the neighbourhood of Probus ; and it gradually increases in
abundance as it approaches the •' Lizard," where its fronds attain the
length of six inches ; and in all the country around Penzance it has
ensconced itself on every wall and hedge, and continues in the same
abundance round the Land's End to St. Ives and to St. Eval, where
it again gradually becomes more scarce. This Fern has often been
confounded with the common Adiantum nigrum ; but a very little
examination will shew its distinctness, — it has a very different out-
line of frond : in lanceolatum the lower pinnoe are far shorter than
those above them, and all the pinna3 are nearly at right angles with
the rachis. But 1 will not enter into the botanical differences at
present, because I do not wish to frighten beginners from inter-
esting themselves in British plants with abstruse botanical distinc-
tions, which in time will no doubt gradually become interesting.
First gain an interest, and then the learning will be mere pleasure.

Tregonning. Jesse Barkagweneth.

88 TUli FLOKIbT.

HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY'S MEETING,
REGENT STREET, Feb. 19.

A GAY assemblage of flowering plants was brought together on tliis
occasion ; and among them a noble specimen of Dendrobium specio-
sum claims especial notice. It had upwards of thirty-four spikes of
flowers on it, all in admirable perfection, each spike measuring more
than a foot in length. Flowered in this way, this is one of the finest
of Dendrobes, and it richly merited the large silver medal which was
awarded it. It was shewn by Mr. Duncan, gardener to the Rev,
C. F. Chawner of Bletchingley. A large table was covered with
Orchids and Cinerarias from Worton Cottage. Among the former
were Cyrtochilum maculatum, four finely flowered species of Onci-
dium, Coelogyne flaccida, a beautiful little Orchid, and a nice plant of
the curious and interesting C. cristata was the admiration of every
body. A Knightian medal was awarded for these, and a certificate
of merit for the Cinerarias, which consisted of well-flowered plants
of Cerito, Nymph, Maid of Artois, Bessy, Gem, and Adela Villers.
Mr. Turner exhibited a prettily -blossomed plant of his purple-
flowered Primula altaica, a hardy species, but also very suitable for
enlivening our comparatively flowerless greenhouses in early spring.

Messrs. Veitch sent a little imported sweet-scented Dendrobe,
with creamy flowers and a buff" lip ; and Mr. Kenrick a young plant
of the beautiful Calanthe vestita. An Azalea called Howardii came
from Mr. Frost; and Mr. Henderson of the Wellington Road had
Mirbelia floribunda, a violet-purple species of much promise, two
Bigonias, and a new Pemelia with white flowers, something after
the way of Spectabilis. Mr. Ingram produced a hardy blue-flowered
Californian Ceanothus, called dentatus ; but it was not sufliciently
in bloom to enable us to speak of its merits with confidence. If
we may judge from the few flowers that were out, however, it pro-
mises to be rather ornamental. Various plants were furnished by
the Society's garden, and among them was a little dehcate purple
Portuguese annual, named Cochlearia acaulis. If sown on an Ame-
rican border in autumn, this will flower all winter ; and lifted in
patches, and placed in a saucer of water, it is very ornamental in
our sitting-rooms for a long time in early spring. Some speci-
mens' of garden-labels were exhibited by Mr. Kestell of Dropmore,
which we may take occasion to notice hereafter. In the meantime
we may state, that they appeared to be an improvement on what has
hitherto been produced at these meetings.

Tred^ Sndt^ scu<

CATTILETA SPECTABIJLIS

APRIL.

HORTICULTURAL LITERATURE.

It is one of the features of the present day, that every pur-
suit and calling of importance has its organ devoted to the
diffusion of information on subjects connected with it. Hor-
ticulture, so far from forming an exception to this rule, is
perhaps more abundantly supplied with periodicals than any
other of the kindred sciences.

That there are more than can live, few will doubt ; for,
with the exception of our own little work, all of them are in-
tended to be a source of pecuniary profit to their proprietors
or conductors, and we may be quite sure none will be carried
on long at a loss. Some, therefore, must cease wdth the present
year, for our experience tells us there is not above one of the
whole number {The Gardeners^ Chronicle) that pays more
than an insignificant sum beyond its actual cost. To us it
has been very interesting to watch how, in bidding for public
favour, their conductors observe a propriety of language very
dififerent to that which was to be met with some years ago in
such works. In several earlier publications lying before us,
we find articles and communications which, for scurrility of
language, appear fit for Billingsgate or St. Giles's alone, and
yet mixed up with them are frequent allusions to " looking
up from Nature to Nature's God," and to the refinement of
mind sure to attend on a love of gardening pursuits.

In these remarks we are not to be supposed penning
a dying note for the Florist and Garden Miscellany, We
steadily progress in public estimation ; though at a pace far
too slow for our active temperament, which thirsts for that
improvement an enlarged circulation alone w^ill enable us to
effect. But our principal object in making these discursive
remarks has been as a preface to introducing to the favour-
able notice of our readers, the first number of Lindley and
Paxton's Floicer-garden. The objects of the publication are
so well and clearly stated in the following prospectus, that we
reprint it ; glad of the opportunity of acknowledging the
generous manner in which Professor Lindley has ever noticed
our little work, though springing from views and opinions in
some degree antagonistic to his own. All our readers who
can afford to do so should procure the first number ; and as
we learn it was hurriedly got out, they may assure them-
selves that, beautiful as it is, its successors will surpass it.

" The design of the work now offered to the public is to supply,
in monthly parts, as full an account of ail the new and remarkable

VOL. III. NO. XXVIII. H

90 Till' FLORIST.

plants introduced into cultivation as is necessary to the gardener,
and as the price and extent of a periodical will permit. The history
of such plants will be sought in the botanical works published on
the continent, to which English cultivators have little access, as well
as in those of our own country, and in the gardens or herbaria from
which they are derived.

It is expected that by this means the English reader will be able
by degrees, by mere reference to the indexes of matter which will
accompany each number, to ascertain the real horticultural value of
the numberless so-called novelties with which the lists of dealers are
crowded. The infinite number of double names, which botanists
call synonymes, but which in common parlance are termed aliaseSy
will also, it is hoped, be gradually referred to their true denomina-
tion, and the purchaser thus be spared the mortification of finding
that after procuring half-a-dozen different names, he is still in pos-
session of but one species, and that perhaps one with which he was
previously familiar.

To effect this purpose, it is proposed to separate each number
into two distinct parts. In the first part will be found three co-
loured plates of plants, which from their beauty, or remarkable tints,
especially demand this expensive style of illustration. Here it is not
proposed to introduce any species which can be as well represented
without colour ; by which means a large part of the expense of
botanical periodicals will be saved for the purpose of being applied to
the embellishment of the second part. Nor will the pubhc be in any
respect a loser by this arrangement, for it is doubtful whether more
than three really fine new plants appear in a month in this country,
on an average. The title of the second part, ' Gleanings and Original
Memoranda,' fully explains its purpose. It will consist of notices,
long or short, according to the importance of the subject, of as many
plants published in contemporary publications, or observed by the
authors, as can be enumerated in eight or ten pages. Unimportant
species will be merely mentioned ; those of higher interest will be
described at greater length ; and of the most remarkable there will
be introduced woodcuts, in which an attempt will be made to com-
bine accurate representations with some pictorial effect. The effect
of this arrangement is to introduce into the present number an ac-
count of thirty-five species, of which eleven are figured. Supposing-
each number to contain a similar amount of species, a yearly volume
will include 420 accounts of plants, of which 132 will be illustrated ;
by far the largest number yet com.prehended in any scientific English
botanical periodical.

In the selection of species for full illustration, it is intended to
divide the plates as nearly as possible between stove, greenhouse,
and hardy plants ; so that each department of the flower-garden may
be equally cared for. The editors, however, anticipate some occa-
sional difficulty in accomplishing this part of their plan, in conse-
quence of the much larger number of novelties annually introduced
to the hothouse and greenhouse than to the open borders. In the
present number the species figured are, stove three, greenhouse two.

APRIL. 91

and hardy six. On no occasion will there be more than one coloured
orchid in each number.

Since this work is intended for English readers, the English
language will be adopted, as far as possible, in all familiar names
and descriptions. English names of the plants represented in the
coloured plates will be given in preference to technical Latin ones,
in the hope that by degrees the ear may be relieved from the neces-
sity of dwelling upon sounds which, even to the learned, are often
harsh and unpleasant. There seems to be no vaUd reason why the
system of talking Greek and Latin, without understanding it, may
not be banished from familiar natural history. At the same time,
for the convenience of foreign naturalists, and of those who prefer
technical to familiar words, the names employed in strict science are
also given, and the distinctive characters of the species are added in
Latin.

The proprietors also wish to state, that in order to spare their
subscribers the necessity of continuing to purchase a book of this
nature for an unlimited series of years, and of thus incurring an
expense of unknown amount, it is intended absolutely to terminate
the present work with the tenth volume. But with the cessation of
the present work it is intended that another, with a new title, but
upon a similar plan, shall immediately succeed it ; so that those who
may wish to extend their subscription will have the opportunity of
doing so, while those who may be desirous of discontinuing their
purchase will be in possession of a complete work. In this way the
necessity of breaking up a periodical into what are called series, or
new issues, — which are merely thin disguises, intended to conceal
the purchase of fragments of a work, will be entirely avoided."

The coloured illustrations in the present number are :
1. Drummond's side-saddle flower; 2. the glittering gland-
bearing Trumpet-flower ; 3. Walker's Cattleya. The wood-
cuts are: I. Aristolochia picta ; 2. leaves of Berberis Japo-
iiica ; S. B. loxensis ;. 4. B. Darwinii; 5. B. tinctoria; 6.
S[)irasa decumbens; 7. Grammanthes gentianoides ; 8. Calan-
dria umbellata. The sixteen pages of letterpress are of the
interesting character to be expected from such men as John
Lindley and Joseph Paxton.

ORCHIDS: CATTLEYA SPECTABILIS.

Our friends Messrs. Loddiges of Hackney, whose fame is world-
wide in connexion with Orchids, have kindly favoured us with the
following particulars of this beautiful variety of the species to which
it belongs. Our drawing was made from the plant exhibited by
those gentlemen at Chiswick, where it was much and deservedly

92 THE FLORIST.

admired. Though but a faint idea is given of its beauties in our
illustration, still it will form a charming addition to the embellish-
ments of our i)rcsent volume.

" With respect to the Cattleya spectabilis : we received a small
parcel of Orchids from Brazil in the spring of 1849, amongst which
were some Cattleyas having the appearance of Marginata ; many of
these flowered as such. This being stronger in growth, evidently
appeared different, and flowered in June, when it was exhibited at
Chiswick ; it seems to be an extraordinarily fine variety of Marginata.
We find it grows btst upon a rough block of wood in a temperature
of from 50° to 60° in winter, and should then be kept moderately
dry, gradually increasing the moisture and heat to from 60° to 75°
in the summer."

Many of our readers, we know, cultivate this curiously interesting
tribe of plants, and one of the number on reading this will well re-
member inoculating us with a taste for them, by presenting us with
a plant of Stanhopea grandiflora, accompanied with some disparaging
remarks upon growing "only Geraniums." The consequence of
that fatal gift has been the abandonment of the cultivation of Roses
in pots, after we had beaten every body and been well beaten in re-
turn ; their room being required by their more aristocratic neigh-
bours, who had swelled themselves out into an importance too great
for the little stove they had long been located in. Their present
habitation is growing too small for them, or rather they are growing
too large for it, in spite of the exercise of a liberal spirit in giving
to friends what otherwise must have been thrown away ; and our
fortitude must soon be exercised again in a resolute reduction of
numbers ; for now that our specimens of Cattleyas, Dendrobiums,
Epidendrums, Aerides, Saccolabiums, &c. &c. are fairly established,
they grow at a surprising rate. Some day we may perhaps give
our readers a little account of the Orchid mania which once pos-
sessed us, and which led us into a certain auction-room in Covent
Garden, where we should most gladly have been on Feb. 26th last,
had not prudence dictated our keeping on the other side of Temple
Bar. The following will give an idea of the sums realised by Mr.
Stephens for varieties, most of which are not in our collection.

Dendrobium Devonianum, from 1/. to 2/. 25.; Ccelogyne macu-
lata, a new kind, with flowers as large as C. Wallichiana, white and
yellow, M'ith large blotches of crimson purple on the lip, from 21. to
3Z. ; the rare Dendrobium Cambridgeanum, from 21. to 3Z. ; a large
mass of Ccelogyne cristata, 5/. lOs. ; smaller examples of the same,
from 1/. to 5/. ; C. Wallichiana, from 21. \Qs. to 61. \0s. ; Dendro-
bium Farmerii, from 21. to 4/. IO5. ; D. Dalhousianum, from \l. \Ss.
to 21. 45.; D. Griflithianum, from 21. to 4/. IO5. ; D. Paxtonii, from
21. \0s. to 41. 55. ; D. Gibsonii, 1/. IO5. ; "a new species of Ccelo-
gyne," from 21. IO5. to 4/. ; ditto Cymbidium, from 1/. to 21. There
were in all 232 lots.

93

PANSY- STANDS ; MODE OF JUDGING, &c.

As we have not had in the pages of the Florist and Garden Miscel-
lany a pattern or description of stands for shewing Pansies, perhaps
the above will be found acceptable to some of your readers, and at
the same time wall assist me in illustrating my ideas on judging col-
lections of flowers. Zinc will be found preferable to tin for making
them of; the top part should be painted white, the sides green, and
the size, say for a stand of twelve, 13 inches long, and 10 broad;
4 inches deep at the back, and 2|- in the front. No doubt some will
prefer a larger, and others a smaller size ; only I would recommend,
whatever it may be, that the stands are all as much alike as possible
at each exhibition, for when staged, the effect is thereby much
enhanced.

We observe that some writers say. We have now got the Pansy to
such perfection, that any flower with two decided shades of ground-
colour, with a notch in the lower petal, without substance, or with
serrated edges, or that is not circular, or with a split petal, or other-
wise in the least mutilated, ought to disqualify a stand. Now I say
it ought not to do any such thing. To condemn a stand of twenty-
four or thirty-six first-rate blooms, as a whole, on account of one
having a radical defect, is something like a schoolmaster chastising
twenty-three or thirty-five innocent youngsters for the off'ence of one
guilty urchin; for my part, I cannot perceive any more justice in
one case than in the other. When a prize is offered for the best
stand of twenty-four or thirty-six flowers, it does not mean (if I
understand the matter aright, the best one, two, or three in the
stand, but the best taken as a whole ; then why, on account of one
or two defective flowers, condemn it, as if the whole of the other
blooms, which might be unobjectionable, had nothing whatever to
do with the matter. I am quite aware that it is much easier to
find fault than to point out a more excellent way ; yet I shall
attempt to do so, with all due deference to those who have favoured
us with their ideas on judging Florists* flowers.

I think the best way of proving seedling Pansies, or seedlings of
any kind, and of ascertaining which are the best in different localities.

94 THE FLORIST.

would be, to shew single blooms, and divide them into classes ; for
instance, suppose six prizes were offered for the best Pansies on white
ground, and that xMrs. Beck (Turner's) should be placed first, fol-
lowed by Helen (Hunt's), Almayor, and others; although I might
never have seen or heard of Mrs. Beck, if I knew the whole of the
other flowers, I should naturally conclude Mrs. Beck was worth
adding to a collection.

I am quite an advocate for shewing single blooms of Pansies (in
classes) as well as in collections ; and for a beginning, I would have
seven classes as under; if the funds of a society would not admit of
six* prizes in each class, let the first only have a prize, and let the
others be nominal.

1. White grounds, edged, in style such as Blue Perfection, Blue
Fringe, &c. 2. Yellow ground, edged, style of Lucy Ashton, Mary
Jane, &c. 3. White ground, belted, style of Mrs. Beck, Helen, &c.

4. Yellow ground, belted, style of Duke of Norfolk, Zabdi, &c. &c.

5. Dark selfs. 6. Yellow selfs. 7. White selfs.

Class 6 to include all shades from buff to deep gold colour. Class
5 all the shades from light purple to black. Classes 4, 3, 2, 1, if
the style and ground-colour be correct, the edging or belting may be
any colour you please.

If four or five hundred single blooms were exhibited, the com-
mittee of a society (or those appointed by them) would, without
occupying much time, place all the colours or classes together ; and
the judges should select half a dozen of the best.

It is a question with me, in shewing stands of six, twelve, eigh-
teen, or twenty-four Pansies, whether the number of classes in each
ought not to be specified.

Now what I want in judging collections is, to carry out the
principle of class-shewing, by comparing the same varieties with
each other ; and if the same variety is not in all the stands, then
take the same class, marking the stand above each flower with a
soft black-lead pencil (see woodcut, representing a stand of twelve
Pansies after being judged — six competitors) ; by this mode every
single bloom in each stand is noticed, and taken at what it is M'orth
in comparison with others ; and by adding all the numbers together,
you come at the exact value of each stand.

Whithy. W. F.

[We have given our correspondent's ideas on the subject, and a
woodcut from the drawing of his stand; but we do not agree with all
our friend advances. We give a description of a stand used at our
Metropolitan Exhibitions, which is copied and getting into use in
many parts of the country where it has been seen. The distances
are arranged for full- sized flowers, and it will be well for growers to
try and produce blooms to suit. We hope our correspondents in the
North will have a few made, and try them : we shall be glad to give
any further particulars, if required. The outside appearance is that

* We think three prizes are plenty. — Editor.

ArRiL. 95

of a neat box, painted dark rosewood, and highly varnished; the lid
attached by hook-and-eye hinges, and locked. The lid removed
shews a stand of four rows of Pansy-blooms, six in each, arranged
on a zinc-plate one-eighth of an inch thick, painted green, with a
slight yellow tinge, and varnished. Length of box 1 foot 6 inches,
12^ inches wide, and 3 inches deep ; three-eighths of an inch thick,
and v.ith a little beading inside, on which the plate rests, so as to
lie flush with its edges all round. The tubes are soldered to the
under part of the plate flush with the back of the holes, to receive
the stalk, but receding in the front to allow of the flower lying well.
These holes are three-fourths of an inch long, and half an inch wide,
the tubes beneath are 2 inches deep, 1 inch long, and five-eighths
wide. The front holes are l\ inch from the edge of the plate, and
1^ inch from the side, and the rows are 2 inches above each other.
In such a stand medium or small-sized flowers will be lost ; but
since they can be produced of the requisite size about London, why
should they be grown less in the country ? We need hardly say
that, when placing the stand for exhibition, it can be arranged slop-
ing to any angle by placing something underneath it at the back.]

BEDDING CALCEOLAUIA.

I BEG to recommend to your readers Calceolaria Kentish Hero as a
bedding-plant. It is one of the very best for the purpose with which
I am acquainted. I took up a bed of it on the loth of last Novem-
ber, which had been in bloom for several months, and it was then
quite a blaze of beauty, although there had previously been a smart
frost and much rain, so that nearly every other bed had become mi-
serably shabby, except the hybrid Anemone between japonica and
vitifolia, which is also a beautiful bedding-plant, and flowers very
late in damp situations.

The Kentish Hero is of a rich bronzy colour ; it is partly shrubby,
and belongs to a section of the genus more prolific as regards a suc-
cession of bloom than either the true herbaceous varieties, or those
from rugosa and integrifolia. I would advise those who have it not,
to procure and make the most of it ; one good plant bought in now
would furnish dozens for bedding against another season. It strikes
readily at any time in a very slight bottom heat. One thing requires
notice, that the plants should be well supported with sticks when out
of doors, otherwise, as the trusses are large, when the flowers get
filled with rain, the stems are apt to break down.

Willey Park, Salop, February 14th. W. Elliott.

96 THE FLORIST.

SCRIPTURE ILLUSTRATIONS.

The Seasons. — The coming on of spring has lately reminded me
of the fact, that only two divisions of the year are noticed in the
Bible, which, as our translators render them, are summer and winter.
In searching into the reason of this, I could neither be satisfied with
the thought that seed-time and harvest, mentioned in the first text of
the Bible wherein these words occur (Gen. viii. 23), pointed to our
spring and autumn, nor with the reflection that the transition from
summer and winter is, in the clime where the Bible was written, too
sudden to aflE'ord the mention of intermediate seasons ; I was con-
vinced there was some dee^jer reason than either of these, and accord-
ingly searched into the meaning of Tp (kitz) and P]"",n (chireph), the
two words which are always translated * summer' and ' winter.' The
result of the investigation is so interesting, that I shall request the
Editor of the Florist to lay it before his readers. Kitz, according to
the learned Dr. Parkhurst, is derived from the verb to awake, as
found in a very interesting series of Hebrew texts, including Daniel
xii. 2, where the awaking plainly signifies the resurrection. Kitz
therefore assuredly signifies spring as well as summer: and if I might
venture to point out the spiritual instruction to be gained through
one word being made to comprehend the whole period from the first
bud of spring to the full blush of summer floweriness, I observe that
the awakening of any soul is the all-important point to be ascertained,
because that ensures and includes all the rest. There may be but
a little symptom of spiritual life, but it is like the first bud of spring,
the harbinger of all that is to follow ; for when spring arrives, it does
notteach us to look back to winter but forwards to summer.

Turning again to my Hebrew Lexicon, I find chireph is as equally
expressive, and as large in its signification. It is literally the stripping-
season. That it was the time for ploughing w^e learn from Proverbs
XX. 4, " The sluggard will not plough by reason of the cold," where
the w^ord is chireph, elsewhere rendered ' winter.' That it was a time
of rain, when there were no singing-birds and no flowers, we learn
from Cant. ii. 11, 12, where those pleasant things are mentioned as
signs that winter is past, and its rain over and gone. Let us, then,
keep in mind these broad and marked distinctions. There are only
two states for the soul, life or death, although these two states may
be developed outwardly in diflferent degrees, like the two seasons
which are signified by kitz and chireph of our Bibles. Let each
one, then, inquire during this spring, whilst all nature is awaking. Is
my awakened season arrived } Is my winter past, and over and gone ?
And if those evidences that are necessary to a joyful reply in the
affirmative be now wanting, address yourselves immediately to Him
to whom alone the power belongeth to give summer instead of
winter.

Amaranths. — Many who have admired, and perhaps cultivated
the pretty and enduring little flowers that bear the name of Amaranths,

APRIL. 97

do not perhaps know that the word is of Greek derivation, and
familiar to the reader of the New Testament in its original language.
Let me tell them it is to be found in the first epistle of Peter, chap. i.
verse 4. The four words that fadcth not away are expressed ^by
one in the Greek, and that is amaranton. If, then, I say there are
Amaranths in the paradise of God, I speak in entire accordance with
the Scriptures, because Amaranths simply signify that which is un-
fading, in other words, pleasures for evermore. Let me invite the
readers of the Florist to bestow many thoughts on these Amaranths.

NORTHERN AND SOUTHERN RAISED FLOWERS.

From the commencement of the Florist and Garden Miscellany, we
have been met with the assurance that productions highly esteemed
in one district of the country are despised in the other. Our cor-
respondence from the North and South has been full of complaints
of this character.

It occurred to us, some time back, to consult Messrs. Turner and
Edwards upon the subject, and to offer some suggestions, by way
of bringing the question to a satisfactory issue. It appeared to us,
that if exhibitions of northern and southern raised flowers could be
arranged, and held both in the North and in the South, they would
be most interesting affairs.

The gentlemen in question took the matter up •, and Mr. Ed-
wards, with that zeal he always displays in his favourite pursuit, has
produced the following programme ; which w^e earnestly entreat our
readers to assist in carrying out both by their personal services and
subscriptions.

For ourselves, we have much pleasure in subscribing five pounds
towards the necessary funds ; and \vith that offer we introduce the
excellent proposal of our friend, reminding all interested that there
is no time to be lost, — the work must be commenced without delay.

Be it remembered, that if satisfactory in its results, this is only
the beginning of a series of meetings proposed to be held with the
object of testing other flowers in the same manner.

PICOTEES AND CARNATIONS.

The following remarks and suggestions are given in continuation of
my letter in the Florist (No. xxvi. p. 46) on the subject of these
interesting flowers ; and I shall now plainly suggest what I think
would prove highly beneficial to all parties concerned.

I. That there be two exhibitions in 1850 ; the one to be held in
or near London at one of our metropolitan floricultural shows ; the
other to be held in the North of England, say about 150 miles from
London, in such town and ut such time as the growers of the North
themselves may select.

98

THE FLORIST.

II. That the boundary-line I have proposed be the division by
which to know the Northerns from the Southerns ; and, to avoid neu-
trahty, let every town through which the said line passes be consi-
dered a northern one.

III. That there be Six Classes open to all England at each
of the proposed two exhibitions, viz.

Class 1. For six blooms of dissimilar varieties of Northern-raised

Carnations.
Class 2. For six blooms of dissimilar varieties of Northern-raised

Picotees.
Class 3. For six blooms of dissimilar varieties of Southern-raised

Carnations.
Class 4. For six blooms of dissimilar varieties of Southern-raised

Picotees.
Class 5. For the Premier Carnation Prize (the best stand of

Class I. and the best stand of Class III. alone to compete in

this class) ; and
Class 6. For the Premier Picotee Prize (the best stand in

Class II. and the best stand in Class IV. alone to compete in

this class).

IV. That there be a subscription opened in every interested
locality ; and all sums collected be lodged with a general treasurer,
thus forming an All-England Carnation and Picotee Fund.

V. That the prizes offered to the several classes range in the
following order (higher or lower according to the amount col-
lected), viz.

Class 1. For the best six blooms of dissimilar variet:
Northern-raised Carnations .
For the second best ditto
For the third best ditto
For the fourth best ditto

Class 2. For the best six blooms of dissimilar variet
Northern-raised Picotees
For the second best ditto
For the third best ditto
For the fourth best ditto

Class 3. For the best six blooms of dissimilar variet
Southern-raised Carnations
For the second best ditto
For the third best ditto
For the fourth best ditto

Class 4. For the best six blooms of dissimilar variet
Southern-raised Picotees
For the second best ditto
For the third best ditto
For the fourth best ditto

es of

es of

es of

es of

£2 0 0

1 10 0

1 0 0

0 10 0

£5 0
f

0

. 2 0
. 1 10
. 1 0
. 0 10

0
0
0
0

jglO 0

0

. 2 0
. 1 10
. 1 0
. 0 10

0
0
0
0

£15 0

0

. 2 0
. 1 10
. 1 0
. 0 10

0
0
0
0

Carried forward

£20 0 0

APRIL. 99

Brought forward .... £20 0 0

Class 5. Premier Carnation Prize 2 10 0

(The best stand in Class I. and the best stand
in Class III. alone to compete in this

class.)

je22 10 0

Class 6. Premier Picotee Prize 2 10 0

(The best stand in Class II. and the best stand
in Class IV. alone to compete in this

class.)

£25 0 0

And supposing that the above be approved as the schedule of prizes
for the Southern Exhibition (which of necessity must be the first),
that an exact counterpart be adopted, without alteration, for the
Northern Exhibition.

VI. That the flowers be shewn on cards in raised tubes, so as
fully to display the pods.

VII. That uniform stands and cards be provided.

VIII. That every Northern and every Southern contributor to the
fund give in the name of a gentleman to act as censor, the majority
of votes to decide the election of such censors ; and that the two so
chosen have the power to call in a third, or referee, if they desire.

IX. That there be no appeal from the censors' award ; and

Lastly, That such other regulations as may be considered neces-
sary (not being contrary to the spirit of the foregoing) be added to
these rules.

And now, gentlemen. Carnation and Picotee growers of Eng-
land, let me here state that I desire to assume little and dictate
less ; nor have I knowingly made any arbitrary suggestion. It is
for you to decide yes or no in this interesting cause.

There can be little doubt about readily obtaining an amount suf-
ficient to carry out the schedules after the above form ; a sum of fifty
pounds pays the prizes, and I know little else, except the censors' tra-
velling expenses, that could form any item of expenditure ; for I take
it, that in a truly national affair, as I wish this may be, all growers
and exhibitors will readily oflfer their gratuitous services (and contribu-
tion"* in each and every floral district.

I am.
Growers of England,

Your brother Exhibitor,

John Edwards.*
Wace Cottage, Holloway, Middlesex.

* As we understand a copy of Mr. E.'s communication has been sent to all
our contemporaries, no excuse can be pleaded for ignorance on the part of those
interested. — Editor.

100 THE FLORIST.

THE LATE CHARLES FOX, ESQ.

OUR VISIT TO HIS BIRTIIPLACF;, &C.

In our April Number of last year we announced to our readers the
decease of our valued friend and coadjutor, of the loss of whom we
are continually reminded at every turn. We miss him as a most
able assistant, upon whose judgment we had been taught to rely by
a long experience of his ability and integrity, who shared our labours
in the attempt to establish the Florist and Garden Miscellany, and
with whom we should have rejoiced indeed had he lived to share
our feelings of congratulation on seeing our little work in so flourish-
ing a condition.

But his decease, brightened as it was by the consolations of
Christian belief, has left us nothing to regret upon his account ; and
much as we miss and long for him, we can say with the poet Cowper,

" But, no — what here we call our life is such,
So little to be loved, and thou so much,
That ive should ill requite thee to constrain
Thy unbound spirit into bonds again."

Nor are we singular in this regard for the memory of our departed
friend ; and we embrace the opportunity of giving the subscribers a
copy of the inscription placed upon the stone which marks the spot
in Brompton Cemetery, where, by his express wish, his remains were
interred.

*• 'a f^an greatlg ficlobeti."

HERE LIE THE REMAINS OF

CHARLES FOX, Esq., Artist,

LONG RESIDENT IN THIS NEIGHBOURHOOD,

BORN AT COSSEY IN NORFOLK, MAY 17, 1795;

DIED AT LEYTON IN ESSEX, FEBRUARY 28, 1849.

A LARGE CIRCLE OF ACQUAINTANCE AND FRIENDS, MANY OF THEM
IN HUMBLE LIFE, UNITEDLY AND BY SMALL SUBSCRIPTIONS

ERECT THIS STONE
AS THEIR LAST ACT OF SINCERE RESPECT AND AFFECTION.

In his lifetime we had often planned together a visit to Cossey
Park near Norwich, where he was born, his father having been
the respected steward of the Jerningham family ; but it was never
carried into execution, and with his decease the idea was, of course,
abandoned. But since that event, we were led into Norfolk by the
removal from this hfe of another valued friend ; and on the after-
noon of a fine day in June we reached the neighbourhood of the
place to which we were bound. Our walk from the railway-station
was through a flat, unimdting country, speaking of it as a rural dis-
trict; but with our varied associations it was deeply interesting.
The stillness, after the bustle and noise of the great metropolis, was

APRIL. 101

inexpressibly delightful, unbroken as it was, except by the song of
the lark, or the voices of the boys urging their horses on, as the hay-
makers rapidly loaded up, one after another, the cocks of well-made
hay, which filled the air with its fragrance.

On arriving at the place of our destination, finding that we
had a day to spare, we gladly embraced the opportunity for visiting
Cossey. Our late friend's sister accompanied us into the park, and
pointed out spots he had often mentioned to us in his lifetime.
The old family house is overshadowed with the unfinished portion
of a magnificent pile, which has remained in that state for a number
of years. We found the gardens, which are separated from the park
by a light iron fence, very pretty, simply laid out, and well kept up.
The grounds gradually ascend from the house, and terminate in
hanging woods, through which paths are cut, affording the most
delightfully shaded walks, furnished with seats in suitable places.
Near the mansion, and in its rear, a small stream expands into a long
and wide sheet of water ; on the opposite bank of which is the house
in which our friend was born. There his love of nature grew with
his growth. His attachment for the spot strengthened with years
and absence, and his recollections of it formed the subject of one of
his latest conversations with those who were privileged to perform
the last offices of friendship for him.

On our return, we stopped our horse in the stream where it
crosses the road, a point from which one of the most striking views
of the mansion is obtained through the railing of a rustic bridge.

We remarked as we rode along, that we have passed through no
part of England where the farm-houses and cottages are so prettily
covered with Roses, Honeysuckles, and other flowering climbers.
Some of them were really models of the beauty which may be con-
ferred upon buildings otherwise unsightly. A couple of tumble-
down cottages, in particular, were so overrun with a selection of
Roses of various hues, loading the air with their fragrance, that they
became perfect studies for the artist ; and we cannot forbear present-
ing our readers with a sketch of the picturesque dwelling to which
we returned after our day's ramble through the Norfolk lanes, be-
lieving that a fairer specimen of an old English farm-house could
not be found, and knowing that some of our Norfolk readers will,
with ourselves, long remember many agreeable hours spent in that
hospitable abode.

NEW PLANTS,

Figured in the Botanical Magazine for March.

Cereus Tweedief. a simple-stemmed plant of the Cactus tribe, having a
dwarf erect stiff habit. The flowers are produced from the side, and are \Avgc,
handsome, and of a rich orange-crimson colour. This species is the prettiest of
all the genus, and well deserves to be cultivated in all collections. It is a native
of Buenos Ayres. Figured from Kew.

Cephalotaxus Foutuni. a handsome spreading evergreen tree of the Yew

102 THE FLORIST.

tribe ; perfectly hardy ; a free-growing plant, attaining the height of from torty to
sixty feet. Itis a native of the north of China. Messrs, Standish and Noble of
theBagshot Nursery, have, amongst other Conifers, a large stock of young plants
of this species, raised from imported seeds.

Calliandra brevipes. This is a very graceful, ornamental, and much-
branching stove shrub, resembling an Acacia. It is a free-growing plant ; and if
stopped back, will form a tolerably compact bush of a neat appearance. Flowers
of pale red or rose colour. It is a native of Brazil. Figured from Kew,

^CHYNANTHUS Javanicus. This is a beautiful species, much resembling
jE. pulcher. It is a soft-stemmed trailing stove-plant of neat habit, having
corymbs of large handsome flowers of a yellow and bright red colour. It was
introduced from Java by Messrs. Rollinson, Nurserymen, Tooting. Figured from
Kew.

Lardizabala biternata. An evergi'een climbing shrub ; perfectly hardy,
and well adapted for covering walls or other unsightly objects. The flowers
are rather large and numerous, forming dense drooping spikes of a deep purplish-
chocolate colour. A native of the woods in the south of Chili. Introduced
from Valparaiso by Mr. W. Lobb to Messrs. Veitch and Son, Exeter, from
whence it was figured. The fruit of this plant forms an article of commerce in
the Chilian markets.

Lagettalintearia. a rather straggling-growing deciduous stove-plant, of but
little beauty, attaining the height of from twenty to thirty feet in its native woods.
Flowers in spikes of pure white. The introduction of this plant to Britain was
long a desideratum and in 1844 it reached the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew,
from Jamaica. It is commonly known by the appellation of the " Jamaica
Lace-bark," being peculiarly interesting, as its inner bark consists of reticulated
fibre exactly resembling well-prepared lace. It is very tough, and being washed
with common soap, it acquires a degree of whiteness equal to the best artificial lace.
It is used for a variety of purposes, and the ladies in Jamaica make caps, ruffles,
and complete sets of lace with it. Figured from Kew.

Figured in Paxtoii's Floiver-Garden.

Sarracema Drummondii. a curious plant, of but little beauty. The leaves
are folded up in the form of pitchers, and hold water ; they vary from eighteen
to thirty inches long. Flowers of a dingy purple colour, about two and half
inches in diameter. Introduced from Florida by the late Mr. Drummond. Figured
from Chats worth.

Adenocalymma nitidum. a pretty climbing stove- plant belonging to the
Bigonias, having bright shining leaves and yellow flowers. The plant was ob-
tained from Mr. Mackoy of Liege, about five years ago ; its native country is
Ikazil. Figured from Chatsworth.

Cattleya Walkerii. This is a beautiful dwarf species, similar to C. su-
perba. The flowers grow singly or in pairs from within a narrow reddish spatha,
and are full five inches in diameter ; fragrant and bright, but not deep, rose
colour. It is a native of Brazil. Figured from the collection of C. B. Warner,
Esq., Hoddeston.

Royal Botanic Gardens Kew. J. Houlston.

ZAUSCHNERIA CALIFORNICA.

In last month's F/orw^ this is described amongst the new plants as being
" probably hardy.'' I think there is not the least doubt of it, as two plants of it
have stood here all the winter in the open border without the least protection.
I examined the roots as soon as the severe frosts we had in January last were
out of the ground, and found them quite healthy, and apparently in an active
state. Since then they have made shoots two inches long ; the nine degrees of
frost we had on the morning of the 5th of March did not appear to aff"ect these
shoots in the least.

Royal Botanic Gardens^ Kew, William Allan.

March %th, 1850.

APRIL. 103

CULTIVATION OF THE CHINESE PRIMROSE.

The Chinese Primrose {Primula sinensis, or prccnitens) is a common
plant, yet perhaps hardly so much prized, or so well cultivated, asi t
deserves to be ; for though wanting the gaiety and variety of colour
of the Pelargonium and other popular favourites, it is, when well
grown, certainly handsome ; but its principal value is derived from its
blooming in winter, when flowers are scarce ; and few are so useful
for decorating the drawing-room or conservatory at that season,
either singly, or in combination with other winter-flowering or forced
plants.

It requires the simplest treatment ; and perhaps the following
account of a successful method of cultivation may be found useful to
amateurs or others who have not hitherto paid much attention to it.
Seeds may be sown in succession in May, June, and July, to furnish
a supply throughout the winter and spring. Let them be sown in
light sandy soil, and placed in a moderate hot-bed frame, or an
ordinary greenhouse would do ; as soon as the plants are large
enough, prick off" into other puts or pans as many as are required,
and place them near the glass, to prevent them from becoming
drawn; which, at any stage of their progress, would greatly injure
them. As soon as they are fit, pot them singly into thumb-pots,
giving increased air ; when established, they may be placed in a cold
frame, kept at first rather close, afterwards give more air, and shift
progressively until they are in pots of the required size ; 6-inch pots
will generally be found large enough, except for specimen plants,
which may be put into an 8 or 10-inch size. The soil must be
gradually increased in strength, until it is composed of equal parts
loam, peat, and leaf-mould, mixed with a little sand and fine char-
coal. The pots must be carefully drained, as the plants require
liberal supplies of water. They may remain in the frame until the
approach of frost, and may then be removed to the greenhouse.
Those of the first sowing will be in flower by the beginning of
October, the second by Christmas ; those of the third or July
sowing should be wintered in 5 -inch pots ; any premature flower-
stems they may shew pinched out, and be finally shifted in the
beginning of February. As there may be danger of the collars of
the plants being aff'ected by damp during dull weather in winter,
they may occasionally be supplied with water from below.

In this way, and by giving abundance of light, air, and water,
handsome plants, with richly- coloured flowers, may be produced ;
which, mixed with a few common things, such as C)xlamen persi-
cum. Tree Violets, Lily of the Valley, Crocuses, Snowdrops, and
Winter Aconites, all of easy cultivation, would make a basket at
Christmas fit for any drawing-room.

Willey Park, Salop. W. Elliott.

N B. I had prepared this article before I had seen that at p. 45 ;
but perhaps it may prove equally acceptable from entering more
into details of management. — [It is so. Editor.]

104

THE FLORIST.

ROSE-INSECTS.

In availing ourselves of
the kind permission of the
editor of the Gardeners
Chronicle to introduce the
interesting article at page
43, it must not be under-
stood that we subscribe to
the advice tendered to the
gardener, '* not to cut off
the dead end of these S7iags."
We repeat the advice ori-
ginally given by us, to re-
move them all ; for we en-
gage that, for every Aphis
Sexton found in these
snags, there shall be found
fifty caterpillars like the ac-
companying figure, reprint-
ed from our Vol. 1848, and
which are the very worst
enemies the Rose-bud has.
Nevertheless, J. O. W.'s
article is a most interest-
ing one, giving additional
evidence of the truth of the
observation of Dean Swift :

" So fleas have lesser fleas to
bite 'em,
And so go on ad infinitum.''''

But there is one plan
which we strongly recom-
mend all our readers to
adopt in this and similar
cases, and that is to exa-
mine for themselves. Take
nothing for granted ; go
to your Rose-bushes with
our sketch in hand, and
you will soon find what is
indicated ; and if you will only take a snag or two, and allow the
maggots to emerge in a wafer-box covered with a piece of open
mushn, and feed them afterwards on fresh Rose-shoots, you will be
gratified with the result.

1. Shewing a snag on the shorter shoot to the right.

2. A similar one cut off and magnified.

3. The same split down, and the maggot exposed from its gallery in the pith.

105

THE LADIES' PAGE.

" Come, gentle Spring, ethereal mildness, come.
And from the bosom of yon dropping cloud.
While music wakes around, veiled in a shower
Of shadomng roses, on our plains descend."

Thomson.

All lovers of a garden will most heartily join in the great rural
poet's invocation to Spring ; for the time is fast approaching when
the tender plants, that with so much care and attention have been
nursed through the winter under glass, must be trusted to the mercy
of the weather in the flower-garden beds ; and if a gay garden is
expected, not a day must now be lost in making the necessary pro-
vision by potting-ofF spring-struck cuttings, if that has not already
been done. Cuttings of the plants we have spoken of in former
papers may yet be struck for the purpose of filling any beds that are
likely to be made vacant in June by the removal of spring-flowering
plants.

As space is a most important consideration at this season of the
year, it will be advisable to turn out early in this month, if the
weather is favourable, all the les^ tender things, as Pentstemons and
Snapdragons, by which more room will be made in the pits, &c.
for such plants as may not yet be risked in the open ground. When,
however, a sharp frost threatens, mats, or some other protective
material, ought to be spread over the recently-exposed plants. Not
only will pit-room be gained by planting as early as it can safely be
done, but the emptied pots can be replenished with other plants,
and thus a smaller stock of these fragile utensils will be required.
Such minute matters of economy are never lost sight of in a well-
ordered garden.

Although our gardens are as yet less attractive than they will be
some months hence, when a greater display of floral beauty is exhi-
bited, there are now sufficient objects of interest in the spring-flowers
and the unfolding buds to induce frequent walks therein ; so that it
will be requisite to pay more attention to keeping than has been
necessary during the last few months. If the flower-beds are mar-
gined with box, it will most likely require clipping ; if with turf, the
edges should be cut true before the beds are filled : the grass itself
will also probably require mowing in the beginning of this month ;
for it is advisable to commence this troublesome but necessary pro-
cess early in the season. An allusion to this subject, by way of
reminder, will be sufficient now ; we shall therefore resume our
remarks upon the most desirable plants for beds.

For producing a gorgeous mass of colour, no plant surpasses the
scarlet Geranium — a name which, by the way, might be changed
with advantage, inasmuch as some of the varieties have pink, and
others what is termed peach-blossom-coloured flowers, and there is
one in existence which actually has white flowers. Many new kinds

VOL. III. NO. XXVIII. I

lOG THE FLORIST.

are annually sold by nurserymen, some of which prove inferior in all
respects to well-known sorts ; it is therefore advisable for purchasers
to see and judge for themselves. One of the best that has come
under our notice is Nimrod, in which a good habit and a large well-
formed high-coloured flower are combined ; this, however, is not a
new variety. Another, raised by Mr. Reid, of Mount Scilla Nursery,
near Chippenham, and named Reidii, has flowers of the most vivid
scarlet, dark horse-shoe leaves, and a dwarf habit. This is an ad-
mirable bedding Geranium, and promises to supersede many of the
leading sorts for that purpose. Several improvements upon the
pretty kind known as Lucia rosea have been raised from seeds, and
one of the best of them is Ingram's Princess Alice, which has much
brighter colours than its parent, and likewise seems to produce them
more freely. But the greatest advance has been made in the varie-
gated-leaved scarlet Geranium. A plant of this tribe, called by the
over-lengthy name of *' The Flower of the Day," was exhibited last
season by Messrs. Lee, of Hammersmith, which, if it answers the
expectations formed of it, will quite set aside most of the variegated
varieties. The leaves are large and flat, deeply margined with white,
and the flowers resemble in colour those of Compactum.

For the information of such of our readers as may be partial to
plants with variegated foliage, it might be mentioned here that there
is an Ivy-leaved Geranium which has that peculiarity.

In this month the seeds of annual flowers are generally sown in
small patches in the vacant spaces of the mixed borders of herbaceous
plants. It was intimated in a former number that many of the old
annuals had been unjustly deposed by their modern rivals, less,
however, on account of the superior merit of the latter than in con-
sequence of the charm always conferred by novelty. It will perhaps
assist to rescue some of these former favourites from undeserved
oblivion, if we here give a list of some of the most desirable, and
add a recommendation to our readers to give them one year's trial,
when, by taking notes of their respective habits, colour, duration, and
other properties, much really useful information will be obtained
with a view to their future more eft'ective cultivation. If a small
piece of ground in some corner of the garden was to be set aside for
growing the undernamed kinds, together with the newer and more
popular species, the making of a judicious selection would be greatly
facilitated.

Amaranthus hypochondriacus (Prince's Feather). The drooping
blood-coloured feathery flowers have a striking appearance.

Aster tenellus. A very dwarf-growing plant, with blue flowers ;
well suited for an edging to a bed of some other colour.

Cacalia coccinea. Its little tufts of orange-scarlet flowers are
very pretty.

Calendula officinalis flore pleno (Double common Marigold).
Colour, diflferent shades of yellow, from lemon to dark orange. The
true double sort is very handsome.

Calendula pluvialis (Small Cape Marigold). Colours white and
purple, showy.

APRIL. 107

Centauria moschata (Sweet Sultan) has large purple composite
flowers.

C. suaveolens (Yellow Sultan) has showy yellow flowers.
Chrysanthemum coronarium. The double variety is useful where

tall annuals are wanted, as it grows a yard high ; colour, yellow.

Convolvulus tricolor. Its large blue and white flowers and
trailing habit make this plant suitable for bedding ; more especially
a dark purple variety, which as yet is not in general cultivation.

Delphinium Ajacis (Rocket Larkspur). Flowers of divers colours,
and when double they equal the Hyacinth in beauty.

D. consolida (Branching Larkspur) grows taller and is more
branching than the preceding. Both the single and double varie-
ties are handsome, and it continues a long time in bloom.

Dianthus chinensis (Chinese Pink). The double varieties are
exceedingly pretty, and should be propagated by cuttings.

Helichrysum bracteatum. The shining gold-coloured flowers of
this species continue a long time in perfection ; there is also a white
variety.

Hibiscus vesicarius. The strong contrast between the yellowish
white blossoms and their nearly black eyes renders this plant attrac-
tive, although the flowers are not numerous.

Iberis umbellata (Normandy Candytuft). There are varieties
with white and with purple flowers, all very showy.

Lupinus albus (the white Lupin), L. luteus (the yellow Lupin),
and L. pilosus (the rose-coloured Lupin), are equal in beauty to
any of the newer species, except L. nanus, which is the dwarfest
and prettiest of them all.

Malcomia maritima (Virginian Stock) is very dwarf, very pretty,
and fragrant ; one variety has pink, and another white blossoms.

Papaver Rhseas (Corn Poppy). Some of the double-flowered
varieties of this common weed are exceedingly handsome.

P. somniferum. The double varieties of this species are showy,
particularly one known as the Carnation Poppy, whose white flowers
are delicately edged with red.

Sanvitalia procumbens. Flowers yellow, with a dark disc ; habit
trailing.

Senecio elegans. A purple flower, showy in its single state ; and
the double varieties (which should be perpetuated by cuttings) pos-
sess much beauty.

Tagetes erecta (African Marigold). The large light and deep
yellow flowers are strikingly showy when they come double.

T. patula (French Marigold). Dwarfer and more spreading
than the preceding. Some of the double kinds are very fine, and
the plant has the further merit of blooming a long time in suc-
cession.

Zinnia elegans. Some of the varieties of this species have
splendid flowers, but the best are obtained from imported seeds.

J. B. Whiting.

108 THE FLORIST.

ON FLORAL TASTES AND THEIR RESULTS.

We shall pursue the plan recommended by writers on logic and
rhetoric, and sanctioned by being the most natural one, and arrange
the advantages arising from a love of flowers in an ascending series,
beginning with the least, and advancing to the most important.
Yet even the lowest mental benefit in the scale is of incalculable
value, as our readers will at once confess when we mention it. Flo-
ral tastes counteract worldliness^ by drawing the thoughts from the
excitement and competition and bustle of life, and giving us some-
thing to work upon and to love, without reference to pecuniary pro-
tit. It must be distinctly remembered, that it is a love of flowers
for their own sake, of which alone this advantage can be predicated,
and not the mere possession and cultivation of them. Even the
objects of our religion, so pure and so holy, may be contemplated
and employed for mercenary ends ; and there can be no doubt that
many skilful growers of flowers have only valued them as articles of
merchandise. Our observations, then, do not refer to those who
cultivate flowers for a livelihood only, nor to those whose sole bond
of union with them is the hope of conquest and fame at an exhibi-
tion; but to all, whether amateurs or dealers, who love the objects of
their solicitude, and would carefully tend them, although they had
no pecuniary value, and were never destined to attract the eyes of
others. Such an appreciation of the beauties of Nature in this de-
partment of her works, will counteract the sordidness which is more
or less incident to the pursuits of commerce, and the other engrossing
cares of life.

" Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow ; they toil not,
neither do they spin ; and yet I say unto you, that even Solomon
in all his glory, was not arrayed like one of these !" In this beau-
tiful lesson of the great Master of wisdom we have the principle
stated which we are now illustrating ; and the object contemplated
by Him is identical with ours in these papers. He knew how prone
the best men are to fancy that their worldly affairs cannot prosper
unless they are always and exclusively attending to them with anxious
heart and furrowed brow, and therefore pointed to objects inferior to
man, which arrive at perfection without thoughtfulness, by the Di-
vine oversight and blessing. He knew how the natural eye would
be opened and strained in the search after food and raiment and
luxuries, to the neglect of the intellectual and moral powers, and
therefore He called attention to the lilies of the field, as calculated
to engage the mental vision, and open the heart to a light and beauty
too hable to be neglected and tbrown into darkness.

At the risk of having our political economy laughed at, we must
express our conviction, that in the present age the attention requires
to be turned to pursuits wiiich are not profitable, or which bring no
return except in mental enjoyment, and the gratification of moral

APRIL. 109

sentiments and affections. There is a very larg-e class of men, we
fear they constitute an overwhelming majority, who judge of every
thing by its market or exchangeable value, and whose motto is Cui
bono ? or, " What is it worth ?" Wo be to the community which
has not in it a cui- bono school, but equally dangerous is a state of
society which measures every thing by its money value. What we
plead for is, that a proper balance should be maintained between the
sensual and the mental, between conventional and popular estimates
of what is good, and that which is so from age to age in the arrange-
ments of divine Providence. It is our duty, prescribed by natural
laws and by revelation, to care for the mind as well as the body, to
lay up treasures in the heart and the intellect, as well as in the store-
house which is to supply our physical wants. Many things assist
us in this, but perhaps nothing more so than the innocent yet highly-
wrought beauties of vegetable life. Their faultless symmetry, their
brilliant colours, their various forms, and their delicious odours, all
teach us that God bestows His skill on that which has no direct
reference to mere corporeal wants ; and that man cannot, without
peril to his best interests, refuse to admire and study the handy-
work of his Maker. As articles of food only, where is the necessity
that vegetable productions should be so profusely adorned } That
they are so, is a loud call upon us to stand still in the midst of the
bustle of business, and lend an attentive ear to the lessons taught us
by the lilies and other flowers of the fields. The following lines, from
a little poem called The Pleading of the Flowers, will illustrate our
meaning. A florist is supposed to have resolved to give up garden-
ing because it is unprofitable, and the flowers plead in the following
way :

" Has the babe in the cradle no hold

On your heart e'en before it can prattle?

Must a long list o^ profits be told

Ere you give it a pop-gun and rattle ?

Since men are but babes overgrown,

You should blush like the rose but to own
That with profitless flowers you battle!

You spurn not the sky of deep blue

Because it no profit can yield ;
Then be to your heart ever true.

And love us in garden and field.
' By the skill which has painted your skin,
By the bright flowing honey within,
I will ever esteem it a sin

Not to love you in garden and field !'"

Henry Burgess.

110 THE FLORIST.

REMARKS ON BRITISH FERNS.

NO. II.

[Continued from p. G9.]

1. Lastr^ea Filix mas. — In this we have a Fern of extremely easy
culture, in short we find it growing in almost every soil and situa-
tion ; nevcrtlieless it prefers shaded hedge-banks and woods where the
soil is of a rich sandy loam, and where it luxuriates beautifully, pro-
ducing fronds in many instances two to three feet high ; it therefore
requires no peat, and will do and look exceedingly well if planted
by the sides of shady walks, in shrubberies, &c. Of this grace-
ful though common Fern I possess a very old specimen, under the
name of Aspidium cristatum ; but whether it was considered by the
cryptogamists of those far by- gone days identical with the following,
the present L. cristata, or not, I am not at present prepared to assert,
as I suspect I was then paying but very little attention to such mat-
ters ; however, if they did so consider them, to be truly charitable,
we must forgive the little error, for really, in some stages of their
growth, they approach so closely to each other, as almost to baffle
detection. Lastrcca filix mas of itself is a very distinct Fern, and
need not be confounded with any other species, more especially as the
different varieties of it, if such they may be called, hitherto detected,
have not, so far as my knowledge goes, proved constant, but, after
a few years of cultivation, have run into the original form.

2. L. CRISTATA. — This is altogether as difficult as the preceding
is easy of cultivation, which in some measure may arise from its
habitat, being truly an inhabitant of bogs ; in fine, it all but resists
cultivation, as I have subjected it to several methods, with nearly
an equal degree of bad success. To bring it, however, as near as
possible to its native habitat, I tried bog and sand, which proved a
complete failure, as the roots did not in any instance adhere to the
fresh soil, but gradually retired from the field of cultivation altoge-
ther. Consequently I would recommend it to be planted in light
sandy soil, where the roots will not so readily damp-off before adher-
ing to it ; but even here it will never acquire that state of growth
which it does in its native bogs. This, however, is not the only in-
stance I shall have to record in the course of my remarks, as I con-
sider that many of the species of British Ferns affecting to grow in
moist or boggy soils are more or less difficult in cultivation. The
diflEiculty alone in the cultivation of L. cristata, compared with that of
L. filix mas, would almost induce me to consider them distinct, as
cultivation is not, in my opinion, a bad criterion to go by in cases
of apparently too near affinity. I had almost forgotten to say that
I had no better success with my potted roots, which were in peat
and silver-sand.

3. L. RiGiDA. — This is really a beautiful Fern, and will succeed
well in one-third peat and two-thirds light sandy loam. I here re-
commend loam to predominate in the composition wherein it is in-
tended to grow British Ferns, as it gets firm much sooner than peat.

APKIL. Ill

which is very apt to part from the roots through the agency of
worms, &c. before they have had time to adhere to it ; and, if not
carefully watched through the winter, the frost will be certain to
throw some of the smaller species out of the peat altogether. I
wish particularly to be understood as speaking of Ferns planted in
the fernry ; for in no one instance would 1 advise potting British
Ferns where the least hope of success remained in the fernry. Surely
in such a place, if happily situated and well constructed, there will
be found some out-of-the-way nooks well calculated for a few of
the more rare and delicate sorts, which may require a little more
shade and shelter than their more hardy companions. I am aware
that many such are kept in pots, and sheltered in pits and frames
during the winter months ; indeed, I myself have many sorts in pots,
but that is more from necessity than choice. I, however, can see
no particular objection to establishing the delicate kinds in pots; but
plant them out as soon as that end is accomplished into the fernry,
or wherever it is intended for them to remain. The planting- out
may be done any time from June to November, as they will then
have ample time to take root before winter. No collection of British
Ferns should be without this plant, as it is truly handsome, and may
readily be distinguished from either of the above, by the closely set
disposition of the pinnae, and the pinnatified ajDpearance of the pin-
nules ; besides, the whole plant is truly rigid in all the stages of its
growth.

Nursery, Foot's Cray, March 1850. Robert Sim.

TULIP: HAWARD'S MAGNIFICENT.

We observe that our contemporary the Midland Florist speaks of
this flower as having been seen in a very inferior character to that
in which it is figured in our volume for 1848; and this is corro-
borated by a writer in the Gardeners' Hive. This is valuable infor-
mation to us, and shews the wisdom of our refusing to figure any
thing in future except from the living subject. It was introduced
to the notice of our late friend Mr. Fox by an eminent Tulip-fan-
cier, who said that he had seen the drawing made by Wakelin, and
w^hich could be depended upon for its fidelity. On this assurance
we were glad to have it engraved. This month ought to provide us
with fresh subjects for our plates ; and we give notice, that at this
time we are absolutely without a drawing, and that we shall be glad
to receive, on the Wednesday morning of each week, seedling Florists'
flowers, from which to select our subjects. We make no charge,
neither do we ask for a portion of the expense of figuring any one's
productions ; but we claim leave to exercise our judgment in the
selection, and acting upon it, ask simply for the credit of an inten-
tion to do what is right. Although we have often given the following
advice, it is as necessary as ever to repeat it to our correspondents.

Pack your seedUng flowers carefully, avoiding the use of dry
cotton-wool in contact with them.

1 12 THE FLORIST.

Let the boxes be sufficiently strong to bear stamping twice with
the post-office marks, which are generally affixed with a crushing
stroke. If they are made of tin, be sure that the corners are
rounded off, or they will be detained by the post-office authorities,
as many were last season.

Cut your flowers quite early in the morning, and when packed,
place them in a cool place until they are despatched.

The neglect of these simple precautions makes pure waste of
much time and many postage-stamps.

HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY.

March 5. — Few plants were exhibited on this occasion. A fine
specimen of Phaius grandifolius was shewn by J. Gadesden, Esq. of
Ewell Castle, for which a Banksian medal was awarded. Mr. Lod-
diges of Hackney sent a collection of Orchids, in which we noticed
a charming pale rose-coloured variety of Odontoglossum Cervantesii.
A pretty sky-blue Cineraria, but too small, was exhibited by Mr.
Layton of Hammersmith ; and Mr. Glenny sent a collection of Hya-
cinths, in which perhaps the most striking were Satellite, a bright
lake kind, and a dwarf flesh-coloured sort called Alida Catherina :
with them was a pot of remarkably fine Crocuses. Among plants
from the Society's garden we observed a new and rather pretty
Siphocampylus called Manettiseflorus, which promises to prove useful.
It had a fine shining myrtle-like foliage.

March 19. — The weather being somewhat unfavourable, few sub-
jects were produced ; but among them was a great novelty in the
shape of the long- tailed Lady's Slipper (Cypripedium caudatum), an
extraordinary-looking plant, from the side of whose flowers hung
down two long tails, from which the species takes its name. These
tails were at least 15 inches in length. This came from Mrs. Law-
rence of Ealing Park, who has flowered it for the first time in Eng-
land. From Syon came a flowering plant of Odontoglossum hasti-
labium, or halberd-lipped Odontoglossum, a rather new and pretty
species ; and Messrs. Henderson sent a finely-grown specimen of
Acacia diffusa, a free -flowering and beautiful variety for pot-culture.
Along with it was also a very fine large white-flowered Epacris
named Hyacinthiflora candidissima, which was raised, we believe, by
our friend Mr. Story. A scarlet Gesnera, and some other small
plants, came from Mr. Henderson of St. John's Wood ; and in the
collection from the gardens at Chiswick was a most beautifully
flow^ered Epidendrum aurantiacum, a plant which we have had throw
up its flower- stems plentifully enough, but the individual blossoms have
never expanded. We have two plants in that condition at the pre-
sent time.

JLiUbr^

Cj!LM:EI-I.IA JAPOIS^ICA

113

FLORICULTURE.

We believe there is not a lover and cultivator of flowers that
would not become a raiser of seedlings, if he once made the
attempt; for although year after year he might find his pro-
ductions surpassed by those of others, yet the hope of succeed-
ing some day would lead him to persevere. To those who
may feel inclined to make the attempt we would offer a little
advice, founded on an experience of many years ; and if our
readers will follow it, they will find their reward in the avoid-
ance of many difficulties and disappointments. First-rate
productions raised from seed are almost invariably obtained
from large numbers; — for instance, Auriculas, Polyanthuses,
Pansies, Tulips, &c., which require no glass to cover them in
their seedling-beds, rarely yield a variety surpassing their pre-
decessors, and every year increases this difficulty. The same
may be said of Fuchsias, Calceolarias, Pelargoniums, and all
those species requiring heated glass erections to cultivate
them in, and of Cinerarias, Avhich can be wintered well in
pits and frames. Since, then, large numbers must be raised
to give any chance of success, it behoves the amateur to con-
sider well what room he can afford for their cultivation in the
best manner ; for a crowded, half-starved condition is the ruin
of all young stock, whether animal or vegetable. There is no
difficulty in obtaining seed ; the difficulty lies in appropriating
suitable space and time for the after-management of the
plants. This clearly understood, the next thing the amateur
has to do is, to procure, if he has not already got them, some
of the finest varieties in present cultivation, discarding every
thing else with an unsparing, unpitying eye. From these alone
he must save his seed ; and he must carefully note and mark
the produce of the different plants ; for it will be found that
some of the most superior flowers in every respect never
bring a good seedling, whilst some with glaring defects are as
prolific of a fine offspring.

The raiser of seedlings alone knows what a fund of en-
joyment the pursuit ever afibrds him. At this sweet time
of year, when the April showers are refreshing our seedling-
beds, and filling our glass erections with moisture so congenial
to their tenants, with what pleasure do we return to our gar-
dens ! All is promise and expectation. If we have disap-
pointment in quarters where we had hoped the most, we have
gratifications where we least expected to find them.

All that can be said in praise of the game of chess can be

VOL. III. NO, XXIX. K

114 THE FLORIST.

said in favour of raising seedling flowers. It requires fore-
thought, patience, skill, study, determination to succeed, mo-
desty in victory, and good temper in defeat. Our excellent
correspondent "Iota" wrote wisely when he said, *' I do not
scruple boldly to avow before the most fastidious, that it is
a pursuit not unworthy of a wise man, nor unbefitting a good
one ; it is elegant, instructive, scientific, and full of results.
And the reader of his Bible may see, and grow wiser by seeing,
in it another instance of the tenure on which he holds his
portion on earth ; that the ground and the things that grow
out of it do not yield to him their advantages without the
labour of his hands and the exercise of his intellisfence."*

VICTORIA REGIA.

This queen of aquatics is now flowering beautifully at Syon,
the seat of her Grace the Duchess Dowager of Northumber-
land. We delay giving particulars respecting its successful
cultivation, &c. for another month, that we may do the subject
full justice, and add a more perfect description of the plant,
its flowers, &c. than we are at present enabled to do.

CAMELLIA JAPONICA. COUNTESS OF ELLESMERE.

Messrs. Jackson and Son, Nurserymen, Kingston-on-Thames, are
the raisers of the variety which forms our Illustration. It is one of
many they have raised from seeds saved from some of the finest-petalled
kinds, such as Alnut's White, Chandlerii, and Gilesii ; they suppose
it owes its parentage to the former variety. It is a flower of very
great delicacy and purity, such as no artist or colourer can do full
justice to, of a fine robust habit, an abundant bloomer, and with
excellent foliage. The petals are broad and cupped, without the
deep indentation so common in broad-leaved Camellias, and well
imbricated. Our drawing was made from a flower which should
have been at Worton Cottage on the 3d, and vhen our artist was
present; but through a mistake it miscarried, and Mr. Andrews had
it when past its best. The flowers which have been submitted to
us since the drawing was made have been very superior to the one
so beautifully depicted.

* Vol. for 1849, p. 313.

MAY. 115

We may take this opportunity of stating, that there are some
beautiful high-coloured flowers, of exquisite form as regards the
arrangement of the petals, and particularly of their centres, which
will be seen next season. Two of them have been submitted to
us, and we look for their re-appearance with considerable interest.
They are the productions of a most successful seedling-raiser.

FRAGMENTS FOR THE FLORIST.

A GLIMPSE of spring in mid-winter is most agreeable. There are
two pretty shrubs which give us this, putting forth their tiny green
leaves in mild weather soon after Christmas : these are, Ribes speci-
osum and Ribes iVIenziesii ; their bright red Fuchsia-like flowers do
not make their appearance till AJay.

Evergreen rock-plants have not, I think, ever been noticed. We
have really almost too many new pi mts ; for we are apt to forget, in
the charm of novelt}'', many old friends more worthy of our favour.
These evergreen rock-plants, if planted in a shady border, or on
a small mound of light sandy loam, well furnished with stones or
pieces of rock, form a pretty lively group all the winter, and in early
spring, for the most part, give their flowers in abundance. The
genus Saxifrage is most remarkable for the pretty tufted evergreen
habits of its species ; such are Saxifraga retusa ; oppositifolia, with
its two variations, pallida and alba, — the species has bright purple
flowers, the first variety pale pink, the second pure white ; mus-
coides, atropurpurea, Isevis, hypnoides, platypetala, hirta, Sternbergii,
lanceolata, ceratophylla, crustata, crustata hybrida, rosularis, and
lingulata : all these species of Saxifrage are very pretty and very
cheap.

Sedum dasyphyllum, S. stellatum, and S. sexangulare, are also
pretty evergreens ; to which may be added Campanula nitida, Carda-
mine trifoliata and hastulata, Schivereckia podolica, and Aubrietia
purpurea. There are doubtless many other equally desirable ever-
green rock-plants; but the above have attracted my attention, as this
notice of them may probably that of your correspondents ; so that
they may not, in the crowd of novelties, be quite forgotten.

A pleasing and interesting winter-tree is the Glastonbury Thorn,
Crataegus oxyacantha prsecox. Its imputed holy origin is well known.
It was, however, well chosen ; for it is often, in mild winters, in full
bud at Christmas, occasionally some of its blossoms even expanded.
It puts forth its leaves very early in spring, sometimes even towards
the end of .January.

All lovers of spring-flowers — and who is not ? — ought to culti-
vate the early blooming species of Scilla ; but, indeed, they require
no cultivation ; for if a few bulbs are planted in a group, — which
should have a permanent name, otherwise the bulbs may be dug up,

116 THE FLORIST.

— they will continue to increase, and bloom constantly in March for
ten or twelve or more years. The most desirable species are Scilla
bifolia, with bright blue flowers, — how very brilliant and beautiful they
are! — S. bifolia alba, with flowers of pure white, coming into bloom
about a week after the preceding ; S. bifolia rubra, with pink flowers;
and S. sibirica, with flowers of the most beautiful azure blue.

In some of our old pleasure-grounds may be seen, in April, here
and there a tree conspicuous for its snowy whiteness : this is the
Snowy Mespilus, well named by our old gardeners. Its botanical
name is now Amelanchier botryapium. My tree is about eighty
years old ; and really no greater pleasure do I feel in the varied pro-
ductions of my grounds, than the constant annually recurring grati-
fication of seeing this fine tree, covered with its pure white flowers.
It is perfectly hardy, and grows well any where and every where.

Your readers will, I fear, think I w^ite about old matters, when
I mention the Persian Iris (Iris persica) as being worthy of a passing
word or two. The roots of this most beautiful and sweet-smelling
flower are sold in the autumn by the seedsmen in a dry state ; they
are potted, forced, perhaps give a flower or two, and are then for-
gotten. This is not the way to enjoy them. Let me tell my way.
Take one, two, or three dozen — they are cheap ; plant them in a
group or small bed, three or four inches apart, with a permanent
label, so that they are not disturbed by the spade, and let them rest,
merely weeding them when required : they will, as constantly as
March returns, gladden your eyes with their very beautiful flowers.
My bed has now been undisturbed for ten years, and a week or two
since it was a mass of beauty.

Fortune's " Yellow China Rose." Decidedly a misnomer, for
it has no yellow in it. It is, however, a very pretty Rose, and
appears to bloom wdth great profusion; in size and colour its flowers
are like the Noisette Rose Ophirie ; indeed, so much so, that when
Mr. Fortune shewed me a figure of it, when he introduced it from
China, I without hesitation assured him it must be the same Rose.
This idea was almost confirmed by its foliage and habit, the former
of which is small, the latter slender; but a plant has recently bloomed
in great perfection in one of my forcing houses. The plant, about a
foot in height, was covered with flowers. They are, as I have said
above, like those of Ophirie as regards size and colour, but diff^er in
being little more than semidouble, and all circular ; while those of
Ophirie are often angular, and too much crowded with petals. Their
peculiar bright fawn-colour, tinted with salmon, is exceedingly novel
and pleasing. A well- grown tree, trained to a wall, would have a
fine effect.

Nurseries, Sawbridgeworth, Herts. T. Rivers.

117

NORTHERN TULIPS (CHELLASTON).

I HOPE these flowers will soon be better known, as it is likely at one
or the other of the great Northern Exhibitions many will be brought
forward, and their merits tested with the best of the varieties raised
in other parts of the kingdom. In my last descriptive article I
named part of the best ; I shall now continue it by giving a few
others that I have grown or have seen, both in their best and worst
characters. I will first name

Anastasia. The breeder of this pretty flower is remarkably beau-
tiful, and very tall in growth ; the colour brilliant rose. I recol-
lect seeing it near Nottingham a few years ago in its very best
character. A splendid feather, rather thickly laid on or 'plated, but
certainly, in its rectified state, approaching more to a byblcemen than
a rose. I have seen it placed, when in its breeder state, in the
fourth row on best beds, for the sake of the beautiful contrast which
it makes with the rectified flowers.

Mrs. Wright. This I have but once seen ; a perfect feathered
rose, which was its first year in the broken state ; since that period
the same bulb has invariably produced star and feather. It has a
very fine cup ; pure rich colour ; but unfortunately is as early as
Rosa hlanca. I recollect seeing it in full bloom the latter end of
April, a flower having been produced at an Auricula-show held at
that time.

Prince Albert. A very favourite flamed byblcemen ; cup short,
and beautifully formed ; the colour, the most dazzling purple ima-
ginable. It is perfectly pure, and is a match for most of its class.
It reaches a second row well, and occasionally will do for a third.

Van Amhurgh. A large and most attractive flower when it is
well grown. I have seen it grand. Cup good and pure ; flame and
feathering heavy ; it is apt to open creamy, but this bleaches out.
I fear it is much inclined to sport ; for this season a blooming offset
from the best break I had ever seen came nearly a breeder. It is,
when caught, a first-rate byblcemen ; at other times very coarse.

Sable Monarch. A king indeed ! Sportive, but, when right,
one of the best feathered bybloemens in existence. Not so tall as the
generality of this class of flowers ; the cup large, the feathering very
deep and black, the ground-colour beautiful china-white. The con-
trast is rich beyond description, therefore I will say no more about
it, except to ask. Will Wonder beat it ?

Premier. A very nice thing. A fine flamed byblcemen ; this
makes a second-row flower, and has much of the character of Grace
Darling about it, except being less in all its parts. It is a great
favourite of mine ; pure and splendid.

Elegance. A third-row feathered byblcemen. Its general cha-
racter good, marking decided and strong ; it comes out rather creamy,
and requires much bleaching. It should be placed in the warmest
place on the bed. I have seen it a fine flower.

118 THE FLORIST.

Purple Perfection. A variety which has not been brought so
prominently before the pubHc as most of the others. The colour9
are brilhant, and the flame decided ; rather apt to break out at the
top of the petals. Of robust growth, making a large cup ; often
coarse. When not grown too strong, it will often bring a winning
flower.

Queen of Violets. This I have seen in several characters. The
cup shoulders rather more than the generality ; the petals are re-
markably broad, and stout beyond any other sort I am acquainted
with. The feather intensely dark, with a strong beam or flame up
the centre of each petal. A noble fourth row.

Violet le grand. I have but once seen in good character. The
form is good, the purple light, generally flame and feather.

Added to the above there is a bizarre which I had forgotten to
notice, it is called Oriflamme. I do not think Mr. Gibbons named
it, but it certainly is one of his. It is a very good and pure cup,
with a single flame of bright red, without a particle of feather. Now
this is a style of flow^er that does not suit northern growers, which is
one reason why it is not seen more frequently.

I have now% Mr. Editor, done till the blooming season is past,
when, if nothing unforeseen happens, and my remarks suit your
readers, you shall hear from me again.

H. S. M.

BEDDING-OUT PLANTS.

Previous to planting these out in the borders, they ought to be
well hardened off^, by being gradually inured to the full influence of
light and air, and more particularly those which have been propa-
gated in a strong heat within the last two months ; if this is not
properly attended to, they will receive such a check as will cause
them to remain some weeks before they commence their growth.
I have seen good healthy plants almost killed when turned out of a
rather close cold frame and fully exposed. When planting, it is of
great importance to see that the plants in pots are in a moist state ;
for if dry — and they generally are so in small pots — and very full
of roots also, the soil in the beds being loose, it often happens that,
although they may receive a liberal watering immediately after
planting, the ball will be found quite dry ; if the roots are much
matted, they should be carefully disentangled, which will cause
them to take root in the fresh soil much sooner. The following
list of plants will be found suitable for the purpose. When the
height of the plant is mentioned, it must be borne in mind that the
soil and situation make a difference, likewise the way in which they
are trained and pegged down.

Ageratum mexicanum, blue, from IJ to 21 feet high; put the
plants 18 or 20 inches apart, and peg them well down.

A. album, white; a weaker grower, about 1 foot high; requires
to be thickly planted.

MAY. 119

AnagalUs, Brewerti, Phillipsii, and Monella major, all blue, of a
trailing habit, and well suited for small beds ; plant them about
15 inches apart.

Antirrhinum Youngii, white and crimson-striped, about 14 inches
high ; will tlower a long time if not allowed to seed.

Calceolaria amplexicauUs, integrifoUa, and viscosissima, different
shades of yellow, from ly to 2 feet high ; the first I consider the best.

C. Kayana, aurantica, superba, and the old rugosa, all yellow, will
do well for medium-sized beds, being from 9 inches to 1 foot high.

Cuphea platycentra, vermilion-scarlet, about 1 foot high ; makes
a very neat bed.

Geraniuxms. Tom Thumb, and Fro^rmore improved, scarlet, are both
well adapted for small beds ; the latter grows more tall and upright
than the former, and requires to be more thickly planted, say about
14 inches apart. Conway's Royalist and the old Shrubland, scarlet,
come in well for large beds. Mangle's variegated leaf, pink, and
Lee's ditto, scarlet, do well for small beds. Ivy Leaf, white, very
dwarf, trailing, makes a beautiful bed. IloUisson's Unique is purple,
and will not exceed 10 or 12 inches high, if a little attention is
paid to training and pegging down. Diadematum superbum, red,
a strong compact grower, about 14 inches high. Querci/olium
superbum, scarlet, oak-leaved variety, compact habit, about 9 inches
high. Prince of Orange, an old sweet-scented variety, makes a
good light bed.

Gazania uniflora, yellow, a commonplace-looking plant, but does
well for small beds, not growing higher than 7 or 8 inches.

Isotoma axillaris, pale blue; about 1 foot high.

Lantana Sellowi, light purple, makes a very dwarf pretty bed, but
is rather tender, and should not be planted out till the end of May.

Lobelia Erinus grandiflora, blue, about 6 or 8 inches high.

L. Erinus compacta, a little gem, about 3 inches high ; nothing
can excel it for a very small bed of blue, or for an edging to Grandi-
flora ; requires to be planted very close, about 4 inches apart.

Nierembergia gracilis, very compact grower ; makes a pretty
dwarf, light-coloured bed. Intermedia, deep purple, more tender
than Gracilis.

Phlox Drummondii Leopoldii, pink, with white centre, is very
good for a medium-sized bed, growing about 1.') inches high.

Petunia Beauty supreme, purple, a very large free flovverer, compact
habit. Model, deep j)urple, a strong grower, but may be kept down
by occasionally thinning out the strong shoots and picking out the
tops of the weaker ones. I find that all the strong-growing Petunias
bear this treatment well. The old Nyctaginifiora, white, may be
kept tolerably low and compact by this means.

Salvia azurea compacta, azure blue, about 12 or 14 inches high.

Sanvatalia procmnbens, about 10 inches high, yellow, very neat
grower.

Verbena atrosanguinea, deep crimson. Barkerii, scarlet dwarf.

V. Defiance, scarlet, fine large trusser and very strong grower,
suitable for large beds ; Duke of Cornwall, crimson, fine for a small
bed ; Heloise, bluish purple, compact, neat grower.

120 THE FLORIST.

F. Avalanche and White Perfection are two good whites.

V. Seymourii, very light pink ; makes a very neat bed.

V. Charlwoodii, purple, good habit. The old Tweediana has not
been beaten for a red bed ; excellent habit and free flowerer.

Campanula carpatica, blue, quite hardy, dwarf, about 9 inches
high ; makes a verj^ good bed ; should be divided early in spring.
There is also a white variety of it, which will prove an acquisition ;
for, excepting Verbenas, we have very few plants of a good white
for small beds.

Kew. W. Allan.

ON THE CULTIVATION OF THE BALSAM.

As this is one of the most beautiful and useful plants we have for
rendering the greenhouse gay when its ordinary occupants are out of
doors, a few words on its management may not prove uninteresting.
I sow twice ; once early in March, and again in the latter end of
April, in pots, in a gentle moist heat. As soon as the seed-leaves
are perfectly formed, 1 pot off into 3-inch pots, and place them again
in gentle heat. When they have filled the pots with roots, I shift
them into 6-inch pots, still keeping them in heat, and giving them
plenty of air during the daytime, and a little at night, to keep the
plants *' stocky." They now remain until the pots become filled
with roots, when I shift into 9 -inch pots, in which I flower them.
I then remove them to a three-light pit, in which there is no bottom
heat, and keep them close for a few days while they are making
fresh roots. Afterwards, I give plenty of air during the early part
of the day, and shut up soon in the afternoon, with a sprinkle over-
head to keep them clean and free from red spider. I never allow
them to receive the least check during their growth.

The soil I use is good turfy loam and well-decomposed cow-dung
in rather a rough state. This suits them well. I supply water
plentifully ; and when the plants become large, and are coming into
flower, I give them diluted manure-water. By thinning the flower-
buds, I never fail to obtain fine blossoms ; and under the above
treatment I have always well-branched handsome plants.

The plants from the second sowing succeed very well without
bottom-heat. As soon as they are removed from the seed-pots into
3-inch pots, I place them in a cold frame, keeping it close for a few
days, and afterwards give them a good supply of air in the early
part of the day, closing soon in the afternoon with a moist atmo-
sphere, and repotting when they require it, as recommended above.
As the plants become too tall for the frame, I raise it upon bricks,
ultimately removing them to the conservatory when they come into
flower.

The only fault of Balsams is the litter they make during their

flowering season, on account of the blooms falHng off; but fine plants,

M'ith large double flowers, and a good variety of colours, amply

repay the little extra trouble that is required to keep them in order.

March 8th, 1850. T. R.

MAY. 121

OBSERVATIONS ON THE ADJUSTxAIENT OF THE ANIMAL
AND VEGETABLE KINGDOMS,

BY WHICH THE VITAL FUNCTIONS OF BOTH ARE PERMANENTLY MAINTAINED.
BY ROBERT WARIXGTON, F.C.S.

This communication will consist of a detail of an experimental
investigation which has been carried on for nearly the last twelve
months, and which appears to illustrate, in a marked degree, that
beautiful and wonderful provision which we see every where displayed
throughout the animal and vegetable kingdoms, whereby their con-
tinued existence and stability are so admirably sustained, and by
which they are made mutually to subserve each for the other's
nutriment, and even for its indispensable wants and vital existence.
The experiment has reference to the healthy life of fish preserved in
a limited and confined portion of water. It was commenced in May
1849, and the subjects chosen were two small gold-fish. These
were placed in a large glass receiver of about twelve gallons capacity,
having a cover of thin mushn, stretched over a stout copper wire
bent into a circle, placed over its mouth, so as to exclude as much
as possible the sooty dust of the London atmosphere, without, at the
same time, impeding the free passage of the atmospheric air. This
receiver was about half filled with ordinary spring water, and sup-
plied at the bottom with sand and mud, together with loose stones
of larger size of limestone tufa, from the neighbourhood of Matlock,
and sandstone ; these were arranged so that the fish could get below
them, if they wished so to do. At the same time that the fish were
placed in this miniature pond — if I may so term it — a small plant of
the Vallisneria spiralis was introduced, its roots being inserted in
the mud and sand, and covered by one of the loose stones, so as to
retain the plant in its position. The Vallisneria spiralis is one of
those delicate aquatic plants generally selected by the microscopist
for the exhibition of the circulation of the sap in plants ; it throws
out an abundance of long wiry strap-like leaves, of about J inch
in breadth, and from 1 to 3 feet in length : these leaves, when the
sun shines on them, evolve a continued stream of oxygen gas, which
rises in a current of minute bubbles, particularly from any part of
the leaf which may have received an injury.

The materials being thus arranged, all appeared to go on well
for a short time, until circumstances occurred which indicated that
another and very material agent was required to perfect the adjust-
ment, and which, from my not having thought of it at the time of
commencing the experiment, had not been provided against. The
circumstances I allude to arose from the internal decay of the leaves
of the Vallisneria, which became yellow from having lost their
vitality, and began to decompose ; this, by accumulation, rendered
the water turbid, and caused a growth of mucus, or green slimy
matter, on the surface of the water and on the sides of the re-
ceiver. If this had been allowed to increase, I conceive that the

1-22 THE FLORIST.

healthy hfe of the fish must have suffered, and probably their vital
functions have been destroyed. The removal of these decaying
leaves from the water, therefore, became a point of paramount im-
portance to the success of the experiment. To effect this, I had
recourse to a very useful little scavenger, whose beneficial functions
have been too much overlooked in the economy of animal life — I
mean the water-snail, whose natural food is the very green slimy
growth, or mucus, and decaying vegetable matter, which threatened
to destroy the object which was wished to be obtained. Five or
six of these creatures — the Limnsea stagnalis — were consequently
introduced, and, by their continued and rapid locomotion and ex-
traordinary voracity, soon removed the cause of interference, and
restored the whole to a healthy state ; thus perfecting the balance
between the animal and vegetable inhabitants, and enabling both to
perform their vital functions with health and energy.

So luxuriant was the growth of the Vallisneria under these
circumstances, that, by the autumn, the one solitary plant that had
been originally introduced had thrown out myriads of offshoots and
suckers, thus multiplying to the extent of upwards of thirty-five
strong plants ; and these threw up their long spiral flowering stems
in all directions, so that at one time more than forty blossoms were
counted lying on the surface of the water.

The fish have been lively, bright in colour, and appear very
healthy; and the snails also — judging from the enormous quantity
of gelatinous masses of eggs which they have deposited on all parts
of the receiver, as well as on the fragments of stone — appear to
thrive wonderfully, and, besides their functions in sustaining the
perfect adjustment of the series, afford a large quantity of food to
the fish in the form of the young snails, which are devoured as soon
as they exhibit signs of vitality and locomotion, and before their
shell has become hardened.

Thus we have that admirable balance sustained between the
animal and vegetable kingdoms, and that in a liquid element. The
fish, in its respiration, consumes the oxygen held in solution by the
water as atmospheric air, furnishes carbonic acid, feeds on the insects
and young snails, and excretes material well adapted as a rich food
to the plant, and well fitted for its luxuriant growth.

The plant, by its respiration, consumes the carbonic acid pro-
duced by the fish, appropriating the carbon to the construction of
its tissues and fibre, and liberates the oxygen in its gaseous state to
sustain the healthy functions of the animal life, at the same time
that it feeds on the rejected matter which has fulfilled its purposes
in the nourishment of the fish and snail, and preserves the water
constantly in a clear and healthy condition. While the slimy snail,
finding its proper nutriment in the decomposing vegetable matter
and minute confervoid growth, prevents their accumulation by re-
moving them from the field, and, by its vital powers, converts what
would otherwise act as a poison into a rich and fruitful nutriment,
again to constitute a pabulum for the vegetable growth, while it also
acts the important part of a purveyor to its finny neighbours.

NEW PLANTS.

MILTONIA MORELIANA (bRONG).

Sepals and petals of a very dark purple-colour, labellum light purple,
flower four and a half inches long by three and a half wide. This
species belongs to one of the groups of orchids that are great favourites
with cultivators, on account of the exquisite beauty of their flowers.
The plants forming this genus have generally a yellowish appearance,
and o-row from one to two feet high : there are about twelve species
in cultivation, which are all natives of Brazil. The present one was
introduced to the continent about four years ago, and was received
at Ihe Royal Botanic Gardens. Kew, from Liege, in 1849. It comes
nearest to M. spectabilis, from which species it is only distinguish-
able by the flowers, M. moreliana being larger and of a different

124 THE FLORIST.

colour. The annexed drawing represents the natural size of M.
moreliana, which is considerably larger than any of the genus hitherto
known. In cultivation they should be potted in sphagnum well de-
composed, with plenty of potsherds; and, while growing, kept in a very
humid atmosphere, with the thermometer ranging from 70° to 85° ;
and when at rest, water very sparingly, and let the thermometer
range from 58° to 70°, always shading from the scorching rays of the

Subjects figured in the Botanical Magazine for April.

Gfsxera Seemanm. a very handsome copiously flowering stove plant,
approaching near to G. longifolia ; it grows about two feet high, and is densely
covered over with hairs; calyx shallow, cup-shaped, with five nearly regular
acute spreading lobes ; the colour of the corolla is a bright brick-red, a little^
inclining to orange, with orange at the base. It is a native of Panama ; from
■whence it was imported to the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

TuPA CRASSiCAULis. A soft-wooded suifruticose shrub, of an erect stiff
habit, and similar to a Siphocampylus. It is not of much beauty ; corolla is
yellowish or greenish red, at length quite red. It flowers in the greenhouse
during summer and autumn, and is supposed to be a native of Brazil.

Pachira alba, a deciduous stove tree of but little beauty: it has large
flowers, which exhale a slight fragrance, and are produced in the spring, just
before the expansion of the new leaves ; calyx green, petals cream, white within,
outside brown-colour. It is a native of Brazil. These three are figured from
the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Anigozanthos tyrianthina. a very showy herbaceous plant, growing from
three to four feet high, having flowers of the richest Tynan purple. It was dis-
covered by Mr. Drummond, during his excursions in the interior to the south-
west of the Swan River settlement. The imported seeds are sown at Kew, but
have not yet germinated.

Fuchsia bacillaris. A low deciduous shrub, rather pretty, much resembling
F. microphylla ; it is a very distinct species, with a calyx deep red, and petals
of a deep rose-colour. It flowers during the summer months, and is a native of
Mexico. Figured from Messrs. Veitch and Co., Nurserymen, Exeter.

Rhodoleia Champion:. A very beautiful evergreen flowering tree, some-
what rivalling the Camellia. It is a native of Hong Kong in China; and it is
admitted by all there to be the handsomest of all flowering trees ; the flowers
are similar to those of a Camellia, and are two and a half inches in diameter,
with petals of a rose-colour. Imported seeds are sown at Kew, but have not
yet germinated.

Coloured Illustrations in Paxton'^s Flower -Gar den for April.

Ceanothus dentatds. a dwarf branching evergreen shrub, nearly hardy ;
its flowers are produced in terminal stalked roundish or oblong branches or
umbels, of a bright blue colour, bordering upon violet. It is a native of Cali-
fornia. Figured from her Majesty's Gardens at Frogmore.

Abamia versicolor. This plant is noticed in the Florist and Garden Mis-
cellany^ at p. 15 of the present year, for which see the description there.

Oncidium HiEMATOCHiLUM. A very beautiful species, somewhat resembling
O. lanceanum ; the leaves are hard and stiff, dull green, and spotted with brown ;
sepals and petals of a greenish yellow, blotched with a rich chestnut bro^vn ;
the lip is of the richest crimson, except near the base, where it fades into a
bright rose-colour. It is a native of New Grenada. Figured from Messrs.
Loddiges, Hackney.

MAY. 125

The woodcuts contain: 1. a whole plant, and a single flower of the natural
size, of Angroccum virens ; 2, a cluster of flowers with one leaf of Echites pel-
tata ; 3. flowers and leaves of Clematis indivisa, var, lobata (Hooker) ; 4. leaves
and flowers of Linum grandiflorum ; 5. leaves and flowers of Eriocnema niar-
nioiatum ; 6. a single flower of Oncidiuni serratum ; 7. flowers and leaves of
Tropseolum Dickerianum ; 8. a small branch of Gonolobus Martianus ; 9. a
small branch of Lardizabala biternata ; 10. Stanhopea cirrhata ; 11. Stanhopea
ecornuta; 12. Stanhopea tricomis; 13. Warrea Candida, a single flower of each.

Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. J. Houlston.

WHICH ARE THE BEST, THE NORTHERN OR SOUTHERN
RAISED FLOWERS;

AND FIRST, CARNATIONS AND PICOTEES ?

I WELCOME Mr. Edwards's challenge to try this question by exhi-
bitions, as proposed by him at p. 97 ; and as an earnest of such
welcome, 1 beg you to hand him my name and two sovereigns ; for
I am quite sure I can collect as much amongst my neighbours. I
believe it only requires such an exhibition to convince very many
that the assumed differences of opinion do not exist, and that both
North and South are much more unanimous than most imagine.
We are constantly hearing, " This is a Northern, this is a Southern,
this is a Midland county's opinion." Now let us meet on one
ground, with the objects before us on which it is presumed there is
no unity, and I will engage we shall all be found much more unani-
mous than we give one another credit for, merely because we have
had no fair opportunity afforded us for the interchange of ophiion,
such as the proposed exhibition will give us. It has been too much
the practice hitherto for interested parties to raise and perpetuate
differences amongst Florists ; let us hope those days are gone, never
to return ; and that by a more frequent and friendly communication,
a more kindly spirit may be promoted and allowed to prevail, one
more in harmony with our (ought to be) refining pursuit. In this
spirit let us assist in providing the necessary funds for these exhi-
bitions.

As each contributor to the fund is desired to name one for the
office of judge, and as I am on the north of the boundary-line, I
propose Mr. Wood of Nottingham, although I have a bone to pick
with him, for he has more than once puzzled me with his " Full
enough for the North," when, expecting a haycock, I have found the
variety in question rising about 25 or 30 degrees only instead of 45.
As for the place, any would do for me ; but as I see the good folks
of Derby are bestirring themselves, why Derby let it be.

Nottinghamshire. 7i,

126 THE FLORIST.

THE LADIES' PAGE.

" Ye fostering breezes, blow !
Ye softening dews, ye tender showers, descend !
And temper all, thou world-reviving sun,
Into the perfect year !

♦ * * *

Then spring the living herbs, profusely wild,
O'er all the deep-green earth, beyond the power
Of botanist to number up their tribes."

Thomson.

There is not a month in the whole circle of the year more fraught
with importance to the gardener than the present one ; for the calls
upon our attention are nearly as numerous as " the living herbs,
profusely wild," of the botanist, and none will bear absolute neglect.
First in consequence, because upon it depends the beauty of the par-
terre during the whole of the summer, is the filHng of the flower-
beds. For many reasons it is advantageous to do this early in the
month ; while, on the other hand, the too-frequent recurrence of
biting easterly winds and killing frosts, after a week of genial
weather had beguiled us into the belief that summer was come,
make caution and foresight necessary, as the mischief caused by over
haste might be irremediable, Plants of low stature can be readily
protected by hoops and mats when in masses ; such, therefore, should
be first turned out, commencing with the hardiest kinds, as Ver-
benas, which may l)e planted immediately, if the weather promises
favourably. In bedding Verbenas, regard must be had to the differ-
ent habits of the different varieties. Some partake of the character
of the old Melindres, — that is, have slender stems, which grow close
to the ground, — and such should occupy smaller beds, and also be
planted more thickly than robust growers like Robinson's Defiance.
After the planting is completed, let all the shoots that are long
enough be pegged down in a regular manner ; and, if the weather
is dry at the time, a sprinkling of water will clean and freshen the
foliage.

The shrubby Calceolarias are also comparatively hardy, and
will consequently bear early planting ; besides, it is advisable to turn
these plants out before the roots get pot-bound, — that probably being
one cause of the sudden deaths to which Calceolarias are subject
after planting. Cuphsea platycentra, C. strigulosa, Neja gracilis,
Gazania uniflora. Salvias, Nierembergias, Petunias, Scarlet Gera-
niums, &c. may next be proceeded with ; leaving the Heliotropes,
Lantanas, and any others that are either known or suspected to be
impatient of cold, till later in the month.

Of the Heliotrope, several new seminal varieties have been ob-
tained from the continent, neither of which, however, is likely to take
the place of the old kind in the flower-garden, although they may be
cultivated for the sake of variety. The one called Voltaireanum is
the most distinct, its colour being a dark smoky blue.

MAY. 127

Two new bedding-plants have lately made a great stir in the
floriciiltural world ; and the prevailing rage for any thing new caused
one of them (Plumbago Larpentae) to be readily purchased at three
guineas a plant ; but one season's experience proved this costly
novelty to be perfectly useless for culture in the open ground. The
other (Zauschneria californica) is a trailing herbaceous plant, nearly
or quite hardy. The colour of the flowers is red, and individually
they are showy, but they appear to be produced too sparingly to
make an effective bed ; moreover, its colour and habit bring it into
direct competition with the Scarlet Verbenas, to some of which it is
infinitely inferior in showiness. Another plant, called Abronia um-
bellata, introduced by the same collector as the last, is a desirable
thing for baskets, &c. on account of its numerous heads of fragrant
pinkish flowers ; its loose straggling habit, however, unfits it for
bedding.

It is to be regretted that the stature of the noblest flower of
autumn — the Dahlia — precludes its admission into a symmetrical
flower-garden, except for a central bed ; but in all situations where
it can be introduced with propriety, either singly, at the back of
borders, or in groups upon a lawn, the Dahlia ought never to be
omitted. To such of our readers as have not an opportunity of see-
ing large collections, the following list of the best sorts noticed at
the metropolitan exhibitions last autumn might be useful as a guide
in purchasing. We purposely exclude the newest and most costly
varieties, and give those only that can be procured at a moderate
price. Tl^e height which the different sorts attain under ordinary
culture is taken from Mr. C. Turner's Catalogue.

feet. feet.

Turner's Mr. Seldon, colour rosy , Turner's Grenadier, ruby crimson 5

and hlac 3 Gaines's Princess Radziwil, white

Stein's Richard Cobden, dark ma- and purple . . . .3

roon 3 Dodd's Miss Chaplain, peach, tip-
Turner's Scarlet Gem, scarlet . 3-4 ped with crimson . . .3-4
Drummond's Mynn, crimson . 4 Sainsbury's Beeswing, ruby . . 3-4
Collison's Shylock, scarlet . .3 Procktor'sBermondsey Bee, purple 3
Batteur"s Toison d'Ur, pale bluff 2-3 Drummond's Duke of Wellington,

Oakley's Gem, white and lavender 3 ■ orange

Collison's Andromeda, buff and Sealey's Marquis of Worcester,

pink . . . . . 4 i white and crimson . . .4

Whale's Marchioness of Comwal- Turner's Berryer, dark maroon .4

lis, blush 3 ' Barham's Beauty of Hastings,

Barnes's Fearless, lilac . .5 white, tipped with crimson . 3
Turner's Privateer, yellow and red 3

The twenty kinds named above can be bought for about thirty
shillings ; and they will make a very handsome bed, if the heights
are properly arranged and the colours judiciousl)- mixed. Those
which follow are what are called /awcy Dahlias, — a new class which
is rapidly rising in importance among Florists. Young purchased
plants ought not to be ventured out till about the middle of
this month, but old tubers might be divided and planted imme-
diately.

128 THE FLORIST

feet,

feet.
Keynes's Rainbow, scarlet and

white 3

Huidoux's Empereur de Maroc,

maroon, with white tip . . 3
Keynes's Sunbeam, red and white 4
Elphinstone's Mrs, Shaw Lefevre,

dull red and white . . .4
Dodd's Miss Blackmore, light

purple and white . . .3

Sieckmann's Gasparine Furstin
Reuss, maroon, with white tip . 3

Salter's Conspicua, white, and vio-
let purple . . . .5

Wachy's Madame Wachy, purple
and white .... 2-3

Ressequier's Adolph Dubras, nan-
keen and white . . .3

Batteur's Striata Perfecta, lavender,
striped with purple . . .3

When the principal planting for this season is finished, it will be
necessary to begin making provision for next, by sowing seeds of
hardy perennial and biennial herbaceous plants, including thfe Bromp-
ton and the Queen Stocks, Sweet William, Sweet Scabious, Holy-
hocks, &c. These are to be sown in drills ; and if the young plants
are taken up when large enough, and replanted at greater distances,
they will acquire sufficient strength to be removed to the flower-beds
either in autumn or spring, as may be most suitable. In a future
paper a list shall be given of select herbaceous plants.

All who have a greenhouse should now sow seeds of tender
annuals for its decoration during the end of summer and beginning
of autumn, until the time arrives for taking in its usual occupants ;
but for this purpose a pit or frame is requisite, in which to raise
the young plants. Cockscombs, Balsams, Globe Amaranthus, Lobelia
ramosa, Rhodanthe Manglesii, &c. are suitable things to sow now.

J. B. Whiting.

THE CHRYSANTHEMUM.

In the following remarks respecting Chrysanthemums I shall chiefly
confine myself to the mode of cultivating them in pots. As soon as
the plants have done flowering, I cut them down, and place them
in any convenient corner on the south side of a wall, where they
are in some measure sheltered from frost and north-easterly winds.
They remain in this situation undisturbed, except by watering them
now and then, until the end of March, when they are removed to a
more open place, preparatory to their being wanted for the purpose
of propagation. Chrysanthemums may be increased by cuttings,
layers, and off^sets ; I have often grown them from the latter ; but I
have found the foliage so apt to go oflf them, and leave the plants
naked at the bottom, that I greatly prefer cuttings, which, with good
treatment, will retain their foliage green and healthy almost to the
rims of the pots. The best time for putting in cuttings is the latter
end of April, or the beginning of May. I use the points of the best
shoots of the current year's wood, not more than two or three inches
in length, cutting them close to a joint, and removing the bottom
leaves. When potted, I transfer them to a close frame ; and if it is
convenient, I assist their striking by means of a gentle bottom- heat.

MAY. 129

but this is not absolutely necessary, for they strike readily without
it. I shade for a few hours in the daytime, until they have taken
root, when I give them plenty of air, and pinch out their tops, which
causes them to break freely. When the shoots have grown an inch
or two in length, I pot into large sixties, in a mixture of turfy loam
and one-third rotten dung, selecting the strongest and bushiest plants,
and discarding the rest. When potted, I again place them in a close
frame, and shade a little until they have made fresh roots. They
are afterwards set out of doors, sufficiently far apart to prevent their
being drawn, and kept well supplied with water. When the shoots
have grown three or four inches in length, I again pinch out their
tops, in order to make them bushy ; and after they have grown an
inch in length, I shift the plants into 6-inch pots, placing them
again in their former situation ; and when they have filled the pots
well with roots, I re-pot them into 9-inch pots, in which I flower
them, using the same compost as before. I now place them thinly
in a nice open place, where they have a free circulation of air : this
keeps them dwarf and healthy. I keep the pots clear of weeds
and suckers ; water them as often as they require it ; and when they
have fairly set their flower-buds, I give them some good clear manure-
water twice a week, or more or less according to the state of the
weather. About the beginning of October, I remove some of the
most forward plants under glass, giving them plenty of air during
the day. The others are taken in as they are required, or as the
weather may render necessary ; for though hardy, the Chrysanthe-
mum will not stand more than 4° or 5*^ of frost, without sustaining
some injury. I bloom here every year about 150 plants, varying
from one to two feet high, and having from twenty-five to thirty full-
blown flowers on each plant, many of which do not require a single
stake to support them.

It may be worth while to remark that, if some of the most pro-
mising shoots of out-door plants are layered in the beginning of
September, by giving them a twist, and pegging them down a few
inches below the surface of the ground, so as to make young plants
about ten inches high, they will be well rooted in three weeks, i. e.
if they are kept watered. When rooted, they may be taken up and
potted in 6-inch pots, and placed in a close frame for a few days,
while they make fresh roots ; afterwards they should have plenty of
air. Plants managed in this way are very suitable for the front
shelves of the stage, or for mixing with other plants.

The earliest and best flowering of the plants I take cuttings from
are selected and planted in any vacant places in the shrubberies, all
the shoots being first shortened back to within six inches of the pot.
This causes them to make more shoots, which are again stopped, thus
keeping the plants dwarf and in due bounds, and inducing them to
bloom at a season when few flowers adorn the garden.

April 11, 1850. T. R.

VOL. III. NO. XXIX.

130 THE FLORIST.

ON FLORAL TASTES AND THEIR RESULTS.

NO. III.

The connexion between the exercise of industry and skill, and a
certain measure of success, may be considered as a law which,
although not without exceptions, is sufficiently regular to become
a stimulus to exertion. It is to the operation of this law that flori-
culture owes its existence as an art and a science, and no pursuit
more exphcitly exhibits and confirms the great principle that God
will reward human labour when rationally bestowed. This, then, is
a result of the culture of flowers, that it displays the extent to which
our Maker allows us to be fellow- workers with Him, and thus stamps
a high value on industrious thoughtfulness.

It will be at once confessed that the productions of the Florist
are, in the highest sense, utterly beyond human skill ; so much so,
that all the QiMnbined energies of mankind could not call into exist-
tence, as a living organised structure, the most simple flower of the
field. On the other hand, it is equally evident that many of the
loveliest ornaments of the garden and the conservatory would have
had no existence without human effort. The fixed type, indeed, of
every flower exists in Nature, and the production of a new species
is never for a moment contemplated by the youngest student of
physical history ; but the improvement of that type, and the bringing
into high rehef its latent excellences, is a work entrusted unto man,
and one in which his assiduity has been eminently rewarded. Take,
for instance, the Pelargonium, and inquire in what form it is found
in an uncultivated state in its native home. Pluck one of its flowers
as it expands in its habitat, and place it side by side with one taken
from a new variety exhibited at Chiswick; and how great a difference
is perceptible ! It requires almost a professed botanist to recognise
the close relationship between the lanky and loose petals and the
angularities of the one, and the firm texture, fiUed-up outline, and
perfect roundness of the other. To what, then, is the diflference to
be attributed } The one is the Pelargonium in its wild or natural
condition, as it grows, like the Daisy, without the care and skill of
man ; the other is the same thing subjected to culture, and by a
long course of experiments brought to its state of full development.
Ten thousand years might have passed away, and the wild flower
would still have been humble and comparatively unattractive : but
man sees it, admires its features, and transplants it to his parterre ;
a change of soil somewhat alters its form, and constant cultivation
yet further rewards the possessor, until, by hybridising, a perfection
is attained which no dreamer even would once have imagined to be
possible. This is only one example out of many, of the way in
which the great Artificer allows His works to be moulded and im-
proved by the hands of man ; and in every case in which this change
results from human labour and care, his agency is recognised and
a reward is given him.

MAY. 131

What delightful intelligence, what cheering lessons, are thus
conveyed to the gardener, as he makes his flowers more beautiful,
and his trees more prolific, by his own efforts, when co-operating
with the laws to which their Maker has subjected them ! Let the
humble workman remember this, as with spade in hand he digs the
soil and casts in manure ; let the gentleman and lady florists not
forget it, as they yearly produce new varieties of their favourite
flowers. God manifestly and eminently crowns their exertions
with success, and proves that He is not far from us in our humble
toils. A divine wisdom is thus poured into the ear of those who
minister in the great temple of Nature ; its accents are sweet and
animating ; its lessons are based on actual examples, and, when pro-
perly learned, will promote our happiness and increase our usefulness
in all circumstances of hfe.

This subjection of vegetable life to the plastic hand of man will
surely teach us that similar care bestowed in the culture of our own
spirits will certainly be accompanied with improverfient. " What-
soever a man soweth, that shall he also reap," is true mentally and
morally, as well as physically ; and the great principle is illustrated
in floriculture, to the end that while it there delights us by its re-
sults, we may seek similar effects in the more important sphere of
our own hearts. The divine hand which stops until the feebler one
of His creatures is put to the work, and then condescendingly com-
bines its own energies with those of its humble assistant, for the
production of a more beautiful flower, which lasts but for a day,
must surely be stretched forth with still greater alacrity when the
adorning of an immortal spirit is the contemplated object. The
same reasoning will hold in reference to our duties to our children,
our countrymen, and the whole world. It is our duty to seek the
advancement of others in all that we hold to be valuable to ourselves;
and the lessons taught us in floriculture bear directly on our en-
couragement in every labour having for its object the intellectual
and moral improvement of mankind.

In stating this to be one of the results of floral tastes, we are
aware that it is not in every case that such important and pleasing
lessons are recognised. Some minds are impervious to all calls to
advancement, whether human or divine. But it must be remem-
bered that natural laws work their destined ends even when they
are not formally recognised or acknowledged. A beautiful summer
morning, with its dew, its fragrance, its brilliancy, and its songsters,
tells upon man's spirit, although he may not express his sensations
in words, or even reason upon them in his own thoughts. So the
tendency of floriculture is as we have described it to be ; and our
observations will only subserve a purpose already designed by the
Almighty, if they lead our readers to secure a still larger measure
of an effect which, in some degree, must work upon all who till the
ground.

Henry Burgess.

132 THE FLORIST.

REMARKS ON BRITISH FERNS.

NO. III.

[Continued from p. 111.]

4. Lastr.ea spinosa. This Fern usually grows in the vicinity of
water, but rarely, if ever, directly in it. The decaying roots of
trees and shaded moist ditch-banks are its favourite habitats. It,
however, succeeds well in cultivation in a light sandy loara, or, in
fact, in almost any common garden soil. The present plant belongs
to a group of Ferns which have long been in a state of confusion,
arising doubtless, in a great measure, from the very great number
of descriptions and figures of the same plant in different stages of
its growth, I have often met with L. spinosa, gradually passing, as
I supposed, into the following (L. dilatata), which I consider to be
the extreme state of growth of the whole group. That they may
easily be confounded by the young inexperienced botanist in their
progress from one stage of their growth to another is what, I sup-
pose, no one in any way conversant with British Ferns will pre-
tend to deny. I am not, however, without thinking that soils and
situations are not wanting in their effect on the different transitions
to which they are repeatedly subjected.

5. L. DILATATA. Uudcr cultivation this requires similar treat-
ment to the last ; for wherever L. spinosa is met with in its native
habitats, L. dilatata is certain to be near at hand, and, in all proba-
bility, some intermediate forms, apparently approaching to the pre-
sent plant ; hence it is that I am inclined to arrive at the conclusion
that L. dilatata must be the extreme state of the group. Neverthe-
less, to the indifferent observer, no two plants, in certain stages of
their growth, present a greater appearance of distinction. I am
quite aware that several of the intermediate forms so very peculiar
to this group have from time to time been converted into species,
according, doubtless, to the conscientious opinions formed of their
distinctive characters by those who were fortunate enough to detect
them. This, however, I cannot very readily subscribe to, as it must
ultimately place the whole section in a complete mass of confusion ;
for really, after many years of familiarity with British ferns, I am
even now asked for species that I never knew but by name.

I wish to speak with all due deference of the opinions of others
respecting this perplexing group ; still it is but natural that I should
have one of my own. In some of my wanderings I have seen noble
specimens, three feet high, of this Fern, with the fronds for the most
part tripinnate and the pinnules very convex and but slightly spi-
nulose ; in this state it would be very difficult to say how old the
plants might be, as also in a state or form which I have met with in
several situations, and which I considered to be the next, or younger
form of the above. This form is very similar to the Allantodia
Australis ; and those who are acquainted with the one may very
readily detect the other. But, however, they are not similar in

MAY. 133

essential generic character. The outline of the frond in L. dilatata
is generally triangular, and the plant altogether forms a beautiful
object when seen growing at the roots of old trees in damp shady
iiituations.

L. RECURVA (of some authors, I believe). This is really a
splendid monstrosity ; indeed, few Ferns can claim a more attractive
appearance ; and may be recognised at first sight by the curled
appearance of the pinnules, their less spinulose margins and shorter
stripes, than in any of the other forms. It cultivates readily under
the same treatment as the others.

I believe there are recorded several other species (?) in this
group ; but as I am not fortunate enough to comprehend to which
of the forms their names are applied, I can say but little respecting
them ; neither, to my knowledge, have I ever seen them. I hope,
however, ere long, that we shall be able to reduce the whole group
into something like a generally understood thing, although the diffi-
culty at first sight may appear almost insurmountable. I cannot see
at present that L. rigida can really be mixed up with the L. spinosa
group, as supposed by some.

Nursery, Foot's Cray, April 1850. Robert Sim.

ILLUSTRATED WORK ON CAMELLIAS.

I FEEL confident that I shall confer a great pleasure on all who
cultivate or who admire the Camellia, by making known to them,
through the Florist, the illustrated work now in the course of pub-
lication by Mr. Alexander VerschafFelt of Ghent. As he is con-
sidered to be the most extensive cultivator of Camellias on the con-
tinent, to him rightly belongs the honour of editing the work it is
proposed briefly to notice.

It is published in monthly issues, each number containing four
plates of Camellias, with descriptive letter-press ; twelve numbers
forming the yearly half-volume, while twenty-four numbers, or the
numbers of two years, constitute the volume. The work will be
completed in five volumes ; it being proposed to give plates of 500
of the most beautiful, or new, or perfect kinds of Camellias.

It is scarcely possible, great as is the art of flower-painting in
England, for any thing to exceed the style and beauty, and what is
of yet greater moment, the truthfulness of the plates. The letter-
press is confined to a full description of the flower, the habit of the
plant, and its history; as, by whom, the period, and the manner in
which the variety was obtained, or raised and introduced. Such a
work as this confers vast advantages on those who cultivate, or who
may wish to cultivate, the Camellia, inasmuch as it presents to the
view all the most beautiful and desirable sorts ; so that the amateur
is hereby enabled to make his selection as well as if he were at the
trouble and expense of making a personal inspection. As Mr. Ver-

134 THE FLORIST.

schaffelt possesses, perhaps, every known variety of this flower, he
necessarily has the opportunity of bringing out such a work as none
other could have, all the drawings being made from plants in flower,
and under his own superintendence.

One entire volume is now completed : the monthly parts (some-
thing less than two shillings per ])art) are forwarded by the editor,
free of charge, to any subscriber in England.

Hull, '2'2d March, 1850. F. R. Horner, M.D.

P.S. Would that some spirited florist, amateur or professional,
could be induced to bring out a similar illustrated work on Tulips or
other florist flowers ! The literary labour would be no obstacle, as
it is merely descriptive of the flower : accuracy of description would
be the only requisite.

HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY, REGENT STREET.

April 2. — E. Brande, Esq. in the chair. Messrs. Veitch of Exeter
exhibited a beautiful Medinilla. It measured four feet high and as
much through, and from the ends of the branches hung dow^n large
panicles of rosy-pink flowers. It was stated to be a plant of easy
management, and is altogether one of the handsomest stove-shrubs
■we have received for some time. A large silver medal was awarded
it. — Mr. Plumbly, gardener to E. J. Dimsdale, Esq., received a
Banksian medal for four large Heaths. — Messrs. Jackson of Kings-
ton shewed a nice light-coloured seedling Camellia, named Countess
of EUesmere, of which we have given a coloured plate ; and Mr.
Ambrose of Battersea had a variety of Azalea Gledstanesii, called
Magnifica. — Mr. Henderson of the Wellington- Road Nursery had
several small plants of Cantua bicolor ; and along with them a light-
coloured continental Gloxinia, called Frederick Leming. — Messrs.
Rollisson of Tooting produced Epi medium pinnatum, a double-
flowered dark purple Auricula, a well-flowered Dendrobium macro-
phyllum, a good Oncidium sphacelatum, and Mr. Lowe's Cypri-
pedium (C. Lowei), a beautiful variety of this curious genus. A
Banksian medal was awarded. — Mr. Glendinning of the Chiswick
Nursery received a certificate of merit for a seedling Heath, a cross
between E. Hartnelli and E. aristata. — Messrs. Loddiges sent a
pink- spotted Trichopilia from Costa Rica, for which a certificate of
merit was aw^arded. — Mr. WiUiams, gardener to C. B. Warner, Esq.,
produced Oncidium tetrapetalum, Saccolabium denticulatum, Bate-
mannia Colleyi, Coelogyne cristata, and the long-tailed Cypripedium
(C. caudatum). A certificate of merit was awarded. — A branching
cut spike of Ansellia africana was exhibited from Chatsworth. — Mr.
Brown produced one of his fumigators. From the garden of the
Society came Dielytra spectabilis, a beautiful Chinese plant which
is expected to prove hardy ; Boronia tetrandra, a species in the way
of B. pinnata, and sold in the nurseries under the name of B. micro-

MAY. 135

phylla ; Nutallia cerasiformis, a green-flowered Californian shrub of
no beauty ; some Cinerarias ; the sweet-scented Rhynchospermum
jasminoides ; and other plants.

Ap)'il 16. — R. S. Streatfield, Esq. in the chair. Messrs. Veitch
exhibited a new and promising Chanthus from New Holland, which
we should like to see again. It had brilliant red flowers and a grey-
coloured foliage. A large silver medal was aw^arded it. With it
was the beautiful Dendrobium Farmerii. — Mrs. Lawrence sent a fine
plant of Cattleya Skinneri, the same pink-spotted Trichopilia men-
tioned before, a pretty small white-flowered Heath called Nitida, and
the Chinese Enkianthus reticulatus. A Banksian medal and a cer-
tificate wtre awarded. — A long cut spike of a new brown-coloured
Oncidium was shewn by Sir P. G. Egerton, Bart.; and Mr. Lane of
Great Berkhampstead had a plant with one flower on it of the rare
Warrea discolor. — Mr. Henderson of St. John's Wood sent three
Cinerarias ; Epimedium colchicum, a pretty yellow-flowered hardy
plant ; and Ceanothus papillosus, of the merits of which little can be
said in its present state. A certificate was awarded. — Azalea " de-
lecta," a very large bright rose-flowered kind, which received a cer-
tificate, was shewn by Messrs. Fairbairn of Clapham ; and Mr. Ayres
of Blackheath had a small but well-flowered Pimelea Verschaffeltii.
A certificate was awarded. — Messrs. Henderson of Pine-Apple Place
sent Siphocampylus Manettiseflorus, a pretty greenhouse plant ;
some nice Cinerarias, the best of which were, Adela Villiers ; Gran-
dissima, a good blue ; Cerito ; and Madame Sontag, small but pretty,
white tipped with blue, and dark disc. Also an interesting collec-
tion of Hyacinths, which were much admired, and three small blue-
flowered New Holland plants of little moment. A Banksian medal
awarded. — There were some nice examples of wax flowers from Mrs.
Temple of Connaught Terrace, Hyde Park. Among plants from the
Society's garden, that which pleased us most was the double white-
flowered Chinese Peach, which is hardy, and certainly a very fine
thing. As it flowers early, its blossoms are, hovv^ever, all the finer
for a little protection from the cold nights of spring.

ROYAL SOUTH-LONDON FLORICULTURAL.

April 17. — ^The first exhibition of the season was held at the Horns
Tavern, Kennington. The day was fine, and a large number of well-
cultivated plants was produced ; but as a Florists* show it was in
some respects scarcely so fine as we have seen it in former years.

Best 24 Pmisies. Nurserymen : 1st prize to Mr. Turner, Royal
Nursery, Slough, for Bell's Duke of Norfolk and Climax ; Youell's
Supreme and Androcles ; Thomson's Constellation, Polyphemus,
Duchess of Rutland, and Cycloj)s ; Turner's Mr. Beck, Miss Ed-
wards, and Addison; Hooper's Wonderful and Juventa; Mrs. Ha-
milton, Bellona, Queen of lilngland, Ophir, Hector, Lucy Neal,
Rubens, Milton, Aurora, Rainbow, and Gem ; equal second prizes to

136 THE FLOUIST.

Mr. Thomson, Iver, and Mr. Bragg, Slough. Mr. Thomson had
a fine yellow-ground flower, Lord Walsingham, Penelope (white
ground), Caroline, California, Andromache, and Miss Thomson, the
remainder being a repetition of the first stand. In Mr. Bragg's
stand was a good dark variety named Joseph Hunt. The fol-
lowing flowers were shewn in good condition : Helen, Sir R. Peel,
Mrs. Beck, Leader, and Model of Perfection. — Best 24 Pansies.
Amateurs : 1st prize to J. Edwards, Esq. Holloway, for Privateer,
Ophir, Rainbow, Miss Edwards, Constellation, Mrs. Hamilton, Queen
of England, Wonderful, Climax, Addison, Lucy Neal, Zabdi, Hector,
Charmer, Masterpiece, Model of Perfection, Duke of Norfolk, Ju-
venta. Royal Standard, Mrs. Bragg, Helen, Gem, Aurora, and Dis-
raeli; '2d, Mr. J. Scotcher for Miss Edwards (Turner's), fine; 3d,
Mr. Over for Helen (Hunt's), ditto ; 4th, Mr. Parsons for Rainbow
(Thomson), ditto. Two first-class certificates were awarded for
seedlings, both yellow-ground varieties, contributed by Mr. Turner,
— Mr. Beck and Rubens, — both smooth, fine, large flowers.

Best pair oi Auriculas. Amateurs : 1st prize to W. S. Ginger,
Esq. for Champion (Page), and Duke of Wellington (Dickson) ; 2d,
Mr. W. E. Miller for the same varieties; 3d, W. Sandilands, Esq.
for Duke of Wellington and Glory. — Best four. Amateurs : 1st
prize to W. S. Ginger, Esq. for Alexander (Stretch), Britannia
(Hedge), Duke of WeUington (Dickson), and Champion (Page), very-
fine plants, surpassing any four we have seen for years ; 2d, Mr.
W. E. Miller; 3d, J. Chapman, Esq. — In the Nurserymen's class
Mr. Dickson shewed Duke of Wellington, Hedge's Britannia, Page's
Champion, and Lancashire Hero.

Among Seedling Cinerarias of 1850, Clementine (white, tipped
with purplish crimson, and dark disc) received a first-class certificate
and an extra prize. This was shewn by Mr. Salter ; and Mr. Kendall
received certificates for Black-eyed Susan (white, tipped with pur-
plish crimson, and dark disc). Eclipse (white, tipped with purplish
blue, and dark disc), and Dr. Bushell (white, tipped with amethyst,
and dark disc). These are all promising flowers, which we should
like to see again. Messrs. Jackson of Kingston shewed a nice
bloom of their new light Camellia, named Countess of Ellesmere,
which forms the subject of our plate ; a fine white Rhododendron,
said to be quite hardy ; the true R. arboreum (deep crimson), and
a variety of Smithii (rosy purple).

PLUMBAGO LARPENT^.

This hag proved itself quite hardy with us at Worton Cottage. A small plant
placed on our rock-work last summer has remained the whole winter without
any covering whatever, and is now breaking into vigorous growth. "We have yet
a good deal to leani about this plant.

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137

SEEDLING- RAISING.

In our last we endeavoured to direct the attention of those
who might intend to commence raising seedhng Florists'
flowers, to the means best calculated to effect the object all
aim at, viz. the production of superior varieties. In our pre-
sent Number will be found a list of very superior Pansies,
handed us by Mr. Edwards ; similar lists will be supplied oc-
casionally of other flowers, as they appear during the season.
Now it is from seeding first-rate sorts like these, that our hopes
of success are likely to be realised ; — any half-dozen of them
are more likely to bring a first-rate flower, than a score or two
of inferior varieties. But, we repeat, all the latter must he
discarded; for the bee, carrying their pollen to the superior
flowers, will defeat the object in view by fertilising them,
thereby destroying the chance of raising any thing good, and
throwing all the probabilities into the wrong scale. When
we reflect that it is as easy to cultivate the offspring of good
varieties ; that it costs no more time, room, or trouble ; and
that the only additional expense is the flrst purchase of the
best sorts, — we cannot fail to see the folly of year after year
seeding from varieties already out of date. And if it be folly
in him who has followed the pursuit year after year, it is
doubly so on the part of one ^commencing as a seedling-raiser.
The former has got into a track, has his favourites, perhaps
his own seedlings, and expects to open a new vein (or strain,
to use the technical term) ; but the latter starts fair, and
every thing depends on a judicious first selection. If we
were starting as a seedling Pansy-raiser, we should select one
colour, — light grounds, for instance, which are much wanted.
From the l3est varieties we could obtain of this colour we
should save our seed ; and however much we might be dis-
appointed the first year, we should allow nothing to divert us
from our purpose of raising something very fine in that class,
or any other we might select. Mr. Turner's Treatise on the
Cultivation of the Pansy , republished from our pages, may be
consulted with advantage by any beginner ; and wishing such
every success, we will merely add, that it is very necessary to
avoid the indiscriminate collection of seed ; gather it from the
best flowers only, remove all others, that the whole vigour of
the plant may be given to the former alone. A daily watch-
ing of the seed-pods is necessary, that they may be gathered
immediately they are ready. Amateurs sending us any in-
quiries upon the subject of seedUng-raising, shall have the
information required embodied in future articles.

VOL. III. NO. XXX. M

138 THE FLORIST.

MIMULUS.

FIGURED FROM A PLANT EXHIBITED AT WORTOX COTTAGE.

Ii has been truly said, that "public taste, as regards certain classes
of plants, is very capricious." I well remember the time when al-
most every flower-garden could boast of its Mimulus bed, and when
every fresl'i addition to this really pretty genus was hailed with no
ordinary interest. I shall not soon forget the satisfaction which
beamed in the face of our " Andrew Fairservice" when he was
she\^^l the beautiful M. cardinalis, which was a great novelty some
fifteen years ago. It was introduced, about the year 1835, by the
late lamented David Douglas, who, as most of our readers no doubt
know, '' lost his life in the pursuit of his art, and than whom no
man of science has left a higher name behind him." Cultivated in
the open ground, in moist rich soil, this fine plant flowered abund-
antly with Andrew from July to the end of September. About the
same year, Mr. Smith, a nurseryman in Islington, raised a pretty
seedling, which he called " Smithii," between M. variegatus and M.
luteus rivularis. It was something in the way of that represented by
your plate, but much smaller, and far more starry. Andrew obtained
this ; Luteus and Rcseus he had before, if my memory serves me
rightly. And now little was purchased in the way of Mimuluses
for some time. A few years afterwards, an Irish seedling called
iMaclainii, a great improvement on Pvoseus, made its appearance ;
and with this, Luteus variegatus, 'and others, tolerably good beds
were formed. In the present day, however, even after the lapse of
some dozen years, and with our improved garden-hybrids, one rarely
meets with a clump of Mimuluses in the flower-garden. This may
partly be attriljuted to the great number of good bedding-plants of
so many colours that we now possess ; and partly to most of the
Mimuluses being found to be too coarse for beds. But if unsuitable
for masses, they are very effective in small patches, scattered here
and there " with careless hand" in American borders or in damp
comers, where they can receive partial shade, and perhaps a little
protection in the most severe weather. The finer kinds are well
worth cultivating in pots for greenhouse or conservatory decoration.
When grown in this way, the pots should be roomy, and the plants
should be liberally supplied with water.

The common Musk (Mimulus muschatus) planted here and there
by the sides of the shrubbeiy among Rhododendrons, or in Rose-
beds, is much admired for its cheerful yellow flowers, and delightful
fragrance. When it and R,oses bloom together, the whole has a
very pleasing effect.

A small neat species of Mimulus called " Tricolor" was intro-
duced by the Horticultural Society from California, about a year
since. Its general colour is delicate pink, with a deep crimson spot
at the base of each lobe, and a yellow stain along the lower lip.

JUNE. 139

The subject of your plate was raised by Mr. Layton of Hammer-
smith, and will be valued by all who are foud of Mimuluses. The
flower from which your drawing was made measured two inches in
diameter. As will be seen by your representation, it is rich yellow
margined with crimson- maroon, and having a handsome blotch of
the same colour on each petal ; throat spotted.

M.

REGEXrS PARK A\D CHISWICK EXHIBITIONS.

The former was held on the Sth of May, the latter on the ISth; and
considerins^ that the greater portion of the collections present at the
one were exhibited at the other meeting, it seems the better plan to
give our readers a general rather than a detailed account of both.
Previous to the Botanic Society's exhibition, the weather had been
most unpromisins: ; sour east winds and rain had prevailed for some
time, chilhng the atmosphere and saturating the ground. The day
itself was most unsrenial — a murky atmosphere and steady soaking
wet; yet H. R. H. Prince Albert found his way there on horseback,
and also several hundreds of those determined lovers of dowers and
plants who are deterred by nothing. Before the season is over, we
hope to be able to give a detailed sketch of the Botanic Society's
garden and its arrangements ; but for the present we must content
ourselves with the exhibition alone.

The alterations at the Horticultural Society's gardens since last
year consist in the elevation of the ground on which the tents are
placed, so as to kee]i them dry in wet weather; a better arrangement
of the tents themselves; the formation of el-.vated dry gravel- walks,
an additional entrance, and more accommodation for the exhibitors'
vans, (Sec. ; all of which seem to have met with universal approbation.

The morning of the Chiswick fete broke misty and uncomfortable ;
but as the day advanced, the weather brightened, and was really
cheerful for some time ; but dark threatening clouds and a slightly
faUing dass, with a chilly atmosphere, made it, upon the whole, un-
inviting. Still there were nearly 4000 of the Fellows and their
friends^ present ; many, no doubt, attracted by the promised exhibi-
tion of the Victoria Regia, which formed the lion of the day. and
which was produced in very fine condition : one leaf and one flower
by Mr. Ivison, gardener to the Duchess Dowager of Northumberland;
another flower and two leaves by Mr. Paxton, gardener to the Duke
of Devonshire. One of the latter was displayed in a reverse position,
so as to exhibit the very curious and beautiful formation of its under
surface. The flowers were placed under bell-glasses, and continued
expanding during the hours of exhibition ; the leaves were placed,
one in water, the others on wet moss, and, spite of the low tempera-
ture, maintained their condition to the end.

Before we give a little detail of the principal objects exhibited,
wo mav observe that, in our estimation, both these exhibitions speak

140 THE FLORIST.

volumes in praise of British gardening. Considering the weather
that had so long prevailed, the productions were marvellously fine ;
and our only cause for regret arises from the absence of visitors, and
the consequent loss sustained by the Botanic Society in particular.
From the close manner in which the exhibitors tread on each other's
heels is evidenced the spirit of emulation that these meetings awaken,
and the taste for high cultivation fostered by them in both employers
and gardeners.

On account of the cold and backward weather above alluded to,
many of the specimens exhibited at Regent's Park were hardly for-
ward enough, particularly the stove and greenhouse plants, of which
a large number was furnished. These were tastefully arranged in a
tent by themselves, on earthen terraces faced with turf ; a novel and
interesting mode of exhibiting such plants, especially when placed
close together. Among the various collections, we observed beautiful
specimens of Pimelea spectabilis ; Oxylobium Pultenseae, a pretty yel-
low-flowered plant ; Boronia pinnata ; Chorozema Lawrenceanum, a
very graceful species ; Hovea Celsi, and many others. Various Ever-
lastings were shewn ; and really they are very pretty things, and not
so much cultivated as they should be. The best of them is Aphe-
lexis purpurea grandiflora. Of Eriostemons decidedly the best is
intermedium. Gompholobium polymorphum is a charming plant,
either on a trellis or grown in the form of a bush : the latter is
perhaps the most natural way of managing it. Adenandra speciosa,
well flowered, is tolerably attractive. And we noticed some nice ex-
amples of the brilliant Epacris miniata ; as well as many other stove
and greenhouse favourites.

Orchids were not numerous at " the Park ;" but a few remarkable
plants were exhibited. Foremost among these was a large and fine
Dendrobium cserulescens, from Messrs. Lucombe and Pince of Exeter ;
and an equally fine plant of D. nobile was furnished in the collection
sent from Worton Cottage by Mr. Dobson. C. B. Warner, Esq.
sent twenty-five plants ; and there were groups of fifteen from J. H.
Schroder, Esq. and Mrs. Lawrence. Sixes were shewn from Wor-
ton Cottage and from Mr. Ker of Cheshunt. There was little new,
except it was the Bornean Cypripedium Lowei.

At Chiswick, the Orchids formed, as they always do, one of the
chief features of the exhibition. Excellent collections were contri-
buted by Mr. Rucker, Mr. Warner, Mr. Blandy, Mrs. Lawrence,
Messrs. Veitch and RoUisson, Mr. Dobson, Mr. Farmer, and Mr.
Schroder. Among these were some admirable specimens. We no-
ticed a Saccolabium prsemorsum, quite a fountain of flowers ; some
fine Aerides, many species of Dendrobes, the chaste Phalsenopsis, a
fine Acineta Humboldtii, Cattleyas intermedia and Mossiae, and many
other charming members of this delightful family of plants.

Azaleas made a grand display both at Chiswick and "the Park."
We saw at both places magnificent specimens of Gledstanesi ; late-
ritia ; optima, one of the best reds ; ref ulgens ; Bianca, one of the best
whites ; exquisita, and others.

Roses in pots were really splendid : those at the Botanic were

JUNE 141

superior in condition to those at Chiswick ; some specimens which
we could have selected from the nurserymen's exhibition in parti-
cular, were such as have never been seen before : they seemed to
excite universal admiration ; and well they might do so, for where
beauty and odour are combined, as in the Rose, there is little left to
desire. They are, perhaps, the most uncertain objects of exhibition,
from their transitory character ; and were it not for their freedom of
bloom, their cultivation in pots must fail. We have sometimes, at
the close of the exhibition day, been scarcely able to recognise some
of the beauties of the morning. This should point out to seedhng-
raisers the desirableness of trying to produce flowers combining, in
addition to the qualities of the present varieties, more endurance of
expansion and colour. The private growers' collections were also de-
serving of much praise. Our acquaintances, Madame de St. Joseph
(a first-rate Tea Rose), Chenedole, Baronne Prevost, Duchess of
Sutherland, Geant des Batailles, Mrs. EUiott, Bouquet de Flore,
La Reine, General AUard, &c. met us in every collection. The
yellows consisted of Queen Victoria, Smith's Yellow, Vicomtesse
de Gazes, Pauline Plantier, Persian Yellow, Harrison's Yellow, a
Pactole, and Salfaterre. .

Old and favourite Cape Heaths were numerous at both exhibi-
tions, and some promising seedlings were shewn, which we hope to
see again.

Among new plants a few fine things were exhibited at both
shows. Messrs. Veitch had a charming white jasmine-flowered
Rhododendron, which, we fear, is too beautiful to be hardy ; a new
transparent Dendrobe in the way of Nobile ; another Orchid called
Bolbophyllum Lobii, a white-flowered Styhdium, and a plant of their
Fuchsia spectabilis, in which we must confess we were somewhat
disappointed ; but we hope to see it yet in better condition. Mr.
Stanly, gardener to H. Berens, Esq., sent a new Hovea, like Celsi,
but having large and fine foliage, and Pimelea Verschaffeltii, a hand-
some white kind. Messrs. Standish and Noble produced Viburnum
plicatum, covered wdth large balls of white blossoms ; and a nice round
orange-flowered agreeably- scented Wallflower was shewn by Mr.
Stark of Hope Street, Edinburgh, which promises to become a
favourite.

Pelargoniums were brought out well at both exhibitions, better
by amateurs than by nurserymen ; that is, Mr. Cock's plants were
such as were never seen before, though the flowers in Mr. Dobson's
collection were as numerous and as fine in size and colour. We
wish some one had brought a small plant with a single truss upon
it, to have matched against the flowers of either collection ; it would
have proved what we have often observed, that as fine flowers may be
produced upon the largest specimens as on small ones. The opinion
that more distinction in colours is required, we have often advanced,
and must again repeat, and urge the same upon the raisers of seed-
lings of all kinds of Florists' flowers.

Among the varieties exhibited were, Hope, Gulielma, Salamander,
Pictum, Mont Blanc, Mars, Bertha, Orion, Rosamond, Pearl, Forget-

142 THE FLORIST.

me-not, Gustavus, Camilla, Negress, Armada, Isabella, Hebe's Lip,
Rosetta, Miss Holford, Cassandra, RoUa, Centurion, ^^irgin Queen,
Phyllis, Painted Lady, Norah, Minna, Cuyp, Agatha, Mulready,
Rosalind, Chloe, Pontiff, Blanche, Grenadier, Mrs. Beck, Juhana,
Adonis, Rosy Circle, Resplendent, Zanzummim, Cotherstone, Gazelle,
Emma, and Ackbar.

Fancies consisted of. Empress, Fairy Queen, Jehu superbum,
Anais, Queen, Madame Meillez, Nosegay, Statuiski, Lady Rivers,
Yeatmannianum grandiflorum. Lady Flora, Nymph, La Belle afri-
cana, Madame Rosati, Jenny Lind, and Ibrahim Pasha.

Among Cape Pelargoniums were, elegans, abrotanifolium, glaucum,
holosericeum, reniforme, crispum major, ardens, bicolor, flexuosum,
Blandfordianum, elatum, and quinquevulnerum.

Seedlings at both exhibitions were numerous, but they were so
scattered about, it was difficult to get at them. At Chiswick, the
tent for their accommodation was forgotten, and consequently they
stood about upon the ground and elsewhere.

Seedling Pelargoniums were exhibited by Mr. Hoyle and Mr.
Beck ; the latter was awarded at the Botanic a silver medal for a
two-year- old variety named Rosa, a fine flower, free bloomer, and
very constant, and of excellent habit. The same raiser had a plant
of Incomparable, Diana, Little but Good, and Major Domo ; all of
which were exhibited last year. Mr. Hoyle exhibited many seed-
lings, among them some very high-coloured varieties. At Chis-
wick, a variety of this gentleman's named Ocellatum, attracted much
attention from the novelty of its markings on the under petal, each
having a very distinct dark spot upon a pale rose-coloured ground.
Mr. Rendle sent Beauty of Montpellier, large rose, with a crimson
spot in the top petal and a white throat. Of Cinerarias we are pre-
paring a list of the best we have seen during the season, and we
shall do the same with Fuchsias and other flowers ; for, having no
ticket of admission at a suitable time for their close examination at
either Society, we do not feel justified in speaking of things we can-
not handle.

We noticed at Chiswick a large Rhododendron formosum, a
species with white flowers stained with yellow on the upper petal,
and exceedingly sweet-scented ; but we fear it is tender : it is very
different from R. Gibsoni, shewn at Regent's Park by Mr. Lane.
Also a charming plant of Mr. Fortune's Gardenia, covered with
large blossoms of the purest white.

SEEDLING FLORISTS' FLOWERS FOR OUR ILLUSTRATIONS.

Desirous of obtaining something from a distant part of the country
for the purpose of illustration, we requested J. Edwards, Esq. to ask
Mr. Holland if he would send us up the very best Polyanthus and
Auricula to be found about Manchester ; and the following is his
reply :

JUNE. 143

" Bradshaw Gardens, INliddleton, near Manchester.
" I am sorry to say I have not seen a first-rate hloom of Polyan-
thus this year ; and to send an ordinary bloom would be of no use.
The severity of the last winter is partly the cause of them not doing
well. In Auriculas the bloom has been fine, but nothing striking
in the newer varieties ; and, upon the whole, I think it will be better
to defer figuring any till next season, as I should be sorry to send
anything commonplace for the Florist. J. Holland."

A very candid and honest reply, all will acknowledge ; and we
were pleased to receive it ; for superior flowers we want, and none
other. Now our readers may observe advertisements of the very
best this, that, and the other. Let them take our advice, and buy
nothing of the kind, unless they find in our pages a report of their
excellence. Our work has a large circulation ; we have made arrange-
ments for the display and examination of all flowers, whether new
or going forth to the public ; we have a good staff of observers and
judges ; and we shall do all we possibly can to inform our friends
what they may safely purchase. Many look to the Florist and Gar-
den Miscellany for such information ; and they do wisely, for they
know it can be fully relied upon. If raisers and dealers do not choose
to send their articles to us for examination, we say unhesitatingly
to our subscribers. Do not buy them. We certainly shall figure
nothing we do not see. Our artist is present at the Worton Cottage
meetings to take portraits of any thing very striking ; and if in-
terested parties lose so favourable an opportunity for making their
productions known, the fault is theirs alone. Even if they are not
sufficiently superior to be figured, they will be reported upon in a
paper having the largest circulation of any gardening periodical, as
well as in our own pages.

THE CULTURE OF CHOROZEMAS.

BY MR. M'aRDELL, FOREMAN, CASTLE-HILL GARDENS.

The Chorozema is generally considered difficult to cultivate ; but it
can be grown well by pursuing the following method. The soil
should be a sandy peat, well broken with the spade, but not sifted.
The best time for potting is March or April. Care must be taken
not to over-pot the plants, or injure the roots while potting ; the
soil must be made very firm and compact about the roots, and the
pots well drained ; then they should be placed in the greenhouse in
an airy situation, and not crowded among other plants. It is also
well to keep them in the greenhouse during summer; but in hot
weather they should be shaded for two or three hours each day
during sunshine. They require a reasonable supply of water ; that
is, they must not be sodden, nor left too dry. They may be pro-
pagated in the following manner : the cuttings should be taken off
and carefully prepared while the wood is young ; take off the bottom

144 THE FLORIST.

leaves with a sharp knife, and make a clear cut just through the
joint ; the cutting-pot should be drained, and then filled to within
an inch of the top with the soil above mentioned ; on the top of this
put a layer of white sand, into which put the cuttings, making a hole
for their reception with a small stick. When the pot is full, give
them a Uttle water with a fine rose ; after which, place a clean glass
over them : in this state they may be removed to the propagating
house, where the temperature should be 70°. They should be shaded
from the sun, which can be done by placing a sheet of coarse paper
over the glasses. As scon as the cuttings are rooted, which may
be known by their appearance of growth, they must be potted oflf ;
but care must be taken not to injure the roots, and they must be
shaded again for a week or ten days, until they make fresh ones ;
they must then be gradually hardened, and placed with the old plants
in the greenhouse.

ON FLORAL TASTES AND THEIR RESULTS.

NO. IV.

That a certain refinement results from intercourse with works of
art is manifest to the most cursory observer of the habits of man-
kind. When the Roman poet affirmed that " the diligent study of
the Uberal arts softens manners, and prevents them from becoming
brutal," he merely collected into an aphorism the constant experience
of all ages. The arts of poetry and painting, and sculpture and
architecture, when understood by a people, have always raised them
from barbarism ; and if they have not purified the hearts of their
votaries, they have at least refined their manners. Those who read
history rightly will always recognise those minor instruments of
civilisation to which we refer, which, if insufficient to give to man
his highest pohsh, yet grind away the ruder angularities of that piece
of breathing and thinking statuary.

If the contemplation of beautiful forms when wrought out by
human skill, and consequently chargeable with human imperfections,
produces eflfects so beneficial, the refining influence of Floriculture
cannot be doubtful, since it has to do with so much that is surpass-
ingly lovely, executed in a manner too elaborate for the imitation of
the most skilful human artificer. Let a love of flowers be possessed,
and we cannot conceive of the manners being brutal, especially when
that love extends to all the interesting processes of their growth,
from the sowing the seed to the full development of the lustrous,
symmetrical, and scented form which at length rewards our labour.
Most amateurs must have been sensible on various occasions of a
softening and refining influence resulting from their pursuit, as they
have looked, for instance, on a bed of Ranunculuses glowing in their
oriental dyes in the morning sun, or caught the fragrance of a par-
terre of Pinks whose delicate lacings are spangled with the early dew.
Irascible emotions are calmed ; discontent is felt to be out of place ;
censoriousness becomes charitable, at least for a season, in such cir-

JUNE. 145

cumstances, as though the silent beauty of the objects contemplated
were a divinity in whose presence such feelings are interdicted. As
the harp of the minstrel of Bethlehem could tame the savage breast
of the forsaken king, so the mute eloquence of flowers has often
purged the heart of "the perilous stuff" engendered by selfish and
mere worldly pursuits.

If the sentiments we have expressed are founded in truth, or
even if they admit of some deduction, as being a little overstrained
and fanciful, then the extension of floral tastes must be hailed by
every lover of his country and of mankind, as combining with other
influences to extend that social and public melioration which all
good men seek. There is no class of men who can be considered
independent of any of the refining causes which divine Providence
has supplied, and therefore to a certain extent the most cultivated
and most pious may derive an additional finish from the love of
flowers. How important, therefore, is the diff"usion of such a taste
among the masses of mankind, whose characters have fewer advantages
and greater temptations ! Take two labouring men, one fond of
gardening, and the other not, and although their position in life may
be equal, the latter will in many respects be inferior to the former.
We speak generally, of course, for there is no rule without exceptions.
What is thus propounded as a theory we have found to be proved
by actual instances brought under our notice again and again. In
a horticultural society which had much to do with cottagers, the
exhibitors were generally above the average range of their class in
sobriety, frugality, and civility ; and we believe this is always the
case where opportunities of cultivating a garden are embraced by
some, and neglected by others.

We therefore hail the increase of a taste for gardening, whether
exhibited by actual garden operations or garden literature, as a sign
of advancing intelligence and civihsation. Those institutions which
contemplate the rewarding the most industrious or the most skilful
cultivator, may exert an immense influence on the working classes,
by proposing to them a fair proportion of prizes. It is pleasing to
follow, in fancy, the agricultural labourer, or the mechanic, from the
time when the list of prizes first comes into his hands, until the day
of exhibition, when his laudable ambition is gratified by his becoming
a successful competitor. There is first a careful survey of the vari-
ous items, to ascertain in what his strength lies ; then the concen-
tration of his powers on the Pansies or Polyanthuses, the Carnations
or Roses, as the case may be. He has no time for the scenes of low
company and dissipation, for his flower-bed demands every spare
moment. The pleasing excitement extends to his family, and the
young child learns to respect the growing plants which the father
tends so carefully, and would not hurt them for the world. At
length the flowers expand, the show-day arrives, and the attainment
of a prize diff^uses great joy through the little household. Or if he
should fail, he knows that another and another trial is before him,
and by noticing the causes of his rival's success becomes more wary
and attentive for the future. Henry Burgess.

146 THE FLORIST.

WATERPROOF COVERING FOR FRAMES, &c.

Your correspondent "Alpha" deserves credit for his endeavours to
substitute a neat for a cumbrous article, in the employment of oiled
calico instead of bast matting. I do not think it would resist quite
so much cold ; but probably the difference of protection (and pro-
tection is now out of fashion) would not be great, and certainly, in
every other respect, it has greatly the advantage. And as he hopes
to improve his composition, I would suggest to him one I have used
about ten years, which is light in weight, of a lemon colour, and
dries quickly without much disagreeable smell :

Well-boiled linseed-oil, one quart ;
Soft soap, one ounce.

It will dry more quickly if three pints of oil are used to the ounce of
soap, but I think the fabric is more likely to tear at the creases, and
therefore I prefer the above proportions. When I first used it, I put
it on in the way " Alpha " mentions ; but I have since, where prac-
ticable, adopted the simpler plan of soaking the calico in the mixture
and wringing it out, beginning at one end, and drawing it gradually
through a small pancheon ; by which method a large carriage -cloth
is finished in a quarter of an hour, and less oil is used. It should be
remembered that the cloth must be made into whatever form it is to
have before using the composition, otherwise it will not be water-
tight at the seams, and therefore if nailed to a frame, the brush must
be used.

I use it somewhat extensively, and find it answers many purposes
well, and, where not exposed much to the sun, will last many years.
I have a conducting tube of it to carry water to the other end of my
garden.

Glass is now so cheap that no one need take this for a substitute ;
nevertheless I use a pent-house covering of this prepared calico to
strike my Pelargonium and other cuttings, and have no reason to
complain of the result. Even my Crusaders were trusted to it last
season, and so will my Gipsy Brides be this ; probably, also, . my In-
comparables next.

Sailors occasionally employ it for waterproofing jackets, caps,
leggings, bags, and other boating gear ; but the composition for such
purposes should be,

Unboiled linseed-oil, one quart ;
Soft soap, one ounce :

which takes longer drying; and when dry, the articles should be
painted lightly over with highly boiled oil, to give them a shining
appearance without impairing their pliability.

Now is the time to think of preparing these things.

Iota.

.^' k.<v^^

: f^ -'

VISIT TO KEW-GARDENS BY RAIL DIRECT.

" So you're come at last, and, as usual, at the last minute. Have I
your ticket } Of course I have. Strange, that you cannot as easily
be a few minutes before time, so as to avoid all this drive and hurry.
Jump into the carriage, for the train moves ; and now, where' s our
lunch ? Not got any V " No ; for we are not allowed to eat in the
gardens, so we must e'en visit 'mine host' of the Star and Garter,
and assault his larder when we come out. There is a biscuit for
you, such as an old sailor like yourself would have gone to the mast-
head for more than once in your life, I venture to say." " You're
right ; and some day, as you remind me of the salt water, perhaps
when you are safe moored in that country-box of yours, and we are
seated together in the pleasant arbour overlooking the hills, with the
stream flowing through the valley below, I may spin you a yarn or
two, and shew how a love of horticulture never forsook me, though
for months together, on the trackless ocean, I saw nought but

' The perilous waters — with the mariners a fellow-mariner.' "

How bright and cheerful every thing looks, after the pleasant
rains we have had ! But what a pace we have been going at for
a stopping train !

" Hurry, hurry, we are gone ;
With whizzing speed we gallop on ;
Steam and engine pant and blow.
Spurning the sparks and dust below.
Now right and left on either hand
We see with awe and wonder,
How vanish corner, hedge, and land —
Hark, how the bridges thunder !"

148 THE FLORIST.

Capital description that in Leonora of railway-travelling ; and I'd
give you more of it, but here we are at the Kew Station, and most
handy it is for visitors to the gardens. Since we were here last, you
observe a steamboat-pier has been added to the bridge, — a great
convenience to visitors, enabling them with ease, in the summer-time,
to return to town by the river, a very pleasing variation, particularly
in warm weather. Kew Green, with its simple church, has always
struck me as an agreeable spot ; and to those fond of seeing holiday-
people, and of taking enjoyment without the inconvenience of addi-
tional expense, a residence here certainly affords, in the adjoining
gardens, a desideratum not to be overlooked. But as we talk we
are at the gates ; and we will take our way direct to the Palm-house,
an inspection of which and its tropical contents will fully occupy
us till 'tis time to retire.

It is not only a noble house, but a noble collection. Let us, on
entering, first walk round the entire building, and leisurely survey
the whole, and then, when our eye is more at home, take the objects
a little in detail. 'Tis a cloudy day, or rather cloud and sunshine,
the most favourable of all weathers for its inspection ; for though the
deep green tinge of the glass tempers the sun's rays, it is rather too
warm and close for Englishmen in pure unclouded sunshine.

Having now gone round, let us ascend to the gallery. From
this point, about one-third of the way up the staircase, is the most
truly tropical point of view to be obtained in the whole building.
Observe, you have lost sight of the pavement and iron-gratings of
the floor — all is in harmony, the graceful foliage of the magnificent
arborescent ferns, the stems of trees and plants seen beyond, and,
above all, the broad foliage so strongly indicative of distant lands
and burning skies. Where would man and beast find shelter in such
chmes, were it not for the palm, the plantain, &c. affording it, as
they do so liberally, and at the same time acting as fans in the sur-
rounding air ? From the galler}'-, you observe, we have a fine view
over the gardens, and also over the tops of the highest plants ; but
'tis too warm to remain long, so let us descend into the cooler stratum
of air below.

Here is the Bread-fruit Tree ; what associations have we with it !
Bligh and the Bounty ; the mutiny ; the wonderful boat- voyage of
the former ; the miserable life and end of the mutineers, save Smith,
the patriarch of Pitcairn's Island. Here is the Banyan Tree, of which
you will find an excellent representation in the museum, and a very
fine specimen in the Botanical Garden at Calcutta, unless it has
died since I was there. How often have Moore's lines to his mother
been repeated by youthful exiles, whose thoughts, when seated beneath
its ample shade, have been far away in the land of their birth !

" They tell us of an Indian tree,

Which, howsoe'er the sun and sky
May tempt its boughs to wander free,

And shoot and blossom wide and high.
Far better loves to bend its aims

Downward again to that dear earth

JUNE. 149

From which the life, that fills ancrwarms
Its grateful being, first had birth.

'Tis thus, though woo'd by flattering friends,

And fed with fame (if fame it be).
This heart, my own dear mother, bends,

With love's true instinct, back to thee ! "

Rely on it, when a man's half-fried with heat and stung with mos-
quitoes, it is a very favourable time to remember his mother.

The Erratic Man.
[To be continued.]

HAMMERSMITH HEARTSEASE SOCIETY:

ELEVENTH ANNUAL MEETING, HELD AT THE THATCHED HOUSE, MAY 2.

After the long-continued ungenial weather, we were pleasingly
surprised to witness such a display of flowers as was produced on
this occasion. Some of the blooms were of extraordinary size ; and
the number of ^dsitors and exhibitors shewed in what favour this
pet of the Florist continues to be held. Nearly forty gathered round
Mr. Lidgard's mahogany after the exhibition, and, we learn, did as
much justice to his provision as they had previously done the flowers.
The following account of the winning collections, &c. will be accept-
able to our readers.

Seedling, Mr. Beck (Turner), received a certificate ; also a prize
presented by H. Brown, Esq. for the best seedling of the day. It
is a yellow ground, of great substance of petal, and of velvety texture ;
perfectly smooth on the edge, and particularly flat.

Nurserymen. — 1st prize, Mr. C. Turner, Royal Nursery, Slough : Constella-
tion (Thomson), Queen of England (Fellowes), Disraeli (Hunt), Bellona
(Hooper), Mrs. Hamilton (Nasmyth), Rubens (Turner), this is a seedling not
out; Rainbow (Hall), Miss Edwards (Turner), Duke of Norfolk (Bell), Aurora
(Bell), Hector, Ophir (Widnall), Supreme (Youel), Zabdi (Thomson), Climax
(Bell), Privateer (Turner), Malvern, Duchess of Rutland (Thomson), Addison
(Turner), Almanzor (Le Messurier), Leader (Hooper), Lucy Neal (Scotcher),
Helen (Hunt), Mr. Beck (Turner), this is a seedling not out ; Emma (Lane),
Juventa (Hooper), Sambo (Hale), Goliath (Bragg), Thisbe, Milton (Major),
Duchess of Norfolk (Bragg), Polyphemus (Thomson), Mrs. Beck (Turner),
Mazeppa, Lord Hardinge (Gossettj, Gem (Turner).

2d prize, Mr. Thomson, Iver : Climax, Constellation, Cremona, Disraeli,
Fire-King, Aurora, Duke of Norfolk, Emperor, Fair Flora, Ada, Armosa, Mas-
terpiece, Mrs. Hamilton, Snowflake, Miss Thomson, Elegant, Harmony, Juventa,
Rainbow, Polyphemus, Queen of England, Mars, Duchess of Rutland, Sambo,
Maria, Privateer, Paris, Samson, Penelope, Conductor, Caroline, Corsair, Ma-
tilda, Lady Franklin, Agamemnon, Jenny Lind.

3d prize, Mr. Bragg, Star Nursery, Slough : Climax, Premier, Constellation,
Almanzor, Clio, Duke of Norfolk, Sir R. Peel {very fine), Juventa, Aurora,
Zabdi, Exquisite, Rainbow, Mrs. Bragg, Model of Perfection, Ophir, Lord Har-
dinge, Supreme, Lucy Neal, Great Brittiin, Caliston, Disraeli, Tartar, Milton,
Mrs. Hamilton, Viceroy, Polyphemus, Helen, Privateer, Mrs. Beck, Flying
Dutchman, Masterpiece, Queen of England, Duchess of Rutland, Emma.

Amateurs' 24 Blooms. — 1st prize, Mr. Treacher, Wycombe : Juventa, Pre-

150 THE FLORIST.

mier, Aurora, Duke of Norfolk, Almanzor, Constellation, Duchess of Rutland,
Zabdi, Lucy Neal, Arethusa, Masterpiece, Helen, Notabilis, Climax, Lord Har-
dinge, Rainbow, White Sergeant, Duchess of Norfolk, Seedling, Emma, Clara,
Oi)hir, Disraeli, Caliston.

2d prize, Mr. iScotcher, Oxford: Juventa, Mrs. Hamilton, Lucy Neal, Miss
Thomson, Almanzor, Lord of the Isles, Penelope, Constellation, Masterpiece,
Emperor, Duke of Norfolk, Aurora, Sambo, Polyphemus, Miss Edwards, Ele-
gant, Marchioness of Lothian, Fire-King, Duchess of Rutland, Matilda, Ring-
leader, Caroline, Example, Helen.

3d prize, Mr. Parsons, Ponder's End : Ophir, Exquisite, Bellona, Notabilis,
Ivanhoe, Mrs. Hamilton, Arethusa, Hector, Queen of England, Juventa, Blue
Perfection, Commodore, Addison, Princess, Duke of Norfolk, Lord J. Russell,
Viceroy, Caroline, Climax, Supreme, Superb, Orestes, Miss Edwards, Example.

4th prize, J. H. Brown, Esq., V.P. : Duke of Norfolk, Queen of England,
Ophir, Disraeli, Mary Jane, Miss Edwards, Ariadne, Supreme, Helen, Aurora,
Samson, Caroline, Orestes, Marchioness of Lothian, Jenny Lind, Virgil, Seed-
ling, Magnificent, Mrs. Beck, To Tuoque, Climax, Elegant, Conductor. Exquisite.

5th prize, A. Lane, Esq., V.P. : Tartar, Commodore, Lady Peel, Climax,
Emma, Aurora, Lady Sale, Ophir, Almanzor, Caractacus, Rainbow, Duchess of
Norfolk, Viceroy, Black Bess, Excellent, Lady Weuman, Josephus, Optimus,
Duchess of Rutland, Cyprus, Helen, Polyphemus, Lucy Neal, Queen of Wliites.

ORCHIDS.

In my house, 24 feet by 12, span-roofed, of the meanest construction,
and heated by a boiler burning cinders with a little Welsh coal, I
had on this date, Nov. 1st, 1849, the following plants in blcom, with
a number of others throwing up their flower spikes. Oncidiums : or-
nithorhyncum, papiho (2 plants), grande (2 plants), unguiculatum,
and crispum ; Goodyera discolor, Zygopetalon crinitura (2 plants),
Cattleya labiata, Dendrobium sanguinolentum, Broughtonia san-
guinea, Miltonia Candida, Epidendrum vitellinum, Phalaenopsis ama-
bilis, Maxillaria picta, and Lycaste macrophylla. Now what can be
more delightful at the dull time of the year than a collection of these
really charming things } It is bringing to our ow^n doors the beau-
ties of the tropical regions. I shall not allude just now to the erro-
neous opinions held respecting the necessity of their being kept in
houses the heat and moisture of which are insupportable ; nor to the
mistake made by those who, commencing their cultivation, think it
beneath their notice to admire any thing else. I trust, however, some
able contributor will kindly take up these subjects. My old Flor-
ists' flowers, the Carnation, Picotee, Pansy, in short, all that I have
ever grown, are as great favourites with me as they were before I
possessed an Orchid, and 1 intend they shall continue to be such.
The Florist and Garden Miscellany should notice every description of
flowering plants. I am glad there is a prospect of its doing so ; and
nope we shall soon see as great a variety as possible.

F. H. S.

JUNE. 151

REMxYRKS ON BRITISH FERNS.

NO. IV.

[Continued from p. 133.]

7. LASTRiEA THELYPTERis. The present subject is an exception to
the other British species of Lastroea, inasmuch as it possesses truly
a creeping root, whereas in the other species no one can really
be said to do so ; although I have observed some of the forms of
L. spinosa approaching to that state, especially when growing in
naked and sterile situations ; but this 1 consider to be common to
many other plants searching for food. Notwithstanding that L. the-
lyj)teris is invariably an inhabitant of boggy places, still it bears
cultivation extremely well, as I have had it growing beautifully for
several years in light sandy loam, with a small portion of heath-
mould. To me this is rather a remarkable Fern, as some twenty-
live years ago I found it growing by the acre, but not one fructified
frond could I detect in the immense mass, although I visited the
station two seasons. I, however, have since found it within a mile
and a half of my own home with fronds two feet high, and in a fine
state of fructification. The long slender stipes and altogether deli-
cate texture of the barren fronds will always serve to distinguish
it from any other British Lastrsea. It requires a well-sheltered nook
in the fernery, as the wind is very apt to injure the tender fronds, —
more especially when in the state of development. The fronds are
pinnate, and the pinnae pinnatifid.

8. L. OREOPTERis. Again we have another instance of a Fern
generally found in boggy and moist heathy places, difiicult to culti-
vate. I have repeatedly tried to cultivate it in both peat and heath-
mould, but with very little success, until I applied a large proportion
of light sandy loam, in which it did tolerably well. I, however, ulti-
mately found that it luxuriated best in nothing but loam, in fact in
any thing apart from its parent soil. It may be said that the habi-
tats of this beautiful Fern are not really boggy places ; but if not so,
they are, at all events, places that have been for the most part inun-
dated during the winter months. I never saw it fine on compara-
tively dry heaths ; but in bogs associated with Sphagnum obtusi-
folium and Athyrium filix foemina, I have seen splendid specimens,
producing fronds from two to three feet high ; and indeed wherever
Sphagnum of any kind grows, it is scarcely necessary to say that the
soil is generally very moist, if not altogether boggy. On heaths in
sub-alpine countries the fronds are usually very meagre compared
with those found in such stations as I have referred to above. The
under-sides of the fronds in this species present beautiful objects to
the eye when in a state of fructification, the whole being of a fine
orange colour, and the sori, or clusters of reproductive organs, which,
by the way, are very small indeed and thickly set on the segments,
will readily distinguish it. I have never yet met with any form of

152 THE FLORIST.

L. oreopteris apart from the original, and 1 believe I may say the
same of L. thelypteris. The stations for L. oreopteris are very
limited in the south of England, though very plentiful in the north,
as well as in Scotland.

ASPIDIUM.

It is necessary here to observe that the genus Lastrsea is very
justly established on the ruins of Aspidium, in consequence of the
marked difference in the structure, &c. of the indusium or involucre.
In Aspidium it is nearly orbicular, whereas in Lastraea it is orbicu-
lar-reniforme, which was also, I believe, the origin of the genus
Nephrodium ; and as the shape, substance, and position of the invo-
lucre, where present, form an essential part in the generic charac-
ter of most of our Ferns. The division, therefore, I consider to be
highly necessary ; besides, the two genera are, in general habit, very
different.

1. A. LONCHiTis. The habitats of this pretty Fern are mostly
the clefts of rocks in mountainous countries, notwithstanding which
it is not particularly difficult to cultivate, if planted in light sandy
loam and peat, and removed at the commencement of the growing
season ; for if left until the resting state, it is but too often inclined
to remain so for a long time, and then damp oflf ; but if potted in the
early spring, and shut close under glass, it will soon adhere to the
fresh soil, and send up beautiful fronds, at which time it is best to
plant it out where it is intended to remain. I find the above mode
of culture suits this Fern extremely well. The fronds are pinnate,
and the pinnae eared above.

Nursery, Foot's Cray, May 1850, Robert Sim.

NEW PLANTS.

Figured in the Botanical Magazine for May.

Mangifera indica. An evergreen stove-tree, principally known for its fruit,
which is universally eaten, and esteemed the best in India : jellies, preserves,
tarts, pickles, &c. are made of it before it is ripe. The tree attains the height
of from thirty to forty feet in its native country, and from ten to fifteen feet in
circumference ; it bears a profusion of small yellowish flowers of but little beauty.

Gynoxys fragrans. a coarse-growing soft-wooded climbing stove-plant, of
but little beauty ; well adapted for covering rafters or trellis-work ; it has a thick
fleshy root of the nature of a tuber ; flowers rather large and fragrant, (something
similar to a Senecia). It is a native of Guatemala, and was imported by Ure
Skinner, Esq.

Veronica Formosa. A very pretty half-hardy evergreen shrub, of a neat
appearance, growing about two feet high, having flowers of a light blue colour,
produced from the end of almost every branchlet : it flowers copiously during the
summer months, and forms an interesting object for a greenhouse or conserva-
tory. It is a native of Mount AVellington, in Van Dieman's Land.

IxoRA BARBATA. This is an erect slender rather straggling-growing stove-
shrub (something near I. laxiflora), about six feet high, having large spreading
subcorymbose panicles of very fragrant delicate white flowers. It was imported

JUNE. 153

by Dr. Wallich from the Calcutta Garden, to the Royal Botanic Gardens,
Kew.

CoLQUHOUNiA cocciNEA. A tall straggling soft-wooded woolly shrub, suf-
ficiently hardy to endure the climate of Britain if planted against a wall : it
grows luxuriantly during summer, bearing handsome flowers in the autumn, of a
yellow and red colour. It is a native of the mountain -districts of Nepal, where
it was detected by Dr. Wallich.

These five species are figured from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Coloured Illustrations in Paxton''s Floioer-Garden for May.

RiioDODEXDRON- RoLLissoNii. A vcry showy species, perfectly hardy, having
a compact head of flowers like that of R. arboreum ; the colour is much richer,
being of a deep blood-red, with a few dark spots at the bottom of the tube. It
is a native of the mountains of Ceyloif". Figured from the garden of Sir Charles
Lemon at Carclew, near Penrhyn, in Cornwall.

BoRONiA TETRANDRA. A pretty dwarf greenhouse shrub, nearly resembling
B. pinnata : the flowers are produced single or in pairs from each axil ; they
are rather large, and of a pale pink colour. Its native country is New Holland,
Figured from the Garden of the Horticultural Society.

CYPRIPEDIU3I CAUDATUM. A grecnhouse herbaceous plant : this is very sin-
gular, and the most extraordinary one of the whole genus ; it grows upwards of
three feet high, having flowers of a yellow and brown colour, with a few spots;
sepals about six inches long ; petals extended into long linear tails about twenty
inches. It is a native of wet marshy places, near the hamlet of Nanegal, in the
province of Quito. Figured from the collection of Mrs. Lawrence, Ealing Park.

The woodcuts contain : 1. Fuchsia nigricans ; 2. Lagetta lintearia, — a small
branch with flowers of each ; 3. leaves and flowers of Drymonia cristata ; 4. a
cone and leaves of Abies Jezoensis ; 5. Ilex cornuta ; 6. Ilex microcarpa,—
leaves and fruit of each ; 7. flowers of Catasetum Warczewitzii ; 8. a small
branch of Boronia spathulata ; 9. Cupressus funebris; 10. Libocedrus tetra-
gona ; 11. Libocedrus Chilensis, — a small branch, with fruit of each of these
last three, which are all coniferous plants.

Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. J. Houlston.

VICTORIA REGIA.

A NOTICE of this noble aquatic will be found at page 319 of our
volume for 1849. It was supplied by a correspondent who paid a
hurried visit to Chatsworth, where the plant bloomed for the first
time in England in November last. Since that time we have had
ample opportunity of observing the habit of the plant for ourselves in
the establishment at Syon, where, under the skilful management of
Mr. Iveson, gardener to her Grace the Duchess Dowager of North-
umberland, it has grown and bloomed most satisfactorily. From it
one of the flowers and leaves exhibited at Chiswick on the 1 8th (see
report, p. 139) was supplied. It will be far beyond the means of
general admirers to cultivate this majestic Water-lily ; but we have
little doubt that it will long form an attractive feature in such
princely establishments as Chatsworth and Syon. The slate tank
in which the plant is now growing at the latter place is 22 feet
square ; but our impression is, that a circular one, 40 feet in dia-
meter, would not be at all too large for its full development under
skilful management. The basis of its successful cultivation appears
to be a temperature of both air and water of about 85°, a constant

VOL. III. NO. XXX. N

154 THE FLORIST.

introduction of fresh water at the same temperature, and the escape
of an equal quantity, thus creating an imperceptible current, ^ir,
in suitable weather, may be freely admitted from above without
injury. Indeed, there is every reason to believe that, when the
plant is fairly at home, and our skilful gardeners are famihar with
its character, it will grow like a weed ; and we have every expec-
tation that it will exceed, in size of flowers and foliage, all that has
been reported of it in its native country. We believe some of our
large manufacturers might readily cultivate the Victoria by diverting
the condensed steam of their engines into a pond covered with glass
and planted with it. We have in our mind's eye several reservoirs
of the kind which might be thus converted ; and from what we ob-
served at Chiswick on the 18th, where the leaves and flowers were
exhibited after being cut a considerable time, we are inclined to
believe that the Sunday's rest of the steam-engine would not prove
destructive to it.

At Syon, the tank will soon furnish a beautiful specimen of tro-
pical aquatic vegetation. In the centre is the Victoria, with its noble
foliage and flowers lying on the surface ; planted by it are the dif-
ferent species of Nelumbiums, which will no doubt soon be in flower;
at the several corners are Nymphseas rubra, ccerulea, dentata, and
odorata, blooming beautifully, and growing most vigorously ; and
here and there, floating on the surface, are a number of Pistes.

The Duke of Northumberland has liberally distributed tickets to
view the Victoria ; and in a short time, when the alterations of the
house are entirely finished, it will no doubt prove a highly attractive
object.

THE CHOICEST PANSIES

SHEWN IN THE SEVERAL COLLECTIONS AT HAMMERSMITH.*

White-ground varieties. — Queen of England (Fellowes), Almanzor
(Le Messurier), Helen (Hunt), Mrs. Beck (Turner), Miss Thomson
(Thomson), Duchess of Rutland (Thomson), Penelope (Thomson),
Caroline (Thomson), Sir R. Peel (Bragg), very fine ; Chmax (Bell),
Princess (Turner), Ariadne (Cook), Mrs. Hamilton (Nasmyth).

Yellow or Straw-ground varieties. — Constellation (Thomson),
Bellona (Hooper), a large variety ; Rubens (Turner), Miss Edwards
(Turner), an early flower; Duke of Norfolk (Bell), the boldest
flower in cultivation ; Supreme (Youell), Addison (Turner), Leader
(Hooper), Juventa (Hooper), a large variety; Lady Franklin (Thom-
son), Mrs. Bragg (Bragg), Viceroy (Turner), Example (Turner),
Mr. Beck (Turner).

White Selfs. — I can report nothing very excellent. Snow-flake
(Thomson) has shape, but requires smoother edges ; White Sergeant
(Cook) was more purple than white, being much mottled : even
moderate whites are in request.

* See report.

JUNE. 155

Yellow Selfs. — Ophir (Widnall) ; this flower is by far the best
early yellow ; as the season advances it sadly degenerates, and at the
present time its shape is very deficient. Emma (Lane), Malvern.

Dark Selfs. — Disraeli (Hunt), Rainbow (Hall), Lucy Neal
(Scotcher), Sambo.

In the above hst there is variety with quality in an eminent de-
gree; and I may safely assert that it would prove impossible to select
a number of varieties that in combination could surpass fair-grown
sjDecimens of the above. If any one incHnes to begin the enjoyable
pursuit and employment of Pansy-growing, he will require very few
beside the varieties here enumerated ; and further, a stand of
twenty-four selected from them would defy competition for quality
of flower. That grower who does not possess every variety above
mentioned should lose no time in procuring them, although perhaps
there may be some difficulty in obtaining all of them until the au-
tumn. If entire satisfaction at blooming- time does not follow, then
let the purchaser blame

Wace Cottage, Holloioay. John Edwards.

ON THE CULTURE OF GESNERA ZEBRINA.

The following is my mode of cultivating this plant for decorating
the conservatory late in summer, or for ornamenting the drawing-
room table.

As soon as it has done flowering, it is dried off^ gradually, cut
down, and stowed away in some dry place where the frost can be
kept from it. I start it again in February and April. The plants
first excited flower through September and October ; the latter make
a grand display in a warm conservatory or stove during the dull
months of the year. I shake the scaly tubers out of the pots in
which they flowered, place them in a shallow pan with a little fine
earth about them, and transfer them to a moist temperature of about
65*^. When the shoots have attained two inches in height, I pot
into 6-inch pots, placing five plants in a pot, and remove them into
heat again. A gentle bottom-heat also greatly assists them, and
they soon fill the pots with roots. When this is the case, I shift them
into their flowering- pots, which are 10-inch ones ; I then tie the
shoots neatly, but do not stop them. The plants are then removed
to a late vinery, where a gentle moist heat is maintained; and in this
situation they thrive uncommonly well.

The soil I use is a good fibry peat, one-third turfy loam, a little
well- decomposed cow-dung, and a good addition of silver-sand, all
well mixed together, and used in a rough state, with an inch and a
half of broken crocks over the bottoms of the pots. The latter secure
good drainage, which is of the greatest consequence to this plant.
By the above treatment, and a little syringing now and then, I get
beautiful plants, with rich large velvety leaves and fine masses of
bloom.

February 1th, T. R.

156 THE FLORIST.

THE LADIES' PAGE.

« The Earth, till then
Desert and bare, unsightly, unadorn'd,
Brought forth the tender plants, whose verdure clad
Her universal face with pleasant green."

Milton.

A SIMILAR transformation has lately taken place in the flower-gar-
den, if due diligence has been exercised in filling up all empty beds
■with their summer tenants ; but this done, our labours are only
lightened, not finished. If the weather is dry, occasional waterings
must be given to the newly-set plants, the balls of which often get
quite dry, while the surrounding soil is sufficiently moist, and from
this cause many deaths occur. Then, again, all plants with a habit
similar to the Verbena ought to have their shoots fastened to the
ground as they elongate, in such a manner as to cover equally the
whole surface of the beds ; for if this precaution is neglected, all
former efforts at regularity of arrangement will be futile, and we
shall have, here a bare patch of ground, and there a thick mass of
tangled shoots. Various methods have been recommended for ef-
fecting this object. Some prefer small hooked sticks, and others
say that short pieces of bast-matting placed across the shoots, and
thrust into the ground at both ends, is less troublesome ; but per-
haps the readiest way of securing truant branches of trailing plants
in their places, is to press a joint into the ground with the finger,
and then draw sufficient soil over it to keep it there.

The flower-stems of many herbaceous plants will now be tall
enough to need staking and tying. As the use of the stake is
merely to secure the stem or stems of the plant firmly in an upright
position, our aim in placing it should be to make it as inconspicuous
as is consistent with stabiHty. For this reason, stakes ought never
to be stronger than necessary, nor so high by several inches as the
top of the full-grown plant, the stems of which, when there are
several, should be distributed regularly round the support, and not
huddled clumsily together so as to resemble a faggot. Some plants,
as the tall Phloxes and Asters, throw up numerous shoots, the weak-
est of which had better be cut off before tying, leaving from three
to seven or nine, according to the strength of the plant.

Annuals, when growing in patches in the flower-borders, are
seldom seen in perfection, and the principal causes of their com-
parative failure are, thick sowing in the first instance, and afterwards
the want of timely thinning. When half a hundred plants are per-
mitted to grow on a space barely large enough for half-a-dozen, the
natural consequence is starvation of all, and their beauty being
thereby greatly lessened, if not absolutely destroyed, we unchari-
tably call them "weedy" and "worthless," when the blame ought,
in justice, to be ascribed to our own bad cultivation. Always, there-
fore thin seedlings before they have grown large enough to injure
each other; retaining few or many according to the habit of the

JUNE.

157

species, but generally speaking from five to nine plants will be quite
sufficient to form a cluster. China Asters, Ten-week Stocks, French
Marigolds, and other kinds, whose beauty is enhanced by their
flowers being double, might be left thicker than they are meant to
remain, until the opening of the first fiowers exhibits the character
of each plant, when the worst varieties can be pulled up. The same
rule applies to tender annuals, which may have been sown in pans,
for flowering under glass. These should always be pricked out
early into other pans, preparatory to being potted singly. When
large specimens are wanted of Balsams, and similar free-growing
things, liberal shifts and rich compost must be used. At present,
however, our business is more particularly with out-door plants ;
therefore we shall proceed to indicate some of the most desirable
species of the extensive genus Narcissus, most of which are exceed-
ingly pretty, and many delightfully fragrant. From the great diver-
sity in the form of the flower among Narcissi, some botanists have
subdivided them into many genera, under the names of Ajax, Cor-
bularia, Queltia, &c. ; but the majority of botanical authors agree in
retaining the old family name.

Among the most interesting are —

N. Sabini (Ajax), petals white, cup
yellow ; April,

Narcissus biflorus, petals pale straw-
colour, cup yellow; fragrant; season
April and May.

N. triflorus, white, cup yellow ; fra-
grant ; April and May.

N. spathulatus, white, cup yellow,
margined with red ; fragrant ; May.

N. majalis plenus, white ; fragrant ;
May : one of the best.

N. recur vus, like spathulatus, but
larger flowers ; fragrant; May.

N. Jonquilla (the Jonquil), yellow ;
very fragrant ; April and May : there
is also a double variety, which is rather
tender.

N. albicans (Ajax), sulphur ; April :
very pretty.

N. bicolor (Ajax), petals white, cup
yellow ; April.

N. pumilus (Ajax), yellow; dwarf
and pretty, and one of the earliest.

N. cernuus plenus (Ajax), sulphur;
April : one of the prettiest.

N, Telamonius plenus (Ajax), yel-
low ; April : very showy.

N. pulchellus (Ganymedes), petals
sulphur, reflexed, cup paler ; April
and May : very distinct and pretty.

N. conspicuus (Corbularia), petals
narrow and inconspicuous ; cup very
large ; deep yellow ; April : very dis-
tinct.

N. Campemelli (Philogyne), yel-
low ; April and May.

N. aurantius plenus (Queltia),
orange ; April : very showy.

N. concolor plenus (Queltia), sul-
phur ; April : very showy.

N. orientalis (Queltia), whitish pe-
tals, orange cup ; April.

The above sorts are selected partly from a collection of living
plants, and partly from drawings made under the inspection of a
person who cultivated all the so-called species which were procur-
able in this country, and thereby ascertained that many of the
names given in modern catalogues are mere synonyms of other species.
Any lady would be amply repaid for the trouble of collecting the
kinds we have enumerated ; all the culture they require being to take
up and divide the bulbs of the strongest growers every second or
third autumn after the leaves have died. Those marked " fragrant"
are deliciously sweet, and deserve notice on that account only, inde-
pendently of their great beauty.

J. B. Whiting.

158 THE FLORIST.

SEEDLING PELARGONIUM EXHIBITION.

I CONGRATULATE the cultivators of the Pelargonium on the prospect
of an annual seedling exhibition, which, under proper arrangements,
will be likely not only to improve but to extend the cultivation
of this beautiful tribe of flowers. Allow me, however, to call your
attention to the principles upon which a seedhng exhibition should
be conducted, if it is intended to be really useful : first, with refer-
ence to the prizes ; secondly, to the mode of awarding them.

First, as to the prizes. I see, on reference to the Florist, vol. ii.
p. 194, that at the first exhibition at Upton Park there were nine
competitors only. I think, considering the popularity of the flower,
that, under more judicious arrangements, a much larger number might
have been expected, even at the first show. But when I recollect that
only four prizes were off'ered, I confess I see no ground for surprise at
the small number of exhibitors. An amateur, who raises perhaps
fifty or a hundred seedhngs, begins to consider before he packs up
his pet for a distant exhibition, whether he is likely to get any thing
beyond his labour for his pains ; he reckons up the principal seedling-
growers who may probably assail the prize-list, and obtains an indis-
tinct but very discouraging vision of Messrs. Beck, Gaines, Forster,
Hoyle, and perhaps one or two more floricultural Titans, competing
against him for four prizes only ! As long as he can have a chance —
though it amount to no more than a bare possibility of success — he
is content; he is indifl'erent, in that case, whether his prize is \0s.
or 10/. ; but with four prizes only, what conceivable chance can he
have against these gentlemen, with their 1500 or 2000 seedlings
each ? So, a very little reflection determines his course ; he replaces
his seedling on its shelf, and abandons the idea of competing in
despair. Now the four prizes awarded at Upton Park amounted in
value to 12Z. \0s. The same amount might have been divided into
seven prizes — the highest 2/. 10s. ; the lowest \l. — and the result
would have been, that the number of competitors would have been
doubled. If it be said, that it is not w^orth the while of the large
growers to compete for small prizes ; my answer is, first, that I hope
and believe that no large grower exhibits seedlings wholly or princi-
pally for the sake of the immediate prize-money — he will not avow
it, at all events ; and secondly, that even in that case more advantage
will result, both to the trade and the public, from a large exhibition
open to a large class of small growers, than from a small one mono-
polised by a few large growers. There is another view of the case,
as regards a class of persons usually supposed to be worth conciliating
— viz. the subscribers. I think it will be found that their object is,
less to give handsome prizes to those who already grow extensively,
and therefore need no encouragement, than to encourage the cultiva-
tion of the flowers in the hands of the public.

Have, then, a sufficient number of prizes to induce the small
growers to exhibit, and you obtain not only a greater number of ex-
hibitors, but a better list of subscribers.

JUNE. 159

The second principle (which, by the way, is applicable to more
important concerns) is this. To ensure confidence in your awards,
take care to fix your judges with the full responsibility of their deci-
sions. And for this purpose, first, let them be few in number, so that
the responsibility shall not be divided ; and secondly, let their names
be published.

Now, without in the least degree impugning the decisions at the
Upton Park show, the method of awarding the prizes there adopted
was about the most objectionable in point of principle that can
be imagined : the competitors themselves being the judges ! And,
passhig by the absurdity of a man's being both exhibitor and judge,
observe how capable of abuse the system is. Suppose an exhibitor
to induce his friends to exhibit under a pre-arrangement to vote for
his seedling, what could prevent his obtaining a prize for the worst
weed ever raised } This is an extreme case ; but it suggests a minor
degree of the same kind of abuse, more easily practised, and more
mischievous, because more difficult of detection. Will it not be
better to avoid suspicions of this kind } Let one judge, or at most
three judges, be appointed, whose names shall be known and pub-
lished beforehand : one judge must act impartially at all events if he
has a grain of reputation to lose. Three judges are likely to act
impartially, if they are previously advertised as judges, because the
public and the periodicals are on the watch, and their own reputation
for honesty and sound judgment is at stake. As long as the judges
are known, and are few in number, they are virtually responsible for
their decisions ; that responsibility not only prevents them from play-
ing false, but does more, it prevents them from being suspected :
a beaten exhibitor consoles himself under defeat as long as he can
bring himself to believe that he has been fairly beaten ; but if any
doubt exists on this head, there is an end at once to all right feeling
and all legitimate and honourable competition.

With a very sincere wish for the permanent prosperity of this ex-
hibition, I invite attention to this subject, because I feel convinced,
that to be useful, it is necessary, first, that the prizes should be
thrown open to a more extended competition ; and secondly, that
they should be awarded by known and responsible judges.

Amateur.
Cornwall, March 11 th, 1850.

[All the points in the letter of our esteemed correspondent have
had the careful attention of the subscribers to the fund. The best
answer to all the objections raised is this — the plan is pursued, and
found to answer, in societies for promoting the excellence of other
objects than flowers. Personally, we should prefer appointed judges;
but where are we to obtain them } However, the whole subject is
now under consideration ; and we invite communications and sub-
scriptions immediately, as the day and place of exhibition must soon
be fixed and advertised. — Editor.]

150 THE FLOKIST.

REVIEW.

Taylor's Bee-keeper's Manual, Groombridge and Sons, London.

This is the fourth edition, " revised, enlarged, and additionally il-
lustrated." Need we say more to recommend it to the favourable
notice of our readers ? We think not. Such of them as are apia-
rians will find much to interest them in its pages ; whilst those who
are thinking of commencing as bee-keepers will derive both profit
and instruction from its attentive perusal.

Several pamphlets have reached us, descriptive of newly invented
pots, tiles, &c. ; but as we have received none of the articles them-
selvesj we cannot notice them, having no experience of their merits.

THE AMATEUR TULIP SOCIETY'S ANNUAL MEETING.

This was held at the Horns Tavern, Kennington Common, on the
20th May. The flowers were neither so fine nor so numerous as
we have often seen ; the general complaint of uncongenial weather
prevailed ; and certainly, with but few exceptions, there was scarcely
a fair specimen shewn.

Best collection of nine blooms : The Rev. Thomas Jephson. —
Rosa blanca, Polydorus (a superb specimen, and by far the best
bloom we have seen this season) ; Madame Vestris, Gloria Mundi
(yellow), Violet Alexander, Polyphemus, David, Lalla Rookh, Pon-
ceau tres blanc.

2d: Mr. P. Wallace, jun. — Fabius, Prince William IV., Violet
Alexander, Friend, Duke of Devonshire, Triomphe Royale, Lavinia,
Bijou des Amateurs, Like Crcesus.

3d: Charles Crook, Esq., Hon. Sec. — Royal George, Duke of
Devonshire, Fleur des Dames, Fanny, Brutus, Violet Alexander,
Mantua Ducal, Duke of Sussex, Roscius.

4th: A. Lane, Esq., Wycombe. — Prince Albert, Rosa blanca,
Fabius, King, Shakspeare, Violet Quorto, Cerise belle forme, David,
Matilda.

There were in all nine collections for competition, and about the
same number not for competition ; and being all arranged in uniform
stands, they produced a striking display.

MR. GROOM'S TULIPS.

We must defer reporting on these, as on the private exhibition day
they were not sufficiently in bloom. The lateness of the season also
has prevented a report on Haward's Magnificent. It is promised us
for our next Number.

JcL'^Andrtits, deiLi. .

LANCASHIRE HERO

TnMtoL fy C. Oudc

JULY. 161

OUR ILLUSTRATIONS.

If there is one point we have given more attention to than
another in conducting the Florist and Garden Miscellany ^ it
has been the attempting to ensure fidelity in our illustrations ;
and we thought we had been very successful in steering clear
of exaggerated figures of any flowers selected for representa-
tion. In many cases we have felt that justice has not been
done them, either in the drawings or colouring, arising more
from the difficulties attendant on this department than from
any other cause. It was, therefore, with regret we learnt that
the Tulip, Haward's Magnificent, figured in our volume for
1848, was a gross misrepresentation; and we stated as much
in our April Number, p. 110. Mr. Macefield immediately
wrote, assuring us that the flower instead of being flattered
was not done justice to; and this was followed by the accom-
panying letter, which we acknowledged by requesting the
writer as a disinterested party to wait until the Tulip was in
bloom, and then to compare the drawing and flower, and report.
He not only kindly acceded to our wish, but forwarded us
two blooms ; and we have great pleasure in stating that the
drawing in our work is very inferior indeed to the flower itself.
Mr. Macefield must see that this testimony to the beauty and
value of the Tulip in question will be more satisfactory to our
readers than any assertions unaccompanied by evidence such
as we now aflford.

TULIP, ROSE MAGNIFICENT.

In these remarks it is not the intention of the writer to question
the wisdom of seeing all flowers intended for figuring in your Journal,
in preference to depending upon drawings. Indeed, with such fa-
cilities as you now offer in the Florist, there is little need of them.
But the question at issue is, — Is the drawing of Magnificent by
Wakelin a truthful one ? does it fairly represent the original ? If
it does not, then have both the artist and the grower practised a
fraud upon the fancy : this is the point I wish to come at.

It happened to be show-day in this locality, and a goodly muster
of amateurs were assembled (among whom was the writer), feasting
their eyes on " Flora's favourites," when Mr. Wakelin brought home
the drawing of Magnificent ; and Mr. Macefield solicited the opinion
of all present as to the correctness of the likeness. Not less than
twenty persons, all fanciers, and two of them artists by profession,
bore testimony to the correctness of the drawing, one only diflTering,
not that it was flattered, but, on the contrary, that the drawing
did not bring out the beauty of the original, — there was a square-
ness about the copy which did not exist in the flower : this was the

VOL. HI. NO. XXXI. o

162 THE FLORIST.

only difference of opinion among all present. Another point I would
allude to is, — Did those gentlemen who complain of the quality of
their flowers purchase the roots of Mr. Macefield ? If they did, and
they bear no comparison with the drawing, then have they just cause
to complain ; but if not, wherefore put the blame upon his, Mr.
M.'s shoulders ? An almost parallel case occurs in the very Number
of the Midland Florist that contains the notice of Magnificent, re-
specting Barr's Violet Alexander. It there appears that Amyntus has
been extensively grown as Alexander; now, might not these parties
with equal grace blame Mr. Barr for their having the wrong thing ?

The editor of the Midland Florist does not hint one word doubt-
ing the correctness of the likeness, but takes the plain, common-
sense view of supposing that he has got an inferior break. Your
correspondent S. S., in No. XVII. of the Florist, plainly states that
he saw several different breaks, and among them one tinged yellow.
To this I would add my testimony, having broke it in three different
characters, two of which are excellent, but the third is worthless.
In conclusion, I fearlessly assert that Wakelin's drawing of Magni-
ficent, as grown by Mr. Macefield in 1848, is as correct a likeness
as ever I saw of any flower in my life.*

57 Elizabeth Street, Hackney Road, London. H. Wolfe.

AURICULA.

This ancient favourite of the Florist,

" enriclied
With shining meal o'er all their velvet leaves,"

seems to have been so well understood by our forefathers, and the
points of perfection so well established, that additions were rarely
made to the varieties in general cultivation. A theory which holds
good in the present day ; for it may be observed that many, if not
most, of the varieties now exhibited, and also returned in Mr. Ed-
wards's late lists, are from twenty to fifty years old. The most
successful modern raiser is Mr, James Dickson, who certainly (in
the south at least) stands pre-eminent in this respect. We some-
times fear this flower is not so generally grown as it used to be,
unless in Lancashire, where, from time immemorial, amongst the
operatives, it has been an established favourite and subject of exhibi-
tion. The variety forming your illustration, as may be inferred from
its name, was sent out from that neighbourhood, and is one of the
last, and perhaps the best, raised in those parts.
" Honour to whom honour is due."

It was raised, we learn, by Robert Lancashire, a hand-loom silk-
weaver of Middleton near Manchester, and w^as first exhibited by
him four years ago at Lower Place near Rochdale, and was placed
second in class shewing. Privateer (Grimes) being the first. It was,

* We can confirm this.— Editor.

JULY. 163

however, thought, not only by the raiser, but by most of the exhibi-
tors present, to possess claims of a much higher order. The disap-
pointment caused Mr. Lancashire to sell the stock (8 to 10 plants)
somewhat hastily to Mr. Brierly, who in turn resold it at a trifling
profit to Mr. Cheetham, by whom it was eventually sent out. Hence
the origin of its name, Cheetham's Lancashire's Hero, otherwise Lan-
cashire Hero. I have before me some interesting information shewing
how well the points of a first-rate Auricula were understood long
before the present race of Florists were in existence, which shall serve
for a future paper. J. E.

Note. — The Auricula in question avrs exhibited at Worton Cottage by Mr.
Edwards, and was handed to Mr. Andrews to prepare for our illustration, the
fidelity of which may be relied upon.

REMINISCENCES.

BY DR. HORNER.

ON INDUCING THE AMARYLLIS TO FLOWER.

Few plants equal the Amaryllis in the size, diversity, and splendour
of its flowers, as well as in its elegant habit. All admire it when
they do see it in bloom ; but, as usually managed, it is unfortunately
so uncertain of flowering, that few, very few, care to cultivate it.

I believe that out of a collection of a hundred plants I lately saw
in a first-rate establishment near London, there were not twenty that
shewed for flowering. I recollect once having received a dozen bulbs
that were purposely selected for me as likely to bloom, but all failed.
The next year I adopted the following expedient, by which I caused
no less than ten out of the dozen to shew their beautiful flowers
(they were hybrid varieties from Ghent).

When the foliage had withered in autumn, the bulbs, in their
pots, were placed in a dry situation, in which they remained even
till the 30th of April, a period some weeks later than that at which
they are usually started into growth. Part of the soil was now
carefully crumbled away from their roots, without breaking their
strong fibres ; and the bulbs being repotted in a dark peaty loam,
were plunged in a hot-bed in a common frame ; — their growth was
as rapid as its eff'ects were gratifying ; for in a very few days they
shot up their foliage with an accompanying flower-stem, ten out of
the twelve. I attributed this happy result to their unusually long
period of rest, it having been protracted much beyond their stated
time of growth, — to their roots not having received any injury from
being tumbled out of the pots and stored away, — and further, to their
being rapidly started into growth by bottom-heat.

Let others follow these instructions, and I doubt not of their
success ; nor let this " reminiscence" be thought the less of, because
it is simple, and devoid of mysterious recommendations.

Hull, 8th June.

164

THE FLORIST.

CARNATIONS AND PICOTEES.

Best twelve Carnations and best twelve Picotees, compiled by Mr. Edwards from
returns obtained from the following gentlemen, viz. Messrs. Bragg and Tur-
ner, Slough ; Barringer, Bedford; Creed, London ; Ellis, Newhall, Norman,
and Ward, Woolwich ; Dodwell, Derby ; Hallam and Pope, Birmingham ;
Holliday, Northampton ; Hollyoake and Marris, Leicester ; Hudson, King-
ston, Notts ; Keynes, Salisbury ; May, Sonning Hill ; Pemble, Chatham ;
Sealey, Bristol ; Slater, Manchester ; Terry, Rochester ; Wood, Notting-
ham and Matthews, Weston-on-the-Green.

The varieties returned by the respective growers are indicated by ,
N. indicates Northern-raised; S. Southern raised.

under their names.

CARNATIONS.
Scarlet Bizarres.

Admiral Curzon . .

Brutus

Duke of Sutherland .
Lord Rancliffe . . .
Prince Albert , . .
Splendid

Crimson Bizarres.

Caliban

C'unt Pauline . . .

Edgar

Georgiana . . . .
Hu^o Meynell . . .
Lord Milton . . .

Mercutio

Rainbow

Rainbow

Robert Burns . . .
Thomas Hewlett . .

Pink Bizarres.

Prince Albert . . .

Princess Royal . . .

Princess V^ictoria . .

Sarah Payne . . .

PcRPiE Flakes.

Beauty of Woodhouse
Dr. Solander
Earl Spencer
Lord Byron .
Mango . .
Premier . .
President
Queen of Purples
Rev. J. Bramhall
Squire Meynel .
Squire Trow .

Easom

Colcutt

Elliott.

Holliday

Hale .

INIartin

May .
Holmes
May .
Jacques
Ely . .
Ditto .
May .
Cartwright
Elliott .
Mansley
Holliday

Puxley
Sealey .
Smith .
Ward .

Mansley

Willmer

Barringer

Taylor

Ely . .

Millwood

Martin .

Holliday

Clarke

Brabbin

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ScARLKT Flakes.
Bishop of Gloucester.
Bright Phoebus . .

Brilliant

Defiance

Dr. Pattison . . .
Firebrand . . . .
Hero of Middlesex .
Jenny Lind ....
King of Scarlets , .

Lydia

Nonh Midland . . .
Queen Victoria . .

Uly>ses

William the Fourth .

Rose Flakes.

Ariel

Flora's Gariand . .

Harriet

Lady Ely

Lorenzo

Blown . . ,,

H.dges . .

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Wilson . .

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Lovely Ann ....
Mrs. Pickering . . .
Princess Royal . . .

PICOTEES.

Heavy Red.

Antagonist ....
Duchess of Cambridge
Duke of Wellington .

Goliath

Isabella

King James ....
Mr. Trahar ....
Mrs. Bevan ....
Prince of Wales . .

Sthamel

Sebastian ....

Light Red.
Duchess of Bedford .
Duchess of Sutherland

Emma

Ernest

Gem

Jenny Lind ....
Lady Flora ....

Miranda

Prince of Wales . .

Heavy Rose.

Miss Ro.se ....
Princess Royal . . .
Princess Royal . . .
Queen Victoria. . .
Venus

Light Rose.

Bride

Ivanhoe

Lady Alice Peel . .
Lady Dacre ....
Mrs. Barnard . . .
Mrs. Trahar . . .
Sophia

Ely. . . . .. •••••■ „ „

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Puxley . . „

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Ditto 1

166

THE FLORIST.

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Constance ..."
Dflioata . . . . '
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Joniiy 1/mcl ..."
Jessica .... *
Lady Clu'stcvliclil . *
ISLiniuis (if KxcUT •
Niilli Secimdiis . •

Olivia •

I'lTsiilenl ....
I'lituo All)eit . . .
Princess Alice . . .

Portia

(iueen Victoria. . .

Retina

Rising Sun ....

l,i(!iiT I'ljuri.i;.

Amy

Ann I'aK'c ....

Dtlicata

Duke of Newcastle .
Kx(|iii.'-ito ....
I'airv (iuccn . . .

Juliet

I,a(ly Harriet Moore .

Leader

I/l',ie;{ant ....

Loriiia

Mrs. Favell ....
rriiice Albi'rt . . .
Piiri)le Perfection . .
ilej^iua

I\ray . . .
lloiliday . .
Ihuroiif^hs .
Kly. . . .
May . . .
liniiklow. .
Ilollidav . .
Milcliell . .
May . . .
Itiirroughs .
^Llrris. . .
Wood . . .
nLiy . . .
Ci.isk . . .
CallilV. . .
llniiUlow

Itiirrouj^liH .
May . . .
lloiliday . .
Uui roughs .

lllldsOM . .

HarrinKcr
May . . .
'I'lnner . .
Mriiiklow . .
Sliaip . . .
I(ui'r()ii|i;lis .
VAy ....
Crask . . .
Urinklow. .
Cox. . . .

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CIIISWICK AND RlilGI^^NT'S PAUK EXHIBITIONS.

Thk fonncr was licld on the Sth iilt, and the latter on the TJth ; nnd
as most of tlie exhibitions at the one j)hice were ])re.«cnt at tlie otiier,
■we will, as before, ^ive our readers a general rather than a detailed
account of both, noticing en passant the objects whicii struck us a3
most remarkable.

The morning of the Chiswick fete was somewhat inausijieious,
heavy rain falling between ten and eleven o'clock ; but towards noon
the day began to clear, and the afternoon was all that could be de-
sired. Kntering the garden by the gate near the Council-room, and
l)assing down a narrow walk lined on either side with Rhododendrons
l)eautifully in blossom, wc reached the Pelargonium tent, which was
filled with jjroductions charmingly bloomed and excellently cultivated.
But our impatience would not allow us to linger ; we crossed to the
next tent, viewed the long banks of Roses, both cut and in pots,
which here jjresentcsd themselves ; Mr. Cogan's glass Fern tem])le,
tile diHerent collections of stove and greenhouse j)lants, Azaleas and
tall Cacti, which made an admirable display; and now, almost belore
wc are aware of it, we are in the centre of anotlier tent, the eye

Jur,Y. 1G7

ranging, first to the right and then to tlie left, over one of the largest
and finest displays of Orchids that ever graced an exhibition. Here
were .Saccolabes, and such plants and racemes of flowers ; tliere
Dendrobes in all their beauty and variety of colour ; and yonder,
strikingly consj)icuous above all the rest, Camarotis purpurea, — a
j)yraniid five feet high of purple and green most beautifully i)lended.
But we could point to many things little inferior to this fine Cama-
rote, and some other day may produce an account of some of them ;
at present, however, we must see the large collections in the iron
tent. Tiiese were produced in their usual excellence by Mrs. Law-
rence and Mr. Collyer, and their respective merits formed the subject
of discussion during the day to many a gardener. Leaves and a
flower of Victoria Kegia were again produced from Syon, the blos-
som oj)cning beautifully, and " throwing oif volumes of fragrance
every time the large bell glass with which it was covered was re-
moved." We are now near the exhil)itions of Cape Heaths, which
were finely flowered, though not very rich in novelty ; and in the
same tent, a little nearer the large conservatory, were some good
Calceolarias, especially from Mrs. Lawrence, but, unfortunately, the
latter were disqualified through being in pots larger than the regula-
tions allowed.

Among rarities, we remarked a Bejaria which we must see
again, for its flowers were not open ; Uoupellia grata, a half-climbing
white-flowered plant of little beauty ; Dipladenia nobilis, a very fine
thing, with rosy flowers ; the white variety of Camj)anula nobilis, by
no means pretty ; and last, l)ut not least, a glorious warm brown-
coloured Pitcher-plant from Messrs. Veitch, called Nepenthes san-
g\iinea. 1'he j)itchers of this fine species would hold quite a pint,
and we should say even more. We had almost forgotten to mention
a j)rofuscly blossomed plant of the curious Gloxinia Fyfiana, which
was sent from Worton Cottage by Mr. Dobson.

Seedling Florist Flowers. AtChiswick a tent was this time de-
voted exclusively to the exhibition of these, and appeared to give
general satisfaction. As usual, the principal occupants were seed-
ling Pelargoniums. Mr. Beck had Incomparable, a flower of re-
markable colour; also Tyrian Queen, a fine purple; Major Domo,
rose, very large and a free flowerer. Mr. Hoyle exhibited Ajax, a
purple flower and a free bloomer; Nectar-Cup, Ocellatum, and May
Queen. Mr. Pontey sent Prince Arthur, rose with a clear white
throat. Several fancy varieties were staged, but there appeared
but little improvement on those already in cultivation. Messrs.
Lee had a beautiful Azalea, in the way of Azalea lateritia. Mr.
Mayle's Fuchsias were shewn, but we were much disappointed in
tiiem ; they were not at all what we had been led to ex])ect of them.

On the morning of *' the Park" Exhibition all was fair and pro-
mising, but the afternoon was overcast and threatening; no rain,
however, fell. If we except a small tent which was set apart for the
exhibition of the Victoria Kegia, a closed bud and two leaves of
which were shewn, perhaps the greatest treat here was the Rhodo-
dendron exhibition, to which we have alluded elsewhere. This was

168 THE FLORIST.

certainly grand in the extreme. Gently undulating walks wind
amongst enormous masses of bloom, varying from purple to white in
the most charming manner imaginable, and so as to throw them into
groups ; and then at every turn one comes on an isolated specimen
of broad-leaved Kalmia, or standard Rhododendron, which for size
or beauty could only be equalled in the large peat nurseries of
Bagshot. This was indeed a "garden of flowers," whose equal we
had never seen before, and which we shall rejoice to see again.

The usual exhibition was a capital one. The long bank of fancy
and other Pelargoniums was effective and striking, and immediately
behind it was the Orchids. Stove and greenhouse plants were
tastefully arranged, as before, on turf- faced terraces in a tent by
themselves, and Roses, Heaths, and Calceolarias occupied another.
We should state that the pot Roses of Messrs. Lane and others were
uncommonly line. Messrs. Lane had a most beautiful specimen of
the comparatively new Rose, Souvenir d'un Ami, white, tinged in
the centre with salmon; large and handsome. Their Queen, too,
was admirable. The other kinds were Chenedole, Comtesse Mole,
Great Western, Madame Plantier, Paul Perras, Souvenir de la Mal-
maison, Fabvier, Meillez, Miss Glegg, and Devoniensis. Mr. Francis
had Las Cases, Belle de St. Cyr, Pauline Plantier, Fulgens, Due de
Cazes, Mrs. Elliott, Madame Laffay, William Jesse, Chenedole, and
Coupe d'Hebe. Among Messrs. Paul's w^re Baronne Prevost,
Charles Duval, Mrs. Bosanquet (finely bloomed), Nephetos, Augus-
tine Mouchelet, and others. In Air. Terry's group was a line ex-
ample of La Dauphine. Yellows consisted of Harrisonii, Persian,
Queen Victoria, Smith's Vicomtesse de Cazes, Flavescens, LaPactole,
and Pauline Plantier. Mr. Standish had a new Rose in the way of
Safranot.

Some Fuchsias were shewn ; and we remarked an interesting
collection of Ranunculuses from Mr. C. Tyso of Wallingford. The
following are a few of the leading sorts which the collection con-
tained : Berinus, Dr. Channing, Kilgour's Queen, Apollo (dark),
Niobe, Robert Burns, LamJoton, Gomer, Amasis, Enchanter, and
Tyso's new seedlings — Exhibitor, Elegance, Captivator, Festus, and
Tysonius.

Among Cacti was Cereus Leeanus, a beautiful kind from Messrs.
Lee of Hammersmith. It was about a foot high, and had four
somewhat flat circular semi-double orange-scarlet flowers placed
on its summit. Another kind worth particular notice was C. Eger-
tonii, an improvement in colour on C. Mallesonii, or its rose variety.

Some seedlings were shewn ; but we deem it safer to defer our
observations on them till we shall have an opportunity of examining
them under more advantageous circumstances.

JULY. 169

THE CALCEOLARIA.

What vast numbers of very beautiful flowers of this interesting tribe;
of plants are raised from seeds annually ! But what becomes of them
afterwards ? There is not one in twenty we either see or hear of the
succeeding season ! Before I attempt to supply an answer to this
question, let me put another which is closely connected therewith :
Why is it that seedhngs are so much more easy of culture thaa
plants propagated by cuttings ? Almost any person can grow a crop
of seedlings ; but few are successful in the cultivation of propagated
plants. I am of opinion that the species of Calceohiria now in
general cultivation as a greenhouse plant is more alHed to an annual
than a perennial ; for after the seedling plant has done blooming —
if it has bloomed freely, which it generally does, it becomes nearly
exhausted and difficult to propagate, and the bloom the ensuing
season invariably degenerates. These observations I submit as an
answer to the above questions.

In selecting seedlings for future propagation, I do not think suf-
ficient attention is paid to the habit of the plant ; for no matter
how perfect the flower may be in shape, or how beautiful in colour
and markings, if the plant is not of strong habit, and the flower of
good substance, it ought to be thrown out immediately, or it will
be sure to yield you disappointment the ensuing season ; for what
would it profit you, provided the flower did retain its character, if
the habit of the plant was weak and bad, as you could not get a
specimen worth looking at ? I would not even retain such a plant
for the purpose of impregnating other flowers with for the sake of
its striking colours ; for this season I have noticed among my seed-
lings, that a great majority of them possess eminently more of the
habit and properties of the plant with which the parent was im-
pregnated, than they do of the plant from which the seed was
gathered. This, therefore, I think, shews the necessity of selecting
and procuring for the purpose of impregnating and saving seed from,
such plants only as possess free habit and the best properties to which
we have attained ; and retaining no seedlings but those of like merit.
Whether the Calceolaria should be shrubby, half-shrubby, or herba-
ceous, is a point on which " doctors differ;" but we are, I doubt not,
all agreed that the plant should be of free and robust growth, the
foliage green and luxuriant, and the stem strong, branching, and
graceful.

In some future Number, I propose, with your permission, giving
a list of a few good Calceolarias, with remarks on the habit and cha-
racters of the respective varieties enumerated.

Whitby, lOth June, 1850. M. Woodhouse.

170 THE FLORIST.

A FEW WORDS TO BEGINNERS.

[The following article, abridged from an American paper, so well illustrates the
evil results of neglecting to follow our oft-repeated advice, " Whatever you
cultivate, let it be the best of its kind," that we gladly republish it for the
benefit of our young readers — Ed.J

Nothing more surely defeats an incipient taste for flower-culture
than a rash beginning. If one is pinched for room or for money,
they are in a very good way ; they will have to begin moderately.
A few flowers finely grown for a single season will generally fix a
person irrecoverably. But, however fine the taste and sincere the
relish, if one begins their practical cultivation by crowding their
garden with a multitude of ditferent plants requiring very diverse
treatment, the result will be great expense, much labour and con-
fusion ; and after all the industry, it will be so divided as to avail but
little for any thing. When the season closes, the remembrance of
the flower-campaign will be a reminiscence of confusion, of starveling
plants choked with weeds, pitiable blossoms, seed lost, and roots
not secured. And what between neglect, weeds, insects, drouth, or
floods of rain, and murderous frosts, the winter will find you be-
reaved of one half of your dearly bought favourites.

The consequence will be, that disgust will follow injudicious
enthusiasm. Wise people, who always despised such trifles, and
wondered that people would waste time in a garden, will shake their
heads, pat your cheeks, and say, " You see what comes of such non-
sense." Wherefore we beseech all beginners to take heed how they
begin.

We repeat, and with emphasis, do not be tempted, by the beauty
and variety of flowers, to cultivate too many. Make it a duty to
cultivate whatever you take in hand perfectly ; and add nothing until
you perceive that you can do it justice. We protest against floral
spendthrifts, floral dissipation, and all flov/er-mongers. Let any one
look about him, and he shall see such persons as these :

1. Ignorant buyers. They will bid-off bushels of trash at flower-
auctions ; they will be entrapped by sounding names in seed-stores,
and made wild by pompous catalogues from florists and seedsmen.
Nobody is so likely to be imposed upon as persons who affect to
despise flowers. We have known a man who, laughing at wife
and daughter, wiped his mouth of all love of flowers, who never-
theless, at gome unwatchful moment, comes into temptation in
some spring sale. Now, says he, I will surprise my wife with a
present worth having ! And perhaps he secretly whispers to himself,
I'll shew them that I know something about buying flowers, if I
do not about raising them. Once a going, he does buy ; buys every
thing; buys worn-out roots, cast-away rose-bushes, effete bulbs,
four-year old and three-year dead seeds of splendid names. Quite
aroused by his luck, he sends for cart and barrow, and to his wife's
consternation, begins to heap his trash into the yard and garden.

JULY. 171

Now for the sweet surprise. " Why, w'hat is this ? " " This ? let me
look at my memorandum ; these are assorted Tulips ; and these are
Hyacinths, — A No. 1, ma'am." " What on earth do you expect to do
with these bulbs at this time of the year ? why, they ought to have
been in the ground last October — they ought to be nearly done blos-
soming by this time of year ; and besides, see the musty bottoms —
the things are dead and gone long ago ! What did you get them
for? how much did you give for them }" "Never mind, they cost
but little — no great affair — I knew they were not much, but I thought
somsthing might come of them." " Well, now, as sure as I am
alive, here you've brought a pack of Cinnamon Roses home, and I
have had a man digging half a day to get the pests out of my garden !
Do throw them right into the street. Look here, husband, here's
snowballs, and waxberries, and mock-orange flowers, and lilacs ; you
didn't buy this stuff, did you, husband .'' Our garden is full of them,
and has been this ten years." " Stuff! I tell you it's no such thing.
Why, here's what they are (reading from his memorandum), they
are the Viburnum Opulus, and the Symphoria racemosa, and the
Philadelphus coronarius, and Syringa vulgaris!" "Pshaw! you've
paid away your money for a pretty parcel of Latin names ! I don't
care what you call them, they are nothing but our old-fashioned
syringas, and lilacs, and snowballs, and waxberries ! " Alas, out of
some thirty dollars' worth of plants, roots and bulbs, the poor wife
got half a dozen new plants, that she might have purchased of an
honest florist for two dollars !

2. Who does not know garden beggars ? Every spring they
begin to feel the garden impulse. Out they run to see what they
have left in their beds. A pitiable account their garden gives of
their last season's care. Weeds choked out these; the drouth de-
stroyed that ; worms and bugs eat up one thing ; dogs and pigs
scratched or rooted out another thing ; and the winter did the busi-
ness for pretty much every thing else. " Never mind ; I know who's

got more of them. Mrs. , good soul ! she's given me plants

every spring these five years ! " So away she goes, begging roots
here, bulbs there, a few seeds, a slip of this plant, a cutting of that,
a root of another; and by night she has got a heterogeneous heap of
thirty or forty kinds. They all go through the violence of being
punched into the earth; take a gallon of water for their first drink;
the one half die in the act of transplanting, the other half linger un-
thought of, and die at their leisure along the season ; for the flower-
monger, good soul, got over her paroxysm the first hot day that came,
sweating in the garden, and will trouble herself no more till the
next vernal begging season returns.

We say, once more, in closing, do nothing that you do not do
well. One good plant is worth a prairie full of starved and stinted
things !

172 THE FLORIST.

'■ THE GREAT NORTHERN TULIP-EXHIBITIONS.

Owing to the extremely unpropitious weather, there were not so
many flowers brought into competition as was expected. The first
show took ph\ce at the Corn Exchange, Manchester. The flowers,
with some few exceptions, were of medium character, and the day
being showery, we fear that the speculation will prove a losing
one, and instead of the funds being able to assist the charities as
contemplated, the Committee will be out of pocket.

The flowers that call for especial notice were good : Charles X.,
Polyphemus, and San Joe, in bizarres ; in roses. Heroines and
Triomphe royals (flamed), — these were in great profusion. The
two best feathered bybloemens in the room were Lancashire Hero
and Sable Monarch, — the former, however, rather stained ; in flamed
bybloemens, Queen Charlotte, Violet Alexander, Princess Royal, and
Violet Wallors were good. In breeders there was considerable ad-
vance on those shewn at York last year, the stained cups staged
being very few indeed.

The plants were not numerous, but good ; and the baskets of
flowers displayed much taste.

THE GREAT NORTHERN SHOW,

HELD AT THE BELLE VUE GARDENS, NEAR MANCHESTER.

On the 29th the original show was held here by adjournment from
York. The weather was beautiful, and the flowers in better con-
dition than on the previous day.

The first cup was gained by Mr. Houghton of Nottingham, with
old standard varieties, the only novelty being Britannia, a feathered
bybloemen, which was certainly the worst flower in his pan. The
second pan contained Maid of Orleans, feathered bybloemen, and
Princess Royal, flamed in good style ; whilst the Triomphe Royals
in each were very good.

A few Scotch flowers were exhibited: amongst them Reid's Prince
Albert and Mary Lamb ; the former a neat feathered bybloemen of
great purity ; the latter a feathered rose, extremely attractive from
its brilliancy ; Mary Lamb is hardly perfection, however, wanting a
little more embonpoint. There were a greater variety shewn than
on the preceding day ; and amongst novelties we may mention the
seedling feathered bizarre which took the prize, as the best rectified
flower of 1850, — it was the Mayor of Warrington, raised by G. W.
Hardy, Esq., and is certainly a flower of great promise, combining
form, purity, and brilliancy of colour in a great degree. The mark-
ing is a black feather on a yellow ground. The prize stage combined
the best of the crack northern sorts, with some few southern ones.

JULY. 173

In bizarres, Charles X., Polyphemus, Lord Milton, Magnum Bonura,
Emperor Charles, Catafalque, were amongst the winning flowers.

In bybloemens, Bienfait, Queen Charlotte, Louis XVI., Salvator
Rosa, &c. &c. were good ; whilst Heroine, Emily, Camillus, Vesta,
&c. were conspicuous amongst the roses.

The breeders were shewn in great force ; amongst the best were
Ada, John of Gaunt, Sir Thomas Picton, Lord Derby, Pilot, &c. &c.

Altogether the exhibition passed off most satisfactorily ; and pre-
vious to the separation of the florists, it was agreed that the next
year's exhibition should be held at Derby.

FRAGMENTS FOR THE FLORIST.

What a beautiful tufted mass of bright yellow is formed by that
very old plant Alyssum saxatile ! From the middle of April to the
same period in May does this and its congener, Alyssum gemonense,
with a more compact habit and flowers of a more golden hue, en-
liven our flower-borders. Aubrietia purpurea, of the same dwarf tufted
habit, with light purple flowers, blooms at the same season ; as
does Arabis albida : thus we may form pretty masses of pale yellow,
deep yellow, purple, and white, in April and May, when flowers are
so fresh and gay and acceptable.

Another old favourite, Polemonium reptans, deserves a passing
word. This, like many other old herbaceous plants, is not suffi-
ciently known ; it is very hardy, will grow in any soil, is dwarf and
neat in its habit, and gives flowers of a most lovely blue, or perhaps
purple, in April. Pulmonaria virginica, with its soft silky foliage
and beautiful blue flowers, is another April friend, which every lover
of spring flowers should plant. Now these are all cheap, and cul-
tivated by almost every nurseryman ; and yet how rarely they are
seen!

There are perhaps no shrubs more beautiful and graceful than
the diflierent species of the Broom (Genista and Spartium).

The earliest of the tribe to give us its flowers is Genista purgans,
a dwarf compact- growing shrub, covered early in May with its golden
flowers. It also forms a pretty lawn-tree when grafted as a standard
on the Laburnum, on which it seems to succeed admirably. We
have but few, very few hardy climbers that flower in early spring,
which gives increased value to the genus Atragene ; its species are
very old plants, and yet but rarely seen. For several years past, how
constantly have the nurserymen been dinned with the inquiry,

" Well, Mr. , have you any thing new?" If we continue to

neglect our old friends as we have done, the inquiry will soon be,
" Have you any thing old?" Well then, Atragene austriaca, with
flowers of a beautiful azure blue, and its variety with white flowers,
are both worth inquiring after. Atragene americana, with purple
flowers, blooms somewhat later in the season, about the same time
as the Clematis montana, which, with its large white flowers, is one

174 THE FLORIST.

of the most beautiful of our early hardy climbers. Now all these are
perfectly hardy, and will grow trained to a pole or to a wall, with
any aspect, even the cold north. The last named is by far the most
vigorous, and will make shoots from ten to fifteen feet in length in
one season.

What a very beautiful tree is the double-blossomed Chinese
Crab (Pyrus spectabilis) ! My favourite tree is some sixty years old.
Nothing that I know of shews more forcibly the variableness of our
S])rings than this tree, as the following extract from my gardening
"log" will testify: — " 1834, March 14th, some flowers of Pyrus
spectabilis open ;" " 1837, May 14th, Pyrus spec, just coming into
bloom;" " 1840, April 28th, Pyrus spec, in bloom;" and now, this
present May 18th, it is just in full bloom ; its bright rosy buds and
pale pink expanded flowers are very beautiful : the tree deserves a
place in every garden.

Sawhridyeworth. T. Rivers.

ROYAL SOUTH-LOXDOX FLORICULTURAL SOCIETY
EXHIBITIOXS, May 22d and June 19th.

Ox both these occasions many excellent specimens of good garden-
ing were produced in the shape of stove and greenhouse plants, as
well as in Cape Heaths ; and there were Pelargoniums by the usual
growers, which would have done credit to either Chiswick or " the
Park." Roses were present, beautiful and fragrant ; and we also
noticed some examples of good Calceolaria-growing ; but the yellow
ground-colour and the universal brown dot by far too much pre-
vailed : we want a few finely-formed blotched varieties interspersed
through our collections to give contrast, and thus render them more
striking. Orchids were not wanting, and they were by no means
allowed " to blush unseen," — the crowd that surrounded them during
the afternoon shewed the estimation in which they are held by the
public.

The 22d of May was the Tulip- show, and this favourite Florist's
flower was produced in abundance ; but, as a whole, not perhaps in
the best of style, although many exquisite gems were observable ;
and we regret to say that some good collections were disqualified
through inattention to the rules. Among amateurs, the first prize
was awarded to Mr. Wallace of Petersham, for Dickson's Duke of
Devonshire, Rose Emily, Friend, Fabius, Bijou des Amateurs,
Croesus, Unknown Rose, Lord Hawksbury, Aglaia, David, Poly-
phemus, and Lavinia ; 2d, to Mr. Betteridge, for Fabius, Musidora,
Triomphe Royal, PlatofF, Lady Exeter, Sir Edward Codrington,
David, Madame Vestris, Ambassadeur, Catalani, Polyphemus, and
Reine de Sheba ; 3d, to Mr. Gurney of Bethnal Green, for Aglaia,
Pvoscius, PlatofF, Triomphe Royal, Carlo Dolce, Claudiana, Rubens,
Victory, General Bornoville, Sanzio, Minerva, and Gloria Mundi ;
4th, to Mr. Venables, for Roscius, Milton, Aglaia, Imperatrix Flo-

JULY. 175

rum, Roi de Navarre, Claudiana, Fleur des Dames, Optiraus, Due de
Bordeaux, Sanzio, Manteau Ducale, and Hughes's Commodus ; 5th,
to Mr. Duttson, for Fabius, Aglaia, Polyphemus, Roscius, Cerise
Belle Forme, Polyphemus, Washington, Abercrombie, Unknown Rose,
Bijou des Amateurs, and Claudiana ; 6th, to Mr. Noakes of Camber-
well, for Captain White, Triomphe Royal, Vivid, Thunderbolt, Opti-
mu3, Violet, Blondeau, Aglaia, Malibran, Holmes's King, Salamander,
Duchess of Clarence, and Demeroque. Nurserymen's Class: 1st
prize, to Mr. Lawrence of Hampton, for lago, Madame Vestris, Se-
lim, Rosa Blanca, Musidora, La Belle Nannette, Violet Alexander,
Lady Sale (new variety), Due des Bonsfleurs, Catalani, and Hamlet ;
2d, to Mr. Turner of Slough, for Madame Vestris, Bolivar, Holmes's
King, Triomphe Royal, Musidora, Lac, Platoff, Queen Charlotte,
Hamlet, Lavinia, Catalani, and Polyphemus ; 3d, to Mr. Batten of
Clapton, for May's Hercules, Platoff, Triomphe Royal, Lawrence's
Friend, Drinkwater's Pink, Cerise Blanche, Alcon, Polyphemus,
Aglaia, Holmes's King, Walker's King, and Fleur des Dames ; 4th,
to Dr. Bushell, for Ruttey's No, 8, Aglaia, Abercrombie, Commodus,
Willmer's Duke, Roscius, Dutch Ponceau, Tres Blanc, Bacchus Bi-
zarre, Triomphe Royal, Globe Bizarre, Royal George, and Rose
BrilHant.

Pansies, as usual, came in for their share of admiration, as well
they might, for they were exhibited in capital order ; but the sorts
being so nearly the same as those given in our last Number in the
report of the Hammersmith Heartsease Society, we will not occupy
room unnecessarily by repeating their names here.

Certificates were awarded to a white Azalea produced by Messrs.
Frazer ; to Mr. Gaines for Calceolarias Magnifica and Cruenta ; to
Mr. Beck for Pelargonium Rosa ; to Mr. Bragg for a dark Pansy,
Joseph Hunt ; to Mr. Ivery for Mimulus Rubini, and to Mr. Pawsey
for Antirrhinum Duke of Wellington.

The 19th of June was the Pink and Ranunculus show; but it
was too early for Pinks, and they were not in good character. Ra-
nunculuses were, however, abundant and fine, and somewhat com-
pensated for the absence of Pinks. In the latter flower there M'ere
in all three stands of twenty-four blooms and three of twelve blooms.
In the Nurserymen's class, Messrs. Norman of Woolwich obtained
the first prize for Lady Dartmouth, Musqueteer, Harriet, Smith's
Goliath, Young's Lady Mildmay, Willmer's Princess Royal, Hillyer's
Goliath, Elridge's No. 10, Smith's Diana, Garrett's Alpha, Willmer's
Surplus, Hodges' Melona, Henbrey's Rubens, Young's Winchester
Rival, White's^ Warden and Duchess of Kent, Omega, Elridge's Pick-
wick, Hodges' Gem, Costar's Alfred Morrison, King of Purples, Will-
mer's Laura, Giddy's Jenny Lind, and Reed's Maryanne. Among
Amateurs, the first prize was given to J. Edwards, Esq., of Holloway,
whose stand contained Benjamin, Winchester Rival, Morning Star,
Rubens, Mrs. Herbert, Laura, Melona, King of Purples, Blackheath
Rival, Jenny Lind, Joseph Sturge, and Duchess of Kent.

There were fourteen stands of Ranunculuses, most of them con-
taining beautiful blooms. Among Nurserymen, Mr. Tyso of WaU

176 THE FLORIST.

lingford was first, with Festus, Mrs. Neilson, Sabine, Demosthenes,
Eliacine, Coronation, Amasis, William Penn, Melange, Kilgour's
Queen, Naxara, and Village Maid, &c. Mr. Franklyn was second,
with Nomius, Rob Roy, Prince Albert, Dr. Franklin, Lord John
Russell, Apollo, Mrs. Wyse, Veriatt, Princess Royal, Marshal Soult,
Elizabeth, Burns, Nonpareil, Eliza, Annette, Atlas, Charlotte, and
Dr. Gardiner. Mr. Hook was third, with Parody, Triumphant, Dol-
phin, Alice Maude, Marsbal Soult, Beauty of Suffolk, Rhododendron,
Amaryllis, Princess, Mary Queen of Scots, Milo, Wonder, Cathe-
rine, Village Maid, Clarissa, Alexander, Albemarle, and Duchess of
Leeds. In the Amateur class, Mr. Airzee was first, with Victory,
Claudine, Bijou, President, Jenny Lind, Ferdinand, Herald, Theresa,
Jane, Ariel, Miranda, and Britannia, all seedlings of his own, except
Herald, which is Lightbody's.

In a box of twenty-four Verbenas, from Mr. Smith of Hornsey,
we observed the beautiful varieties, Robinson's Defiance and St.
Margaret. Mr. Bates received a certificate for a pretty bedding
Pelargonium in the way of Luceum roseum, called Hydrangia?flo-
rum. It was dwarf, and apparently a free bloomer. First-class
Certificates were also awarded to the following productions : Ver-
bena Lady of the Lake, and Petunia Attraction, from Mr. Young ;
Fancy Pelargonium Formosissimum, from Mr. Ayres ; ditto, Ada,
from Mr. Ambrose ; Antirrhinum Diana, from J. Wooler, Esq. ;
ditto. Virgin Queen, from Mr. Pawsey ; and an extra prize was
given to Mr. Layton of Hammersmith for Calceolarias.

The Seedling-Pelargonium Exhibition took place upon this occa-
sion, and was productive of much disappointment, in the small number
of exhibitors and plants; but this was no doubt owing to the lateness
of the season. Air. Black, gardener to E. Forster, Esq., of Clewer
Manor, shewed Gipsy Rival and Van Sky ; Mr. Rous his Alibi ; Mr.
Hoyle, Ajax, Ocellatum, Zannetta, and Cardinal; Mr. Beck, Incom-
parable, Major Domo, Little-but-Good, Agatha, Rosa, and Silk-Mer-
cer; and Mr. Pontey his Prince Arthur. Another variety, numbered
40, had no raiser's name attached. The prizes awarded were : equal
second prizes for Gipsy Rival and Ajax ; the former very much like
Gipsy Bride in size, form, and general colour; the latter a purple
flower. Equal third prizes were also given to Incomparable and
Ocellatum ; the former was figured in our last year's volume, and
the latter is the flower already described as a great novelty, from
having upon its lower petals a small clearly defined spot, of colour
similar to the blotch on the upper one. Altogether it was a poor
exhibition.

NEW PLA^'TS.

Figured in the Botanical Magazine for June.

Metrosideros buxifolia. a branching evergreen greenhouse shrub, having
much the appearance of a Myrtle. It is a native of New Zealand, where it
is described as a rambling shrub, adhering to trees, and by its lateral roots

JULY. 177

climbing to the summits of the loftiest timber in the forests of Wangaroa, Bay
of Islands. It has white flowers, rather small, of no particular beauty.

Hedychium chrysolel'cum. a perennial herbaceous stove-plant; rather
showy; growing about five feet high : imported from India by the late Dr. Rox-
burgh. It has very handsome sweet-scented flowers of a pure white, with light
orange in the disk, which are produced in the autumn.

Oberonia iridifolia. This genus is one of the most remarkable of all
orchidaceous plants, having distichous leaves, and very dense spikes of minute
flowers, not inaptly resembling a mouse's tail. It is a plant possessing but little
beauty ; only valued as a botanical curiosity. It is a native of Ceylon, Silhet,
and Nepal, where it blooms in the cold season, having flowers of a pale yellowish
flesh-colour.

OcHNA ATROPURPUREA. A rigid evergreen greenhouse shrub, rather pretty,
having bright yellow flowers that are sweet-scented. It is a native of South
Africa, east of the Cape, and extending as far as Delagoa Bay.

These four species are figured from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

HoYA CORIACEA. A glabrous soft-wooded sufFruticose twining stove-plant,
of an epiphytical habit, having large umbels of numerous flowers of a pale brovm
colour, with a dark brown eye. It Avas discovered on Mount Salak, in Java, by
T. Lobb, and introduced by Messrs. Veitch and Co., Exeter.

HoYA PURPUREO-FUSCA. A smooth twining and copiously flowering stove-
plant ; very showy, similar to H. cinnamomifolia, having flowers of nearly the
same size and shape, but of a different colour, being very handsome, and of a rich
purple brown. It is found common in the woods at Panarang, in Java. Intro-
duced by Messrs. Veitch and Co., Exeter, through their collector, Mr. T. Lobb.
These two Hoyas are figured from Messrs. Veitch and Co.

Coloured Illustrations in Paxton''s Flower-Gar den for June.

Cr.iANTHUS Dampieri. a stout decumbent herbaceous greenhouse perennial
plant, of exquisite beauty, belonging to the order of Leguminosae, having pe-
duncles produced from the axils, with four or five large flowers on the end of
each of a deep scarlet colour, with a deep purple stain at the base of the
standard, or upper part of the flower. It was raised by Messrs. Veitch and Co.
from seeds imported from New Holland.

Medinilla magmfica. a noble-looking evergreen stove-shrub, glabrous
throughout, having leaves nearly a foot long, and four or five inches broad ;
from the ends of the branches hang down panicles of from fifteen to eighteen
inches long, of rich glossy rose-coloured flowers, Avith purple petals, and very
large many-ribbed bracts of the richest and clearest pink. It is a native of Java,
and was imported by Messrs. Veitch and Co., Exeter, from which establishment
these two were figured.

Tricopilia suAvis. Alow-growing orchidaceous plant, a native of central
America, having flowers five inches in diameter, nearly white, with a few slight
stains of red on the sepals and petals, and a large convolute lip richly spotted
with clear rose ; the flowers emit the most delicious odour of Hawthorn ;
pseudo-bulbs are long and thin, and are furnished with one broad leaf. It has
flowered with Mrs, Lawrence and Mr. Loddiges ; and requires the same treat-
ment as Lycaste Skinneri. Figured from R. S, Holdford, Esq.

The woodcuts contain: 1. leaves and flowers of Acacia macradenia ; 2. a
portion of a branch with leaves and flowers of Cephalotaxus Fortuni ; 3. a
small branch of Juniperus spha-rica ; 4, Quercus inversa ; 5, Quercus sclero-
phylla,— leaves and Iruit of each ; 6. a single flower of Lajlia grandis ; 7. a
small branch of Symplocus japonica ; 8. a flower and leaves of Rhaponticum
acaule; 9. a flower and magnified lip of Dendrobium candidum ; 10. a flower
of D, revolutum ; 11, a flower and magnified lip of D. mcsochlorum ; 12. D.
Egertoniaj ; 13. D. crepidatum,— a flower and magnified lip of each.

Royal Bvtanic Gardens, Kew. J- Houlston.

VOL. III. NO. XXXI. P

178 THE FLORIST.

AMERICAN PLANTS.

Perhaps no flower is attracting so much attention at the present
moment as the Rhododendron. That it is deserving of all the praise
which has been bestowed upon it, or that can be said or written in
its favour, those who have witnessed the American exhibitions at
the Regent's Park during the present season will cordially admit.
The general effect of the whole, when entering the tent from the
highest ground, was gorgeous in the superlative degree. Many-
ladies — and their taste in these matters admits of no question — de-
clared it to be a scene of enchantment. Certainly it was magnifi-
cent ; no collection of exotics, not even Orchids, could afford such
a rich display : and when we recollect that the whole of the beautiful
varieties of Rhododendrons composing the exhibition alluded to are
perfectly hardy; that no expense in the shape of glass, pipes, or
fuel, is incurred in their cultivation, we must admit them to possess
many claims upon all lovers of flowers.

The skill of the hybridisers has wrought wonders in blending the
rich colour of the Indian species with the hardy constitution of the
Americans ; and the results are the numberless varieties of tint in
almost every shade from pure white to the richest crimson, and from
pale lilacs to the richest purples, all possessing a sufficient hardiness
of constitution to withstand the winters in our climate. A more
charming addition to a nobleman's flower-garden than a collection of
the best varieties of Rhododendron could not be suggested ; and in
every garden, however limited, and on the lawn of the suburban
villa, are some situations appropriate for their cultivation.

That an impulse has been given to their cultivation is evident ;
every day it becomes more and more extensive ; each succeeding
season is adding something to the general stock of information as
regards their proper management, which till a comparatively recent
period obtained but little attention. As an additional incentive, and
one likely to afford valuable information in the cultivation of the
Rhododendron, we may mention the publication of an essay on the
subject, as an introduction to a catalogue just circulated by Messrs.
Standish and Noble, of the Bagshot Nurseries, and which all lovers
of this beautiful plant would do well to procure. Besides descriptive
notices of many of the more beautiful species of the Pine family,
it contains a neatly executed woodcut (10^ by 8 inches) of the
celebrated Funereal Cypress, with descriptions of many other rare
and beautiful hardy shrubs and trees imported by them from the
northern districts of China.

Many persons, say Messrs. Standish and Noble, have been de-
terred from attempting the cultivation of Rhododendrons from the
belief that they only flourish in particular locahties. But contrary to
this, their extensive knowledge of the habits of the plant enables them
to state, " that with a small amount of- well-directed labour. Rhodo-
dendrons may be induced to repay the attention of the most ardent
cultivator in any part and in almost any locality of Great Britain.'*

JULY. 179

And as a proof of what can be done in situations apparently the
most uninviting, an account of the original condition of their Ameri-
can ground is given, and of the state to which their system of culti-
vation has brought it. It is thus described : " The soil, which is from
twelve to fifteen inches in depth, is a black sandy peat, resting on a
clayey subsoil very deficient in vegetable matter, and naturally in-
capable of producing any crop whatever." The course adopted to
induce fertility was this : " The first operation was to drain it from
three and a half to four feet deep ; it was then trenched two feet
deep, and to every acre so treated, from thirty to forty tons of good
farm-yard manure was added." Before planting the Rhododendron,
however, a root- crop was taken from the land, with a view to ex-
haust the rankness of the manure. After this treatment, American
plants are found to thrive amazingly ; but like all crops in very poor
soils, they are benefited by the application from time to time of
suitable enriching materials."

Till a recent period, the idea of manuring for Rhododendrons
was not entertained; but in the nurseries of Messrs. Standish and
Noble its application is considered of great importance in their cul-
tivation; and in old beds which have become exhausted, a good
dressing of rotten manure is recommended to be applied.

The following passage is worthy of attention : " On all growers
of American plants we wish to impress the following suggestion ;
however simple it may appear, it is the foundation, when practically
carried out, of all success in the cultivation of the Rhododendron,
and indeed of all fine-rooted plants of a similar character ; it is this :
Never allow them to become thoroughly dry at the root. When such
a condition occurs, the whole structure of the plant is affected, defi-
ciency of vital energy is the result, and the natural consequence of
a deteriorated constitution is disease, and possibly death. The Rho-
dodendron and its allies suffer more from excessive dryness than any
plants which we recollect ; therefore a damp situation, natural or
supplied, must be provided for the site of an ' American garden.' If
stagnant water is present, drains three feet deep must be employed ;
and if the natural soil is not suitable, the following compost is re-
commended : To two parts of sandy loam or peat, or in fact any
sandy soil that does not contain much chalk or lime, add one-fourth
leaf-mould, one-eighth sand, and one-eighth rotten manure ; the
whole to be well beaten, and thoroughly incorporated before using.
It would, however, be of great advantage to allow the mixture to
remain twelve months, turning it well two or three times during
that period."

In situations naturally dry, and where the soil is not suitable,
the means to be adopted are these : Deep trenching, and keeping
the surface of the beds below the natural soil, in order to prevent
the escape of rain or moisture otherwise than by evaporation. " Hav-
ing decided the outline of your beds, remove the soil a good spade's
depth, with all its attached vegetation, to some convenient spot con-
tiguous to your operations ; then cart away from 18 inches to 2 feet
of the remaining soil, well breaking up the bottom, or trenching it

180 THE FLORIST.

18 inches deep would be better still. Upon this cast in the surface-
soil previously removed, well chopping it as the work proceeds, filling
up with a sufficient quantity of prepared soil, that, after settling down,
it shall be a few inches below the natural surface. During dry wea-
ther, after the beds are planted, the surface should be kept constantly
stirred with the hoe and rake, for the double purpose of preventing
the growth of w^eeds, and retarding evaporation. Should an ex-
cessively dry season occur, the whole surface of newly-planted beds
may with advantage be wdiolly covered with short grass from the
lawns. It will at least prevent the necessity of the frequent use of
the watering-pot, the application of w^hich in all out-door gardening
is a practice * more honoured in the breach than in the observance.'
If the beds are situated in the neighbourhood of trees, they are sure
to be invaded by a legion of roots, which, if allowed unmolested
possession, will in a few seasons appropriate the whole of what you
had intended for your favourites. But as w^e recommend American
plants in such situations to be replanted, and the soil trenched to
the depth of two feet every autumn, and every third or fourth year
the whole mass of soil trenched to the bottom, there will not be
much to fear upon that point ; and the mass of soil, by being con-
stantly rendered permeable to the autumn rains, will always con-
tain a large amount of moisture. There need be no fear of the
plants suffering from removal, as Rhododendrons can be transplanted
with perfect safety even after they have attained an immense size,
and particularly so when they have constantly been subjected to
such treatment.""

As a proof of the truth of this assertion, we may mention that
the whole of the magnificent collection comprising the exhibition at
the Regent's Park were removed from the nurseries a few weeks
before blooming. Some of the large standards exhibited there are
reported to be more than forty years old !

THE LADIES' PAGE.

" Now, flaming up the heavens, the potent sun
Melts into limpid air the high-raised clouds
And morning fogs, that hover'd round the hills
In parti-colour'd bands, * * *

AVho can unpitying see the flowery race,
Shed by the morn, their new-flushed bloom resign
Before the parching beam ? "

Thomson.

In the parching weather which often prevails at this season of the
year, the desolation alluded to above can only be prevented by copious
evening waterings; not a slight sprinkling over the leaves, which
half an hour's bright sunshine serves to evaporate, but a sufficient
quantity to moisten the earth as far as the roots extend. When,
therefore, the soil in which the roots have to find their food is verv

JULY. 181

dry, it is better to water a couple of beds efficiently than to merely
lay the dust over a dozen : so, a certain number, according to the
extent of the garden and the means at command, should be effectually
done every day, until the whole are gone over, when, if necessary,
the same process can be repeated. But it is not to be understood
that slight sprinklings over the foliage of plants do them no good ;
on the contrary, such dewings are of great benefit in the evenings of
hot days, when the perspiration from the leaves has been excessive,
only they must be applied in conjunction with, not as substitutes for,
copious root- waterings. It will be found, however, that after bedded
plants have well established themselves, flowers will be produced
more profusely in comparatively dry than in wet weather, — a fact
which should serve as a guide v/hen applying water artificially.

Any Crocuses, or other spring bulbs, that need removal, should
now be taken out of the ground (provided the leaves have all
withered, which Is a sign that the roots are at rest), dried in the
shade, cleaned, and divided, preparatory to being replanted. Much
might be efl^ected with this gay and many-coloured flower in enliven-
ing the dreariness of our gardens early in the year.

The tubers of the single Anemone are sometimes taken up imme-
diately after the blooming is past, and before the leaves die, to be
temporarily replanted in other ground, where they can have time to
ripen. This treatment, however, can only be tolerated when some
strong reason can be given for its adoption, — such as a necessity for
replanting the bed they occupy with other flowers. This removal
must be carefully performed, or the tubers cannot be depended upon
for blooming strong and well next spring. The Anemone is so
attractive through its glowing and various colours, and so useful
through presenting this attraction for a long time in succession, and
in accommodating itself to widely diflferent modes of treatment, that
it is deserving of a place even in the smallest garden. Seed sown
now will produce flowering plants early next summer.

Many other kinds of bulbous plants might be advantageously
employed in the flower-garden to a greater extent than they now are
generally, although, for the most part, they are more fitting for small
than for large masses. A species of Hyacinth {Hyacinthus amethys-
tinus), which blossoms early in June, is a most desirable little plant,
on account of the bright blue colour of its graceful bell-like flowers,
which resemble in appearance those of some kinds of Squill (Scilla).
Of this last genus, two or three of the dwarf early-blooming species
— as verna, sibirica, and bifolia — have very pretty blue flowers, and
there are white and pink varieties of the latter species ; but the finest
of the whole is the Peruvian Squill, which exhibits its large heads of
blue flowers in June. This kind would make a very showy bed ;
only, as it gives no succession of bloom, the bed would require to be
managed something after the following manner : — Plant strong bulbs
in autumn, about eighteen inches apart; then prick in between them
plants of some upright-growing annual — Erysimum Perofskianum,
for example — which would blossom in April and May. Remove the

182 THE FLORIST.

annuals before they interfere injuriously with the Squills ; and when
the beauty of the latter begins to wane, plant between them some
other suitable annual — as Zinnia elegans, China Aster, or the Inter-
mediate Stock — plants of which should be kept in small pots for this
and similar purposes. We should thus have a succession of flowers
of three different colours : first, the orange Erysimum ; then the blue
Squill ; and lastly, either the red Stock, or the mixed Zinnia, or
China Aster. Many similar arrangements might be made with other
plants by those who have the necessary means at command.

A plant known as the Feathered Hyacinth {Muscari comosum
monstrosum) has a very singular flower, the parts of which are trans-
formed into long filaments, that, twisting themselves together, form
a sort of feathery tuft. The colour is a peculiar shade of blue, and
this, combined with its odd form, makes it an attractive little plant :
it is generally in bloom in June. Other species of Muscari are
pretty, especially botryoides, of which there are varieties wuth dark
blue, light blue, and white flowers.

The spring Snow-flake (Leucojum vernum) is an exceedingly in-
teresting March- blooming »plant, the flowers of which closely resemble
those of that floral harbinger of spring, the Snowdrop ; and indeed
the plant altogether has the appearance of a tuft of Snowdrops that
had taken an extra month's growth before blossoming. This species
is rare : not so another kind, which blossoms in the end of April and
beginning of May, and which greatly resembles the spring kind in
appearance, only it is larger in stature.

The red and the yellow Crown Imperials (Fritillaria imperialis)
are well known ; so likewise are several of the dwarf species ; but
there is one of the latter class with white flowers (named prcecox by
Sweet), which is seldom seen in gardens, although extremely pretty.

The Dog's-tooth Violet {Erythronium dens canis) is common ;
but a variety w ith light-coloured flowers is less known. These two
kinds mixed would make a pretty small bed in the end of March and
beginning of April, if managed similarly to the Squill before men-
tioned.

Cyclamen coum, C. hederaefolium, and C. vernum, thrive very
well in light soil and a sheltered place, such as the front of a green-
house wall ; and in a similar situation several species of Oxalis will
succeed. The best of these is O. Bowiei, which makes an elegant
late bed if the bulbs are potted and excited early in spring, and the
plants turned out afterwards.

Amaryllis Belladonna is a beautiful thing, which, although not
to be called absolutely hardy, will thrive where it has only a slight
protection. If the bulbs are planted three or four inches deep, and
close to the front wall of a plant-house, its lovely pale rose-coloured
blossoms will push up strongly about the middle of summer.

The different species of Ixia, Sparaxis, and Tritonia, are some-
times tried in such places ; these, however, to do them justice, ought
to be planted in sandy peat and covered with glass during winter,
which is an indulgence their great beauty amply entitles them to.

JULY. 183

Such a pit would also accommodate many other gems, — as Anoma-
theca cruenta, Vieusseuxia pavonia and glaucopis, Tigridias, Cum-
mingia trimaculata, &c.

Another hardy bulbous plant is Zephyranthes Candida, formerly
called Amaryllis Candida, which — a rather uncommon character
amongst bulbs — produces its pretty white blossoms in September.
All the culture required is to preserve the leaves from injury while
growing, and to take up and separate the bulbs when the tufts get
too large. Associated with this is Sternbergia lutea, the flowers of
which are of a rich yellow colour. These planted alternately along
the margin of a flower-bed have a very good effect.

Some other bulbous-rooted flowers, especially the genera Gladi-
olus and Iris, remain to be noticed on another occasion.

J. B. Whiting.

REMARKS ON BRITISH FERNS.

[Continued from p. 152.]

AspiDiUM ACULEATUM. In tliis instancc I shall make free with an
article of my own in the Gardener s and Farmer s Journal, published
in May 1847. Some of the readers of the Florist may not have
seen that paper at the time ; and as I have nothing to add to what
was then expressed relative to the present plant and A. lobatum,
I shall give them entirely as they there stand. It is true, I then
omitted to notice the beautiful Fern known by the name of A. Loncbi-
tidoides, which appears to partake of my A. aculeatum and the
A. Lonchitis ; but I think more of the former. Light sandy loam
suits them all, and they are not particular as to situation.

I have had the above Fern under constant cultivation for nearly
thirty years ; during which long period it follows that I must have
had many opportunities afforded me of observing its progress in every
stage of growth, even from the development of the reproductive
organs (which, by the way, I may just as well here observe, have
much the appearance, like many other Ferns in that state, of Junger-
mannia pinguis, and are apparently analogous to the cotyledons of
phanerogamous plants, and, like them, are different in appearance
and substance according to their respective genera,) to fronds of
from three to five feet high, and invariably found it to keep suf-
ficiently distinct from its relative, A. lobatum. At no very remote
period they were both extremely plentiful in this part of West Kent,
sometimes growing together, but more frequently individually, and
many miles apart. However, at the present time they are rarely to
be found. If I am not greatly mistaken, my recorded A. aculeatum,
in another place, is now the A. lobatum of another. Be this as it
may, it matters but very little, either to the object I have in view,
whether it be called A. aculeatum or A. lobatum ; as either name, in

1S4 THE FLORIST.

my opinion, maj' with equal propriety be applied to it, and in both
the pinnules are more or less lobed ; only that I consider it of the
very highest importance that man and man should understand each
other on all subjects connected with science. But there now ap-
pears to be room left open between the present plant and A. lobatum
for a third or intermediate species, namely, A. angulare, which is
yet, I fear, involved in a considerable degree of uncertainty, if not
altogether questionable. At least, the plants forwarded to me for
A. angulare proved to be truly identical with my A. lobatum ; for I
could perceive nothing on which to fix a specific distinction. It is
true, they were noble specimens, five to six feet high in the frond,
and doubtless had been growing under very favourable circum-
stances; still the true character of A. lobatum was not in anyway
shaken : the same plant growing under cover of a thick hedge-row
W'ill appear far less dilated in its fronds than when in exposed situ-
ations, where it is usually not so tall, but more spreading.

Mv correspondent's A. angulare, therefore, offers no real spe-
cific difference between it and my A. lobatum, as the pinnules in
both are conspicuously petioled and of the same shape ; but in my
A. aculeatum the pinnules are really decurrent, even down to the
general rachis, and very different in shape. Besides, A. aculeatum
is altogether a m<3re rigid plant, more shining and narrower in the
frond than A. lobatum ; consequently I should say, unite A. lobatum
and A. angulare : but if we do the same thing with A. lobatum and
A. aculeatum, we must serve many, very many indeed, of other
species the same way, which are not, in my opinion, quite so distinct
as they appear to be.

By the above it will clearly appear that I am not yet prepared
conscientiously to subscribe to a third or intermediate species,
notwithstanding that I may be opposing my opinion to that of
higher authorities. At a time when British Ferns are becoming
necessary appendages to almost every well-regulated plant-depart-
ment in this country, it is incumbent on those who may profes-
sionally be called upon, and consequently under the necessity of
naming them, to be particular in respect to both generic and specific
characters ; as I know well, from long experience, that nothing can
possibly more dishearten their admirers than a perplexing and con-
founding arrangement of characters ; and more especially when some
of them have no real, or, to say the least, a doubtful foundation. I
perceive by my son's notes that my A. lobatum is extremely plen-
tiful in those parts of Sussex which he recently happened to visit ;
but he did not see a plant of A. aculeatum. Now, if they were dif-
ferent forms of the same plant, as some suppose them to be, he must
have observed something of the transition from the one state to the
other. We have in A. dilatatum several apparently different forms
from the original, which in some degree warrant a separation ; but
so far as A. lobatum is concerned, I doubt it much.

Foot's Cray. R. Sim.

.ht'' Anoi'en'.s Jj/l .t^ Zir,.-

BIJOU

AUGUST. ISo

OUR TULIP RAMBLE.

At Wace Cottage, llollovvay, where our indefatigable corre-
spondent Mr. Edwards does what he recommends our readers
to do, we found good specimens of Arlette, Bacchus, David,
Coronation, Cerise blanc, Duke of Devonshire, Hamlet, Lac,
Lachesis, Musidora, Marshal Soult, Salvator Rosa, Solon,
Ulysses, Victoria Regina, Vivid, and the subject of our Illus-
tration, ScarneWs Bijoux a second-row feathered rose of the
most delicate markings, colour brilliant, combined with shape,
substance, and unblemished purity. This variety is in very
few hands, the stock being small. That it was raised from
seed by Mr. Scarnell of Brixton, there is no doubt. This
gentleman's pride lies in growing seedlings only ; and we be-
lieve he asserts, that from seed every plant in his possession
was raised by himself. To Messrs. Dickson of Brixton be-
longs the credit of sending out this the very best modern
Tulip we know, alike desirable for the bed or the exhibition.
Mr. Edwards himself superintended the illustration, taken
upon the spot, and was careful that it should be a faithful
representation both of its beauties and faults ; and we hope
our Tulip-loving readers will be as much pleased with the
portrait as our friend has been in growing the Tulip.

But before we further describe the collections visited in our
ramble, we should observe that the effects of the frost of the 2d of
May were sadly visible ; more decidedly in some beds than in others,
but still plainly discernible in the great number of split and distorted
petals to be generally met with, disqualifying the blooms from ap-
pearing before the censors of the several exhibitions. Many who
do not exhibit assert that there has been a fair average bloom in
the past season. To this we cannot assent, although we readily
acknowledge that many were the gems we saw (to our regret)
quietly resting in their beds ; for, as determined exhibitors of all we
cultivate, we are desirous of adding to the number of competing
Florists. But to proceed : in Dr. Saunders' bed at Staines, the
flowers were generally light and of the most recliercM strain, evi-
dencing great care in cultivation, and strict attention in selecting ;
the beauty of many specimens fully compensated for the number of
vacancies. Amongst the finest flowers were Vivid (Saunders), one
of the most perfect bizarres we have seen, as found there ; King
(Strong), Polyphemus, Duke of Devonshire, Pilot, and Topaz, —
these are all bizarres, and were in first-class condition. In byblcc-
mens we remarked Princess Lamballe and Sir \\. Smith ; in roses,
Duchess of Sutherland (Sherwood), very fine, and Enchantress good,
though somewhat small.

At Mr. Clark's, Wallingford, the collection abounded in fine
Thalias, Fabius, Julio Romanos, Coronations, Violet Quortos, Ho-

VOL. III. NO. XXXII. Q

185 THE FLORIST.

mers, Cenotaphiums, Miltons, Proteus, &c. ; still, the general bloom
justifies our preceding remarks ; it was not good.

Of Mr. Betteridge's we can speak differently ; his general bloom
was good, and included the sterling varieties usually found ; for the
best of these we refer our readers to our report of the South-London
Floricultural Society's May show, where this grower successfully
exhibited (see page 174).

The same may be said of the bloom at Mr. Lawrence's, of Hamp-
ton, Middlesex. His winning stand was duly reported in our pages.
We hope this grower will excuse our stating, that he grows many-
flowers whose room might be better occupied ; as a successful culti-
vator and very liberal dealer, we feel the greatest pleasure in stating
that, for growth and quality, Mr. L. is not easily equalled, which may
also be said of the comforts to be found at his inn, the Red Lion,
whether at the blooming or planting season. The latter reminds us
of an old caterer for Florists, on whom, in the course of" our ramble,"
we made a call. We only wish the same care and attention was
bestowed on his bed of Tulips as is given to his guests at the Star
Nursery and Hotel, Slough, by Mr. W. Bragg. His Tulips must
have better attention, for they really deserve it.

At the Royal Nursery we found the utmost done with the means
at command ; the growth was fine, the general bloom good ; yet
much remains to be accomplished, and time only can bring about
the splendid collection that we have there seen under the canvass of
Mr. C. Turner, whose fame as a Florist is so well known to all
our readers. His flowers. Duchess of Sutherland, Queen Victoria
(Groom), Hamlet (Brown), Polydorus (Tyso), Vivid, Duke of Devon-
shire, Polyphemus, and those he exhibited (see p. 175), were very
fine. The Chellaston varieties, as grown here, were, by comparison,
decidedly bad.

We visited some other beds ; but when we can say nothing in
commendation, we prefer being silent ; and the more particularly so,
as much which was to be found fault with was fairly attributable to
£in ungenial season.

REMINISCENCES OF OLD PLANTS.

KALOSANTHES COCCINEA.

The rage for horticultural novelties has throwTi many old and de-
serving favourites into the background. However trite the old
adage may be, that novelty is not necessarily improvement, we do
not seem to acknowledge it otherwise than in theory. A modern
horticultural enthusiast does not admire a plant for its beauty, or
for the associations which cling around it, — the talisman, by-the-by,
which must ever elevate the pursuit of gardening beyond a mere
mechanical art; — he admires it only for its rarity. With such I can
evince no sympathy ; I love a plant for its beauty —
" A thing of beauty is a joy for ever."

AUGUST. J87

And believing that among the readers of the Florist there are many-
kindred spirits, I propose to drag from their comparative obscurity-
some of the old beauties of the greenhouse and garden.

For nearly a century and a half has the beautiful plant whose
modern name gives the title to this paper occupied our greenhouses.
I know not if it ever attracted the attention it deserves ; certain it is
that in the present day we do not meet with it in the degree of
excellence it is capable of attaining. Easy of propagation and of
growth, and magnificent in appearance when in bloom, it becomes a
matter of surprise that it should be neglected. It can be grown and
flowered in any-sized pot, from a 60 to a No. 1 ; it is equally adapted
for the greenhouse of the amateur, or the more assuming conser-
vatories of large establishments ; and among the numerous exqui-
site plants which now crowd our collections, it would be difficult to
rival a well-grown specimen of the old Kalosanthes coccinea.

As a preliminary in its successful cultivation, we must recollect
that its flowers are produced only on shoots of two seasons' o-rowth ;
consequently it is requisite to provide two sets of plants to keep up
a yearly display. I will suppose the cultivator to possess some old
straggling plants now out of bloom, pnd that he wishes to grow and
flower some handsome specimens. He must cut back the blooming
shoots pretty freely, and all straggling growths, in order to form the
foundation of a symmetrical plant. All the tops of shoots which
have not bloomed may be employed as cuttings. But we will first
dispose of the old plants, and then take up the cuttings, and see how
we can develope a handsome specimen. Place the old pruned plants
in some cool place, withholding water till the old wood has " broken"
freely. There will be a vast quantity of shoots beyond what will be
required ; thin them judiciously; and when the plant is fairly grow-
ing, turn it out of its old pot, reduce the ball, repot it in a smaller
pot, place it in a cool frame till the young roots begin to appear
through the new earth, gradually harden the plant by the application
of plenty of air and solar influence, and give it a larger pot ; shift it
as often as the pot it occupies becomes filled with roots, if you re-
quire a large specimen ; and get it well established in its blooming
pot by the time you "house" your greenhouse plants in autumn.
And bear in mind that, although a succulent, and that it may be
the winter season, your plant will require a considerable amount of
water. I shall have more to say on this point presently. In the
erisuing spring, or early summer, according to circumstances, you
will be amply repaid for all your labours. Now for our cuttings.

Select some of the more robust pieces, of which we spoke just
now, prepare them as cuttings, and place each in a small sixty pot,
in a sandy compost. Here let me remind you, that the plants have
extremely delicate hair-like roots. Place the cuttings in your pro-
pagating frame ; a cold pit will do. As soon as they are rooted, cut
each down to within an inch or so of the soil, and replace them in
their nursery till they have " broken," which they will do at every
eye. Remove them to a more airy place, and when established
repot them ; which continue to do, even in the first winters of their

188 THE FLORIST.

growth, as often as may be deemed necessary ; and during the
same period, repeatedly " stopping" the young growths, till the
ground-work of what you intend each plant to become is formed.
But never " top" and repot at the same time. Let each plant be
well established before you " top" it, and never repot till the plant
has broken again. These are golden rules in general plant-culture,
especially among hard-wooded plants. Be liberal in your treatment
to the young plants throughout their growth, and meet the bloom-
ing season with well-ripened robust shoots, and a well-filled pot of
roots : a magnificent display of bloom will follow. But of soil.

Don't, because it is a succulent, starve it with mortar-rubbish
and brickbats. Secure a thorough drainage, and then employ a
compost, such as you would for a Geranium. Don't dry up the
plant in winter. If you once let the heap of soil become perfectly
dry, a great portion of the foliage will turn brown and fall off, and
leave the plant a scarecrow rather than an ornament to your green-
house. Bloom it with foliage of a twelvemonth's growth. During
the summer of its growth, you may use guano-water with great ad-
vantage, and again when the plant is rousing all its energies to per-
fect its blossoms. In winter, merely keep the soil damp, and the
temperature above freezing. I should have observed before, that
after the plants have done blooming, and previously to pruning them,
withhold water for some days, otherwise they " bleed" much, and the
young growth is weakened and retarded. If you desire to bloom
the same plant every season, you must preserve the growths which
have not bloomed this year, to produce blossoms in the ensuing
one. But two sets of plants are more satisfactory, if you have
room. The plant in question is, I believe, propagated extensively,
and employed as a bedding-plant, with excellent effect, by Mr.
Beaton, Sir William Middleton's gardener. Of course, for such a
purpose, a different routine of management must be observed. I
have used them as single plants in a mixed garden, for which pur-
pose they are desirable.

George Lovell.

REMARKS ON BRITISH FERNS.

NO. vr.
[Continued from p. 184.]

ATHYRIUM.

A. FiLix FCEMiNA. For many j^ears this truly elegant British Fern
was referred to the genus Aspidium ; but as a nearer approach to
perfection in generic arrangement, it was thought proper to remove
it to that of Asplenium, in consequence of the length of the sori or
clusters of reproductive organs. And now it is considered, and I
think very justly, to correspond better in generic character with
Athyrium, which, however, is decidedly identical with Allan todia ; at

AUGUST. 189

least, on comparing the exotic species of that genus with the present
plant, I can discover no difference whatever. There are several beau-
tiful forms of Athyrium filix foemina, but the onlj^ British Fern that
it is in any way likely to be confounded with is Lastrsea Oreopteris, as
I have more than once found them growing in company ; but in the
latter the pinnae are pinnatifid, whereas in Athyrium filix foemina
the pinnules are distinct on the partial rachis and deeply cut on their
margins. Besides the present subject, there are several more re-
corded species of British Athyriums ; but as 1 am not yet certain that
they have any claim to rank as such, I shall pass them by for the
present, and take the different forms of A. filix foemina, which are
easily cultivated, especially if planted in light sandy loam with a
small portion of peat, and in a well- sheltered situation, though they
are usually found in naturally moist shady places by the sides of
streams. The mountain and rocky forms are doubtless the effect of
the situations they occupy.

A. FILIX FCEMiNA, var. cRispuM. This splendid monstrosity was
detected in Ireland, 1 believe, by iMr. Smith, gardener to A. Ander-
son, Esq., the Holme, Regent's Park. The fronds are for the most
part much and irregularly divided, and the pinnules deeply laciniated
and tufted ; so much so that the whole plant, when well grown, has
much the appearance of a bunch of curled parsley.

A. FILIX FCEMixA, var. BiFiDUM. We are indebted, I believe, to
W. Moore of the Glasnevin Botanic Garden, Dublin, for this noble
form of A. filix foemina ; the pinnae are divided at the extremity, w^hich
will readily distinguish it from any other Fern.

A. FILIX FOEMINA, var. PR^iioRsuM. This singular form was
detected by Dr. Dickie of Aberdeen, on Ben Muich Dhu, a mountain
in Aberdeenshire, near the Highland residence of her Majesty. The
pinnules have much the appearance of being bitten by an insect ; and,
in fact, the whole plant is stamped with the appearance of a very
distinct form, as it appears to retain the same characters under cul-
tivation which it possessed when I was favoured with it from Dr.
Dickie two years ago. I possess a strange-looking Fern from rocks
by the sea- side, in which the pinnules are much overlapped, and ex-
tremely obtuse, and the fronds inclining to a horizontal direction,
whereas in the original form they are usually erect. The above
characters have proved constant for three years in cultivation. I
have seen several other forms, but less striking in their characters ;
consequently I am not disposed to record them at present.

Foot's Cray. R. Sim.

A CHAPTER ON ROSES.

[Extracted from our Transatlantic contemporary, the Horticultnrist^ a clever
periodical, edited by Mr. Downing. — Ed.]

A FRESH bouquet of midsummer Roses stands upon the table before
us. The morning dew-drops hang, heavy as emeralds, upon branch
and buds ; soft and ricli colours delight the eye with tlieir lovely

190 THE FLORIST.

hues, and that rose-odour, which every one feels has not lost any
thing of its divine sweetness since the first day the flower hloomed
in that heaven-garden of Eve, fills the air. Yes, the flowers have it ;
and if we are not fairly forced to say something this month in behalf
of Roses, then was Dr. Darwin mistaken in his theory of vegetable
magnetism.

We believe it was that monster, the Duke of Guise, who always
made his escape at the sight of a Rose. If there are any " outside
barbarians" of this stamp among the readers of our " flowery land,"
let them glide out while the door is open. They deserved to be
drowned in a butt of attar of rose — the insensibles ! We can well
aff'ord to let them go, indeed ; for we feel that we have only to men-
tion the name of a Rose to draw more closely around us the thou-
sands of the fairer and better part of our readers, with whom it is
the type of every thing fair and lovely on earth.

" Dear flower of heaven and love ! thou glorious thing
That lookest out the garden-nooks among ;
Rose, that art ever fair and ever young ;
Was it some angel on invisible wing
Hovered around thy fragrant sleep, to fling
His glowing mantle of warm sunset hues
O'er thy unfolding petals, wet with dews.
Such as" the flower-fays to Titania bring ?

0 flower of thousand memories and dreams,
That take the heart with faintness, while we gaze
On the rich depths of thy inwoven maze ;
From the green banks of Eden's blessed streams

1 dreamed thee brought, of brighter days to tell
Long passed, but promised yet with us to dwell."

If there is any proof necessary that the Rose has a diviner origin
than all other flowers, it is easily found in the unvarying constancy
of mankind to it for so many long centuries. Fashions there have
been innumerable in ornaments of all sorts, from simple sea-shells
worn by Nubian maidens, to costly diamonds that heighten the
charms of the proudest court-beauty — silver, gold, precious stones,
all have their season of favour, and then again sink into comparative
neglect ; but a simple Rose has ever been, and will ever be, the favou-
rite emblem and adornment of beauty.

" Whatsoe'er of beauty
Yearns, and yet reposes,
Blush and bosom and sweet breath,
Took a shape in roses." Leigh Hunt.

Now the secret of this perpetual and undying charm about the
Rose is not to be found in its colour — there are bright Lilies, and
gay Tiger Flowers, and dazzling Air-plants, far more rich and vivid ;
it is not alone in fragrance — for there are Violets and Jasmines with
" more passionate sighs of sweetness ;" it is not in foliage — for there
are Laurels and Magnolias M-ith leaves of richer and more glossy
green. Where, then, does this secret of the world's six thousand
years' homage lie ?

In its being a type of infinity. Of infinity ! says our most inno-
cent maiden reader, who loves Roses without caring why, and who

AUGUST. 191

does not love infinity because she does not understand it. Roses, a
type of infinity, says our theological reader, who has been in the
habit of considering- all flowers of the field, ay, and the garden too,
as emblems of the short-lived race of man, — " born to trouble, as the
sparks fly upward." Yes, we have said it, and for the honour of the
Rose we will prove it, that the secret of the world's devotion to the
Rose, — of her being the queen of flowers by acclamation always and
for ever, is that the R,ose is a type of infinity.

In the first place, then, the Rose is a type of infinity, because
there is no limit to the variety and beauty of the forms and colours
which it assumes. From the wild Rose, whose sweet faint odour is
wasted in the depths of the silent wood, or the Eglantine, whose
wreaths of fresh sweet blossoms embroider even the dusty road-sides,
" Starring each bush in lanes and glades,"

to that most perfect, full, rounded, and odorous flower that swells
the heart of the Florist as he beholds its richness and symmetry, what
an innumerable range of shades, and forms, and colours ! And, in-
deed, with the hundreds and thousands of Roses of modern times, we
still know little of all the varied shapes which the plant has taken in
bygone days, and which have perished with the thousand other refine-
ments and luxuries of the nations who cultivated and enjoyed them.*
All this variety of form, so far from destroying the admiration of
mankind for the Rose, actually increases it. This very character of
infinity, in its beautj^ makes it the symbol and interpreter of the
affections of all ranks, classes, and conditions of men. The poet,
amid all the perfections of the parterre, still prefers the scent of the
woods and the air of freedom about the original blossom, and says —

" Far dearer to me is the wild flower that grows
Unseen by the brook where in shadow it flows."

The Cabbage Rose, that perfect emblem of healthful rural life, is
the pride of the cottager ; the Daily China Rose, which cheats the
window of the crowded city of its gloom, is the joy of the daughter
of the humblest day-labourer; the delicate and odorous Tea Rose,
fated to be admired and to languish in the drawing-room or the

* Many of our readers may not be aware to what perfection the culture of
flowers was once carried in Rome. During Caesar's reign, so abundant had
forced flowers become in that city, that when the Egyptians, intending to com-
pliment him on his birthday, sent him Roses in midwinter, they found their
present almost valueless from the profusion of Roses in Rome. The following
translation of JNIartiaPs Latin Ode to Cajsar upon this present will give some
idea of the state of floriculture then. There can scarcely be a doubt that there
were hundreds of sorts of Roses known to, and cultivated by, the Romans, now
entirely lost :

" The ambitious inhabitants of the land watered by the Nile have sent
thee, O Ctcsar, the Roses of winter as a present, valuable for its novelty. But
the boatman of Memphis will laugh at the gardens of Pharaoh as soon as he
has taken one step in thy capital city ; for the spring in all its charms, and the
flowers in their fragrance and beauty, equal the glory of the fields of Peestum.
Wherever he wanders, or casts his eyes, every street is brilliant with garlands of
Roses. And thou, O Nile ! must yield to the fogs of Rome. Send us thy har-
vests, and we will send thee Roses."

19"2 THE FLORIST.

boudoir, wins its place in the affections of those of most cultivated
and fastidious tastes ; while the Moss Rose unites the admiration of
all classes, coming in as it does with its last added charm, to com-
plete the circle of perfection.

A"-ain, there is the infinity of associations, which float like rich
incense about the Rose, and that, after all, bind it most strongly to
us ; for they represent the accumulated wealth of joys and sorrows,
which has become so inseparably connected with it in the human

heart.

" What were life without a rose !"

seems to many, doubtless, to be a most extravagant apostrophe ; yet
if this single flower were to be struck out of existence, what a chasm
in the language of the heart would be found without it ! What
would the poets do ? They would find their finest emblem of female
loveliness stolen away. Listen, for instance, to old Beaumont and
Fletcher :

" Of all flowers

Methinks a Rose is best ;

It is the very emblem of a maid ;

For when the west wind courts her gently,

How modestly she blows and paints the sun

With her chaste blushes ! When the north wind comes near her.

Rude and impatient, then, like chastity,

She locks her beauties in her bud again,

And leaves him to base briers.'"

What would the lovers do? What tender confessions, hitherto
uttered by fair half-open buds, and bouquets more eloquent of pas-
sion than the Nouvelle Helo'ise, would have to be stammered forth
in miserable clumsy words ! How many doubtful suits would be
lost — how many bashful hearts would never venture — how many rash
and reckless adventurers would be shipwrecked, if the tender and
expressive language of the Rose were all suddenly lost and blotted
out ! What could w^e place in the hands of childhood to mirror back
its innocent expression so truly } What blossoms could bloom on
the breast of the youthful beauty so typical of the infinity of hope
and sweet thoughts that lie folded up in her own heart, as fair young
Rose-buds? What wreath could so lovingly encircle the head of
the fair young bride as that of white Roses, full of purity and grace ?
And, last of all, what blossom, so expressive of human affections,
could w^e find at the bier to take the place of the Rose ? the Rose,
sacred to this purpose for so many ages, and with so many nations,

" Because its breath
Is rich beyond the rest ; and when it dies
It doth bequeath a charm to sweeten death."

Barry Cornwall.

The Rose is not only infinite in its forms, hues, types, and asso-
ciations, but it deserves an irifinite numher of admirers. This is the
explanation of our desire to be eloquent in its behalf. There are,
unfortunately, some persons who, however lovely, beautiful, or per-
fect a thing may be in itself, will never raise their eyes to look at it,

AUGUST. 193

or open their hearts to admire it, unless it is incessantly talked
about.

We have always observed, however, that the great difficulty with
those who like to talk about fruits and flowers is, when once talking,
to stop. There is no doubt whatever that we might go on, therefore,
and fill this whole number with roses, rosariums, rosaries, and rose-
water, but that some of our western readers, who are looking for us
to give them a cure for the pear-blight, might cry out, " A blight on
your Roses!" We must therefore grow more systematic and con-
siderate in our remarks.

We thought some years ago that we had seen that ultima Thule,
" a perfect Rose." But we were mistaken. Old associates, fami-
liar names, and long- cherished sorts, have their proper hold on our
affections; but — we are bound to confess it — modern Florists have
coaxed and teased Nature till she has given them Roses more per-
fect in form, more airy, rich and brilliant in colour, and more delicate
and exquisite in perfume, than any that our grandfathers knew or
dreamed of. And more than all, they have produced Roses — in
abundance, as large and fragrant as June Roses — that blossom all
the year round. If this unceasingly renewed perpetuity of charms
does not complete the claims of the Rose to infinity, as far as any
plant can express that quality, then are we no metaphysician.

There is certainly something instinctive and true in that favourite
fancy of the poets, that Roses are the type or symbol of female love-
liness :

" Know you not our only

Rival flower — the human ?

Loveliest weight, on lightest foot —

Joy-abundant woman,"

sings Leigh Hunt for the Roses. And, w^e will add, it is striking and
curious that refined and careful culture has the same effect on the
outward conformation of the Rose that it has on feminine beauty.
The Tea and the Bourbon Roses may be taken as an illustration of
this. They are the last and finest product of the most perfect cul-
ture of the garden ; and do they not, in their graceful and airy forms,
their subdued and bewitching odours, and their refined and delicate
colours, body forth the most perfect symbol of the most refined and
cultivated Imogen or Ophelia that it is possible to conceive } We
claim the entire merit of pointing this out, and leave it for some poet
to make himself immortal by !

There are odd crotchety persons among horticulturists, who cor-
respond to old bachelors in society, that are never satisfied to love
any thing in particular, because they have really no affections of their
own to fix upon any object, and who are always, for instance, ex-
cusing their want of devotion to the Rose, under the pretence that
among so many beautiful varieties it is impossible to choose.

Undoubtedly there is an emharrus de richesses in the multitude
of beautiful varieties that compose the groups and subdivisions of the
Rose family. So many lovely forms and colours are there, dazzling
the eye and attracting the senses, that it requires a man or woman

194 THE FLORIST.

of nerve as well as taste to decide and select. Some of the great
Rose- growers continually try to confuse the poor amateur by their
long catalogues, and by their advertisements about "acres of Roses."
(Mr. Paul, an English nurseryman, published, in June last, that he
had 70,000 plants in bloom at once !) This is puzzling enough,
even to one who has his eyes wide open, and the sorts in full blaze
of beauty before them. What, then, must be the quandary in which
the novice, not yet introduced into the aristocracy of Roses, whose
knowledge only goes up to a "Cabbage Rose" or a "Maiden's
Blush," and who has in his hand a long list of some great collector
— what, we say, must be his perplexity when he suddenly finds him-
self amidst all the renowned names of old and new world's history,
all the aristocrats and republicans, heroes and heroines of past and
present times, — Napoleon, Prince Esterhazy, Tippoo Saib, Semiramis,
Duchess of Sutherland, Princesse Clementine, with occasionally such
touches of sentiment from the French Rose- growers, as Souvenir
d'un Ami, or Nid d'Amour (nest of love !), &c. &c. In this whirl-
pool of rank, fashion, and sentiment, the poor novitiate Rose-hunter
is likely enough to be quite wrecked ; and instead of looking out for
a perfect Rose, it is a thousand to one that he finds himself confused
amid the names of princes, princesses, and lovely duchesses, a vivid
picture of whose charms rises to his imagination as he reads the
brief words, " pale flesh, wax-like, superb," or " large, perfect form,
beautiful," or " pale blush, very pretty ;" so that it is ten to one
that duchesses, not Roses, are ail the while at the bottom of his
imagination !

Now, the only way to help the Rose-novices out of this difficulty
is, for all the initiated to confess their favourites. No doubt it will
be a hard task for those who have had butterfly fancies, coquetting
first with one family and then with another. But we trust these
horticultural flirts are rare among the more experienced of our gar-
dening readers — persons of sense who have laid aside such follies, as
only becoming to youthful and inexperienced amateurs. We give
our own list of favourites, as follows :

First of all Roses, then, in our estimation, stand the Bourbons
(the only branch of the family not repudiated by republicans). The
most perpetual of all perpetuals, the most lovely in form, of all co-
lours, and many of them of the richest fragrance ; and, for us north-
erners, most of all, hardy and easily cultivated, we cannot but give
them the first rank. Let us, then, say —

HALF A DOZEN BOURBON ROSES.

Souvenir de Malmaison, pale flesh-
colour.
Paul Joseph, purplish crimson.
Hermosa, deep rose.

Queen, delicate fa\vn-colour.
Dupetit Thouars, changeable car-
mine.
Acidalie, white.

Souvenir de Malmaison is, take it altogether — its constant bloom-
ing habit, its large size, hardiness, beautiful form, exquisite colour,
and charming fragrance, our favourite Rose ; the Rose which, if we
should be condemned to that hard penance of cultivating but one

AUGUST. 195

variety, our choice would immediately settle upon. Its beauty sug-
gests a blending of the finest sculpture and the loveliest feminine
complexion.

Second to the Bourbons we rank the Remontantes, as the French
term them ; a better name than the English one — Perpetuals ; for
they are by no means perpetual in their blooming habit when com-
pared with the Bourbons, China, or Tea Roses. They are, in fact,
June Roses, that bloom two or three times in the season, whenever
strong new shoots spring up ; hence no name so appropriate as
Remontante, — sending up new flower-shoots. We think this class
of Roses has been a little overrated by Rose- growers. Its great
merit is the true old-fashioned Rose character of the blossoms — large
and fragrant as a Damask or Provence Rose. But in this climate
Remontantes cannot be depended on for a constant supply of flowers
like Bourbon Roses. Here are our favourite

HALF A DOZEX REMONTANTES.

La Reine, deep rose, very large.
Duchess of Sutherland, pale rose.
Crimson Perpetual, light crimson.

Aubernon, brilliant crimson.
Lady Alice Peel, fine deep pink.
INIadame Dameme, dark crimson.

Next to these come the China Roses, less fragrant, but everlast-
ingly in bloom, and with very bright and rich colours.

Mrs. Bosanquet, exquisite pale flesh

colour.
Madame Breon, rose.
Eugene Beauharnais, bright crimson.

HALF A DOZEN CHINA ROSES.

Clara Sylvain, pure white.
Cramoisie Superieure, brilliant crim-
son.
Virginale, blush.

The Tea Roses, most refined of all Roses, unluckily, require con-
siderable shelter and care in winter in this climate ; but they so
richly repay all, that no Rose-lover can grudge them this trouble.
Tea Roses are, indeed, to the common garden varieties, what the
finest porcelain is to vulgar crockery-ware.

HALF A DOZEN TEA ROSES.

Safrano, the buds rich deep fawn.
Souvenir d'un Ami, salmon, shaded

with rose.
Goubaultjbright rose, large andfragrant.

Devoniensis, creamy white.
Bougere, glossy bronze.
Josephine Malton, beautiful shaded
white.

We thought to give Noisettes the go-by ; but the saucy rampant
little beauties clim.b up and thrust their clusters of bright blossoms
into our face, and will be heard. So here they are :

Cloth of Gold, pure yellow, fine.
Fellenberg, brilliant crimson.
Joan of Arc, pure white.

HALF A DOZEN NOISETTES.

Solfaterre, bright sulphur, large.
Jaune Desprez, large blight fawn.
Aimee Vibert, pure white, very free
bloomer.

" Girdle of Venus ! does he call this a select list V exclaims
some leveller, who expected us to compress all Rose perfections into
half a dozen sorts ; when here we find, on looking back, that we

196 THE FLORIST.

have thirty, and even then there is not a single Moss Rose, CHmbing
Rose, Provence Rose, Damask Rose, to say nothing of " Musk Roses,"
"Microphylla Roses," and half a dozen other divisions that we boldly
shut our eyes upon ! Well, if the truth must come out, we confess
it boldly, that we are worshippers of the everhlooming Roses. Com-
pared with them, beautiful as all other Roses may be and are (we
can't deny it), they have little chance of favour with those that we
have named, which are a perpetual garland of sweetness. It is the
difference between a smile once a year and a golden temper, always
sweetness and sunshine. Why, the everhlooming Roses make a
garden of themselves ! Not a day without rich colours, delicious
perfume, luxuriant foliage. No, take the lists as they are — too
small by half; for we cannot cut a name out of them.

And yet there are a few other Roses that ought to he in the smallest
collection. That finest of all Rose gems, the Old Red Moss, still at
the head of all Moss Roses, and its curious cousin, the Crested Mos€,
must have their place. Those fine hardy climbers, that in northern
gardens will grow in any exposure, and cover the highest walls or
trellises with garlands of beauty, the Queen of the Prairies and Balti-
more Belle (or, for southern gardens, say, Laure Davoust and Gre-
ville and Ruga Ayrshire); that finest and richest of all yellow Roses,
the double Persian Yellow, and half a dozen of the gems among the
hybrid Roses, such as Chenedole, George the Fourth, Village Maid,
Great Western, Fulgens Blanchefleur; we should try at least to
make room for these also.

If we were to have but three Roses for our own personal grati-
fication, they would be. Souvenir de Malmaison, Old Red Moss,
General Dubourg.

The latter is a Bourbon Rose, which, because it is an old variety,
and not very double, has gone out of fashion. We, however, shall cul-
tivate it as long as we enjoy the blessing of olfactory nerves ; for it gives
us all the season an abundance of flowers, with the most perfect rose-
scent that we have ever yet found ; in fact, the true attar of Rose.

There are few secrets in the cultivation of the Rose. First of all,
make the soil deep ; and, if the subsoil is not quite dry, let it be
well drained. Then remember that what the Rose delights to grow
in is loam and rotten manure. Enrich your soil, therefore, every
year with well-decomposed stable-manure ; and if it is too sandy, mix
fresh loam from an old pasture-field ; if it is too clayey, mix river or
pit-sand with it. The most perfect specific stimulus that we have
ever tried in the culture of the Rose is what Mr. Rivers calls roasted
turf, which is easily made by paring sods from the lane sides, and
half charring them. It acts like magic upon the little spongioles
of the Rose, making new buds and fine fresh foliage start out very
speedily, and then a succession of superb and richly-coloured flowers.
We commend it especially to all those who cultivate Roses in old
gardens, where the soil is more or less worn out.

And now, like the Persians, with the hope that our fair readers
" may sleep upon Roses, and the dew that falls may turn into rose-
water," we must end this rather prolix chapter upon Roses.

REGENT'S PARK AND CHISWICK EXHIBITIONS.

These grand displays of horticultural skill terminated for the season
with " the Park" show on the 3d, and that at Chisvvick on the
13th ult. Before we commence to offer any remarks on the exhi-
bitions themselves, we have thought it might not be uninteresting
to give our readers a brief sketch of some of the principal features
of " the Park" itself; more especially as, in a former volume, we
have done the same thing in regard to Chiswick.

The Royal Botanic Garden occupies the Inner Circle, Regent's
Park, its principal entrance facing the York Gate. Upon entering
from this side, the visitor suddenly finds himself on a noble gravel-
walk margined on either side with broad closely shaven lawn, which
leads directly to the Conservatory ; a sketch of which, together with
one of the exhibition-tents in its rear, is given in the woodcut at
the head of this page. The Conservatory has now been erected
some years, and forms about a fourth of the original design. It
encloses an area 175 feet in length and 75 feet in breadth. It
consists of a series of curvilinear span-roofs, the centre one being
35 feet in height and 50 in width, and the two others on either
side of it being about 25 feet in height, and the same in width.
These are supported on rows of iron pillars, which are tubular, for
the purpose of conducting rain-water from the roof to cisterns, to
be made available for watering the plants. The centre-span has a
semicircular end, standing out about 25 feet from the front line of
the building. A span-roof of the same height and width as the
others (25 ft.) starts from each side of the principal or centre arch ;
and, extending along the front at right angles to the other roofs,
presents a fine-looking frontage, resting on a perpendicular eleva-
tion, of about 14 feet, thus improving its general appearance, which

198 THE FLORIST.

would otherwise be of a zigzag form. At each end of the building
a curve, starting from the spring of the ujiper one, comes down near
the ground, forming as it were a lean-to curvilinear house of about
12 feet in width ; but having no partition to divide it from the rest
of the house. The whole is warmed by hot water. In the arrange-
ment of the plants, they are grouped in masses on gravel, here and
there relieved by a single specimen or vase full of flowers ; and be-
sides mere greenhouse subjects, the culture of exotic Orchids, Palms,
&c. has been attempted in a portion of the building cut off from the
rest by a glass partition based on ornamental rocluvork.

The grounds have been laid out by Mr. Marnock, the curator,
whose good taste in such matters is universally acknowledged. They
are beautifully diversified by hill and dale, rural retreats, and winding
walks ; and water, that most essential element in an English land-
scape, has not been forgotten, for a charming lake of considerable
extent occupies part of the south-east side, giving to that portion of
the garden, in connexion with its rustic hill, a picturesque effect.

The exhibition occupies four large tents, one of which stands
betw^een the north side of the lake and the conservatory, and is
generally filled with Roses and Cape Heaths ; but on this occasion
a side of it contained the fruit. A second tent, in which the stove
and greenhouse plants are arranged, stands close by the spot on
which the American exhibition takes place. Two more, one of
which is seen in the woodcut, are placed between the conservatory
and the public road, from which they are entered by what is some-
times called " the Queen's Gate." And now, having taken a cursory
view of the garden, let us inspect the exhibition, beginning with
that charming tribe of plants the Orchids, which, arranged on one
side of a long tent, behind the Pelargoniums, had a good eflfect. In
collections of 25 plants, Mr. Mylam, gardener to S. Rucker, Esq.,
was first. His plants consisted of Aerides quinquevulnera, odora-
tum, and maculosum ; the large-flowered Phalsenopsis ; Epidendrura
viteUinum ; the charming Saccolabium Blumei, Lselia majalis, Odon-
toglossum Karwinskii, Vanda Batemanni, Anguloa uniflora with
ivory-white blossoms, and Brassia Lawrenceanuni. Mr. Williams,
gardener to C. B. Warner, Esq., of Hoddesdon, was second. This
grouj) comprised two fine plants of Aerides odoratum, also A. ma-
culosum, affine, and roseum ; Dendrobium moschatum, densiflorura,
and secundum ; Saccolabium guttatum, the larger-flowered Butterfly
plant, and Barkeria spectabilis. In collections of 15, the first prize
was awarded to Mr. Blake, gardener to J. H. Schroder, Esq., for
Galeandra Baueri, Phal8eno})sis grandiflora, Cattleya Mossise, the
rare white-blossomed Burlingtonia venusta, Dendrobium chrysan-
thum, a pale variety of Acineta Humboldti, TrichopiJia tortilis, and
Vanda tricolor. In Messrs. Rollisson's group of 15 we remarked a
variety of Stanhopea maculata, also S. tigrina, Cattleya Mossise, and
the beautiful C. Harrisoniee, a finely blossomed Miltonia spectabilis,
the scarce yellow-flowered Peristeria cerina, and Burlmgtonia ve-
nusta. Collections of 10 were contributed by Mr. Barnes, gardener
to R. Hanbury, Esq., and Mr. Dobson, gardener to Mr. Beck. Mr.

AUGUST. 199

Barnes sent Aerides affine and odoratum, Stanhopea tigrina, Brassia
WravcB, the large-flowered Phaleenopsis, Saccolabium Blumei, and
Oncidium Lanceanum. Mr. Beck's plants consisted of the larger
variety of Oncidium ampliatum, O. luridum, and Harrisoniae, Dan-
drobium secundum, Cattleya Mossise, Epidendrum vitellinum, calo-
chilum, and phoeniceum ; Aerides odoratum, and Galeandra Baueri.
Mr. ^lylam sent a handsome Cypripedium, apparently a variety of
C. barbatum.

In collections of 30 Stove and Greenhouse Plants, the first prize
was awarded to Mr. Cole, gardener to H. CoUyer, Esq., of Dartford;
the second to Mrs. Lawrence of Ealing Park. In these groups were
beautiful plants of Allamanda cathartica, Schottii, and grandiflora ;
Dipladenia splendens and crassinoda; Vincas, Ixora coccinea, Kalo-
santhes coccinea, Epacris miniata, Clerodendrons, Stephanotis flori-
bunda, Sollya linearis, Ixora javanica, Kalosanthes versicolor.

In the collections of 20, Mr. Green was first, and Mr. Tajdor
second. Among these were good examples of Stephanotis, Alla-
manda, Ixora, Pleroma elegans (not nearly at its best as regards
bloom), and Echites.

Various groups of 10 were produced. A first prize was awarded
to Mr. Williams, gardener to Miss Traill of Bromley ; and the second
to Mr. Cr oxford.

Among Cape Heaths, the following varieties were most conspicu-
ous : Ventricosa grandiflora and V. magnitica, Shannoni, tricolor,
retorta major, Cavendishii, Massoni, Bergiana, Obbata, Bothwelliana,
Parmentieri rosea, inflata, Vernoni, Wilsonii, metulseflora bicolor,
ferruginea, mutabilis, ampuUacea, Savileana, jasminiflora alba, Clu-
siana, and princeps.

Among Single Specimens, the best were large and beautiful plants
of Stephanotis floribunda from Mr. May, gardener to Mrs. Lawrence,
and Leschenaultia formosa, from Mr. Williams, gardener to Miss
Traill. Mr. Dennett had also a nice Kalosanthes coccinea; Mr.
Kinghorn, Leschenaultia arcuata, a singular-looking species ; and
there were one or two other good plants shewn under this head.

In New Plants, the first prize was given to a very fine specimen
of Ixora javanica, from Mrs. Lawrence's garden at Ealing Park ; and
equal prizes to Ipomoea limbata, a pretty species, purple margined
with white, from Messrs. RoUisson ; Begonia cinnabarina, from
Messrs. Henderson ; Hemiandra pungens, a lilac-flowered greenhouse
plant from Mr. Henderson, St. John's Wood ; and Magnolia fra-
grantissima and Thyrsacanthus bracteolatus from Messrs. RoUisson.

Pelargoniums were plentiful, and in good condition. Twelve new
varieties, Amateurs, equal prizes to Mr, Cock and Mr. Staines ; second,
Mr. Robinson. Nurserymen: 1st, Mr. Dobson, gardener to Mr.
Beck; 2d, Mr. Bragg; 3d, Mr. Gaines. Six varieties: 1st, Mr.
Parker, gardener to J. H. Oughton, Esq. "Fancies:" 1st, Mr.
Robinson ; 2d, Mr. Staines. " Capes :" 1st, Mr. Staines.

Pinks were numerous and large, but dull in colour, it being late
in the season for them. The 1st prize was awarded to Mr. Turner,
for W^hipper-in, Great Britain, Diana, George Glenny, Lola Montes,
Narborough Buck, Criterion, Sappho, Queen of England, Huntsman,

200 THE FLORIST.

Dr. Daubeny, and Lord Valentia ; 2d, iMr. Bragg. Certificates of
merit to J. Edwards, E^q , and Mr. Keynes.

Picotees. — 1st prize to Mr. C. Turner, for Mary, Constance,
Marris's Seedling Mary, Sylph, Heroine, Ne-plus-ultra, Juno, Ge-
neral Jackson, Beauty,' Prince Albert, and Duchess of Sutherland ;
2d, to Mr. Newhall. '

Carnations. — 1st, to Mr. Willraer ; 2d, to Mr. Newhall.

Pansies were shewn, and two prizes awarded ; but in July there
is neither beauty nor interest attached to them.

Seedling Florists Flowers. — Pinks: Sappho (12 blooms), shewn
by Mr. Turner, was very evenly laced, smooth on the edges, good
size, and, we should say, a constant variety. Huntsman, by the
same grower, very smooth, stout petal, laced with rosy purple. Both
had certificates. Picotees, Dodwell's Mary, light red edge : large
fine variety, of good substance ; Fellowes's Prince Arthur, medium
purple edge, good white, full flower, without bars or spots of any
kind. In Carnations there was a very good rose -flake called May's
Romeo. There was a large display of seedHng fancy Pelargoniums,
of various degrees of m.erit ; but great sameness pervaded the majo-
rity of them. The judges did not risk an opinion by selecting any
for certificates. A pretty light seedling Fuchsia, named Banks' Ex-
pansion, possessed fair properties, being of good habit, stout, and
having the colours strongly contrasted.

At Chiswick there was a brilliant assemblage of Orchids, stove
and greenhouse plants, and Cape Heaths ; but as they consisted in
a great measure of the kinds enumerated in the foregoing pages, we
need not repeat their names here. At both shows cut Roses were
abundant and fine ; but especially so at Chiswick, where we remarked
noble displays of that most charmingof all Roses, Geant des Batailles,
and capital boxes of our old friends Baron Prevost and Devoniensi«.

Single Specimens consisted of Rhododendron javanicum, a charm-
ing greenhouse species, from Messrs. Veitch ; Kalosanthes coccinea,
from Messrs. Frazer ; a huge plant of Stephanotis floribunda, and
a beautiful Ixora javanica, from Mr. May, gardener to Mrs. Law-
rence ; the magnificent Lisianthus RusseUianus from Mr. Green,
mentioned in another page ; Erica Parmentieri rosea from Mr. Den-
nett ; E. ferruginea, from Mr. Epps ; Pleroma elegans, a most beau-
tiful hardy greenhouse plant, with round, purple, convolvulus-hke
flowers, from Mr. Ivison, gardener to the Duchess Dowager of
Northumberland ; plants of Kalosanthes from Mr. Cole ; and Ste-
phanotis floribunda from Mr. Bruce.

New Plants. — Those to which prizes v/ere awarded were, Ixora
salicifoUa (see New Plants in another page) from Messrs. Veitch ; an
Acineta, like Barkeri, from Messrs. Lane ; and Cattleya Mossite alba,
from Mr. Ivison ; the yellow-flowered Luxembourgia speciosa was
produced by Messrs. RoUisson ; but on account of its having been
shown in the garden in former years, it was not awarded a prize
though it deserved one, for it is really pretty.

New hardy Evergreens consisted of Ceanothus papillosus, cune-
atus, dentatus, rigidus, and integerrimus ; Berberis Leschenaultii,
Myrica californica, Laurus regalis, the Californian Evergreen Plum

AUGUST. 201

(Cerasus ilicifolia), Rhamnus californicus, and an Arbutus. These
came from Mr. Glendinning, and were nearly all introduced by the
Society from California.

Pelargoniums were much finer than they are usually seen in
July. Messrs. Staines' and Parker's plants were in first-rate condi-
tion, and covered with large fresh flowers. The Fancies were not
so gay as we have seen them earlier in the season. Plants in 11 -inch
pots : Mr. Parker had Ilosetta, Pearl, Emperor, Louisa, Rosy Circle,
and Armada ; Mr. Staines, Armada, Centurion, Lamartine, Armada
superb, Gulielma, and Pearl. Nurserymen : Mr. Gaines sent Me-
leager, Negress, Chieftain, Lord Warden, Oriflamme, and Rosy Circle.
Six plants in 8- inch pots : Mr. Staines produced Constance, Brilliant
(Topping), Narcissus, Ariel, Conspicuum, and Pearl ; Mr. Cock,
Centurion, Sundown, Star, Meleager, Ondine, and Sikh ; Mr. Robin-
son, Mars, Cassandra, Senata, Paragon, Ariel, Rowena. Nursery-
men : Mr, Beck had Governor, Painter, Cuyp, Vanguard, Loveliness,
and Star ; Mr. Bragg, Ondine, Conspicuum, Alderman, Azure, Vol-
tigeur, and Countess of Sefton ;• Mr. Gaines, Aspasia, Star, Mars,
Flying Dutchman, Excelsa, and Marchioness of Stafford.

Carnations and Picotees. — Blooms of these were tolerably nume-
rous, but they were small and inferior. Messrs. Edwards, Newhall,
and Ellis, were the only amateurs, and Messrs. Ward, Norman, Will-
mer, and Bragg, the nurserymen that exhibited. The following
are a few of the best kinds shewn. Scarlet Bizarres : True Briton,
Admiral Curzon, Regular, Prince Albert. Crimson Bizarres : Edgar,
Prince Albert, Count Pauline, Sir J. Reynolds, Georgiana. Purple
Flakes : Earl Spencer, Squire Trow, Queen of Purples, Beauty of
Woodhouse, Majestic. Scarlet Flakes : Queen Victoria, Pet, Or-
lando, Dido, Ulysses. Rose Flakes : Lorenzo, Flora's Garland,
Margaret Evans, General Moore, Ariel, Prince Arthur. — Picotees.
Rose and Scarlet Edge : Venus, Mrs. Barnard, Heroine, Rosalind.
Purple Edge : Beauty, Duke of Newcastle, Portia, Amethyst, Con-
stance, Enchantress. Red Edge : Mary Ann (Parkinson), Isabella,
Miss Burdett Coutts, Emma.

Seedling Florists' Flowers. — Of Pelargoniums scarcely any were
shewn, with the exception of a few varieties sent by Mr. Ambrose,
the best of which were Eclipse, Monarch, Baudoin, and Crimson
King. Carnations : May's Romeo and Antonio, both rose flakes,
are large fine flowers, with good white, and well marked ; they are
also smooth on the edges. Puxley's Mars is a promising scarlet
flake. Picotees : Dodwell's Mary, red edge ; Alfred, purple ; Mat-
thews' Juno, ditto, were shewn in good order, being large, with
good distinct edges, and much superior to any of the same class in
the stands for competition. Mr, G. Smith sent his Fuchsia Sidonia,
a showy kind, having a full- sized purple corolla, with sepals well
reflexed ; the size and colour of the tube are deficient and bad ; there
is also a want of substance. Banks' Expansion, noticed above, was
shewn in admirable condition; the purity and stoutness of this flower,
combined with the freeness of bloom, make it very desirable. Messrs.
Lee shewed their variegated Scarlet Geranium Flower-of-the-Day.

VOL. 111. NO. xxxii. R

202 THE FLORIST.

NEW PLANTS.

Figured in the Botanical Magazine for July.

EcHiNorsis CRisTATA, var. PURPUREA. A very showy flowering plant, be-
longing to the Cactus tribe ; it is nearly globular, depressed, about seven inches
in diameter, and armed with stout spines ; the flowers are large, funnel-shaped,
arising from near the summit, and are about six inches long in the tube ; petals
rose-coloured.

LuvuNGA SCANDENS. Au evergreen stove-shrub belonging to the Orange
family, having straggling branches requiring support either on a pillar or against
a wall ; it has white fleshy flowers produced from the axils of the leaves in dense
short racemes, much resembling those of the Orange, and not less fragrant. It is
a native of Silhet and Chittagong, and was introduced by Dr. Wallich. These
two are figured from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Calceolaria Pavonii. An herbaceous succulent rather coarse - growing
species, with large opposite leaves. It grows freely in a border during summer,
but requires protection in winter ; it may prove interesting as an ornamental
greenhouse plant from its very distinct character: flowers large and yellow. A
native of the Andes of Peru. It is figured from Lucombe, Pince, and Co., Exeter.

Ixora salicifolia (Willow-leaved Ixora). A handsome stove-shrub, grow-
ing about two or three feet high, with rather closely placed opposite leaves ; it has
large corymbs of flowers at the ends of the branches, and when fully expanded
they form a hemispherical head of deep orange ; it is very showy, and a free
bloomer, producing flowers when only six inches high. It was detected by Mr.
T. Lobb on Mount Seribu, in Java, and transmitted to Messrs. Veitch of Exeter.

Rhododendron jasminiflorum (Jasmine-flowered Rhododendron). A very
distinct species, growing about two feet high, and having flowers with a long
straight tube, white with a deep pink eye. It was discovered by Mr. T. Lobb on
Mount Ophir, in Malacca, and we fear will not be hardy. It is the property of
Messrs. Veitch of Exeter.

Coloured Illustrations in Paxton''s Floiver-Garden for July.

Amygdalus persica, FLORE sEMiPLENO. A deciduous hardy tree, of the
peach kind, having large and beautiful semidouble flowers of a crimson colour ;
and a variety with semidouble white blossoms. Both sorts have flowered in the
garden of the Horticultural Society. They are hardy, and very ornamental,
having precisely the habit of the common peach-tree, except that they are more
excitable, in which respect they more nearly approach the almond, consequently
they are better adapted for forcing or flowering under a slight protection than in
the open air, where the beauty of their flowers is impaired by cold and wet.
They are natives of China. Figured from the garden of the Horticultural Society.

Begonia dipetala. An erect -growing rather pretty herbaceous stove
species, having flowers in loose thin pendulous cymes of a light rose-colour.
It is a native of Bombay, and has been known to cultivators for many years.

Odontoglossum Cervantesii (Rose-coloured variety). A beautiful little
Orchid resembling O. membranaceum, and one of the rarest of its group. It
was first introduced about 1839 to the late iVIr. Barker's collection at Spring-
field, Birmingham, from mountains in the west of Mexico.

The woodcuts contain : 1. the apex of a flowering branch of Roupalia
grata; 2. Warrea bidentata ; 3. W. Wailesiana; 4. W. discolor, a magnified
lip of each ; 5. Ceanothus papillosus ; 6. C. rigidus, a small flowering sprig of
each ; 7. Dipteracanthus spectabilis (noticed at p. 74 of the present year) ;
8. Thiebaudia scabriuscula ; 9. Gynoxys fragrans (noticed at page 152), a
small flowering branch of each ; 10. Hoya coriacea ; 11. H. purpureo-fusca, an
umbel of flowers, with leaves of each (these two Hoyas are noticed at p. 177 of
the Florist) ; 12. Fuchsia venusta, a leaf and flowers ; 13. a flowering branch of
Berberis Wallichiana.

Royal Botanic Gardens^ Kew. J. Houlston.

Erratum.— P. 178, 1. 10 from bottom,/or " Funereal" read'' Funebral."

AUGUST. 203

THE LADIES' PAGE.

The system of filling a whole bed with plants of one sort, which is
now so much practised, has had the effect of withdrawing attention,
in a great measure, from that very interesting class of flowers de-
signated '* hardy herbaceous plants ; " and yet upon these the beauty
of our flower-gardens mainly depended only a few years ago. Some
of the kinds which bloom first in spring have already been noticed in
the Ladies' Page, and we shall now mention a few other desirable
species, with the view of recalling them to the recollection of the
readers of this part of the Florist. It may be premised that the
plants in the following list are unsuitable for planting in masses;
their proper place is in those beds of mixed flowers which are still
occasionally seen bordering the principal walks, or placed here and
there in conspicuous situations, in some pleasure-grounds.

One advantage attached to this class of plants is, the small
amount of skill or of labour required in their cultivation. Once
planted in suitable soil, that is, common garden-ground, moderately
enriched with manure, many of them will grow and bloom for years,
with little care beyond the thinning and tying of the stems spoken
of in a former Number, and an occasional reduction of size when the
root-stock has become over-grown. But there are some species
which demand a little more attention in return for the gratification
they give us, and one of these is Lychnis fulgens, the roots of which
frequently perish when exposed to wet and cold during winter ; it is
therefore necessary to raise young plants from seed every spring,
when this species is treated as an ordinary herbaceous plant ; but its
splendid scarlet colour entities it to be cultivated in pots, in the same
way as the better-known L. coronata.

In height it seldom exceeds one and a half or two feet, and as it
does produce numerous flower- stems, a better eff'ect would be ob-
tained by setting three or four plants in a patch. The double-
flowered variety of the common scarlet Lychnis (L. cJialcedonica)
is now seldom seen, although very handsome ; so likewise is the
double clammy Lychnis (L. viscarid), and the double Cuckoo-flower
{L. Floscuculi).

The genus Delphinium {Larkspur) contains many showy species,
among which Azureum (light blue), Mesoleucum (dark blue, with
white centre), and Elatum (dark blue), are suitable for the middle of
large clumps or the back part of borders, as they all grow five to six
feet high. Of the shorter species, Grandiflorum is one of the hand-
somest, and when propagated from seed, several varieties may be ob-
tained, varying in colour between dark blue and white ; and occasion-
ally a plant having double blossoms will appear among the seedlings.
The beautiful double kind commonly known as Grandiflorum appears
to belong to a different species. Another taller-growing double sort
is called Barlowii, and this also is very handsome. All these are
usually in bloom about midsummer.

Several of the herbaceous Ranunculuses have varieties with

204 THE FLORier.

double flowers, which are very desirable things. One with bright
yellow button-hke blossoms is probably a variety of Ranunculus
acris; this grows about two feet high, and is in the height of its
beauty in June. Another having very pretty white flowers is rather
dwarfer in habit; this by some botanists is referred to R. aconiti-
folius. Allied to these is Caltha palustris, a marsh -plant with large
yellow flowers, of which a double variety, very suitable for moist
places, is sometimes seen in gaidens.

The common Columbine is well known, and some of its varieties
are equal in beauty to many flowers of far greater pretensions ; but
all are eclipsed by the handsome blue and white Aquilegia glandu-
losa, a species which ought to be in every flower-garden. As a spu-
rious sort is sometimes substituted, it may be as well to intimate that
the true kind has been advertised in the Gardeners' Chronicle.

In the genus Campanula there are so many fine things that it
is difficult to make a selection. Among the most desirable, how-
ever, will be found Persicifolia, of which there are double and single
varieties, both with white and with blue flowers ; the double white
Throatwort (C. trachilium), and the double white Glomerata, all of
which grow from two to three feet high. Taller kinds are Grandis
(blue), Lactiflora (milky white), and Pyramidalis (both vvhite and
blue varieties) ; and of very dw^arf sorts there are Pulla (dark blue),
Pumila (both blue and white), Garganica (blue), and Fragihs (blue).
A biennial species called the Canterbury Bell (C. medium) is also
very ornamental. Seeds of this sown about midsummer w^ill furnish
flowering plants for the following season, and amongst them there
will probalDly be diff'erent shades of blue as well as white flowers.
C. nobilis will be grown as a novelty rather than for eff'ect, its large
pendulous purplish flowers being too dull to be showy. Wahlen-
bergia (formerly Cainpcmvla) grandiflora is a beautiful thing, but very
scarce ; and Symphiandra pendula, another campanulaceous plant,
with white blossoms and a dwarf, drooping habit, deserves cultivation.

Pentstemons are all pretty, but unfortunately the best of them
are the most tender. Scouleri, Venustus, Glandulosus, Ovatus, and
Speciosus, have handsome blue flowers, especially the latter, which,
how^ever, is so delicate, that, to have it in perfection, seedling plants
should be grown in pots through the winter, and turned out in spring;
treated thus, it makes a splendid bed. Campanulatus and Atropur-
pureus differ chiefly in the colour of their dull purple flowers, the
latter being the darkest. Digitalis is more robust, growing upwards
of three feet high in good soil, and has white flowers.

Hesperis matronalis (the Rocket) has two double varieties, one
with white, and the other with purple flowers, which ought to be
cultivated extensively, especially the white one. Being short-lived
plants, a young stock must be kept up by putting in cuttings about
midsummer, after the bloom is over.

Hedysarum coronarium (the French Honeysuckle) is one of the
most showy of papilionaceous plants, its deep-red flowers being pro-
duced in profusion in June and July. It is a biennial ; therefore seed
must be sown ever}' year.

AUGUST. 205

Catananche caerulea and C. bicolor, the first blue, and the second
blue and white, are showy things, their scaly flowers bearing some
resemblance to those of the Everlastings. These should be raised
from seeds every spring, and treated as biennials.

The common Everlasting Pea {Lathyrits latifoUus), as well as its
white variety, are very ornamental towards the end of summer, when
carelessly trained upon a few rough sticks ; so likewise is L. grandi-
ilorus.

Ononis rotundifolia is an exceedingly pretty thing, with its pale
rose-coloured flowers and low bushy habit ; and yet it is seldom seen,
probably because it is short-lived, and therefore requires to be fre-
quently renewed from seed.

Liatris spicata, scariosa, and elegans produce their spikes of
bluish flowers towards the end of summer and beginning of autumn,
and are singular as well as pretty.

Dictamnus fraxinella is a good old plant now neglected, perhaps
because its flowers are not gaudy; and yet there is sufficient character
about the plant to make it very interesting. This species is red ; and
there is another with white flowers, which appears to differ from it in
little but colour.

Of the perennial Lupins, polyphyllus is undoubtedly the hand-
somest, including, however, its white variety. Grandifolius has
flowers of a singular dark dull blue, and ornatus is pale blue. By
preventing the growth of seed-pods, the flowering season of these
plants may be much prolonged.

The Aster, in some form or other, is seen in most gardens, es-
pecially the tall late-flowering kinds commonly called Michaelmas
Daisies ; there are, however, several species of lower growth, which
ought never to be excluded from herbaceous beds ; and of these
amelius, spectabilis, sibiricus, and alpinus, have large showy blue
flowers ; while the smaller blossoms of hyssopifolius and elegans are
produced in such profusion that they equal the best in eff'ect.

Numberless others, equally fine, might be added to the above list,
if space permitted ; these, however, will serve to form the nucleus of
a good selection.

J. B. Whiting.

ON FLORAL TASTES, AND THEIR RESULTS.

NO. V.

Having noticed some of the minor, though interesting and import-
ant benefits resulting from the culture and love of flowers, we may
pass on to the higher aspects of the subject. As a branch of the
great field of nature, the vegetable kingdom has always yielded im-
portant contributions to natural theology, on account of the obvious-
ness of its bearing on many of the divine attributes. A more curious
piece of mechanism than a flower it is diflicult to conceive of, when
viewed in connexion with the secret laws of life which develop its
parts, paint its petals with such various hues, enable it to difluse

206 THE FLORIST.

fragrance, and animate its organs of reproduction. If the being of
a God can be proved by well-defined marks of design in natural ob-
jects, then the argument need not be carried beyond a flower; and
while we hope that none of our readers require this proof to con-
vince them of the existence of a great Creator, we may express a
wish that their pleasing engagements will often confirm their assur-
ance that He is always near them, whose unquestionable signet is

" Wrought in each flower,'inscribed on every tree."

We leave this beaten track for one less common, and shall only
remark at present on the tendency of flowers to diffuse into our
hearts imperceptibly a sense of the great kindness of our heavenly
Father towards us. As the teaching of example is better than pre-
cept, so the constant testimony borne by vegetable life to the bene-
volent intentions of Him who is the source of it, is more forcible than
any doctrinal statement can be. We believe that the love of flowers
so strongly manifested by all children, arises in a great measure from
an intuitive perception that they are scattered around them with the
intention of contributing to their happiness. We have seen more
than the admiration of beauty, of shape, and colouring on the coun-
tenance of the child who explores every nook and corner, in spring,
for the purpose of forming a simple bouquet of wild flowers : when
looking upon and disj^laying its acquisitions, it is often deep affection
which brightens the eye and suffuses every feature with pure glad-
ness. The little one could not indeed frame a theological proposition
to express its ideas ; but the heart is evidently at work, and natural
piety is linking its best feelings with Him who communes with it in his
works, and to whom docility and unwavering confidence appeared the
best qualifications for an entrance into " the kingdom of heaven."
Advancing years, by increasing our self-confidence, and diminishing
our faith in the constant presence of our Maker, destroy too often
this beautiful simplicity of character. Instead of being satisfied with
what is given us with daily and generous profusion, we look for
" signs and wonders," and close that book of Nature whose charac-
ters conveyed such a charm to our young and unsophisticated spirits.
Those must be losers who, after roaming in search of flowers in child-
hood, give up all acquaintance w^ith them in after life ; and therefore
we think good must accrue, in various degrees, when that simple
intercourse is either kept up or renewed.

How pleasing is the thought which sound reason encourages us
to entertain, that from the beginning of the year unto its close, there
is in the domain of Nature an uninterrupted effort to contribute to
our comfort and happiness ! In the several seasons our wants are
considered, — but this is not all ; our imagination, our sense of the
beautiful, and our intellectual tendencies, all find their appropriate
objects in close connexion with utility. And lest our attention
should flag from a constant uniformity of operation and of scene,
the spectacles presented are as various as the months, and almost
as the days. Even the winter season gives occasion for some special
beauties to win the eye and the heart ; the spring enchants by its

AUGUST. 207

tender greenness and budding blooms ; summer spreads the earth
with sparkling gems and more than Tyrian dyes ; and autumn
combines use with beauty in golden corn-fields and luscious fruits.
In all this, man is not treated as a machine, or a slave, or a criminal,
but as a favourite child whom the Parent dehghts to please ; and the
culture of fiowers is thus eminently adapted to satisfy the wants of
our moral nature, and to assure us, concurrently with other intima-
tions, that God affectionately regards and cares for us.

Henry Burgess.

LISIANTHUS RUSSELLIANUS.

This most beautiful plant was introduced into this country long ago
from Mexico ; but notwithstanding that cultivators have had time
enough to make themselves acquainted with its habits, it is only now
and then that one sees a well-grown specimen of it. Mr. Green,
however, shewed at the last meeting of the Horticultural Society a
magnificent example of what this fine plant really is under proper
treatment ; and as he has given his experience in regard to its man-
agement in a late number of the Journal of the Horticultural Society,
we have thought it advisable to extract the substance of it here for
the benefit of our readers.

He says : " I sow early in spring. I first fill a 6-inch pot half
full of potsherds, over which I place one inch of sphagnum moss ; I
then fill the pot within one inch of the top with rich light sandy soil.
"When all is pressed down equal and firm, and a smooth surface made
with the bottom of a small pot, I sow the seed, and cover it very
slightly with dry white sand. I cover the pots with bell-glasses,
and place them on a shelf in a shady part of an early vinery, keeping
the surface constantly moist by pouring water on the outside of the
glasses. As soon as the plants have come up, air is admitted, and
increased as they advance in growth. When sufficiently strong,
they are pricked out into small pots, having the same drainage, moss,
and mixture as the seed -pots, and are again shaded with hand or
bell-glasses until the plants become estabhshed. In three weeks or
a month they require to be potted off singly into small pots ; and I
encourage their growth as much as possible by placing them in a
shady part of either a vinery or melon-pit, whichever is kept at the
highest temperature, with a humid atmosphere. As soon as they
begin to fill their pots with roots, I give them once a week a little
clarified manure-water.

I repot into winter pots about the middle of August, using pots
to suit the size of the plants, and replace them in the same grow-
ing temperature as before, till their pots are filled with roots. After
this I begin to prepare them for winter by giving them less moisture,
more air, and a cooler temperature ; and finally they are placed on a
shelf near the glass, in the coolest part of the stove, and wintered
rather dry. Early in February I begin to increase the heat and
moisture ; and as soon as they begin to grow freely, I repot them,

20S THE FLORIST.

M-hich is generally about the second week in March. They receive
another shift in April, and those that are intended for large speci-
mens a third in May (using 18 or 20-inch pots), and a mixture con-
sisting of equal quantities of good strong maiden loam, peat or bog
mould, burnt clay, leaf- mould, and cow- manure, with a little white
sand. These materials are well mixed together, and, if dry, are
moistened to prevent their running too close in the pots. In potting
I use a large quantity of drainage, and plenty of rubble stones, small
potsherds, and coarse river-sand amongst the mixture. I make the
mixture just firm, but am very careful to leave it quite porous. I
give very little water till the roots reach the sides of the pots : it is
increased as the plants and the season advance, giving heat and
moisture in proportion. Too much stress cannot be put upon making
a proper mechanical arrangement of rich, porous, and well-drained
soils, which are essential for the healthy development of plants of
the nature of the Lisianthus.

When the young shoots are sufficiently advanced, I stop them
immediately above the second joint; each shoot will then produce
four: they require stopping about three times. The last stopping
for plants required to bloom early should take place in the first week
in June ; and for plants required to bloom later, in the first week in
July. As they advance in growth the branches will require to be
tied out with sticks, to make round and well-formed plants.

When the plants are growing freely, they are sometimes at-
tacked with a disease at the base, which is produced by the moist
and confined atmosphere that is required for their fine growth. To
prevent this I allow the surface to become quite dry once a week,
during which the plants are supplied with moisture from feeders or
pans, in which the pots are placed for a few hours, being careful not
to allow any stagnant water to remain about them. As soon as the
blooms begin to expand, I keep a drier atmosphere, and expose them
to more air and light, which much improves their colour.

As to the result of the above practice, I may mention, in con-
clusion, that I grew some seedling plants in 1844, one of which I
exhibited at the Horticultural Society's Garden in July 1845, which
was awarded a silver Knightian medal, accompanied with this note
by the judges : ' Had this been exhibited in its proper place, it would
have received a higher medal.' In July 1846, a second plant re-
ceived a large silver medal; and to a third the same award was
made in July 1847. Another plant was also shewn in the same
year at the Royal Botanic Society's Garden, Regent's Park, and was
awarded the first prize as a single specimen of superior cultivation.
The plant that I exhibited at the Horticultural Society in July 1847
had five hundred blooms expanded at once, ten days after the exhi-
bition."

CINEKARIAS.

iMaMcm&SoivbcuJ. __ 'iZcbdyBum CampMl.

Praatd l>j Cduux*^

SEPTEMBER, 209

WORTON-COTTAGE MEETINGS.

Our two last plates and the present one have been prepared
from coloured memorandums taken by Mr. Andrews of flowers
exhibited at these Meetings. This was one of the great objects
we had in view in tlieir establishment ; and now that the
season is drawing to a close, we are enabled to state from our
experience that meetings of the same kind held in a more
central situation, and on a more convenient day than Wed-
nesday has proved, would be attended with singular advantage
to every raiser and lover of Florists' flowers.

The great point to be aimed at should be a good room in
an open situation, surrounded, if possible, by a garden in
which such objects are well cultivated, thereby affording the
means of comparing seedlings with the best varieties in culti-
vation; for however conversant a person may be with the latter,
the judgment is often at fault unless such means of compa-
rison be at hand.

We have always set our face against the exhibition of our
favourites in the murky air of the great city or our large
towns. In the purer air and better light found in their
suburbs, they are seen to much greater advantage, and have a
far better effect ; and now that the means of communication
are so rapid and abundant, there is little to urge against our
proposition.

The increasing beauties and excellences of form apparent
in the great bulk of flowers sent for our examination have
been very striking, making it a truly difficult task to select
the objects for our illustrations. Mr. E. G. Henderson,
of the Wellington Road Nursery, who is so well known as
an improver of the Cineraria, supplied Madame Sontag and
Lady Hume Campbell ; the third was raised by Mr. G. Smith,
of Lorrimore lload, Walworth.

It is unnecessary to say any thing here with respect to the
cultivation of the Cineraria, as that is fully treated of in our
Almanac at the end of each Number, as well as in articles by
Mr. Kendall in our former Volumes.

VOL. III. NO. XXXIII.

210 THE FLORIST.

ON THE HARDIHOOD OF THE FUCHSIA.

The beauty at this season of the year of those Fuchsias that are
planted in the open ground, of which I have several, always makes
me think when I see a collection of them in a greenhouse that they
are not in their proper place. They never appear to me to shew so
well in pots and under glass as they do where they have more
freedom and greater advantages of contrast ; and my impression,
moreover, is, that they flower better out of doors. The form of the
blossom also fits them for open culture beyond that of almost any
other flower, by screening them from injury by rain.

The difficulty, of course, lies in their tenderness, as it seems to
be taken for granted that they are totally unfitted for standing our
winters. Yet I remember being on a visit near Emsworth in Sussex,
in the autumn of 1834, and seeing a highly cultivated garden se-
parated from a field in which sheep were grazing by a hedgerow of
Fuchsias, that was as attractive to the eye in its contrasted livery of
green and crimson as it was useful as a servant ; for its gnarled
and intertwined branches were evidently as impervious to a rabbit
in winter as to a sheep at any time, and must have endured many
winters. And last year I saw a single specimen in Surrey from
eight to ten feet in height and twelve across, which had stood many
years, and was early in July in full bloom. That, however, received
efficient protection in winter, which the above-mentioned hedge did
not.

These, however, were of kinds more hardy than the modern
tenants of greenhouses. Yet Serratifolia, I should think, may be
taken as a fair representative of the powers of endurance of these last.
Mr. Story says it is " decidedly tender ;" and a correspondent of
a floral periodical in the spring of last year, describing a specimen
plant he had bedded out, relates that the first frost early in October
destroyed it. Now I should like to know whether that frost, or all
the subsequent frosts of the winter, really did destroy it; for I doubt
the fact. I had a small plant that year in the open ground much
farther north, the beauty of which w^as destroyed by the same frost,
but it afterwards partially recovered itself, and finally died down to
the ground in the winter. Yet in the spring it came up again like
the others in my borders, and made a very handsome plant. In
fact, the root of the Fuchsia appears indestructible by mere frost ;
and even the stem and branches, if once well ripened (a difficult
matter, because of the lateness of its grow^), seem capable, with a
little assistance, such as that of dry sand or sawdust, of resisting our
ordinary winters as well as the Buddlea or Aloysia.

Iota.

SEPTEMBER. 211

MONSTROUS FLOWERS OF PELARGONIUMS.

The following extract from a paper read by Mr. Sowerby at a late
conversazione meeting of the Royal Botanic Society in Regent's Park
describes an interesting case of montrosity. After pointing out the
distinguishing characters of the genera Geranium and Pelargonium,
Mr. Sowerby proceeded to say : " The gardener, as in this case,
when he finds nothing but external beauty to recommend a plant,
endeavours, by selecting the most perfect, and then cultivating it
highly, to increase in the succeeding produce both the beauty of
colour and of form ; and as the beauty of form depends upon the
same elements as that of colour, that is, upon the indication of per-
fect adaptation to the end, or the resemblance of that indication, so
a full round form is especially aimed at by the cultivator of flowers,
and the Pelargonium-fancier endeavours to obtain five broad and
equal petals, to form a round flower, with the upper two deeply
and brilliantly coloured, to produce a contrast to the three lower and
light-coloured ones. But with all his care, the flowers do not come
constant ; and now and then one will play the truant, and sport, as
he calls it ; and this commonly happens amongst the most petted or
highest cultivated varieties. When the dark colour disappears from
the petals altogether, and the petals become equal in size and form,
it will be observed that the characteristic tubular nectary also dis-
appears. The want of the nectary or honey-tube is also accom-
panied by a regular arrangement of five anther-bearing and five abor-
tive filaments. The white varieties are less liable to this change than
those with rose or salmon-coloured petals, and it is also rare among
the new fancy varieties ; frequently it occurs in the central flower of
the truss. In some flowers the nectary is only shortened, and in
others a small spot will remain on one petal when the nectary is
absent. In the fancy variety called Yetmannianum grandiflorum,
which has spots on all the petals, the spots become equal, the two
large spots being reduced. An additional petal also accompanies the
change in a few cases. One plant of the Beauty of Clapham, a rose-
coloured variety, has almost every flower changed more or less. Thus
it appears that cultivation not only makes one species of plant appear
to run into another, but may destroy a remarkable generic character,
consisting of the presence of an important organ in the flower, &c. ;
so that the gardener seems, by over-cultivation, to reduce his flower
to a lower standard ; but 1 do not think this is exactly the case ;
for although he may apparently reduce a Cape Pelargonium to a
European Geranium ii/'the eye of a botanist, or partly so, still he
would have a more truly beautiful flower if he could obtain a full
truss of large rose-coloured or pink flowers. We would recommend a
trial of the seed from these sporting flowers."

212 THE FLORIST.

ON PRUNING ROSES.

BY MR. M'ARDELL, FOREMAN, CASTLE HILL GARDENS.

The interesting article on Roses in your last Number has induced
me to oifer a few remarks on pruning, which I trust may prove in-
structive to the young Rose-grower.

As regards the time for pruning, some recommend autumn or
winter, while others advise its being done in the beginning of March.
I, as well as most Rose-growers, like the latter season best. By
winter-pruning the buds break in the latter part of the winter, and
are almost sure to be cut off by late frosts in March.

Pruning effects two objects : it makes compact handsome trees,
free from weak shoots and dead wood, and it increases the amount
of tioral beauty throughout the summer and autumn. It is suscep-
tible of three divisions : first long, second moderate, and third close
pruning.

Long pruning is employed for all strong, vigorous, free-growing
kinds. The consequence of a vigorous-growing Rose being close
pruned is, that it will make a quantity of strong shoots, generally
springing from the crown close to the stock, and very likely no
flower during the whole year, at all events, not until late in autumn.
The proper plan is, to leave from five to eight strong shoots, placed as
regularly as possible, to cut them back, so as to leave four or five
buds of last year's wood, and then carefully to prune away all weak
and dead branches. Roses do not flower well in the centre of the
bush, and therefore that part should be well thinned out, leaving the
branches as free of each other as possible. As a general rule, it
is not right to cut into the bush below the preceding year's wood ;
but when the trees become old, it is necessary now and then to cut
away a portion of the old wood, which becomes clubbed ; and this
applies more or less to all Rose-trees. It should be removed with a
nice small saw, and the wound afterwards smoothed over with the
pruning-knife. These remarks apply to most of the Hybrid Chinas
and Hybrid Bourbons, also to some of the Hybrid Provence, Hybrid
Perpetuals, and Bourbons.

Moderate pruning consists in using the knife more freely than in
the former case, in leaving but two eyes of last year's wood, and in
carefully training the branches, so as to make the head round and
compact. As Roses that require moderate pruning have a greater
natural tendency to flower than those in the last- mentioned class, a
little inattention is not so injurious to them. Under this head may
be enumerated the greater part of our newest and best Roses, includ-
ing the Moss, Gallica, Damask, Hybrid Damask Perpetual, and a great
portion of the best Hybrid Perpetuals and Bourbons.

The third method, or close-pruning system, is used for those
Roses which are termed Dwarf growers, or that make but little wood.
This class is not numerous in comparison with the others, but it con-
tains many of the brightest gems of the rosery. They succeed better

SEPTEMBER. 213

on dwarf stocks than on those of four or five feet in height. In some
cases they are shy growers, and apt to overflower their strength.
This is obviated by close pruning, as the strongest shoots come from
the crown ; and as it is the interest of the grower to get wood in
this class, the last year's shoots should be cut away pretty freely.
Under this head may be classed a few of the best Moss Roses, and
many Hybrid Perpetuals, Damask Perpetuals, and some of the Bour-
bon tribe.

A few words on pruning Yellow-brier Roses, and I have done.
Roses of this class are peculiar in their flowering, and therefore re-
quire peculiar pruning. They are very early bloomers, and make no
wood previous to flowering. They generally put forth the leaf and
bud about one time ; it is therefore necessary that as much as possible
of last year's wood be retained, particularly the ends of the branches,
from whence most of the flowers proceed. The method that must
be pursued in order to get as much flowering wood as possible, is not
to prune them when other Roses are pruned, but shortly after they
have done flow^ering, leaving three or four branches a little shortened.
The rest must be cut well back, when they w^ill make good flowering
wood the remainder of the season, and ripen it well.

GRAND TRIAL EXHIBITIONS, OPEN TO ALL ENGLAND.

NORTHERN v. SOUTHERN RAISED CARNATIONS AND
PICOTEES.

The exhibition for the Southern division was held at the Royal Nur-
sery, Slough, on July 25th, This exhibition, which was instituted
for the purpose of testing the merits of northern and southern raised
Carnations and Picotees, had excited considerable interest amongst
the growers of these flowers before the show, and a fine display
was the result. Nearly thirty stands were put up for competition,
independently of a large number of blooms for class-shewing. From
the following aw^ards it w^ill be seen that southern-raised flowers
gained the day both in Carnations and Picotees.

Northern-raised Carnations, 6 blooms : 1st, Mr. Turner, Slough,
for Admiral Curzon, Princess (Taylor), Premier (Millwood), Cradley
Pet, Splendour, and Lord Milton ; 2d, Mr. Barringer, Bedford, for
Paul Pry, King of Scarlets, Admiral Curzon, Lord Milton, Premier,
and Lovely Ann ; 3d, Mr. Dodwell, Derby, for Premier, Admiral
Curzon, Seedling, Beauty of Woodhouse, Squire Trow, and Pyracan-
thus; 4th, Mr. Bragg, Slough, for Defiance, Squire Trow, Henry
Kirke White, Paul Pry, King of Scarlets, and Beauty of Woodhouse ;
5th, Mr. Willmer, Sunbury, for King of Scarlets, Victory, True Bri-
ton, Squire Meynell, Rainbow, and Queen of England.

Southern Carnations : 1st, Mr. Turner, for Duncan (May), Justice
Shallow (May), Princess Royal (Puxley), Howard (Puxley), Owen
Glendower (May), and Lorenzo (May) ; 2d, Mr. Bragg, for Flora's

214 THE FLORIST.

Garland, Hero of Middlesex, Prince Albert, Prince Arthur, Sarah
Payne, and Conquering Hero ; 3d, Mr. Keynes, Salisbury, for Prince
Albert (Hale), Sarah Payne, Flora's Garland, Prince of Wales (Pux-
ley), Lord Rancliffe, and Prince Albert (Puxley) ; 4th, Morgan May,
Esq., Sonning, for Timon (May), Percy (May), Faiconbridge (May),
Bardolph (May), Bolingbroke (May), and Prince Albert (Puxley) ;
5 th, Mr. Edwards, Hollo way, for Sarah Payne, Harriet, Prince Al-
bert (Hale), Julia, Flora's Garland, and Lydia.

Southern Picotees : ] st, Mr. Turner, for Princess Royal ( Will-
mer), Gem (Youell), 023helia (May), Mrs. Barnard (Barnard),
Qaeen Victoria (Green), and Cressida (May) ; 2d, Mr. Lockner,
Paddington, for Princess Royal, Lady Harriet Moore (Turner), Lo-
rina. Queen Victoria (Green), Mrs. Barnard, and Amy ; 3d, Mr.
May, for Cleopatra, Juliet, Opheha, Viola, Princess Royal, and
Beatrice; 4th, Mr. Bragg, for Gem, Venus, Princess Royal, Portia,
Lady Alice Peel, and Jenny Lind; 5th, Mr. Keynes, for Lady Har-
riet Moore, Isabella (Wildman), Juliet (May), Princess Royal (Will-
mer), Useful (Sealey), and Mrs. Barnard.

Northern Picotees : 1st, Mr. Dodwell, for Mary (Dodwell), Miss
Rosa (Merry weather). Prince of Wales (Marris), Alfred (Dodwell),
Prince Albert (Marris), and Seedling 26 (Dodwell) ; 2d, Mr. Turner,
for Prince Albert (Marris), Unexpected (Marris), Prince of Wales
(Marris), Duke of Rutland (Hollyoake), Alfred (Dodwell), and Mary
(Dodwell) ; 3d, Mr. Keynes, for Proconsul, Emma, Prince Albert,
Lady Sale, Lord John Russell, and Privateer ; 4th, Mr. Willmer,
for Mr. Green, Prince of Wales, Field Marshal, Fair Ellen, Emperor,
and Emily.

The premier prizes between the first stands of northern and
southern flowers had to be decided after the other awards. Mr.
Turner's stands of southern-raised flowers gained the premier prizes
both in Carnations and Picotees.

Class-shewing Carnations. Scarlet Bizarres : 1st, Mr. Turner,
for Emperor (Puxley) ; 2d, ditto, for Admiral Curzon ; 3d, Mr.
Keynes, for Prince Albert (Hale) ; 4th, Mr. Turner, for Bardolph
(May). Crimson Bizarres : 1st, Mr. Turner, for Lord Milton; 2d,
Mr. Young, Twyford, for Seedling ; 3d, ditto, for Seedhng ; 4th,
Mr. Turner, for Lord Milton. Pink Bizarres : 1st, Mr. Turner, for
Henry Kirke White (Taylor) ; 2d, Mr. May, for Faiconbridge (May) ;
3d, Mr. Turner, for Faiconbridge (May) ; 4th, Mr. Keynes, for
Twyford Perfection. Scarlet Flakes : 1st, Mr. Turner, for Justice
Shallow (May) ; 2d, Mr. Keynes, for William IV. ; 3d, Mr. Turner,
for Justice Shallow (May) ; 4th, Mr. Edwards, for Lydia. Purple
Flakes : 1st, Mr. Adams, for Premier (Millwood) ; 2d, Mr. Turner,
for Perfection (Puxley) ; 3d, ditto, for Great Northern (Ely) ; 4th,
Mr. Adams, for Lord Byron. Pink Flakes : 1st, Mr. Willmer, for
Flora's Garland ; 2d, Mr. Adams, for Prince Arthur ; 3d, Mr. Will-
mer, for Rosetta; 4th, Mr. Turner, for Ariel (May).

Picotees. Heavy Red Edge: 1st, Mr. Adams, for Prince of
Wales (Marris) ; 2d, Mr. Dodwell, for Prince of Wales (Marris) ;
3d, ditto, for Prince of Wales (Marris) ; 4th, Mr. Turner, for King

SEPTEMBER. 21 J

James (Headley). Light Red Edge : 1st, Mr. Dodwell, for Mary
(Dodvvell) ; 2d. ditto, for Mary (Dodwell) ; 3d, Rev. A. Matthews,
for Cassandra; 4th, Mr. Turner, for Gem (Youell). Light Purple :
1st, Mr. Turner, for Prince Albert ; 2d, Mr. Bragg, for Juliet ; 3d,
Rev. A. Matthews, for Purity ; 4th, ditto, for Circe. Heavy Pur-
ple : 1st, Mr. Turner, for Alfred (Dodwell) ; 2d, ditto, for Viola
(May) ; 3d, ditto, for Seedling (May) ; 4th, Mr. May, for Viola.
Light Rose : 1st, Mr. Turner, for Mrs. Barnard ; 2d, ditto, for Mrs.
Barnard ; 3d, ditto, for Mrs. Barnard ; 4th ditto, for Countess Howe
(HoUyoake). Heavy Rose; 1st, Mr. Turner, for Queen Victoria
(Green) ; 2d, ditto, for Venus, (Headley) ; 3d, ditto, for Venus
(Headley); 4th, ditto, for Unexpected (Marris).

Aug. 7. — The exhibition for the Northern division was held in
Derby, in connexion with the Midland Horticultural Society ; and as
far as the Carnations and Picotees were concerned, it proved pre-
eminently satisfactory. Middlesex, Surrey, Bucks, Bedford, Oxford,
Nottingham, Leicester, Warwick, Stafford, Lincoln, Lancashire,
Wilts, and Yorkshire, were duly represented both by flowers and
delegates. Thirty-six stands of sixes, 15 boxes of twelves, and up-
wards of 1000 single specimens, were systematically arranged, and
entirely filled the large table in the centre of the County Hall. The
awards were as follows :

Northern Carnations (in sixes) : 1st, Mr. Dodwell, for Princess,
Admiral Curzon, Seedling 31, Seedling 47, Seedling 32, Premier;
2d, Mr. Haines, for Black Diamond (Haines), Hamlet, Lady Ely,
Squire Meynell, William IV. (Wilson), Lord Lewisham ; 3d, Mr.
Turner, for Miss Rushin, Lord Lewisham, Seedling (Hollyoake),
Admiral Curzon, Seedling (Marris), Lord Byron ; 4th, Mr. Busw^ell,
for Lord Byron, Admiral Curzon, Ocean Queen, King of Scarlets,
Bellerophon, Lord Milton; 5th, Mr. Bayley, for Seedling (Dodwell),
Lord Milton, True Briton, Admiral Curzon, Squire Meynell, Seed-
ling (Dodwell).

Southern Carnations: 1st, Mr. Turner, for Flora's Garland, Em-
peror (Puxley), Poins (May), Jenny Lind (Puxley), Tybalt (May),
Ariel (May) ; 2d, Mr. Haines, for May's Hotspur, Flora's Garland,
Apollo, Ariel, Excellent, Venus (Willmer) ; 3d, Mr. Dodwell, for
Firebrand, President, Apollo, Lord Rancliffe, Ariel, Prince Albert ;
4th, Mr. Edwards, for Queen, Mary Ann, Ariel, Lord RanclifFe,
Hero of Middlesex, Flora's Garland; 5th, Mr. Bragg, for Ariel,
Flora's Garland, Prince Albert, Sarah, Payne, Prince de Nassau,
Princess Royal.

Northern Picotees: 1st, Mr. Turner, for Victoria Regina (Mar-
ris), Alfred (Dodwell), Countess Howe (Marris), Duke of Rutland
(Hollyoake), Grace Darling (Marris), Alice (Dodwell); 2d, Mr.
Dodwell, for Alfred (Dodwell), Princess Royal (Marris), Prince of
Wales (Marris), Fanny (Dodwell), Miss Rosa (Merry wether), Duke
of Rutland (Hollyoake); 3d, Mr. Bayley, for Seedling (Dodwell),
Prince of Wales, Seedling (Dodwell), Iphigenia (Marris), Seedling
(Dodwell), Seedling (Dodwell) ; 4th, Mr. Haines, for Prince of

216

THE FLORIST.

Wales, Prince Albert (Marris), Miss Rosa, Seedling (Hudson),
Seedling (Haines), Proconsul; 5th, Mr. Merrj^wether, for Miss Rosa,
Mrs. Wood (Merrywether), Lady Franklin (Merry wether), Lady
Sale (Ely), Seedling 35.

Southern Picotees : 1st, Mr. Turner, for Mrs. Barnard, Juliet
(May), Cleopatra (May), Green's Queen, Viola (May), Lorina
(Burroughes) ; 2d, Mr. Merr5^wether, for President, Delicata (Hol-
liday), Jessica (May), Princess Royal (Willmer), Mrs. Barnard,
Green's Queen ; 3d, Mr. Dodwell, for Green's Queen, Juliet, Mrs.
Barnard, Lorina, Venus (Headley), Gem (Youell) ; 4th, Mr. Bragg,
for Gem, Lady Harriet Moore, Princess Royal, JuHet, Venus, Jenny
Lind ; 5th, Mr. Bayley, for Isabella, Mrs. Barnard, Juliet, Lorina,
Venus, Princess Alice (Wood).

Single Blooms in Classes. Scarlet Bizarres : 1st, Admiral Cur-
zon, Mr. Buswell ; 2d, ditto, Mr. Haines ; 3d, ditto, Messrs. Schole-
field; 4th, Seedling. Crimson Bizarres: 1st, Jenny Lind, Mr. Tur-
ner; 2d, ditto, ditto; 3d, ditto, ditto; 4th, Black Diamond, Mr.
Haines. Pink Bizarres: 1st, Prince Albert, Mr. Bragg. (The
paucity of blooms in this class prevented any further award.) Pur-
ple Flakes : 1st, Squire Meynell, Mr. Buswell ; 2d, Lord Byron,
ditto ; 3d, Premier, Mr. Barringer ; 4th, Squire Meynell, Mr.
Haines. Scarlet Flakes: 1st, Duke of Devonshire, Mr. Barringer;
2d, ditto, ditto ; 3d, ditto, ditto ; 4th, ditto, ditto. Rose Flakes :
1st, Lady Ely, Mr. Haines ; 2d, ditto, ditto ; 3d, Princess Royal,
Mr. Turner ; 4th, Flora's Garland, Mr. Haines. Heavy Red-edged
Picotees: 1st, Picnic, Mr. Harrison; 2d, Isabella, Mr. Haines;
3d, Picnic, Mr. Harrison; 4th, King James, Messrs. Scholefield.
Light Red: 1st, Seedling 70, Mr. Dodwell; 2d, Paymaster, Mr.
Harrison ; 3d, Gem, ]Mr. Buswell ; 4th, ditto, Mr. Barringer. Heavy
Purple: 1st, 2d, 3d, Alfred, Mr. Dodwell. Light Purple: 1st,
Leader, Mr. Barringer ; 2d, Leader, ditto ; 3d, Juliet, Mr. Turner ;
4th, ditto, Mr. Dodwell. Heavy Rose: 1st, Green's Queen, Mr.
Turner ; 2d, ditto, Mr. Dodwell ; 3d, Venus, Mr. Turner ; 4th, Vic-
toria Regina, ditto. Light Rose : 1st, Mrs. Barnard, Mr. Dodwell ;
2d, ditto, ditto ; 3d, ditto, ditto.

The premier prizes were awarded to Mr. Turner, of the Royal
Nursery, Slough, for his stand of Southern Carnations, six magnifi-
cent specimens ; and to his stand of Northern Picotees, also display-
ing the highest skill in cultivation, combined with the rarest quality.
First-class certificates were awarded to ]Mr. Turner, for Puxley's
Jenny Lind, C.B., decidedly the finest of its class ; to Mr. Barringer,
for his seedling scarlet flake, Duke of Devonshire ; to Mr. Wood,
for Robinson's Ehzabeth (heavy red Picotee), a flower of fine pro-
perties, well margined with bright red, and extra fine in the white
or ground-colour; and to ]\Ir. Dodwell, for Alfred (heavy purple), a
variety which has obtained a number of awards altogether unprece-
dented.

An immense number of seedlings was produced. Those espe-
cially calling for notice were Marris's Grace Darling, Countess Howe,
Victoria Regina, and Hollyoake's Duke of Rutland (exhibited by

SEPTEMBER. 217

Mr. Turner), all of first-class quality, and such as will hereafter
be seen in every leading stand. Harrison's Picnic, as shewn, was
too small to make a first-class flower ; high cultivation may, how-
ever, remedy this.

CHINESE DAHLIAS.

Some thirty or forty years since, before Mr. Chater's time, Chinese
Hollyhocks took well-merited precedence of all other Hollyhocks.
Now I see by the advertisements of Messrs. Turner, Youell, and
others, that Chinese Chrysanthemums of a foot high are to elbow
their somewhat intractable predecessors out of the greenhouse into
the borders. And truly there are few flowers that need dwarfing
so much as those. But is it that these diminutive species are
really natives of the Celestial Empire ? Or is it not rather that the
national epithet has come to be identified with any duodecimo edition
of an ordinary plant, from the singular power that most singular of
people have from time immemorial exercised over forest and orchard
trees ? I myself once succeeded, by the bye, in obtaining an apple-
tree with four full-grown ripe apples on it, though it was only about
as many inches high. That, however, died before the next season.
But to return. Why should we not have Chinese Dahlias ? It may
interest some of your readers to know that I have accidentally found
there is no difficulty in having plants to flower, and very tolerably in
character too, when the blossom is many times the size of the w^hole
plant.

About six weeks ago, when thinning the shoots of my Dahlias, I
thought I might as well strike one of each, as, if they did not flower
this season, they might make a duplicate collection of tubers for
some friend. By putting them in a cold frame till the callus was
formed, and then subjecting them to heat, they readily rooted ; and
there they are still in sixties, from one to three inches high, with the
pots full of roots, and waiting to be planted out. But two of them
when taken had buds formed, which I did not cut off"; and now I
wish I had taken none but such as had buds ; for I think it would
have attracted notice, even at Worton Cottage, on a Wednesday, to
see on the table a bloom of Captain Warner or of George Clayton,
if not exactly tit for a specimen bloom at an exhibition, yet still in
very fair condition, on plants respectively 1^ and 2^ inches high.
Probably I am now too late ; but I have in consequence just taken off
several tops with buds where they could be spared, simply for the
sake of the curiosity ; and if they come to any thing worth notice, I
will inform you.

August ISth. Iota.

218 THE FLORIST.

ROYAL SOUTH-LONDON FLORICULTURAL SOCIETY.

July 23. — This Society held its fourth exhibition for the season in
the Surrey Zoological Gardens. The afternoon was unfavourable,
and there was but a thin attendance. Carnations and Picotees were
good, and shewn in great numbers. The competition in some of
the classes was spirited, requiring very close scrutiny on the part of
the judges to distinguish the winning stands. The following is a list
of the awards.

Picotees. Amateurs, 12 blooms: 1st, M. May, Esq., for Cleo-
patra (May), Ophelia (May), Isabella (Wildman), Prince Albert
(Marris), Ernestine (Turner), Prince of Wales (Marris), Juliet
(May), Portia (May), Viola (May), King James (Headley), Mrs.
Barnard (Barnard), Bianca (May) ; 2d, C. Lockner, Esq., for Goliath,
Lady H. Moore, Mrs. Trahar, Gem, Hon. E. Annesley, Queen Vic-
toria, Mrs. Barnard, Isabella, Juliet, Venus, Amy, and Formosa ; 3d,
Mr. Reeves, for Fanny, Augusta, Queen Victoria, Mrs. Bevan,
Princess Royal, Enchantress, Lord Douro, Isabella, Regina (Cox),
Cornelius, Mrs. Barnard, and President ; 4th, J. Edwards, Esq., for
Lord Hardinge, Mrs. Bevan, Prince Albert, Princess Royal, Lady
Alice Peel, Miss Edwards, Duke of Newcastle, Mrs. Barnard, King
James, Regina, Enchantress, and Venus ; 5th, Mr. Ellis, for Princess
Augusta of Cambridge, Princess Royal, Privateer, Gem, Duchess of
Cambridge, Regina, Beauty (Burroughes), Jenny Lind, Juliet, Deli-
cata. King James, and President.

Nurserymen: 1st, Mr. C. Turner, for Prince of Wales (Marris),
Prince Albert (Marris), Gem (Youell), Lorina (Burroughes), Cleo-
patra (May), Goliath, Mrs. Barnard (Barnard), Princess Royal
(Willmer), Venus (Headley), Queen Victoria (Green), Juliet (May),
and Mary (Dodw^ell) ; 2d, Mr. Norman, for Mrs. Norman, James II.,
Mrs. B. Norman, Lord Nelson, L'elicata, Duke of Newcastle, Mrs.
Barnard, Venus, Lady Dacre, Prince of Wales, King of Purples, and
Gem ; 3d, Mr. Ward, for Mrs. Bevan, Princess Royal, Prince Albert,
Duchess of Bedford, L'Elegante, Juliet, Gem, Lorina, Mrs. Barnard,
Venus, Regina, and Delicata ; 4th, Mr. Bragg, for Gem, Sebastian,
Lady Dacre, Prince of Wales, Hon. E. Annesley, Smilax, Queen
Victoria (Green), Lady Alice Peel, Mrs. Barnard, Juliet, Enchant-
ress, and Venus ; 5th, Mr. Keynes, and an extra prize was awarded
to Mr. Willmer.

Carnations. Amateurs, 12 blooms: 1st, Mr. Reeves, for Princess
Royal, Rainbow, Brutus, Prince Albert, Grenadier, Flora's Garland,
Defiance (Sharp), Paul Pry, Wm. Cobbett, Mary Ann, Georgiana,
and Conquering Hero ; 2d, M. May, Esq., for Bardolph (May), Cori-
olanus (May), Antonio (May), Somerset (May), Duncan (May),
Lorenzo (May), Beauty of Woodhouse (Mansley), Falconbridge
(May), Queen Victoria (Simpson), Romeo (May), Bolingbroke
(May), and Justice Shallow (May) ; 3d, Mr. Edwards, for Prince
Albert (Hale), Hotspur, Rainbow, Lady of the Lake, Solander,
Harriet, Sarah Payne, Beauty of Woodhouse, Lydia, True Briton,

SEPTEMBER. 219

Flora's Garland, and Admiral Curzon ; 4th, Mr. Ellis, for Ariel,
William IV., Flora's Garland, Chance, Georgiana, Squire Meynell,
Prince Albert, Hero of Middlesex, Lord Polhngton, Beauty of Brig-
house, Lady Gardner, and Harriet ; 5tli, Mr. Newhall, for Prince
Albert, Flora's Garland, Lord Byron, Georgiana, Dido, Beauty of
Woodhouse, Pauline, Lovely Ann, Princess, Regular, and Beauty of
Brighouse.

Nurserymen: 1st, Mr. C. Turner, for Admiral Curzon (Easom),
Flora's Garland (Brooks), Princess Royal (Puxley), Brutus (Colcutt),
Antonio (May), Duncan (May), Bardolph (May), Justice Shallow
(May), Beauty of Woodhouse (Mansley), Perfection (Puxley), Ariel
(May), and Queen (Puxley). An equal 1st prize was awarded to
Mr. Ward, for Princess Royal, Prince Albert, Lord RanclifFe, Flora's
Garland, Georgiana, Lady Gardner, Squire Meynell, Vivid, Admiral
Curzon, Sir Harry Smith, Squire Trow, and Queen of Roses ; 2d,
Mr. Norman, for Dido, Rainbow, Queen Victoria, True Briton, Queen,
Duke of Sutherland, Squire Meynell, Flora's Garland, Vivid, Count
Pauline, Admiral Curzon, and Harriet ; 3d, Mr. Bragg, for Brutus,
Lady of the Lake, Duke of York, Prince Arthur, Flora's Garland,
Lord RanclifFe, Beauty of Woodhouse, Ariel, Mrs. Barnard, Splendid,
Count Pauline, and Sarah Payne; 4th, Mr. Keynes; 5th, Mr. Willmer.

Class-shewing Specimen Blooms. 20 prizes out of the 22 offered
were awarded to Mr. Turner of Slough ; Mr. Ward and Mr. Nor-
man having each one. We shall content ourselves with naming the
successful flowers. Some of the blooms in this class were very fine
specimens, particularly May's Justice Shallow, in Carnations ; a scar-
let flake of the finest quality, having petals of great substance, very
smooth on the edges, and full size.

Carnations. Scarlet Bizarre : 1st, Puxley's Howard ; 2d, Pux-
ley's Emperor. Crimson Bizarre : 1st, Lord Milton. Pink Bizarre :
1st, Henry Kirke White ; 2d, Twyford Perfection. Purple Flake :
1st, Puxley's Perfection. Scarlet Flake : 1st, May's Justice Shal-
low; 2d, May's Seedling. Rose Flake: 1st, Flora's Garland; 2d,
May's Romeo.

Picotees. Heavy Rose: 1st, Headley's Venus; 2d, Marris's
Victoria Regina. Light Rose: 1st, Mrs. Barnard; 2d, Marris's
Countess Howe. Heavy Purple: 1st, Dodwell's Mary; 2d, May's
Viola. Light Purple: 1st, Lorina ; 2d, Prince Albert (Marris).
Heavy Red : 1st, Mrs. Norman (Norman) ; 2d, Marris's Prince of
Wales.

Seedlings. Mr. Norman received a certificate for Mrs. Norman,
heavy red Picotee ; the edging in which is broad, and laid on very
solid and firmly ; white good ; petal of fine substance and shape ;
not only the best of its class, but one of the best Picotees in culti-
vation. A certificate was awarded to Mr. Bragg's Duke of Wel-
lington, scarlet bizarre, but for what reason we could not discover,
for there are at least a score far superior flowers in this class already.
A certificate was also awarded to his Princess Alice, a small neat
yellow Picotee.

220 THE FLORIST.

ON FLORAL TASTES, AND THEIR RESULTS.

The religious is the noblest style of man. To hold communion with
our Creator, and to refer every thing we do to his will and pleasure,
is to make the closest approximation to present happiness, and to
promote most eflfectually the highest ends of our whole being. If
we state that the love and the culture of flowers tend to this most
desirable accomplishment, we believe we take up an impregnable
position ; for we have already seen that these beauties of nature are
evidently intended to attract our notice and win our regard. They
constitute, indeed, the illustrations of the great volume of natural
religion, which no revelation is intended to close, but rather to ex-
plain and confirm its contents. They consequently have an import-
ant bearing on man's spiritual and religious nature, and can only be
neglected as means of the highest instruction by the ignorant and
fanatical.

The divorce between natural and revealed religion was unknown
to the di\*ine Founder of Christianity and his immediate followers,
although it has been proclaimed and acted upon too much in suc-
ceeding times. There is a glory of the sun, and of the moon, and
of the stars, although they have different degrees of brightness ; and
there is divine teaching in a flower as a terrestrial instrument, al-
though its accents are less commanding and authoritative than those
of celestial ones. There is an alluring and persuasive force in the
various objects of the floral world, demanding assent to the great
truths which their construction and uses more than obscurely hint at.
We are thus surrounded by monitors to correct our errors, and by
stimulants to arouse us to duty ; and although, through our natural
obduracy, the impressions they make may be slight, they exert an
influence notwithstanding. Even to the passive spirit they imper-
ceptibly convey valuable instruction, more perhaps than we are in
the habit of supposing to be the case ; how efl'ective, then, must be
the doctrines they teach to the heart which is ready to hsten to them
with filial reverence as to the counsels of a father and a friend !

In the biographies of many pious persons allusion is made to the
aid they have gained in their arduous course by meditations among
the beauties of nature. Such cases are too numerous to allow of our
mentioning names, and we will merely refer to the constant reference
to rural scenes and floral associations in the Holy Scriptures. From
the time when " the Rose of Sharon and the Lily of the Valley"
supplied emblems to Solomon, to the modern writer who makes *' the
herb called Heartsease" the symbol of a contented and humble spirit,
there has been a constant succession of prophets and di%-ines and pri-
vate Christians, who have been refined and encouraged and elevated by
these simple means. We feel sure we are uttering the experience of
many of our readers when we say, that a humble flower can teach
faith and submission and childlike confidence ; and that through all

SEPTEMBER. 221

the gradations of vegetable life, from the Daisy to the lofty Pines on
mountain-tops, or the Cedars of Lebanon, sweet voices are uttered in
the ear of the observers of divine Providence.

" Oh, chide not at the simple theme which wakes the minstrel's lay.
Earth were less bright without the flowers which blossom by the way ;
He at whose word the universe her ancient might did yield
Hath taught proud man a lesson from the flowers of the field ;
I thank thee, God, for every boon thy hand in mercy showers.
And oh, not least among thy gifts, the beautiful wild flowers !"

Perhaps our observations may by some be thought too serious ;
but we ask. Is floriculture to be subservient only to mere amusement,
or is it to perform a part in our highest mental and moral training }
It would ill become us to trace the influence of a love of nature on
refining and civilising outward life, and not to dwell on its capacity
for ennobling the finer powers of the intellect and the heart. We
have discharged a duty which has been profitable to ourselves in its
performance, and we hope it has not been fruitless in reference to
others. We have only to dwell on the subsidiary results of flori-
culture when combined with the social principle, either in public ex-
hibitions or in private life, and our task will be done.

Henry Burgess.

AN ESSAY ON FLOWERS.

BY H. T. TUCKERMAN, NEW YORK.*

Floral apostles ! that in dewy splendour

Weep without woe, and blush without a crime.

Oh, may I deeply learn, and ne'er surrender,
Your lore subhme.

Horace Smith.

I ATTENDED church OD a fine day of midsummer, in one of the most
beautiful villages of New England. The structure, though exter-
nally attractive from its retired situation and the pleasant grove
that surrounded it, like most places of worship in the country, had
a very bare and unhallowed aspect within. I suddenly, however,
beheld a vase of flowers on the communion-table. They were most
inartificially and tastefully arranged ; the brilliant tints judiciously
blended, the shadowy green naturally disposed, and the base of the
jar which contained them wreathed with trailing blossoms. The
sight of this vase of flowers was like enchantment ; it seemed to fill
that forlorn church with its presence ; it spoke of nature, of beauty,
of truth ; it atoned for the meagre altar, the homely edifice, and the
ungarnished pew.

Science and sentiment have rather formalised than illustrated the
association of flowers. The one by its rigid nomenclature, and the
other by an arbitrary language, profane the ideal charms of the floral

* Somewhat abridged from the Horticulturist.

222 THE FLORIST.

kingdom. It is pleasant to regard these graceful denizens of the
garden and forest in the spirit of that fine hymn of Horace Smith's
which celebrates their beautiful significance. Instead of looking at
them through the microscopic lens of mere curiosity, or according to
the fanciful and hackneyed alphabet that floral dictionaries suggest,
let us note their influence as symbols and memorials. To analyse
the charm of flowers is like dissecting music ; it is one of those
things which it is far better to enjoy than to attempt to understand.
In observing the relation of flowers to life and character, I have often
been tempted to believe that a subtle and occult magnetism per-
vaded their atmosphere ; that inscriptions of wisdom covered their
leaves ; and that each petal, stem, and leaf, was the divining-rod or
scroll that held an invisible truth.

Viewed abstractedly, one of the peculiar attractions of flowers is
the fact that they seem a gratuitous development of beauty : " they
toil not, neither do they spin." In almost every other instance iu
nature, the beautiful is only incidental to the useful ; but flowers
have the objectless, spontaneous luxury of existence that belongs to
childhood. They typify most eloquently the benign intent of the
universe ; and by gratifying through the senses the instinct of beauty,
vindicate the poetry of life with a divine sanction. Their fragility is
another secret charm. A vague feeling that the bright hue is soon
to wither, and the rich odour to exhale, awakens in the mind uncon-
sciously that interest which alone attaches to the idea of decay.
These two ideas — that of the gratuitous off'ering of nature in the ad-
vent of flowers, the benison their presence seems to convey, and the
thought of their brief duration — invest flowers with a moral signifi-
cance that renders their beauty more touching, and as it were nearer
to humanity, than any other species of material loveliness. The in-
finite variety of form, the exquisite combination of tints, the diver-
sity of habits and odorous luxuries they boast, it would require an
elaborate treatise to unfold. We may obtain an idea of the perfec-
tion and individuality of their forms by considering their suggestive-
ness. Scarcely a tasteful fabric meets the eye, from the rich brocade
of a past age to the gay prints of to-day, that owes not its pleasing
design to some flower. Not an ancient urn or modern cup of porce-
lain or silver but illustrates in its shape, and the embossed or painted
sides, how truly beautiful is art when it follows strictly these eternal
models of grace and adaptation. Even architecture is chiefly in-
debted to the same source, not only in the minute decorations of a
frieze, but in the Acanthus that terminates a column, and the leaf-
like pointing of an arch. A skilful horticulturist will exhibit the
most delicate shades of fragrance in diff'erent species of the Rose,
until a novice cannot but realise to what a miraculous extent the
most refined enjoyment in nature may be sublimated and modified ;
and the same thing is practicable as regards both hue and form.

The spirit of beauty in no other inanimate embodiment comes so
near the heart. Flowers are related to all the oflSces and relations of
human life. They bound the sacrificial victim of the ancients, and
from the earliest times have been woven into garlands for the victor,

SEPTKMBER. 223

trembled in the hair of the bride, and cheered the invaHd's solitude.
They have been offered at the shrine of beauty, and claimed as the
pledges of love, nor ceased to adorn the banquet, or be scattered over
the grave. Thus domesticated, even without intrinsic beauty, and
exclusive of any appeal to taste, flowers are blended in the memories
of the least poetical with scenes of unwonted delight, keen emotion,
and profound sorrow. Hence they have a language for each, not
recognised in any alphabet, and their incense is alHed with the issues
of destiny. M'Gregor's foot was more firmly planted, because upon
his " native heather;'' the Syrian, in the Jardin des Plantes, wept as
he clasped his country's Palm-tree ; Keats said in his last illness that
he felt the Daisies growing over him ; and one who, even in renowned
maturity, had wandered little from the singleness of childhood, de-
clared that he could never see a Marigold without his mouth's water-
ing at the idea of those swimming in the broth Simple Susan pre-
pared for her mother, in Miss Edge worth's little story. There is
no end to the caressing allusions of Petrarch to the Violet and the
Laurel, so identified with the dress and name of his beloved. Indeed,
we might scan biography and the poets for years, and continually
find new evidences of the familiar and endearing relation of flowers
to sentiment. Each of the latter have celebrated some favourite of
the race in their choicest numbers ; and the very names of Ophelia
and Perdita are fragrant with the flowers that Shakspeare, with the
rarest and most apposite grace, has entwined with their history.

The Venetian painters must have studied colour in the hues of
flowers ; for the brilhant, distinct, and warm tone of their works
affects the spectator exactly as these rainbow gems ; especially when
they strike the eye in an isolated position, or surrounded by dim
umbrage. Nor is this effect confined to the domesticated flowers ;
for the richest and most delicate gradations of tint occur among un-
cultivated and indigenous plants, such as the Lobelia of the swamp,
the Saffron of the meadow, and the nameless variety of prairie blos-
soms. There are few more curious subjects of speculation than
the modus operandi by which such an infinite diversity of colours
are obtained from the same apparent source. This is an exquisite
secret of Nature's laboratory. The physiology of plants has been
successfully investigated ; and it is interesting to consider that
the vitality of flowers is much the same as our own as regards
its process, though so different in kind. They have affinities of sen-
sibility ; they germinate and fructify ; but the elements they assimi-
late are more subtle than those which sustain animal organisation ;
yet sun, earth, and air, nourish them according to a nutritive prin-
ciple not unlike that by which our frames are sustained. The reci-
procal action between vegetable and organic life, and their respective
absorption and diffusion of gases, is one of the most beautiful exposi^
tions of science. But the instinct of flowers is not less curious j
some fold their leaves at the approach of a storm, and others open
and shut at particular hours, so that botanists have rejoiced in floral
dials and barometers. Their relation to sight and smell is very ob-
vious, but that to touch is less regarded ; and yet it is extraordinary

224 THE FLORIST.

how the feel of almost every known fabric can be realised by the
contact of leaves. Where the touch is sensitive, experiments of this
kind may be tried, much to the amusement of the sportive ; for
many leaves, if unperceived, and at the same time subject to an
exquisite touch, give the sensation of animal, insect, and even mi-
neral substances, indicating how intricately modified are the propor-
tions of fibre, down, juice, and enamel in their composition.

In their associations, however, flowers are quite independent
both of rare qualities and peculiar beauty. Almost all great men
have loved rural seclusion, and have had their favourite villa, island,
arbour, or garden-walk. In Switzerland, Germany, and, indeed,
every w^here on the continent, these places, consecrated by the par-
tiality, or endeared by the memory of genius, are shrines for the
traveller. Such are Clarens, Vaucluse, and Coppe. Lamartine's
tenderness for Milly, his childhood's home, as exhibited in his late
writings, illustrates a sentiment common to all imaginative and affec-
tionate men ; but it is observable that sometimes these charmed spots
boast no remarkable floral attractions, often only sufficient to make
them rural ; a grove of pines, a small vineyard, a picturesque view,
and not unfrequently a single tree, like the famous old elm at North-
ampton, amid whose gigantic branches Dr. Edwards, who wrote the
celebrated treatise on "the will," was accustomed to sit and meditate ;
any truly natural object, redolent of verdure and shade, is enough.
And the hedges of England, the moors of Scotland, the terrace-gar-
dens of Italy, the scrambling prickly-pear fences of Sicily, and the
orchards of America, are attractive to the natives of each country on
the same principle. It is the beautiful distinction of flowers that,
gathered into magnificent horticultural shows, or hidden in lonely
nooks, they alike address the sense of beauty ; so that a little sprig
of Forget-me-nots may excite a world of sentiment, and one Scarlet
Geranium irradiate an entire dw^elling.

Flowers not only have their phenomena, but their legends. The
latter are usually based upon some idea of a sympathetic character,
as that which transforms Daphne into a Laurel, and changes the pale
hue of a flower to a crimson or purple at the occurrence of human
shame or misfortune. Even veneration is excited by the mysterious
natural history of some flowers, or the idea they symbolise. Thus
the Aloe, that blossoms once in a century, and the night-blooming
Cereus, which keeps vigil when all other flowers sleep, and the
Passion -Flower, in which the Catholics behold the tokens of our
Saviour's agony, have a kind of solemn attraction for the eye and
fancy.

There is no little revelation of character in floral preferences. It
accords with the humanity of Burns, that he should celebrate the
familiar Daisy ; with the delicate organisation of Shelley, that a Sen-
sitive Plant should win his muse; and with Bryant's genuine obser-
vation of nature that he dedicates a Httle poem to an inelegant and
neglected Gentian. It is in harmony with the church-attachments
of Southey, that his most charming minor poem is in praise of
the Holly, the symbol of a Christian and national festival ; and no

SEPTEMBER. 225

poet but Crabbe would descend to so homely a vegetable product as
Kelp. There is no flower more peculiar in its beauty and growth
than the Water Lily ; accordingly Coleridge, with his metaphysical
tendency to seize on rare and impressive analogies, has drawn a
comparison from this flower which strikes me as one of the most
poetical as well as felicitous in modern literature. Speaking of the
zest for new truth felt by those already well instructed, as compared
with the indifferent mental appetite of the ignorant, he says, " The
Water Lily, in the midst of waters, opens its leaves and expands its
petals at the first pattering of the shower, and rejoices in the rain-
drops with a quicker sympathy than the parched shrub in the sandy
desert." The dreamy, half-sensuous and half-ideal nature of Ten-
nyson is naturally attracted by the sweet ravishment innate in the
breath and juices of some flowers. He is fitted keenly to appreciate
the luxurious indolence and fanciful ecstasy thus induced ; and
therefore one of the most effective and original of his poems is "The
Lotus-Eaters." Moore's famous image of the Sunflower is a constant
bone of contention between horticulturists and poets ; the former as-
serting that it does not turn round with the luminary it is supposed
to adore, but is as fixed on its stalk as any other flower ; and the
latter declaring that the metaphor "se non e vero, e ben trovato."'

Few plants are more graceful or versatile in contour than the
Fern. One can scarcely pass a group without recalling that line of
Scott, which so aptly describes the utter lull of the air :

" There is no breeze upon the fern, no ripple on the lake."
Goldsmith's sympathy with the rural and human is associated inti-
mately with the Hawthorn, " for whispering lovers made." Rose-
mary has been more emblematic of remembrance since it was so
offered by the " fair Ophelia;" and Heartsease is consecrated by the
splendid compliment to " the virgin throned by the West," to which
it is indebted for the name of " Love-in-idleness." The epicurean
utilitarianism of Leigh Hunt recognised " comfort" in the feel of a
Geranium leaf; and who that has read with appreciation Miss
Barrett's fine poem, elaborating the beautiful sentiment of the Bible,
**He giveth his beloved sleep," can see a Poppy, that gorgeous em-
blem of the drowsy god, without a benison on the thoughtful lyrist ?
I think that the Yellow Broom must have originally flourished in
lonely places. For hours I followed a mule-path in the most deserted
part of Sicily, cheerful with its blossoms, whose rich yet delicate
odour embalmed the air ; hence the significance of Shakspeare's al-
lusion to this flower, " which the dismissed bachelor loves, being
lass-lorn." Campbell must have had an oppressive sense of the
poisonous horror of Nightshade, from his reference to it in the pro-
test against scepticism, as the natural companion of dismay. I have
always thought the Thistle an apposite symbol, not only of Scotland,
but of her martyred queen :

" Its fragrant down set round with thorns, and rifled by the bee."

One of the most popular tales of the day, " Picciola," is based
upon the interest which a single flower may excite when it is the

VOL. III. NO. XXXIII. T

226 THE FLORIST.

sole companion of a prisoner ; and the favour this little romance has
enjoyed proves how natural is the sentiment it unfolds. The most
severely religious minds, however indifferent to art or scenery, are
not unfrequently alive to this feeling. The constant allusion to flowers
in a metaphorical way in the Scriptures, the rich poetical meaning
attached to them in the East, the Lily that always appears in pic-
tures of the Annunciation, the Palm-leaves strewed in our Saviour's
path, the crown of Thorns woven for his brow, and his declaration
of the field Lilies, " that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed
like one of them," indicating that his pure eyes had momentarily
rested on their familiar beauty, lend to such persons a hallowed sense
of their attractiveness. There is yet another reason for this excep-
tion to a prosaic view of what is merely charming in itself, which
those disposed to bigotry make in favour of flowers ; it is, that they
symbolise immortality. No common figure of speech is more im-
pressive to the peasant than that which bids him see a " type of
resurrection and second birth" in the germination of the seed, its
growth, development, and blossoming. Again, too, there are the
associations of childhood, whose first and most innocent acquisitions
were gathered flowers, emblems of its own exuberance, offerings of
its primitive love. I imagine the sense of colour, now regarded as
a separate and very unequally distributed faculty, is one of the ear-
liest developed ; it explains the intense gratification even of an infant
at the sight of a Tulip ; and there is reason to believe that the hues
of flowers are the most vivid tokens of enjoyment that greet the
dawning mind.

[To be continued.]

HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY.

August 6. — Among subjects of exhibition, that which excited the most
interest, in a fioricultural point of view, was a collection of Holly-
hocks, in spikes and single blooms, from Mr. Chater of Saffron Wal-
den. The kinds consisted of Attraction, light ground, beautifully
veined ; Atrosanguinea, dark crimson ; Black Prince, one of the
darkest of Hollyhocks ; Coccinea, bright red ; Delicata, French white ;
Formosa, claret ; Magnum Bonum, maroon ; Model of Perfection,
white; Napoleon, red and buff; Purpurea elegans, purple; Queen,
blush ; Rosea grandiflora, pink ; improved varieties of Rosea alba.
Snowball, and Wellington; Sulphurea perfecta, sulphur; Comet,
ruby red ; Pulchella, exquisitely formed rose ; Mr. C. Baron, deli-
cate salmon; Elegans, blush; and Commander-in-chief, the latter
with a flowering spike at least 3 feet in length. The same grower
also produced some nice seedlings, not yet " sent out," among which
was a kind named Walden Gem, an improvement on Comet in point
of colour. A collection of 24 varieties of Hollyhocks in the shape
of single blooms was also contributed by Mr. Bragg of Slough.

SEPIEMBEU. 227

NEW PLANTS.

Figured in the Botanical Magazine for August.

.Eugenia BRAsiLiE.vsis. An evergreen stove-shrub, belonging to the family
of Myrtles, forming a bush six or eight feet high, with leaves as large as the com-
nion Laurel. It has white flowers, produced in the spring; they are of short
duration, and but of little beauty. Native country Brazil.

Dexdrobium Kingianl'm. a greenhouse Orchid, attaining but a few inches
in height ; sepals and petals of the flowers purple ; lip white, streaked Avith
purple : a very pretty dwarf species. Native of New Holland.

Hakea clcullata. An evergreen -greenhouse shrub, about four or five feet
high, with large spreading leathery concave leaves, and flowers of a red and yel-
low colour, produced in copious clusters from the axils of the upper leaves ; its
nearest athnity is with H. Victoria : of little interest, unless for large collections.
Native country New Holland.

Campvlobotrys discolor, a dwarf soft- wooded stove-plant, flowering freely
when only a few inches high, and remarkable for the livid green or velvety
gloss on the upper side of the leaves, and the rich red tints of the branches ; the
flowers are produced on short nodding spikes, and are of a deep rich red colour.
It was transmitted from Paris to the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and is said to
be a native of Bahia or 3Iexico.

Stylidium saxifragoides. a beautiful little species, nearly allied to
S. ciliatum ; the flowers are large for the size of the plant, and are of a yellow
colour. It was raised by Messrs. Veitch from seeds imported from Swan River.
A greenhouse plant, and one that deserves a place in every collection.

Hypocyrta gracilis, a soft- wooded suff"ruticose stove-plant, with a habit
similar to an ^schynanthus ; the flowers are of a creamy white, spotted with
orange on the under side of the tube within. It was imported from the Organ
Mountains in Brazil, by Messrs. Backhouse of York.

Coloured Illustrations in Paxton''s Flower-Garden for August.

Rhododendron cinnamomecm, var. Cunmnghami. A hardy hybrid, resem-
bling R. Clivianum, having large heads of white flowers spotted with dark purple.
It was raised by Mr. Cunningham of LiverjDool, and is between R. cinnamo-
meum and the late white maximum. A very handsome hardy hybrid.

Bejaria coarctata. a hard-wooded low-growing half-hardy evergreen
shrub, of neat habit, with leaves resembling the common Box, and flowers of
exquisite beauty ; allied to the Rhododendron ; ditfering principally in the petals
beuig separate, not united into a tube; the flowers are produced in close corymbs
on the ends of the branches, and are of a crimson colour. It was raised at Sion
House, where it has flowered. Native country New Grenada.

Odontoglossum n.eviuji. a singular little Orchid, with flowers resembling
those of Oncidium phymatochilum ; sepals and petals narrow, long, pointed, and
wavy ; flowers white, spotted all over with a rich crimson. Introduced by Sir
R. Schomburgk from the Andes of New Grenada, and figured from Mr. Loddiges'
Nursery, Hackney.

The woodcuts contain: 1. Bejaria Lindeniana ; 2. B. oestuans ; 3. Passi-
flora medustea ; 4. Cuphea cinnabarina, a small branch contaming leaves and
flowers of each ; 5. Lisianthus princeps, a flower and leaves ; 6. Parsonsia hete-
rophylla, a flowering branch ; 7. Acineta densa ; 8. Campanea grandiflora, a
flower of each ; 9. Leaves and flowers of Abutilon insigne ; lU. A spike of
flowers of Acropera armeniaca ; 11. Campy lobotrys discolor, noticed al)ove ;
12. Columnea aurantiaca, a leaf and flowers; 13. Arctocalyx Endlicherianus,
flowers and stem ; 14. Rhododendron jasminiflorum, noticed at p. 202.

Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. J. Houlston.

Erratum. — At p. 200, line 7 from bottom, for Luxembourgia speciosa read
Luxemburgia ciliosa.

228

THE FLORIST.

THE LADIES' PAGE.

It is not unreasonable to surmise that the elegantly written paper
on the Rose given in the Florist of last month has imbued with a
desire for further information those among its readers who may not
have had an opportunity of making themselves acquainted with the
most desirable varieties of the many hundreds now cultivated ; and
therefore it is thought that a list of the best that were in bloom at
the time of our visit to a nursery where Roses are grown by the acre
may be useful. This selection, however, will not be restricted to
new Roses, many of those that are now termed old sorts being quite
equal in merit to the newer and more expensive ones. Their divi-
sion into classes, although more arbitrary than characteristic, is to a
certain extent useful, and is always followed in nurserymen's cata-
logues, from which source also the colours of the different kinds in
the following list have been copied ; but we ought to state, that in
the matter of colour, no two catalogues correspond.

Moss Roses.
♦Comtesse de Murinais, white.
♦Eclatante, bright rose.
*Laneii, shaded carmine.
♦Princess Royal, salmon-blush.

Unique de Provence, white.

Alice Leroy, rosy lilac.

Luxembourg, deep red, purple tinge.

Celina, deep carmine.

Provence Roses.

* Crested, rose, curious crested buds.
Royal, blush.

* Striped Unique, white, striped with

pink.

Hybrid Provence Roses.
Aspasie, delicate blush.
♦Blanchfleur, white, with blush centre.
Emerance, pale lemon.

Gallica Roses.

Cynthia, lilac blush.

* Grandissima, bright crimson.
Bizarre Marbre, mottled crimson.
Kean, lilac crimson.

CEillet parfait, striped rose.
*Ohl, velvety cnmson.
♦Shakspeare, shaded deep crimson.
*Triomphe de Janssens, bright crim-
son.

Letitia, mottled or veined crimson.
♦Boula de Nanteuil, crimson pur^ile.

La Cailaisienne, delicate rose.

Nelly, pale salmon.

Damask Roses.
Chateaubriand, bright red.

•Madame Zoutman, creamy white.
La Ville de Bruxelles, bright rose.

Alba Roses.

*Madame Audot, creamy Avhite, blush
centre.
Sophie de Marsilly, flesh, pink centre.
Princesse de Lamballe, white.

Austrian Roses.

Harrisonii, bright yellow.
♦Persian, deep yellow.

Hybrid China Roses.

Gloire de Couline, shaded crimson.
♦General Jacqueminot, purplish crim-
son.

Brennus, crimson.
♦Chenedolle, vivid crimson.

Lady Stuart, silvery blush.

Madame Rameau, velvety crimson.
♦Marjolin, dark violet crimson.
♦Madeline, white, edged with car-
mine.

Fulgens, fiery crimson.
♦Stadtholder, lilac blush.
♦Comtesse de Lacepede, white, with
blush centre.

Beauty of Billard, bright scarlet.

Hybrid Bourbon Roses.

♦Coupe d'He'be, bright pink.
♦Great Western, deep crimson.
♦Paul Ricaut, deep carmine.

Charles Duval, bright rose.

Henri Barbet, deep pink.

Las Casas, bright red.

SEPTEMBER,

229

Jaune Serin, yellow.

Ruga, pale l)lush.

Rivers's Queen, purplish crimson.

Laure Davoust, rose.

Climbing Roses.
White Banksian, white, very frag-
rant.
Yellow Banksian, creamy yellow.

All the above kinds are what is termed " Summer Roses," that
is, they bloom at one season only, in the months of June and July.
Those which follow, however, if planted in rich soil, will give a suc-
cession of flowers till growth is stopped by the cold nights of au-
tumn ; and for this reason, independent of their equal beauty, they
deserve extensive cultivation ; indeed, some persons suppose that
eventually the Perpetual Roses will drive all others out of our gardens.

Damask Perpetual Roses.
Bernard, rosy salmon.
♦Crimson Superb, crimson, shaded
purple.
Du Roi, bright crimson.

Bourbon Roses.
Acidalie, white.
Armosa, rosy blush.
Dupetit Thouars, vivid crimson.
George Cuvier, rosy crimson.
•Madame Angelina, fawn, shaded with

salmon.
•Queen, fawn-coloured pink.
•Souchet, crimson, shaded with purple.
•Souvenir de la Malmaison, white,

flesh-coloured centre.
*Le Grenadier, brilliant crimson.
•Paul Joseph, crimson purple.
Cornice de Seine et Marne, bright

crimson.
Bouquet de Flore, carmine.

China Roses.
•Cramoisie Superieure, bright crim-
son.
•Mrs. Bosanquet, pale flesh-colour.
•Madame Bureau, white.
Fabvier, carmine and white.
La Se'duisante, flesh-colour.
Marjolin du Luxembourg, purplish
red.

•Solfaterre, bright sulphur.

♦Fellenberg, bright carmine.

Ophirie, salmon and fawn.

Hybrid Perpetual Roses.

•Baronne Prevost, bright rose.
♦Comte de Montaiivet, purplish crim-
son.

Dr. Amal, rosy red.

Due d'Alenfon, rosy pink.
•Duchess of Sutherland, pale pink.
•Ge'ant de Batailles, crimson scarlet.

Lady Alice Peel, rosy crimson.
*La Reine, glossy rose.

Mrs. Elliot, lilac crimson.
•Robin Hood, cherry red.
* William Jesse, lilac crimson.
•Soleil d'Austerlitz, brilliant crimson.
•Sidonie, bright rose.

Cymedor, bright crimson.
•Marquise Boccella, pale pink.

Tea-scented China Roses.

Adam, rose, salmon centre.
Bougere, bronzed rose.
•Devoniensis, straw-colour, buff'centre.
•Elise Sauvage, pale yellow, darker

centre.
•Madame de St. Joseph, rosy salmon.
Niphetos, white, lemon centre.
Vicomtesse de Cazes, bright yel-
low.
Triomphe du Luxembourg, buflfand

rose.
Marshal Bugeaud, bright rose.
Pactolus, lemon, yellow centre.

For a select list of Roses, the above looks preposterously long,
and yet it does not contain more than one-sixth of the varieties culti-
vated for sale by some of the leading Rose-growers. However, for
the guidance of those who wish to commence Rose-culture on a more
limited scale, or to add good sorts to those they already possess, we
have marked with an asterisk some of the very best in each class.

For special instructions in management we must refer our readers
to Rivers's Rose- Amateur s Guide, or to Paul's more recent work

Noisette Roses.
Aimee Vibert, white.
►Euphrosine, pale fawn.
Lamarquc, pale lemon.

230 THK FLORIt^T.

on the Rose. All that is necessary further to remark here is, that
to insure a good bloom, good soil is indispensable ; and for the gene-
rality of Roses no mixture is better than good loam and rotten dung ;
but some of the Noisette, China, and Tea-scented varieties, being
more tender, require a lighter and drier soil and a warmer situation.
Another essential point is, keeping the young shoots free from
aphides; and this is easiest done by dipping the infested ends in
diluted tobacco-liquor.

J. B. Whiting.

REMARKS ON BRITISH FERNS.

NO. VII.

[Continued from p. 189.]
POLYPODIUM.

This genus is readily distinguished from any of the preceding genera
by the absence of the involucre or indusium.

1. P. vuLGARE. It is scarcely necessary to offer any remarks on
the cultivation of this common British Fern, as we find it growing
in almost all soils and situations. It certainly, however, luxuriates
most on the decayed stumps of trees in shady woods and hedge-
banks. The fronds are pinnatifid.

P. vuLGARE, var. CAMBRicuM. Like many other monstrosities,
the P. cambricum far .surpasses the original form in elegance, as the
lobes or segments are all deeply and beautifully notched on their
margins, characters which it appears to retain under every sort of
cultivation. As an instance of the esteem in which this elegant
British Fern is held, I may mention that I send out more of it than
of any other kind that I possess, either native or exotic ; this is
easily accounted for, as, in all probability, the original station or
stations afforded only one solitary plant each, and for many years it
may have had to depend upon cultivation for its existence.

P. VULGARE, var. BiFiDUM. In this the segments are divided at
their extremities ; and this is the only difference that exists between
it and the normal form. There are also a P. vulgare, var. serra-
tum, and some other very slight variations, which I consider to be
scarcely worthy of notice.

2. P. DRYOPTERis. A vcry accommodating Fern under cultiva-
tion ; if planted in a dry part of the fernery in loam and peat, it will
increase rapidly, as it has a creeping root. It is usually found wild
in the north of England and Scotland, growing on old stone walls
and masses of broken rock, where it is exposed to all kinds of
weather ; it therefore may be considered extremely hardy, and well
calculated for all the purposes of out- door planting.

3. P. PHEGOPTERis. This is not quite so plentiful as the last,
and generally affecting to grow in rather moist situations, among
rocks and loose stones, in sub -alpine countries, and more especially

SEPTEMBER. 231

where there is a little shade. Notwithstanding the difference in
their natural habitats, it appears to submit to cultivation equally
freely with P. dryopteris. They both thrive well with me in dry
and exposed situations. Root also creeping.

4. P. CALCAREUM. Somc ycars ago, when we were compara-
tively strangers to each other, I found this Fern rather shy and im-
patient under cultivation ; in fact, I had been in the habit of losing
my entire stock for several winters in succession, until I found out
that the roots were disposed to resist both my fingers and the knife,
which, I confess, were at times unsparingly applied to them ; I w^ould
therefore recommend its being planted out in unbroken masses, if
from its habitats, and if out of pots, with the balls of earth entire.
It requires a more sheltered situation than either of the preceding,
as it is generally furnished with longer stems.

I have now arrived at that part of my remarks on this genus,
where it may be expected that I should say something relative to
the distinctive characters of the last species, more especially as it
has often been suggested to me that they were no more than dif-
ferent forms of the same plant. To this I can only reply, that I have
cultivated them for many years, and always found them to retain
their respective characters. Notwithstanding that P. calcareum is
usually found upon chalk and limestone formations, it appears the
same after many years' cultivation as when taken from its habitats,
indeed if it had been disposed to run into either of the two, I think
I must have observed the transition.

R. Sim.

WINTERING THE CARNATION.

As winter will soon approach us, perhaps the following plan of win-
tering the Carnation may prove acceptable. My frame stands on
legs, and has a false bottom eight inches from the ground, well
drilled with a 1 j-inch auger. On this bottom I put a layer of pot-
sherds and brick-rubbish, and on these my pots (48's, each containing
two plants) are placed. I then fill up to the rims with a compost of
three parts cinder-ashes and one part sawdust, with a small quantity
of powdered charcoal, all well mixed. In this mixture the plants
may be watered without the least fear of injury from mildew, &c.,
as the water passes off freely, and no damp is generated in the frame
from the earth beneath. In this way I have grown Carnations, &c.
for a number of years, and have always had an extremely healthy
stock. I have false bottoms in my frames, because I use them for
other purposes, such as working Dahlias and growing Cucumbers
in, &c.

Bermondsey. Alpha.

232

THE FLORIST.

LESCHENAULTIA FORMOSA.

Will any of your readers kindly give me a hint respecting the best
way of cultivating this fine plant ? Although a great favourite with
me, I have as yet been unable to grow it to any thing like the per-
fection in which I have seen it at other places. Last year I had two
plants which I paid particular attention to. They grew freely, were
kept stopped back, and allowed to flower a little, but not so much
as to weaken the plants ; which, however, died when they were in
1 1 -inch pots, and well established, measuring fifteen inches through
and ten inches high. They were not over-watered, but kept mode-
rately damp. In watering, I gave a sufficiency to soak the ball
of earth through. The house in which they were grown is a very
light one, and was shaded when the sun was powerful. Plenty of
air was given ; but with the above treatment, the foliage all at once
assumed a yellow appearance, which gradually increased, and ulti-
mately the plants died.

T. R.

-##I#1-^^^^.

1. JE^NI^Y LIND. 2, JUSTICE SHALLOW.

OCTOBER. 233

GRAND TRIAL EXHIBITIONS

OF CARNATIONS AND PICOTEES, OPEN TO ALL ENGLAND.

Many of our readers, having read the report of these exhibi-
tions at page 213, and made themselves acquainted with the
names of the winners, of the flowers exhibited, and the general
results, have dismissed the matter from their minds, without
sufficiently reflecting upon the objects the promoters had in
view, or the trouble and expense entailed upon many of them.
It is our duty, therefore, to bid many reflect upon these things,
and to query with themselves whether or not they are doing
their duty, either to floriculture or its promoters, or to them-
selves, by merely looking on, and availing themselves of the
advantages, without coming forward on these occasions with
their assistance in time and purse. It has been an unceasing
matter of regret with us to observe the apathy shewn by many
who are the most deeply interested parties in every thing
which tends to promote an increased taste for floricultural
productions. We are unwilling to attribute this to selfish-
ness ; we would rather hope it arises from a want of due
consideration of all the bearings of the subject. When we
attended personally at Slough, and saw the pains and expense
bestowed upon the preparations for the exhibition by Mr.
Turner, and his liberal provision for the comfort and refresh-
ment of the exhibitors and visitors, we certainly felt, as Florists,
deeply indebted to him ; and from the accounts we have received,
through our personal acquaintance, and our excellent con-
temporary the Midland Florist, our Derby friends were not a
whit behindhand in their attentions and hospitality.

It was a miserable morning, to be sure, when we started for
Slough in our open conveyance, the rain coming down with a
straightforward earnestness which led us to anticipate a small
company and a poor exhibition ; but on our arrival, all fears
of that kind were dissipated, — for they were good men and true
that had gathered thus early ; and the day, as it wore on, in-
creased their numbers, until fine weather was the only thing
to be desired. A more kindly spirit could not possibly have
prevailed ; and we have heard as much said of the one held at
Derby. This is doing things as they should be.

Our readers are aware that these meetings were proposed
because of the difference of taste said to exist between north-
ern and southern Florists ; and to test the fact, whether such
assumed difference was a reality. This, then, was the first
point to be decided ; and entering the tent as an observer

VOL. III. NO. XXXIV. U

234 THE FLORIST.

merely, we felt no little interest in its elucidation. It was
speedily apparent to us that this difference was purely ima-
ginary, that it existed neither in the productions nor in the
producers ; and henceforth we entreat all Florists to believe
that the same rules are received in the south as in the north,
and that in every cultivated mind the same taste obtains.
We are justified in saying as much, because there never were
such gatherings either of raisers or of Carnations and Pico-
tees before ; and we query the justice of our reporter's asser-
tion, that the "southern-raised flowers gained the day" in both
classes. We think our northern friends have every reason to
be well satisfied with the result of these amicable contests.

In conclusion, we direct attention to the proposed Tulip-
exhibition for 1851, on which subject an address from Mr.
Dodwell, the indefatigable secretary of the Midland Horticul-
tural Society, Derby, will be found stitched in our present
Number. Let not the burden of such gatherings fall upon
a few devoted Florists. This should not be. The cause is a
general one ; nor can we accept the poor excuse, so commonly
made, of " the pressure of other engagements." There is
not a person who has lent assistance to such work who is
not in a position to say the same, and very often with far
more reason. Does the prof essio)ial Florist lose the time given
to the promotion of such exhibitions ? Does the professional
Florist lose his donation to an All-England floral demonstra-
tion ? Certainly not. If there be any loss to make up at
any time, we know that amateurs pay the greatest share.

Concerning the flowers represented by our Plate, we shall
have something to say next month. In the meantime we may
add, that they will prove an acquisition to every collection.

MY FERN-GARDEN.

How many are there who, while turning their attention to the cul-
tivation of this interesting class, are yet at a loss to plant them in
situations which will develop them in their natural habits of growth !
Most people will agree with me in thinking that any plant is ren-
dered more than doubly interesting if planted out in the open air, in
a suitable situation, than when kept cramped and nursed in a pot
under glass. We may, I think, safely say, that there are but very
few gardens of a moderate size, which have not some small nook
or shady corner, which, by a little taste and management, might be
easily converted into an interesting spot for the cultivation of Ferns
and Mosses.

Some will no doubt exclaim, that they have many suitable spots

OCTOBER. 235

in their garden, but they happen to live in a country without stone,
or any thing of which they can make a fitting substitute, — and of
course in the midland counties there are many such ; but will not a
little ingenuity overcome the difficulty ? Are there no brick-kilns
or tile-works in the neighbourhood ? If there are, why you then have
a very decent substitute in the broken burrs and lumps of burnt clay,
which may be readily procured from thence, and which, by a little
management, assisted by good taste, in destroying the brick-like shape
and appearance of your materials, and in giving the mass a natural
outline, neither studiously broken nor tamely the reverse, may be
made into one of the prettiest spots in the garden. Always, if pos-
sible, choose a situation against a bank or rising ground ; carry in
your mind's eye any old quarry (which of all places, in a stony
countr}^ is the best by far of all,) which you may happen to have
seen, and follow that in its leading features ; and if you can contrive
to have a variety of aspects, why so much the better. Ferns (or very
few of them) will not succeed in the bright glare of sunshine ; but
the face of the rockery, which is unshaded, and to the south, may be
planted with Sedums and Arabis and little Alpine plants, interspersed
with a few Ferns, such as the Mountain Parsley Fern {Pteris or
Cryptogramma crispa), the Scaly Hart's Tongue {Grammitis CeteracK)^
and the Wall Rue (^Asplenium Ruta muraria and Asplenium Tricho-
manes).

The interest of the fernery will be much increased if there is a
small bog contrived in a shady corner, by puddling the bottom of a
basin of stones with some tenacious clay, and filling it with rotten
leaves and common moss, with some Sphagnum on the top of the
whole, and well saturated with soft water ; and if a small spring can
be directed into it, so much the better. In the bog will be planted
the Royal flowering Fern {Osmunda regalis), and at the edge may
be planted the lovely waving Lady Fern {Athyrium fcsminum), and
the two varieties of Filmy Fern (the Hymenophy Hum Tunhridgense
and Wilsonii), and varied by a tuft of Myosotis palustris, and the
compact bright- green little Cornish Moneywort {Sihthorpia euro-
paa), and ivy-leaved Campanula {Campanula hederacea), and the
common Sundew (Drosera rotundifolia) ; in fact, once turn your at-
tention towards the subject, and many lovely and interesting plants
will suggest themselves, — the Water Ranunculus and Alisma among
the number.

If the fernery could be contrived on the edge of a piece of water,
either large or small, it would be a great advantage, as then you
may cultivate the aquatic plants and rushes, and Equisetums, which,
with the Ferns, Mosses, and Lichens, might be grouped in endless
variety, and form of itself a spot of unceasing and most interesting
study ; and there we may contemplate the wonderful works of Na-
ture, and learn to praise nature's God, our common Maker, " to
whom all glory."

Cornwall. Alpha.

•23G THE FLORIST.

NOTES FROM SOUTH AUSTRALIA.

The following extracts have been made from letters of a private
correspondent residing in the Mount Barker district of the above
colony. To us these little links connecting our far-away friends
with the mother-country ape exceedingly interesting ; and we hope
to be favoured with future communications of a similar kind from
the same quarter. It is agreeable to think that the perusal of our
periodical forms the pleasing occupation of a few spare moments in so
distant a land, and that it is likely to contribute its share towards
the advancement of floriculture even in South Australia.

Sept. \'2th, 1849. A damp spring-like day, vegetation in the
garden and field making rapid progress, almonds in leaf, early plums
and peaches blossoming ; the Lowry parroquet very busy and mis-
chievous among the buds, and not very easily frightened from his
purpose. In the woodlands, the little spring-flowers decking the
ground, the Yellow Wattle and the Blackwood, two false Acacias,
beautifully in blossom. The former grows in dense masses or clumps
over the poorer ground, runs up from seed very quickly, and, like
most rapid-growing timber, soon reaches its prime, and as soon goes
to decay. It cannot bear fire nor yet pruning ; and it is well it is so,
or it seems as if it would take forcible possession of the country ; but
by burning the grass-land in the autumn, their numbers may be kept
down. This is not the cass with our forest-trees, the Eucalypti,
of which there are many varieties, very many varieties, but all so
much alike in their general appearance, that it creates a great mono-
tony in our landscape. The occupants of our forests lack that luxu-
riance of foliage which in the mass yield such grateful shade, yet we
have not one deciduous tree a native of Australia. We have few
that lay any claim to beauty, and very few that yield fruit, and
M'hat native fruits there are, are worthless. Whether cultivation
might improve them or not, I do not know, for we have found it ex-
tremely difficult to get any of our native fruit-stones or pips to grow.
There is a very general shyness in all native seeds to vegetate, even
down to what may be considered the native weeds of our colony.
We have not one single plant as a weed which troubles in the garden
or field like the weeds which have been introduced from England.

Dec. 13M. After having a peep at the landscape, you must now
take a walk round our garden, and see most of the plants and flowers
growing as nature prompts them ; some of them may be kept from
too much straggling by being tied to a stick, but the sun looks very
hard upon them all — not so hard, however, upon them this last year
or two as he has been wont to do. This season is a peculiarly fa-
vourable one for flowers, so very showery. Our garden is now look-
ing delightful, and smelling very sweetly after a soaking shower. 1
cannot, however, appeal so strongly to your senses as you do to ours
in the Florist. Yes, you make us quite long for some of the realities
there spoken of. However, step into the garden ; you will there
observe that Roses grow admirably with us ; but we have no great

OCTOBER. 237

variety, and are obliged to make up for tlmt want by numbers of one
sort. Wliat we used to call the Monthly Rose in England grows
most rampant here, and being a shrub that seldom looks untidy, and
flowers so abundantly, we have some dozens of it, some of them are
from 8 to 10 feet high; then again, we have a Cluster Rose, pale
blush; and another variety of Cluster, recently obtained, named Rosa
Grevillia, with much deeper-coloured blossoms. We have the Cab-
bage Rose, and a Persian Rose resembling the Cabbage, but flowering
almost constantly. It is an evergreen delighting in the heat ; if the
weather is too cold or wet, the buds, though forward, remain unopen,
become weather-beaten, and at last (if deliverance does not come
timely to hand) rot away. We have the Yellow Rose, the Damask,
Red and White Moss, but the White Moss most despicably deformed
and ill- shaped. We have, moreover, the deep crimson Monthly Rose ;
and I think this completes our collection.

The Fuchsia grows admirably here ; we have some beautiful
specimens of the common scarlet, which stands our winters pretty
well, though we are just a degree or tw^o too cold for tender plants.
During the months of June, July, and August, the thermometer will
at times go down 6° or 8° below freezing during the night. This
is the coldest district in the colony. Off the hills, or among the
hills merging on the low country, the Geranium and Fuchsia may be
seen flowering during the winter ; but not so with us. Here the
Geraniums are very apt to be quite killed if left altogether exposed
to the hoar frost, and the Fuchsia becomes a deciduous tree ; the
ripened wood being uninjured, we can get them up pretty high, at
least I have some in process of training which I hope to rear up
many feet. It is only within the last year or two I have thought of
counteracting the natural tendency the shrub has to grow bushy
and very thick from the bottom. In consequence of the winter's
check given to the upward growth, some of them have become
almost unmanageable sprawling things. Last winter, a gardener
advertised eight varieties of Fuchsias for sale ; early in August I
called, intending to get those varieties ; one was the old sort, but he
had seven others. I was, however, too late ; he had sold all but two
varieties. I got those. One of them at that season of the year was
flowering luxuriantly ; but I suppose it will not do so up here (on
the hills), unless much hardier than the others. The petals are
thrown quite back, or rather the sepals, towards the foot-stalk ; but
the stamens are too short. I must try to get the other varieties
next year. How I should like to get some of the new Fuchsia
spectabilis ! The Fuchsia is a great favourite of mine, it is so con-
stantly flowering. Another plant which flowers profusely all through
the summer is the crimson Petunia. It is biennial with us, and the
second year so brilliant with its crimson blossoms for weeks together,
as to be a striking object from the public road a quarter of a mile off^.
In Geraniums we are most despicable ; we have the common scarUt,
but not another worth looking at. Dahlias poor ; I liave one of a
rich colour raised from English seed, and nearly a first-rate flower ;
but it is not quite full enough in the eye. Some of the flowers are

238 THE FLORIST.

very deficient in this respect. Aloes grow well with us, and also
Cactuses, at least the few varieties we have got.

Of Florists' flowers, we have the Ranunculus, but almost single ;
some poor coloured Tulips, and a good variety of Anemones from
English seed. As to native flowers, there are not many near us
which are worth cultivating. We have the Correa ; but the only
place where it grows in our neighbourhood is on the summit of
Mount Barker, among the rocks ; it is a brilliant-coloured one, but
I think not quite so brilliant as the one figured in the Florist. We
find the seed, like many other native seeds, difiicult to vegetate ; in
fact, though the plants we have in the garden flower well, and seed
too, I never saw any young ones under them.

NEW PLANTS.

Figured in the Botanical Magazine for September.

BoLBOPHYLLUM LoBBii. A Singular stove Orchid of dwarf habit, having
excessively large flowers for the size of the plant: they resemble those of a
Maxillaria. Introduced by Messrs. Veitch, through their collector Mr. Lobb.

Medinilla magmfica. This magnificent Medinil is noticed at p. 177 of the
Florist and Garden Miscellany.

PoRTLANDiA BREviFLORA. A hard-woodcd evergreen stove-plant, having
large showy white flowers, produced from the axils of the leaves. It was trans-
mitted to Kew by Messrs. Lucombe, Pince, and Co., of Exeter.

Nymph^a micramtha. a very pretty aquatic, having smooth ovate leaves
and whitish flowers, with a yellow and red disk. It resembles N. odorata, but
is much smaller.

CoccoLOBA MACROPHYLLA. An crect shrubby evergreen stove-plant, attain-
ing the height of sixteen or twenty feet, having large coarse leathery leaves, and
small inconspicuous flowers of but little beauty. On the summit of the stem is
produced upwards a wavy raceme of fruit nearly three feet long, of a deep red
colour, and very attractive : it is at present bearing fruit in the great Palm-
house at Kew. Native country. Tropical America.

Coloured Illustrations in Paocton''s Flower -Gar den for September.

Bryanthus erectus. a compact hardy dwarf evergreen shrub, attaining
the height of but a few inches, and bearing a profusion of rose-coloured flowers
in the spring, resembling miniature Kalmias. This is a hybrid, said to be
obtained by Mr. Cunningham, of Comley Bank, Edinburgh, between Menziesia
coerulea and Rhododendron Chameecistus.

MouTAN OFFICINALIS SALMONEA. A large and very showy double variety of
the tree Peony ; the outer petals are of a salmon-colour, the inner ones have a
deep rich tint of the same. It was introduced from China to the Horticultural So-
ciety through Mr. Fortune. It requires the same treatment as other tree Peonies.

Oncidium sessile, a rather pretty Orchid, nearly allied to O. excavatum ;
the flowers are borne in a close narrow panicle, clear yellow in colour, Avith a
few pale cinnamon-brown spots near the base. Native country, Santa Martha. It
was introduced by his Grace the Duke of Northumberland through Mr. Purdie.

The woodcuts contain : 1. A portion of a branch containing leaves and flowers
of Trichosacme lanata ; 2. Two flowers of Calanthe vestita ; 3. A sprig of Steri-
phoma paradoxum ; 4. A flower of Aspasia lunata ; 5. A raceme of flowers with
leaves of Luvunga scandens, — a plant noticed at p, 202 ; 6. A small branch
with a head of flowers of Arnebia echioides ; 7. A flower of Hedychium chryso-
leucum,— a plant noticed at p. 177; 8. Flowers and. leaves of Siphocampylos
Orbignyanus ; 9. A sprig of flowers and leaves of Gaultheria Lindeniana.

Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. J. Houlsto.v.

239

AN ESSAY ON FLOWERS.

BY H. T. TUCKERMAN, NEW YORK.

[Concluded from p. 226.]

The Orientals, adepts in voluptuous ease, place vases of flowers around
their fountains ; and as they lie upon divans, their eyes close, in the
refreshing siesta, with these radiant sentinels for the last image to
blend with their dreams, and their odour to mingle with the misty
spray and cheer their waking. The Greek maidens dropped flowers
from their windows on those that passed, to indicate their scorn,
praise, or love. One of the poetic touches which redeem the frugal
lot of the grisettes, is the habit they indulge of keeping a box of
mignonette on their window-sills. You may see them at dawn bend-
ing over it to sprinkle the roots or enjoy the perfume. In Tuscany
and the Neapolitan territory peasants wear gay flowers in their hats ;
while the more grave people of the intervening country rarely so
adorn themselves. I was struck, at the wedding of an American in
France, to see the servants, tearful at parting with their mistress,
decorating the interior of her carriage with white flowers. There is
something, however, very artiflcial in the dry immortels, here and
there dyed black, for sale at the gates of Pere la Chaise, and bought
by the humbler class of mourners to hang on the crosses that mark
the graves of kindred. Our own rural cemeteries are teaching a
better lesson. The culture of flowers on such domains is not only
in excellent taste, but, when judiciously selected and arranged, a
grateful memorial. At Monaco, a town in Italy, a few years since,
the body of a young child was covered with flowers, according to the
custom of the place ; and when sought for the purpose of interment,
it was found sitting up and playing with the flowers— an affecting
and beautiful evidence of the ignorance of death characteristic of
that spotless age.

Fashion seldom interferes with Nature without diminishing her
grace and efficiency. It denudes the masculine face of the beard, its
distinctive feature ; substitutes for the harmonious movement of the
chaste and blithesome dance, the angular caprices of the polka ; clips
and squares the picturesque in landscape into formalised proportions ;
and condemns half the world to an unattractive and inconvenient
costume. Even flowers seem profaned by its touch ; there is some-
thing morbid in their breath when exhaled profusely in gorgeous
saloons and ostentatiously displayed at a heartless banquet; and
wisely as the florist may adjust them into bouquets, they are so
firmly entwined and intricately massed together as often to resemble
mosaic. We turn often from the most costly specimen of this ap-
panage of the ball and opera, with a feeHng of relief, to the single
white rose-bud on a maiden's breast, or the light jasmin wreath on
her brow. The quantity and showy combination of the flowers, espe-
cially the heated atmosphere and commonplace gabble of the scene,
and often the want of correspondence between the person who so

240 THE FLORIST,

consciously holds the bouquet in her gloved hand and the sweet na-
ture it represents, rob the flowers of their legitimate claim. Indeed,
like all truly beautiful things, they demand the appropriate as a
sphere. The east wind, in Boston, on the last national holiday, and
the grave faces of the children, to say nothing of the idea that appro-
bativeness and acquisitiveness were the organs mainly called in play
in their little overworked brains, utterly dispelled all genuine romance
and grateful illusion from the floral procession. Something analogous
in character, atmosphere, and occasion, is needed to render the
ministry of flowers aflTecting and complete.

We instinctively identify our acquaintances with flowers. The
meek and dependent are as Lilies of the Valley, and, like them, need
the broad and verdant shield of affectionate nurture ; sycophants are
parasites ; exuberant and glowing beauty and feeling are more like
the Damask Rose than any thing in nature ; the irritable annoy us
like Nettles ; the proud emulate the Crown Imperial ; the graceful
are lithe as Vine- sprays ; the loving wind round our hearts like ten-
drils ; and the cheerful brighten the dim background of life like the
scarlet blossoms of the Woodbine. Not a flower in the cornucopia
of the floral goddess but hath its similitude and its votary. The boy's
first miracle is to press the seed-vessels of the Balsam ine till it snaps
at his touch ; or to shout, as he runs from bed to the garden, at the
sight of the rich chalice of the Morning-glory, planted by his own
little hand, that has opened while he slept. The Clover's pink globe,
and the deep crimson bloom of the Sumac ; the exquisite scent of the
Locust, and the auspicious blooming of the Lilac ; the hood-like purple
of the Foxglove, and the dainty tint of the Sweet Pea, stir, whenever
they re-appear, those dormant memories of early and unalloyed con-
sciousness, which

" Xeither man nor boy.

Nor all that is at enmity with joy.

Can utterly abolish or destroy."

Thus, from the first, perverted mortal ! thou wert indebted to
flowers. As a wayward urchin, loitering on the way to school, thou
whistled shrilly against the edge of a Grass-blade, held a Butter- cup
to the chin of thy little comrade, or puffed away the feathery seed-
blossom of the Dandelion to ascertain if thy secret wish would be con-
summated;— as a youth, with quivering pulses and flushed brow, thou
wert not ashamed to seek the choicest flowers as interpreters of thy
feelings towards one before whom thy words were tremulous, yet fond ;
— and in thy prime, when positive knowledge and accurate deduction
constituted thy felicity, it was, or might have been, to thee a rational
pastime to study the botanical relations, laws, and habits of these
poetic effusions of the earth, causing them to gratify thee through
analysis, as they once did through sentiment. And " in that Indian
summer of the soul," that descends on frosty age, how do flowers
serve as the magic connecting bond that unites senility and child-
hood ! The eye of age softens as it beholds the shower of blossoms
from the fruit-trees, thinks of its own flowery day, and is thankful
for a serene maturity. Thus have flowers an utterance everywhere

OCTOBER. 241

and always ; tlie wild Columbine, on its thread-like stem, that hangs
on the stony cliff; the fungus, that swells from the mouldering trunk
of gigantic forest-trees ; the tropical exotics of the stvffo, that almost
bewilder in their strange beauty; and the buds that open beneath
Alpine snows, address our sense of adventure, of wonder, and of gen-
tleness, in quiet yet persuasive appeals, that sometimes we cannot
choose but heed.

The fondness of the Dutch for Tulips, it may be conjectured, is
partly owing to the flatness of their country, as well as its alluvial soil;
the absence of picturesque variety in form inducing a craving for the
most vivid sensations from colour. Perhaps the compactness and
neat growth of bulbous roots, so adapted to their cleanly and well-
arranged domiciles, somewhat accounts for the exquisite degree of
cultivation to which they bring this species of flowers. It is one
characteristic advantage of such natural ornaments, that a few well
selected, or even one in a room, or in the midst of a grass-plat, will
diffuse refreshment and excite imagination. Thus the flowers that
cluster on the roofs of Genoa, and the little knot of Violets imbedded
in Geranium leaves dispensed by the flower-girls in Tuscany, are
more pleasing than if the display were greater. "^ On revisiting a city
of the latter state, after years of absence, as I followed the lagging
porter who carried my luggage, in the twilight of early morning, I
was startled by a cordial exclamation, " Ben tomato, 0 ben tornatOy
signore /" and looking down a narrow street, I saw the flower-girl
from w^hom I had so long ago been accustomed to purchase, gaily
advancing with a bouquet. It was a welcome such as awaits the
traveller in few countries, and one which touched the heart with
cheerful augury.

There is, indeed, something in flowers redolent of hope and sug-
gestive of amity. Their very universality renders them eloquent of
greeting. The fair maternal bosom of Titian's Flora has a signifi-
cance beyond that which artists recognise ; it proclaims Nature as
a beneficent parent, lavishly dispensing the flowers that strew life's
rugged path with sweet monitions and grateful refreshment. How,
in the season of vivid emotion, has the unexpected sight of a })ale
Crocus bursting from the mould in early spring, the teeming odour of
a Magnolia tossed on a summer breeze, or the green flakes of a Larch
powdered with snowy crystal in the winter sun, kindled the very frame
with a kind of mysterious delight ! There is to the poetical sense a
ravishing prophecy and winsome intimation in flowers, that now and
then, from the influence of mood or circumstance, reasserts itself, like
the reminiscence of childhood or the spell of love. Then we realise
that they are the survivors of our lost paradise, the types of what
is spontaneous, inspiring, and unprofaned in life and humanity, the
harbingers of a blissful futurity. It was, therefore, in a rational as
well as a fanciful spirit that trees were consecrated into emblems and
auguries ; that the Willow, in its meek flexibility, was made the in-
signia of desertion ; the Cypress, in its solemn and dense foliage, of
death; the enduring Amaranth, of immortality; and the classic-shaped
and bright-green leaves of the Laurel, of fame. Not only in their

242 THE FLORIST.

native traits, but in their almost sympathetic habits, flowers come
near our affections. How patiently the Ivy binds the disjointed
stones of a ruined edifice ; and the Moss creeps over the grey and
time-stained roots and rocks, as if to cover their decay, and reheve
their steriHty ! With what a wreathing protection clusters the Wood-
bine round the humble porch ! The field-flowers, some one has truly
said, smile up to us as children to the face of a father ; and the seeds
of those destined for birds fly on innumerable wings of down to ger-
minate the more abundantly. The warm hues of the Dahlia would
be oppressive in any other season than autumn ; and the glitter of
the ocean's strand is chastened by the gay weeds, whose variegated
tints are freshened by every wave that dies along the beach.

This herbal, the repository of memorials gleaned from hallowed
scenes, or treasured as the fragile trophies of joys as fragile, "strikes
the electric chain" of imagination and memory with a deeper vibration
than a sketch-book or a diary. That little cluster of thin pale-green
leaves with a shade of delicate brown at the edges (called by the
Italians the Hair of Venus), which clings to the page as if painted
on its surface, once hung from the dark rocky wall of the remarkable
cavern in Syracuse called the Ear of Dionysius ; and as I look upon
it, the deserted bay, crumbling tombs, and wreck- strewn campagna
of that ancient site are vividly before me ; even the flavour of the
Hybla honey, and the echo of the mule's tramp, return to my senses.
This weed, so common in shape and hue that it needs a reminiscence
to justify its preservation, was plucked as I stood tip-toe on the edge
of a gondola, and held fast to old Antonio's shoulder, while he checked
his oar beneath the Bridge of Sighs, and I snatched it from the inter-
stices of the arch ; — the piazza of San Marco, the Adriatic glowing
with the flush of sunset, the lonely canals, and all the grey quietude
of Venice, are conjured by the withered memento, "as at the touch
of an enchanter's wand." More costly acquisitionsJiave yielded less
zest in the winning than this slender yellow flower, which, evading
the jealous watchfulness of the guard at Pompeii, I gathered, to assure
myself thenceforth that 1 had actually walked the streets of the buried
city. How venerable seems this bunch of grass and flowers that
drew its sustenance from the loamy walls of the Coliseum ! And with
how marvellous a freshness do I call up the mediaeval architecture,
exquisite campaiiile, and mountain boundaries of Florence, beholding
again the Anemone purloined, on a fine Sabbath morning, in the gar-
dens of the Boboli ! I cannot see this Cassia-blossom without feeling
a certain impulsion to monastic life ; as I think of the kind friars, the
noble organ, lava-heaped confines, and soothing retirement of the
Benedictine convent at Catania, whence I bore it as the memento of
one of those white days in the traveller's experience, that atone for a
thousand discomforts. Pleasant was the summer evening at Messina,
when, in one of the palaces that line the marina, we kept gay vigil
in order to witness the blooming of this faded Cereus ; and high beat
the pulses of an entranced multitude on the night this faded nosegay
was pressed to the lips of Amina, in that last scewa, when her voice
quivered with uncontrollable feeling, and carolled the "Ah! non

OCTOBER. 243

giunye'^ in tones of such pathetic dehght as brought a tear to the
sternest eye. I will not throw away this rusty-looking Japonica, but
keep it as a talisman to guard me from the fascination of heartless

beauty, reflecting on the character of the brilliant , in whose

dark hair it rested during the last ball of her triumphant season, that
bewitching face displaying every phase of expression, while not one
look was inspired by a soul, any more than this flower, in its graceful
prime, was imbued with fragrance. Far diff"erent is the association
that endears the Scarlet Honeysuckle and White Hollyhock beside
it. Through peaceful hours that overflowed with unuttered tender-
ness, and an ecstatic sense of geniality and recognition, I watched
beside one I loved ; the humming-bird and the bee sipping the nectar
from their chalices, and compared the luxurious pastime with my
own. Nor will I cease to treasure this Orange-blossom given me by
the dark-eyed Palermitan in the grove of her father's domain, when
the air was filled with the odour of the sweet south, and musical with
the far-off chime of the vesper-bells. The scent of this Grape-blossom
is associated with the hospitality of a villa below Fiesole ; and that
Heliotrope makes me think of a fair invalid with whom I wandered
among the Ilexes of a palace-garden, in whose grassy walks the
Vanilla-flower grew profusely. I saved the reedy leaf that is
stitched to the opposite page, as one of the countless proofs of the

thoughtful care of my motherly hostess at : she stuck it in

my window on Palm- Sunday. When gleaned in a field near Lucca,
this little Flax-blossom held a dew-drop, and looked like the tearful
blue eye of a child : arid as it is, the pink star-like flower beneath
whispers of romance. At a pic-nic, a friend of mine, who has an
extreme impatience of tenter-hooks, determined to have his position
with a certain fair one defined, as, after some encouragement, she
seemed half inclined for another. With true feminine tact she
avoided an interview, though they constantly met. I believe she
either could not decide between the two, or hated to give up my
friend. He laughingly proposed, while we were resting in a mea-
dow, to make his favourite a sibyl, and handed her a knot of these
starry flowers, to pluck the leaves one by one and reveal the hearts
of the company, according to a familiar game. When the time came
to apply the test to her own sentiments, she was visibly embarrassed.
He fixed his calm eyes upon her face, and I, knowing at once his
delicacy and his superstition, felt that this was a crisis. The lovely
creature's voice trembled, when, half petulantly, and with visible
disappointment, she plucked away the last leaf, which proved her
only his well-wisher. The omen was accepted, and my friend soon
had

" A rougher task in hand
Than to drive liking to the name of love."

Flowers are the most unobjectionable and welcome of gifts.
There is a delicacy in selecting an oflfering, whether of gratitude,
kindness, or affection, that sometimes puzzles a considerate mind ;
but where any such hesitancy occurs, we can turn to flowers with
complacency. Nature furnishes them, and all her beautiful products

244 THE FLORIST.

may bravely challenge fastidiousness. No human being not utterly
perverted can scorn flowers ; nor can they be offered, even to the
spoiled child of fortune, without an implied compliment to taste.
The fairest of Eve's daughters, and the proudest scion of nobility, as
well as the village beauty, the most gifted and least cultivated— pro-
vided either imagination or heart exists — must feel gratified at such
a tribute, whether from dependent or equal, new^ acquaintance or
faithful lover. Like all spontaneous attractions, that of flow^ers gives
them immunity from ordinary rules. They are so lovely and so frail,
that, like children, they bespeak indulgence ere they offend. Of all
material things they excite the most chivalric sentiment ; and hence
are given and received, scattered and woven, cultivated and gathered,
worn and won, with a more generous and refined spirit than any
other ornaments. They are radiant hieroglyphics sculptured on the
earth's bosom ; perhaps the legacy of angels, but certainly overflowing
with messages of love that are apart from the work-day scenes and
prosaic atmosphere of common life, and allied to better moments, — to
the sweet episodes of existence, to the promises of love, and the
memories of youth ; and hence they are consecrated, and like " the
quality of mercy," bless " him that gives and her that takes."

ERYTHRINA LAURIFOLIA.

This coral tree is unquestionably one of the most splendid objects
which a garden can possess. It is a native of South America, and
has been long in cultivation, but, like many other plants, when first
introduced it was placed in our stoves, and almost lost sight of;
indeed in many places it is yet to be found occupying a warm house.
It is commonly treated as a greenhouse plant ; but in the south of
England at least, it is nearly able to withstand the vicissitudes of
our climate, requiring protection only during winter, and keeping
the young shoots from spring frost. It is one of the easiest of all
plants to manage, either in pots or planted out, producing its large
and deep red-coloured flowers in the greatest profusion on the shoots
of the present year's growth, beginning to develope them about the
middle of July, and continuing on in beauty till the blossoms are
destroyed by autumn frosts. After flowering, all the branches may
be lopped off, leaving only the stump remaining. If planted out
in a pit or frame, where the stump can be sheltered when divested
of its branches, by the sashes being put on in November, and re-
moved in spring when the frosts are over, it w'ill form one of the
most beautiful objects imaginable during the latter part of summer
and through autumn. A mixture of loam and sand, with a little
turfy peat, is the best compost to pot it in, and the same material
may be used if planted out. It will be necessary to give it frequent
waterings in hot weather during summer.

Kew. J. HouLSTON.

^7^

K

VISIT TO KEW GARDENS BY RAIL DIRECT.

[Continued from p. 149. J

How many plants are here surrounding us, the fruits of which are
as familiar as our daily bread ! Here are all the varieties of the Tea-
tree ; there is the Coffee ; and in yonder tub is the Sugar-cane. The
Cocoa, the various spice-bearing shrubs, including the Nutmeg, are
all here and flourishing ; here also is the Cotton-tree, the Indigo-
plant, and the Papyrus from which the Egyptian paper was made.
Overhead wave the Cocoa-nut, the Mango, and the Fan-palms ; whilst
the magnificent Ferns of our Australian colonies shed an inexpressible
air of elegance over the whole arrangement.

It is the work of days, not of hours, to examine the contents of
this noble collection ; the longer we stay, the more we find to admire ;
and few can depart without the acknowledgment that the nation's
money has been well bestowed upon the whole establishment.

Nothing appears to us wanting but an imj)ortation of fire- flies.
Nothing could possibly be more attractive than a late evening hour
spent in this building, if it was well lit up with these natural lamps.

246 THE FLORIST.

Is there no possibility of their introduction ? We are no ento-
mologists, and therefore are ignorant of the difficulties which lie in
the way. Of tropical cockroaches we have imported an abundance,
to the sad cost of many a beautiful orchidaceous flower in this and
many other establishments ; would that we could as easily obtain
the interesting insect alluded to !

But the time has arrived for cur departure ; and so let us walk
to Richmond, and from the pubUc room of the Star and Garter, as
we get our bodily refreshment, let us dwell upon some of the most
charming features of our own dear Old England, spread out beneath
the windows of our friend Ellis's hotel.

We shall find that, much as we have enjoyed the visit to the
tropics in miniature, we should gain nothing by the exchange, if we
were to transport ourselves to where, in the words of the poet,
" The Palm, the loftiest Dryad of the woods,

Within whose bosom infant Bacchus broods ;

The Cava feast, the Yam, the Cocoa's root

Which bears at once the cup and milk and fruit ;

The Bread-tree, which, without the ploughshare, yields

The unreaped harvest of unfurrowed fields.

And bakes its unadulterated loaves

Without a furnace in unpurchased groves.

And flings off famine from its fertile breast —

A priceless market for the gathering guest."

The Erratic Man.

ON FLORAL TASTES, AND THEIR RESULTS.

NO. VII.

FLOWER-SHOWS, AND THEIR GENERAL INFLUENCES.

All that has been said in preceding papers of the results of a love of
flowers and floriculture concerns man as an individual, and would
be true if, like Robinson Crusoe, he tended his garden in solitudes
where he was the only rational inhabitant. The effects of this taste
for the beauties of the vegetable kingdom are pre-eminently con-
fined to the individual, although not exclusively so ; and we shall
now endeavour to illustrate the results of it upon men in a state of
society, or in combination. This design will occupy three distinct
papers : the first of which will consider the general influences of
horticultural societies ; the second, their influence upon the labour-
ing and poorer classes ; and the third, the bearing of floral tastes on
the national welfare.

The most obvious remark on the first of these subjects is, that
competition tends to improved cultivation ; and this is true wherever
men patronise gardening pursuits under the observation of each
other, even when no organised society exists to stimulate their zeal
and elicit their talents. If my neighbour, like myself, is growing a
bed of Ranunculuses, and I can see his movements over my fence or
wall, I shall naturally watch his procedure with interest ; and if at

OCTOBER. 247

the time of blooming I find that his flowers are stronger in their
health, and more perfect in their character, I shall not rest until I
am able to bring my productions to an equality with his. This,
therefore, is one object of a society which rewards superior culti-
vation : on the one hand, it lets us see what can be done in this
department of art by our neighbours ; and on the other, it urges us
to the attainment of excellence by an appeal to various motives,
which are found to lead to more vigorous action. This may lead,
in some cases, to envy and jealousy, and in others to mere cupidity;
but this cannot be regarded as a reason why competition should be
discouraged. It is impossible to secure advantages without some
admixture of evil or inconvenience ; and to say that horticultural
societies may engender malevolent feelings, is only to affirm that
they have to do with human nature. When we see that it is by
competition that civilisation has won some of its greatest triumphs,
we must conclude that it is intended to have a place in the govern-
ment of the world.

But these combinations for floral purposes are found to promote
kindliness among neighbours, to smooth away the asperities and
angularities of individual characters, and to form a bond of union
among those whom political and religious differences have widely
separated from each other. On this common ground all can meet ;
and when once brought into contact, it is surprising how soon men
become better acquainted. Among the gentle scenes of Nature they
forget the differences of public life, and find a pleasure in their inter-
course not soon to be forgotten; a pleasure procured without the
sacrifice of principle, and followed by no regret. We have now in
our eye an instance of this harmonising tendency of the most pleasing
kind, in the case of a horticultural institution a short distance from
London. It was formed in a town where political and religious dif-
ferences, as well as the distinctions of wealth and position, had done
very much to disturb social concord, and where there appeared the
greatest improbability, a priori, of these dissentient parties being
brought into any friendly union. However, a few lovers of flowers
joined together and formed a society, which was speedily favoured
by almost all the respectable inhabitants of the place, and soon
became very prosperous and influential. On the days of exhibition
common topics were presented for conversation, and acquaintances
were formed, which in many cases were permanent, and in all proved
very promotive of that respect which citizens should entertain for
each other. In this society were realised the sentiments so elegantly
expressed in the following passage by a writer whose name I have
forgotten :

" The cultivation of flowers is, of all the amusements of mankind,
the one to be selected and approved, as the most innocent in itself,
and most perfectly devoid of injury and annoyance to others; the
employment is not only conducive to health and peace of mind, but
probably more good-will has arisen, and more friendships have been
founded, by the intercourse and communication connected with the
pursuit, than from any other whatever. The pleasures of the horti-
culturist are harmless and pure ; a streak, a tint, a shade, become

248 THE FLORIST.

his triumph, which, though often ohtained by chance, are secured
alone by morning care, Dy evening caution, and by the vigilance of
days ; an employ which, in its various grades, excludes neither the
opulent nor the indigent ; and, teeming with boundless variety, affords
an unceasing excitement to emulation, without contention or ill-will."
We are sanguine in our expectations of the good which wdll
result from the multiplication of these institutions, whether, like
those of London, they draw the higher classes to Chiswdck or the
Reo-ent's Park, or unite together the inhabitants of a country town or
village. Only let one word of advice be given, having for its object
the real welfare of exhibitors. Let your proceedings be conducted in
the spirit of generous rivalry ; so that when successful, you may bear
your honours meekly ; and when defeated, know no feehng but that
of a determination to imitate your competitors in those points in
which they excelled. Henry Burgess.

ROYAL SOUTH-LONDON FLORICULTURAL SOCIETY.

gf.pt, 4. — This, the last exhibition of the season, was well attended ;
the show^ itself was above an average one. Dahlias, of which there
were some admirable specimens, were produced in great numbers.
Fancies are rapidly advancing to perfection in shape ; we shall soon
see them as unique in this respect as the ordinary varieties. The
prizes were awarded as follows :

Amateurs and Gardeners, 24 varieties: 1st, Mr. Robinson, gar-
dener to L Simpson, Esq., Pimlico, with Duke of Wellington, Purple
Standard, Mr. Seldon, Queen of Lilacs, Thames-bank Hero, General
Ne^rier, Mrs. C. Bacon, Imbricata, Lady St. Maur, Standard of
Perfection, Yellow Standard, Richard Cobden, Fearless, War- Eagle,
Essex Triumph, Scarlet Gem, Nonpareil, Beauty Supreme, Louis
Philippe, Queen of the Isles, Shjdock, Duchess, Sir F. Bathursc,
Oakley's Gem; 2d, Mr. Black, gardener to E. Foster, Esq., Clewer
Manor near Windsor, with Earl of Clarendon, Fearless, Richard
Cobden, Mr. Seldon, Negro, Marchioness of CornwaUis, Fame, El
Dorado, Sir F. Bathurst, Charles Turner, Seraph, Queen of Lilacs,
Duke of Wellington, Black Prince, Princess Louisa, Essex Triumph,
Princess Radziwill, Mynn, Shylock, Purple Standard, Duke of Cam-
bridge, Unique Superb, Hector (furner's), Andromeda; 3d, Mr.
Allen, Shacklewell ; 4th, Mr. Cook, Notting Hill ; 5th, Mr. Weedon,
Hillingdon. 12 blooms: 1st, Mr. Rowden, Adbury House neur
Newbury, with Earl of Clarendon, Mrs. Seldon, Hero, Marchioness
of CornwaUis, Black Prince, Mr. Seldon, Richard Cobden, Duke of
Cambridge, Seraph, Grenadier, Gem, Princess Radziwill; 2d, J.
Edwards, Esq., Hollow^ay, with Thames-bank Hero, Fearless, Andro-
meda, Beeswing, Duke of Cambridge, Duke of Wellington, Mr. Sel-
don, Earl of' Clarendon, Sir F. Bathurst, Snow-flake, Shylock, Black
Prince ; 3d, to Mr. White, Chelmsford ; 4th, Mr. Bennett, Dulwich ;
5th, Mr. Battle, Erith ; 6th, Mr. Hunt, jun., Paddington.

Six fancy varieties : 1st, Mr. Black, with Miss Compton, Eli-
zabeth, Madame Bresson, Comte de Flandre, Miss Blackmore, and

OCTOBER. 249

Gasparine ; 2d, Mr. Robinson, with Comte de Flandre, Empereur de
Maroc, Madame Bassaville, Floral Beauty, Lady Grenville, Madame
Wachy; 3d, C. Lockner, Esq., Paddington ; 4th, Mr. Kowden.

Nurserymen, 24 blooms : 1st, Mr. C. Turner, Royal Nurserj^,
Slougli, with Grandis (Turner's), Sir F. Bathurst, Mrs. Seldon,
Thames-bank Hero, Earl of Clarendon, Negro, Snow-flake, Mr. Sel-
don, Queen of Lilacs, Marchioness of Cornwallis, Richard Cobden,
Andromeda, Black Prince, Miss Hawtrey, Essex Triumph, Duke of
Wellington, Grenadier (Turner), Nonpareil, Duke of Cambridge,
Utilis, Seraph, Frederick Jerome, Yellow Standard, Fearless. —
Equal: 1st, Mr. J. Keynes, Salisbury, with Klagnificent, Cleopa-
tra, Princess Louisa, Snow-flake, Essex Triumph, Richard Cobden,
Yellow Standard, Queen of the East, Bathonia, M. Gauberts, Sir F.
Bathurst, Mr. Seldon, Mrs. Bacon, General Negrier, Marchioness of
Cornwallis, Crocus, Toison d'Or, Miss Vyse, Fearless, Dulcet, Shy-
lock, Golden Fleece, Buffalo Girl, Sarah ; 3d, Mr. Bragg, Slough ;
4th, Mr. Gurney ; 5th, Mr. Hunt, Paddington.

Fancies, 12 blooms : 1st, Mr. C. Turner, with Striata perfecta,
Belle de Nogent, Mrs. Hansard, Unique, Miss Compton, Elizabeth,
Post-secretaire, Hane, Dulce's Lady Grenville, Jenny Lind, Mr, La-
bouchere, Comte de Flandre ; 2d, Mr. Keynes, with Miss Compton,
Elizabeth, Highland Chief, Comte de Flandre, Bell Bouquet, Rain-
bow, Candidate, Striata perfecta. Miss Blackmore, Lady Grenville,
Forget-me-not, Jeannette ; 3d, Mr. Bragg.

Hollyhocks were shewn in spikes, and in capital condition, by
Mr. Bircham of Hedenham, Norfolk, and by Mr. Chater of Saff'ron
Walden : there were also numbers of single blossoms, which in this
state looked miserable. They should be shewn in spikes, or not at all.

Verbenas were poor. Some pretty seedlings were sent by Mr.
G. Smith.

Seedling Dahlias. These were more numerous than good. There
were several useful flowers staged, but few novelties ; among the
latter, Mitchell's Queen of Beauties was the most attractive, colour
waxy soft white, with clear rose tip, and very delicate, but appa-
rently having a treacherous centre ; the form of its petal and outline
are good. Bragg's Admiral is a good useful lilac, and appeared to
be very constant. Others consisted of Keynes' Summit of Perfec-
tion, dark purple ; ditto. Honourable Mr. Herbert, shaded red and
yellow, both full flowers ; Stein's Nil Desperandum, good heavy
scarlet ; Turner's Grandis, much the same colour ; Holmes' Barmaid,
very promising white ; ditto. Roundhead, dull buff^, of fine form ;
Soden's Beauty of the Grove, small and neat, and the darkest flower
we have seen. Edwards' Mrs. Hansard is a noble fancy, yellow
tipped with white ; this flower is large, and of very fine form, de-
cidedly the best of its class. A large number of blooms were put up
for inspection ; but we were unable to ascertain which flowers received
certificates, on account of the crowd which had assembled before the
cards were put on.

Several other Dahlia- shows have taken place lately, which we
shall take an early opportunity of noticing.

VOL. III. NO. xxxiv. X

250 THE FLORIST,

THE LADIES' PAGE.

" The western Sun withdraws the shorten 'd day.
And humid Evening, gliding o'er the sky.
In her chill progress, to the ground condensed
The vapours throws." Thomson.

Those chilly humid evenings, which we may now expect, are fre-
quently the forerunners of sharp morning frosts, which, if not guarded
against, will totally destroy the beauty of our flowers, and perhaps
even seriously injure some of the plants intended to be preserved
through the winter, such as Heliotropes and Scarlet Geraniums, for
bedding again next spring. Often, in the southern counties espe-
cially, a single frost, stealing upon us like a thief in the night, comes
and cuts off every unprotected flower ; and then, after the mischief
has been done, we have uninterrupted fine weather for a consider-
able time. Therefore, those who are anxious to prolong the floral
season to as late a period as possible must watch the weather nar-
rowly ; and when appearances indicate such an unpleasant visitation,
a few of the most valued beds, at any rate, might be saved by spread-
ing common garden- mats over them. All plants which are meant to
be wintered in pots for use in another season ought to be taken up
as soon as they cease to be attractive. To economise space, use
small pots for these plants, and reduce their heads considerably, — in
fact, all the branches of Geraniums might be shortened to one or two
joints ; then place them at once in a pit or a greenhouse, and give
them very Httle water during the winter.

Verbenas, Petunias, and all plants of similar straggling habit, are
not worth the trouble of taking up : these should be propagated by
cuttings, which must be put in immediately, if not already done, and
if they can be assisted by a little artificial warmth at this dull season
of the year, they will emit roots much more readily. Those who
have had no experience in striking cuttings will find sufficient direc-
tions to enable them to perform this process at page 40 of this Volume.
As the beds are cleared, such of them as it is proposed to fill
with Hyacinths, Anemones, Pansies, or other spring-flowering plants,
should be moderately manured and deeply dug preparatory to plant-
ino", and the earlier these operations are completed, the better will
the plants establish themselves. Or if annuals were sown in the
beginning of last month for this purpose, the plants should be trans-
ferred to the flower-garden as soon as the beds can be made ready
to receive them. When, however, such provision has not been made,
seeds of annuals might be sprinkled thinly over the beds and raked
in ; and if the winter should be mild, the plants will most likely get
strong enough to blossom well in spring. To the list given at p. 41
might be added the Virginian Stock (Malcomia maritima), red, and
Venus's Navel-wort {Omphalodes linifolici), white, old inhabitants
of our gardens, but nevertheless not to be despised. There is also
a dark-blue variety, of Venus's Looking-glass (the botanical name of
which has been changed from Campanula to Prismatocarpus speculum),

OCTOBER. 251

very suitable for this purpose ; so likewise is the Caadytuft {Iberis
umbellata) .

In speaking of bulbous plants at page 183, nothing was said
about the beautiful genus Gladiolus (Corn Flag). Some of the varie-
ties which have been raised by cross-breeding between G. cardinalis,
floribundus, psittacinus, and others, are exquisitely lovely, and are
every year becoming more numerous and diversified. Among the
best obtainable at a moderate price are Gandavensis, Jenny Lind,
Madame Sontag, and Queen Victoria. The nurserymen's catalogues
contain many newer kinds, but these are as yet too costly to risk in
the unprotected ground through the winter, although most of the
parent species are found to stand well when planted rather deeply in
well-drained beds, the surface of which is slightly covered with rotten
leaves. The hybrid kinds, however, are well worth cultivating in
pots, where there is a greenhouse or a conservatory to decorate, as
in addition to their great beauty, they blossom at a season when it
is not easy to maintain a gay appearance in such structures. The
same might be said of the three Japan Lilies, commonly known as
Lillum lancifolium album, L. I. rubrum, and L. I. punctatum, — names
that require to be corrected, as they appear to have originated in
gardens. The plants themselves, however, are great acquisitions, and,
when grown in pots, make one of the principal ornaments of our
plant-houses in the autumn months. They have been recommended
for open-ground culture; but further experience has taught that they
are not well adapted for that purpose, blossoming so late in autumn
that their beauty is very liable to be spoilt by the rains and frosts of
that season. Two other dwarfer-growing species, L. longiflorum
and L. japonlcura, have very large white blossoms, and are very
handsome when well grown in pots. L. testaceum is comparatively
new ; it grows tall, and has flowers of a peculiar pale copper-colour,
singular, but not very showy. There are many hardy Lilies, the most
desirable of which are, Lillum candidum, the common White Lily ;
L. tigrinum, the Tiger Lily ; L. bulbiferum, the common Orange
Lily ; L. Pomponium, the Scarlet Pompone ; L. Martagon (purple),
and L. M. pubescens (yellow).

Tigridia pavonia and T. conchiiflora, although literally flowers of
a day, are most gaudy in their individual blossoms ; and these, though
transient, are produced in succession ; so that a small bed, or even a
patch of five or seven plants, will mostly exhibit expanded flowers. If
the bulbs are taken up at the beginning of winter and put singly into
small pots, they answer well for turning out early in June, between
any of the spring-flowering plants mentioned at page 41. Botanists
make two species of Tigridia, yet they appear to diff'er only in colour,
and seedlings have been raised nearly intermediate between the two.
Another plant, the tuberous roots of which require winter pro-
tection, is the Marvel oiVerxi {MirabiUs jalapa). The flowers are
of various colours, — red, yellow, white, and striped. This plant is
easily managed, merely requiring the tubers to be taken out of the
ground at the approach of winter, stored in a box of dry earth out of
the reach of frost, and planted out in May. To maintain a stock of

252 THE FLOllIST.

serviceable tubers, and to increase the number of varieties, seeds
should be sown every spring ; and if properly attended to, these young
plants will probably bloom the same season.

The effect of all plants, and especially of Dahlias, is greatly en-
hanced by planting them in a symmetrical manner — that is, with the
tallest plants in the middle, gradually diminishing the height till the
lowest form the outer row, in circles or other beds that are viewed
from more than one side ; or in borders seen from one side only, the
highest plants must be at the back. In order to facilitate such an
arrangement, the height (as well as the colour and any peculiarity of
habit) of Dahlias ought to be annually noted down, which will be
found a useful guide in future planting. When the foliage is de-
stroyed by frost, the stalks should be cut off near the ground and the
roots taken up, fastening at the same time the tallies which mark the
different sorts securely to the stems ; then, if the soil is wet, the
roots should be set upside-down in a shed for a few days, that they
may get tolerably dry before being finally stored away for winter.

If the observations at page 203 should have the effect of inducing
any of our readers to add to their old, or to make new collections of
herbaceous plants, the present month is the best season for procuring
and planting them, as the plants will then get sufficient hold of the
ground to enable them to bloom well next season. In addition to
the species indicated there, the following will be found well worthy
of cultivation : Gentiana pneumonanthe, a dwarf species with beauti-
ful blue blossoms ; CEnothera riparia, yellow ; Delphinium Atkinsii,
a double bright blue variety ; Dianthus gigantea, and D. mutabilis,
two double kinds, the former with reddish, and the latter with a sort
of grey-coloured flowers. Many very handsome varieties of Phlox
have been raised from seed, chiefly on the Continent, during the last
few years ; but owing to that unfortunate propensity that prevails of
giving a distinctive name to every seedling in which the slightest
shade" of difference can be perceived, many of the kinds enumerated
in catalogues are comparatively worthless on account of their indis-
tinctness. It is best, therefore, for buyers to make a selection for
themselves when the plants are in bloom.

J. B. Whiting.

REMARKS ON BRITISH FERNS.

NO. VIII.

[Continued from p. 231.]

WOODSIA.

In the earlier stages of development in this genus, the clusters of
fructification appear to be furnished with a somewhat scaly invohicre,
which apparently passes away as the frond approaches maturity,
leaving a kind of fringed or torn involucre beneath it, which is, I
beheve, the principal difference between the present genus and the

OCTOBER. 253

preceding, with which it was, some years ago, associated. There is
besides a considerable difference in general habit.

1. W. Ilvensis. This may truly be said to be a rare British
Fern ; and to all appearance it is very likely to remain so, as I am
given to understand that in some of the few known habitats it is now
all but eradicated. Yet the plant is by no means so difficult to culti-
vate as some of the other small species of British Ferns. If intended
for the fernery, it must be strong before it is turned out of its pot,
when it will require peat, loam, and sand in equal quantities ; in ad-
dition to which it should have a well- sheltered and shady corner,
where slugs are not much in the habit of frequenting, as they are
one of the greatest enemies to the fronds in their young state.

I can well remember, some thirty years ago, when I had a plant
forwarded to me from Scotland by my old and worthy friend Mr. S.
Murray, of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Glasgow, but which was, I
have no doubt, the following, Woodsia hyperborea. I cultivated this
plant for many years in a sheltered corner or nook, among some large
flints, overhung by some of the larger kinds of British Ferns, which
proved both excellent shade and shelter for it. Here the plant in
question luxuriated for many years without being disturbed in the
way of propagation ; neither had I then quite so much need for that
kind of practice as has fallen to my lot since, — at least so far as the
present plant and the W. hyperborea are concerned. But this I hold
to be applicable to many of the other native Ferns, as well as the two
Woodsias ; as, in fact, daily experience teaches us that many of our
rarer kinds of British Ferns are totally destroyed by over-anxiety to
increase their numbers. Even W. Ilvensis will send forth plants or
offsets from its roots, which, if allowed to remain, will soon form a
tuft or strong plant ; but if repeatedly taken away, the operation will
doubtless ultimately destroy the original plant.

2. W. HYPERBOREA. This rcquircs similar treatment to the last
species, from which, however, it can scarcely be considered specifi-
cally distinct; for if we take into consideration the less degree of
hairiness and more obtuse form of the pinnae — and these characters
not always very constant — we shall be a httle disposed to hesitate
before we pronounce them distinct species ; at all events, I confess
that I have often been at a loss to detect them in certain stages of
their growth, more especially so far as hairs or scales are concerned.
May not the different forms be traced to soil and situation, as I have
at times supposed my English plants to differ from my Scotch ones }

Nursery, Foots-Cray. Robert Sim.

ON PELARGONIUMS FOR EXHIBITION.

Rapid has been the improvement in form and colouring of this my
favourite flower the last few years ; but to judge from the varieties
exhibited through the past season at the principal London shows, the
march of improvement has been at a stand-still with regard to

254

THE FLORIST.

getting those new varieties which have been raised the last yesn- or
two into general stage cultivation. I have gone carefully over the
reports of all the flowers exhibited in collections during the past
season, and I find that the most popular varieties are of some years'
standing as good show-flowers. It may be said that the newer
varieties have not been "out" time enough; but surely, when both
the Horticultural and Botanic Societies offer prizes for " new and first-
rate varieties in 8-inch pots," it does seem strange that such crack
flowerS; sent out with such high characters, as Brilliant, Crusader, or
Delicatissimum, all described as free bloomers and good habits, should
not be found on the tables more than once in the season of eight
grand shows. That there are plenty of new and first-rate seedlings
which are rewarded by a prize, and never, or rarely, afterwards
shewn again in collections, no one can deny, as witness Mount Etna,
Painted Lady, Cavalier, and some others, which are very good to
take the individual flowers, but are completely useless for stage or
exhibition purposes, while inferior- formed flowers, such as Orion and
Armada, are more often seen because of their very splendid habit
and freedom of bloom.

I think the way of shewing two-year old seedlings goes far to
remedy this evil ; though now a flower may receive a prize and be
much praised, and yet not give satisfaction, as I hear is the case
with many, and Gipsy Bride in particular. I think we are yet a
long way from perfection, — we want " Magnificent" habits with
"Incomparable" flowers; and were habit studied more, those who
give their guineas would be better satisfied. I send you a summary
of the names of those flowers which have been exhibited oftenest the
past season, and I think this would be a good guide for jDlacing
dependence on ; for how often may we have a good flower that is
never Jit to make one in a dozen! Mr. Edwards has done much to
assist amateurs in their selection of the very best Florists' flowers ;
but Geraniums have been lost sight of; and I think if the principal
exhibitors and cultivators were asked, they would readily send you
or Mr. E. a list of those varieties they deem in every respect the
best adapted for growing for exhibition. The following is the
summary :

Pearl (Drury's) has been ex-
hibited 22 times.

Forget-me-Not (Lyne's) .19 „

Negress (Garth's) . . . .18 „

Gulielma (Beck's) . . .18 „

Centurion (Beck's) . . .16 „

Orion (Foster's) . . . .14 „

Rosamond (Beck's) . . .14 „

Star (Beck's) 10 „

BrilHant, Delicatissimum, Crusader, Emilia, Blanche, Rolla, Symme-
try, and Virgin Queen, have been shewn only once.

Orion.

Salamander (Gaines')

. 9 times

Mont Blanc (Story's)

• 9 »

Armada (Foster's)

. 7 „

Ariel (Foster's) . .

• 7 „

Norah (Foster's) . .

. 6 „

Victory (Foster's)

. 6 „

Gustavus (Beck's) .

. 5 „

Cassandra (Beck's) .

. 5 „

&c. &c.

OCTOBER. 255

WILLISON'S rtOSE-NURSERY, WHITBY.

Early one morning in July (and the morning, as Mr. Paul says, is
'• the fittest time for these rambles") I paid a visit to Mr. Willison's
Rose -Nursery, which is situated about a mile to the eastward of
Whitby, and known by the name of " New Gardens," in which we
have another instance, among many, of the impropriety of designating
any place by the term new. These Gardens are now nearly 200
years old, as appears from the following inscription on a stone
originally built in the wall :

" I S'' HvGH Cholmeley Kt and Barronet and Elizabeth
MY Deare Wife (Davghter to S^ Will: Twisden of Great
Peckham in y^ Covnty of Kent K' and Barronet) bvilt this
Wall and planted this Orchard Anno Domini 1652."

Under these lines is a shield bearing the arms of both famihes
empaled, with the word Cholmeley near the Chomeley arms on the
dexter side, and the word Twisden near tlie Twisden arms on the
sinister side. Beneath the shield are these two lines :

" Our handy worke like to y^ frutefull tree
Bless thou, O Lord ; let it not blasted bee."

The garden was cultivated almost exclusively for vegetables and
horticultural produce until the year 1812, when a part of the ground
was appropriated and converted into a Botanic Garden, Mr. Alex-
ander Willison, the present lessee, being appointed the curator. The
collection of botanical plants was never considerable, but included
several very rare specimens. About the year 1828, the botanical
department was discontinued for lack of support. Shortly afterwards,
Mr. William Willison, the son of the lessee, began to cultivate Roses,
and paid considerable attention to the raising of seedlings. At this
time it was the only Rose -nursery in the north ; in fact, 1 believe this
was the only nursery in England where Roses were cultivated for sale
to any extent, unless it was Mr. Rivers, who began some time about
the same period.

The soil is of alluvial loam, tolerably stiff, and of considerable
depth. There are about 700 varieties in cultivation at this nursery,
comprising all the newest and best Roses grown, besides a great
number of very fine seedlings. The Roses appear to thrive the best
here cultivated as "pillar Roses," trained to tall pillars, and when
in full bloom have a very fine effect. There are very few standard
Roses in the nursery, except those cultivated for sale.

A great number of the China, Noisette, and other fine Roses do
not bloom well in this locality except under glass ; the bloom-buds
rarely expand. I will therefore enumerate a few good Roses that
appeared to bloom here in perfection.

Ayrshire: Ruga, flesh; Queen Victoria (Willison's), rosy lilac,
blooming in graceful clusters. Multijlora : Model (Willison), pur-
ple, a beautiful Ranunculus-like flower. Hybrid Sweet Briers : A
great number of double and semi- double varieties. Moss Roses :

256 THE FLORIST.

Celina, crimson ; Curled Crested (Willison), fine red. French : CEillet
parfait, striped; Queen (Willison), dark-shaded maroon; Prince of
Wales (Burgess) ; George Glcnny (Burgess) . There v;ere seve-
ral other fine Roses of Burgess's, but the above were of superior
character. Boula de Nanteuil, crimson-purple, superb. Hybrid
China : General Kleber, deep crimson ; Comtesse de Lacepede, pale
blush ; Triomphe de la Guerre, lilac rose, fine, a splendid pillar
Rose, and blooms profusely here. Alba: Madame Legras, fine
white. Hybrid Bourbon : Mottled Great Western (Willison), very
fine, and more double than Great Western ; Mrs. EUis, fine pink ;
Paul Perras, shaded rose; Coupe d'Hebe, bright rose; Belle de
St. Cyr, bright rose. Hybrid Perpetuals : these were not so finely
in bloom as I have seen them ; — the most striking were, Baron Pre-
vost, pale rose ; Geant des Batailles, brilliant crimson, — this is an
excellent rose for the north, it is a free bloomer, and opens w^ell ;
Robin Hood, cherry-red, and Comtesse Duchatel. Bourbon : Aci-
dalie, the finest blush white ; Paul Joseph, crimson purple, inconstant
in this locality ; Souvenir de la Malmaison, pale flesh, and superb,
but this Rose pushes rather too early in spring for this locality, and
consequently often gets much cut with the cold north-east winds to
which we are subject ; Souchet, crimson ; Madame Angehna, rich
cream, fawn centre. China : Mrs. Bosanquet, pale flesh ; Mar-
jolin du Luxembourg, deep crimson ; Milk-maid (Willison), blush,
fine wax-like bud. Tea-scented : Vicomtesse de Cazes, deep yellow,
ex. ; Devoniensis, creamy white, fine ; Elise Sauvage, yellow buflf
centre, appeared to bloom very freely against the wall in these
gardens ; Niphetos, pure white. Noisette : Hardy, fine ; Solfaterre,
bright sulphur : very few Noisettes bloom well here ; Cloth of Gold
and Lamarque w^re tolerably fine against a wall with a south aspect ;
also several beautiful plants in fine bloom of Smith's Yellow, or
rather, as I understood, a freak of that variety, which always blooms
full in the centre, the original variety generally presenting a gawky
centre in this locality.

There were several seedlings of Mr. Willison's of considerable
merit, which have not yet been let out ; among which I particularly
noticed. La Exquisite, d.p., a nice full flower, of tolerable size;
Ephraim Holding, a verj^ compact flower, but I scarce know to w^hich
class it most properly belongs. Margaret Jane, h.c. : fine pinky
Rose, a beautiful full and compact flower, the most perfect gem in
these gardens ; Victory, h.p., a nice full globular rose, but we
have many of the same style of flower ; Globosa, h.b., crimson
purple, very fragrant, and a profuse bloomer ; Marchioness of Nor-
manby, h.p,, fine pink, and a very perfect flower.

There is nothing very striking in the management of these gar-
dens, having been designed more for the convenience of propagating
and cultivating the Roses for sale than mere eff'ect.

Several of Mr. Willison's seedlings have been sent to the Worton-
Cottage Meetings ; but were so much injured in the transit, as to
render the blooms unfit to report upon.

^jidnyvs. Deit Si Zavco.

Prmied 'by C Chaiot-

P e 1 a T so 11 ] 11 m s

NOVEMBER, 257

PELARGONIUMS : NEW AND FIRST-RATE VARIETIES.

The remarks of " Orion" at pages 253-4 demand the con-
sideration of those who act as judges at our metropolitan
exhibitions. It lias often surprised us to see old and com-
paratively worthless flovvers awarded the prizes offered for
" new and first-rate varieties." We think that no collection
containing old varieties should receive these prizes, because
we believe one object in offering them was to provide for the
exhibition of plants which had previously appeared as seed-
lings; and a very useful exhibition it would be, if it were
insisted upon that nothing but new and first-rate varieties
should appear in it. That the new sorts are out long enough
for this purpose has been shewn by the exhibitions of Mr.
Cock, who only requires a well-rooted small plant in Septem-
ber or October, to make a specimen for the following June
shows. We do not say that all seedlings will in the second
year make fine exhibition-plants, but most of them will do
so for one part of the season. To refer to Orion's paper.
Brilliant was shewn very fine at Chiswick in July by Mr.
Staines. Crusader brings plenty of flower, though not all
together, and the petals want dressing ; and Delicatissimum was
shewn by us twice last season (Orion says once), and it well
deserves its " high character." Mount Etna and Painted Lady
we can say nothing about ; but Cavalier, a plant of weak habit
and bad to winter, is a most profuse bloomer, and has been
frequently shewn in the Worton-Cottage collections. Indeed,
it has been a rule with us to justify the selection of seedlings
sent out from here by exhibiting them, and with them alone
to compete in the class above referred to. During the last
season, for instance, we have shewn Blanche 3 times (Orion
says once), Rosamond 3, Gustavus 2, Mont Blanc 7, Rosalind
4, Gulielma 3, Cuyp 6, Painter 5, Star 5, Emily 4, Delica-
tissimum 2, Emilia 2, Governor 4, Centurion 2, and Sarah 3 ;
and we should have shewn them oftener, had the schedule of
the Horticultural Society, as at Regent's Park, required 12
plants instead of 6. With the above, Mr. Dobson invariably
obtained the first prizes in the nurserymen's class.

We have felt our situation as the Superintendent of this
publication to be a delicate one; and it has often prevented
the appearance of articles on this our favourite flower, and
remarks upon the exhibitions of them, which under other cir-
cumstances we should gladly have volunteered. We have
now before us advertisements of a number of seedlings, giving
them higli characters; and we advertise ourselves half a dozen,

VOL. III. NO. XXXV. Y

258 THE FLORIST.

the descriptions of vvhich are given in the catalogue. Now we
want the public to demand that all these flowers shall be seen
next season in specimen plants. No excuse should be ac-
cepted, that the senders out do not exhibit. Perhaps they
do not ; but either of those successful cultivators, Mr. Staines
or Mr. Cock, are ready to grow and exhibit a plant for the
raisers, provided it is considered first-rate. Presuming that
all the plants advertised this year for sale were so exhibited,
the purchaser, with their descriptions in his hand, would be
able to judge for himself how far such descriptions w^ere cor-
rect or not ; and he would be guided in his future purchases
accordingly. So with coloured illustrations, which appear
from time to time (our own in the present month, and that
of the same flowers in the Florists' Guide last July) ; let our
readers remember to compare them with the varieties they are
intended to represent, and judge accordingly how far they
can trust us or not for the future. From every ordeal of the
kind we should none of us shrink, nor should we from criti-
cism ; for criticism, like every thing else, can be tested. Mr.
Hoyle's flowers of this season, for instance, are spoken of in
the highest terms in several publications, in one of which our
own productions, with a little exception, are declared worth-
less. Now this criticism, as well as the flowers, can be tested
next season, and it should be done. We can afford quietly to
wait till June, and then we must stand or fall by their exhibi-
tion, which must speak for or against us.

A Pelargonium, to he perfect, should come up to the
received standard in all respects. This we may hope for;
and it will form the mark at which we shall all aim for years
to come. We have not yet reached it, however ; and until
we do so, improvements on the best varieties in cultivation must
pass current for new and first-rate varieties. But let us be
careful that we do not, in the absence of perfect flowers, set
up a lower standard, and give a different value to productions
than they deserve.

The two flowers forming our Plate w^ere raised by Mr.
Hoyle of Reading, and possess considerable value as novelties :
Ocellatum, for its very peculiar markings upon the lower
petals, combined with good habit and the long endurance of
its flowers; and May Queen, for the freshness of its colouring.
We are not surprised at Mr. Turner's having sold all the
stock of them ; for they are the very things for the trade,
and cannot fail to give satisfaction.

But the critical amateur will reject them as wanting in
many essential qualities ; and the same may be said of our
Major Domo and Tyrian Queen. Our own opinion is, that

NOVEMBER. 259

no great advance has been made in the two last seasons. We
have gone forward, but not so fast as we had hoped and
desired ; and this was evident at the Seedling Pelargonium
Exhibition held at the South London in July last. For the
flowers then exhibited, and particularly for those to which
prizes were awarded, we shall look out next year with con-
siderable interest. Speaking of that exhibition reminds us
that, as treasurer, we have in hand between four and five
pounds ; and a friend informs us that he knows of two
pounds ready for subscription, if another meeting be deter-
mined upon.

We hope in this article we have said nothing that will
occasion pain to any brother raiser or exhibitor, or lead him
to imagine we can see no merits in the flowers of others. We
receive no pecuniary advantage from publishing our present
Plate ; and feeling that w^e cannot place them so high as our
contemporaries have done, we still think it right to wave our
own judgment in deference to others, and by as faithful a
drawing as our artist could make from the flowers themselves,
to record in our pages a figured remembrance of them.

ON FLORAL TASTES, AND THEIR RESULTS.

FLOWER-SHOWS: THEIR INFLUENCE ON THE LABOURING
AND POORER CLASSES.

Horticultural Societies in rural situations are often estabhshed
for the sole benefit of cottagers, whether mechanics or labourers ; in
other instances they contemplate all classes of society, and admit
cottagers to compete with one another in those articles which come
within their capacity. The society to which allusion was made in
the former paper adopted this plan, and the cottagers' exhibition
always formed an interesting feature of the show-day. In this case
they were not members, and their productions were allowed to be
sent free of charge, and the prizes were paid out of the general sub-
scriptions. This plan worked very well, and gave great satisfaction ;
but, at the same time, it is worthy of consideration, whether the in-
dependence of character of this interesting portion of society would
not be better promoted by a small payment for membership, so as to
divest the rewards of the aspect of mere charity. However, this is
a matter to be decided by local peculiarities, since no general rule
can be given regarding it. In any way, such a mode of drawing out
the resources of our humble neighbours must be beneficial in more
ways than one.

The attention paid by mechanics and labourers to floral cultiva-

260 THE FLORIST.

tlon is a most interesting trait in their character, from which the
happiest results may be anticipated when it is encouraged and rightly-
directed. In the crowded streets of Spitalfields, the silk- weavers
grow Auriculas, Polyanthuses, &c. ; and in Lancashire the same order
of men is famous for skill in most horticultural operations. The
cottage of a spinner in that district was lately entered by a clergy-
man, who was surprised to see a number of bright copper kettles
hanging in a row, and he expressed his astonishment, and begged to
be informed whether he dealt in that article, as he could have no use
for so many vessels of a similar character. With a broad grin, the
mechanic informed the inquirer that these were prizes gained at
exhibitions of Gooseberries, Tuhps, &c. The idea seems ludicrous
at first, yet it is not really more so than that suggested by the side-
board of a great wool-leger or agriculturist, where we have seen a
number of silver cups and flagons, gained as prizes, of as little use
to the owner as the copper kettles of the weaver. In both cases an
honest pride may be properly felt, and around the respective vessels,
whether silver or a baser metal, associations of honest endeavour and
persevering industry will linger.

Apart from the influence of these pursuits on the mind of a poor
man, they can scarcely fail to make his home more happy ; for whe-
ther the garden joins the homestead or not, the wife and children are
made to share in his labours, his ambition, and his triumphs. Many
a thrifty housewife has had to thank God that her husband took to
flowers and gardening, not only because they keep him from the
ale-house, but also on account of the facilities aff'orded for getting
the little ones out of her way when they accompany the good man to
his allotment. She may be sometimes a little vexed when too many
of the neighbours are brought over her clean floor to look at an
Auricula just being kept back for the show, or a Gooseberry larger
than was ever known in the memory of man ; yet, on the whole, she
is thankful. Her table is supplied with good fruit and vegetables ;
some comforts are purchased by the prizes received (for they are
often given in money as well as kettles) ; while an air of superior
intelligence is diff'used over the whole household by the intellectual
pursuit of its head.

Then there is the intercourse created by these occupations be-
tween the lower, middle, and higher classes, — a benefit which cannot
be too highly prized. We are taught that, however we may differ
in outward circumstances, there are more points of resemblance than
of dissimilitude between all men. What philanthropist or right-
minded person who has learned on the highest authority to " honour
all men," will not rejoice in such a result as this ?

Henry Burgess.

NOVEMBER. 261

MISCELLANIES ABOUT CAPE HEATHS.

"Well," remarked an amateur friend a few days since, at the close
of a visit to a somewhat extensive horticultural establishment, " I
am delighted with what I have seen. The stoves contained many re-
markably beautiful plants : the Orchids were gorgeous, their richness
of perfume still seems to mingle with the atmosphere ; the conserva-
tories and greenhouses were exhibitions to create admiration in every
lover of horticulture ; but," added he, with a playful slap on the
shoulder, " the Heath-house, mj' dear friend, is the house for me. I
think I never saw so interesting an assemblage of plants. The colours
of their blossoms are so various, and their shapes so endless and so
chaste. What a combination of classic forms might not an ingenious
artist invent from a study of their beautiful tubular and vase-like
corollas ! And independent of their blossoms, they are interesting
plants. The colour and character of their foliage must attract and
interest. In fact, they realise the description which a lady in my
hearing once gave them, they are ' plants to love.' Were it not for
the proverbial difficulty experienced in their cultivation, I certainly
should devote my little greenhouse to a small collection of them."

I assured him that the difficulty was only apparent and not real ;
and by way of exemplification, I gave him, as we walked back to the
station, a brief lecture on the principle and practice of Heath-culture.
In the evening, while recalling the events of the day, it occurred to
me that the substance of our discourse might not be unacceptable
to some of the numerous readers of the Florist ; I therefore beg to
place the same at your service.

When an error has once taken firm hold of the mind, it becomes
a matter of no mean difficulty in its possessor to divest himself of the
prejudices to which such an error gives birth, even after he has be-
come convinced that the tenets which he formerly held were exxo-
neous. Thus has it been with the culture of Heaths. Although, by
the means of horticultural publications, m.uch of the (hitherto con-
sidered) real difficulty has been shewn to be only apparent, the idea
of difficulty still lingers amongst those who of all others would be
glad to divest themselves of it, the amateurs. I hope on the present
occasion to be of service to them.

It should be borne in mind as an indispensable preliminary, that
the Heath, being excessively fine-rooted, and its branches peculiarly
"hard-wooded," demands more than ordinary attention; and that
to place it in a miscellaneous collection of greenhouse plants, to "share
and share alike," can only terminate in the production of a miserable
specimen, with the consequent disappointment to its possessor, whose
ideas of what it should have been probably were derived from seeing
the same species at a metropolitan exhibition, or in the collection of
a good grower of the genus.

Indispensable adjuncts in successful Heath-culture are, that they
shall have abundance of light, free circulation of air around every
plant, plenty of pot-room, a fibrous heath-soil, in which no trace of

262 THE FLORIST.

iron is combined (a circumstance which renders many heath-soils
unfit for the purpose) ; that the roots never become thoroughly dry ;
that the pots be guarded from the direct action of the sun's rays,
and that the frost be excluded, beyond which heat is not requisite.
Any expensive heating apparatus for a building to be devoted exclu-
sively to Heaths is uncalled for. Every Heath-house should be fur-
nished with the means of covering in winter, and fires dispensed w^ith
as much as possible. After a succession of damp or foggy weather
during autumn or winter, it will be found necessary to use fires to
dispel the damp. Let this be done when the house can be well ven-
tilated. Never use fires in a Heath-house for other purposes than
to exclude frost without a liberal ventilation, and in all cases some
can be employed. One great essential in their successful culture
is to guard against etiolation. Although the latter can scarcely
be termed a disease, it induces many : mildew follows in its train,
with weakness of constitution, and paleness in the colours of the
flowers w^hich such plants produce. No Heaths can ever be satisfac-
tory if grown in a dark structure. I have seen plants in full bloom
removed from their proper house to decorate a conservatory attached
to dwelling-rooms, in a few days lose the peculiar richness of tint of
which they are capable ; and plants allowed to expand their blossoms
in such a place exhibit a paleness of tint in a more remarkable degree.
On this account, combined with many others, Heaths are peculiarly
unfitted for placing in dwelling-rooms : the dry atmosphere and
absence of light soon play sad havoc with them, the former especi-
ally. Their rigid leaves, containing but a scant amount of cellular
matters, can ill brook a liberal draw upon their tissues. And although
the liability of the Heath to suffer mildew would appear to indicate
a predisposition to a dry atmosphere, such is not the case, as a little
reflection will shew. The Heath does not suffer from a damp air, if
that air can be kept in motion. The peculiar locality of which the
Heath, as a genus, is a native, must expose it to a constantly moving
atmosphere, and that should be aff'orded it in its artificial existence.

To preserve plants in luxuriant health, they should not be allowed
to become pot-bound. The greatest danger from such a condition is
experienced when you give the plant a larger pot, because, unless
great caution is exercised, the new mould aiDpropriates the greater
part of the applied moisture, and the removed plant, like Tantalus,
expires in the midst of plenty. And in potting Heaths never use
fine soil. With a compost of coarse texture, a plant does not become
so easily pot-bound. And should a lack of accommodation prevent
your giving larger pots as often as you wish, the coarser the soil,
the more readily can the roots be disentangled at the repotting.

Heaths, when their roots have become a compact mass from want
of pot-room, are more liable to suff'er from lack of moisture, and from
the influence of the sun on the sides of their pots ; and under such
conditions, the foliage at the base of the shoots is frequently found
of a sickly yellow, dropping off at the touch. With plants which
are frequently " shifted," this seldom occurs. When it arises from
the former condition, a successful mode of procedure is as follows.

NOVEMBER. 263

In January or February, or at some period before the drying
winds of jNIarch, or the aspiring suns of April begin to exert their
influence, take the plants under notice, turn them out of their pots,
clean away all the old drainage, and with a pointed stick loosen the
roots at the base of the ball of each, and you will probably find that
all the roots in contact with the sides of the pot are black and life-
less. With some pointed instrument clear away the whole of them,
and well scarify the ball. Let it be done carefully ; and not so
rashly or so completely as if a Geranium were under your hands.
Having cleared away all the dead roots, and well disentangled the
living portions, repot the plant in a sandy heath-mould, to which a
liberal portion of rotten leaves is added, and replace it in some shady
part of your Heath structure. Give it no water to settle the mould.
The plant operated on should have been well watered the day pre-
vious to the operation, and the mould used damp, without being
wet. If a dry day ensues, syringe the foliage of the plant, the
surface of the mould, and the pot ; and in a couple of days give
the plant a good watering, and gradually inure it to its usual light
and air. In a short time you will have the satisfaction of seeing
the young white healthy rootlets covering the exterior of the ball.
Now is the time to give the plant a liberal shift ; and by the end of
the summer you will have little cause to complain of the appearance
of your plant.

A word or two about the out-door treatment of Heaths. If a
Heath-house were constructed in a proper situation, and with suit-
able addenda, such would not be requisite. But presuming it to be
persisted in, some easily applied shelter to ward off heavy winds
and rains should be provided. A thunder-storm, or a cold night's
rain, as summer draws to a close, is often fatal to exposed plants.
But under all circumstances, get them under shelter betimes. Don't
adopt any absurdity in the shape of periodical turning out or taking
in. The abandonment of periodical potting, of periodical Pine ripen-
ing, and of periodical garden- operations generally (I mean periodical
in the sense of a blind adherence to old-established dogmas), by our
best gardeners, is a significant sign of the advancement of gardening
from a mere empiricism to an art founded upon known principles.
Exercise care, forethought, and judgment. If a plant seems to re-
quire a different treatment from its fellows, give it that treatment.
If its wood is tardy in ripening, give it assistance ; for bear in
mind that a well-ripened shoot, no matter whether in a Vine, a Peach,
or a Heath, is the only shoot that can produce a perfect head of
flowers or bunch of fruit.

During the summer months, if your plants occupy a situation
where they are not plunged, let them stand on some porous material,
such as fine cinders, and place them at such distances as will allow
each plant to be free of its neighbours. In hot weather let the
ground be kept damp, and the pots be frequently syringed as well
as the plants.

Many Heaths after blooming require a liberal application of the
pruning-knife ; judgment and circumstances will direct it. Don't

264 THE FLORIST.

aim at producing a pudding at the expense of fine branches loaded
\dth blossom. When you have pruned away the old shoots, don't
stop asrain the young growth, unless some defect in the plant de-
mands another shoot to fill a vacant space. By doing so, you may
certainly obtain three blooming shoots instead of one ; but you sacri-
fice quahty at the shrine of quantity. Profuse " stopping" m the
Heath can only be justified while the plant is young, and being
formed for its future career. Then, of course, wood is the only
object. Never prune and " shift" simultaneously. If you prune
first, let the plant regain its vigour before you repot. Shift any
plant when it requires it, regardless of season. There are circum-
stances which may modify this as a general rule, but circumstances
must determine them.

To recapitulate : to grow Heaths well, you must give them plenty
of light and air, — moving air. Pay especial attention to the welfare
of the roots. Recollect the ad\'ice of Mr. Barnes in regard to Pines,
that they can only be cultivated to advantage with plenty of live
roots. The Heath, under negligent treatment, is liable to have dead
ones in abundance.

Above all, do not be disheartened when you lose a favourite
plant, which you sometimes will. The Heath is precarious in its
existence, notwithstanding all our attention. But the abundance
of the blossoms which they produce, the interesting character of the
plants, the length of time they remain in blossom, and the little
expense beyond unwearied attention which their cultivation involves,
all combine to render them peculiarly attractive to every lover of
plants. G. L.

OX ROSES. .

BY MR. M'ARDELL, FOREMAX, CASTLE HILL GARDENS.

Having oflfered a few remarks at p. 212 on pruning Roses, on the
present occasion perhaps a few words on specimen plants may be
interesting.

Specimen Roses should be planted in conspicuous and appropriate
situations. They should be few, but well grown. Respecting the
kinds of specimens to be cultivated, they may be : 1, bushes or
shrubs ; 2, standards of particular kinds ; and 3, standards with several
varieties budded on the same stock. By beginning with them when
young, the first description of specimens may be pruned and trained
to attain almost any size. A Rose on its own roots should be selected
with six good branches. If the latter are strong, they may be cut
back to ten or twelve inches in length ; but if weak, they should be
cut back to a single eye, as it is necessary that they should start
strongly. With six strong shoots cut back to ten or twelve inches,
a good foundation is secured for a fine shrub. In training, use
hooked sticks stuck into the ground to hold the shoots at equal dis-
tances, and spread them out with their ends about six inches from

NOVEMBER. 265

the ground. These should make growth one season, and at the next
pruning-time cut out all weak branches, and remove all shoots that
come up from the root. The shoots must be shortened to various
lengths, from one to three or four eyes, so as to form a good shrub,
and any that are in the way should be cut out. The after-treat-
ment of this kind of specimen is as simple as that of a Currant-
bush ; but in all pruning of Roses it is necessary that the shoots
should be cut as close to the eye as possible without mjuring it, and
all shoots that are cut away should be cut close to the stem from
which they grew. All shoots not cut close to the eye are liable to
die back past the eye. Once arrived at sufficient size and strength,
the shrub will live for years, and continue in perfection in a kind of
wild growth with but little pruning, and yet be a beautiful plant, for
it will in a manner prune itself, or at least those shoots that require
removing will die back, and there will be only the dead wood to cut
away. It must be borne in mind, however, that the above specimen
will not answer the purpose of almost managing itself until it is
several years old.

A specimen Tree Rose should be selected thus : first, let it be on
a strong healthy stock, perfectly straight ; secondly, the bud should
have been placed on a strong shoot, and nearly close to the stock ;
thirdly, it should be of a sort calculated to form a good head. If a
standard be not attended to at first, it never will be handsome. As
regards pruning, the object should be to get the head as large across
as'the height from the ground to its under part; and in thickness,
from the bottom of the head to the top, two-thirds its diameter. In
pruning standards, the end bud should be left under the branch, in
order that the lower branches may incline downwards ; and these
end shoots being left two or three eyes long every time the trees are
pruned, the latter soon arrive at the desired size ; but when any por-
tion of the tree wants filling^ up, four or five eyes may be left. As
the trees advance to a large size, they require less assistance from us.
They assume an imposing appearance, and the increase of the head
is \krj much slower, for the tree has more to support, and therefore
requires but little pruning.

The third kind of specimens are both curious and interesting.
To have them in good condition, it is well to begin with a good strong
Brier, and instead of cutting ofi:' the forked head, as many branches
as possible should be retained ; at least there should be three or four
good shoots spreading out about a foot each way when the Brier is
planted. The latter should have equally as much care as a good
Rose with respect to root, pruning, application of dung, &c., all of
which it should receive on the spot where it is to remain. All the
shoots on the stock should be rubbed off, but none from the forked
branches. About three branches should be allowed to remain and
grow on each of these forked ones. In selecting branches to be re-
tained, have an eye to the object aimed at, which is to place a bud
upon each shoot ;' therefore those should remain that occupy the best
position to sui)port the independent growth of their own head. Each
of these shoots should be budded in July, and none should be allowed

266 THE FLORIST.

to grow that are not budded. The buds must be put in as close to
the heel as possible, and they should be from different Roses, but all
of one habit (of the slow-growing kinds), because, if some were more
vigorous than others, there would be no regularity of growth. In
pruning these, the greatest thing to be attended to is, to cut them
where they are crowded, removing all superfluous wood, and attend-
ing to their general growth. Small Roses are the best for this kind
of specimen, and the colours should be contrasted as much as pos-
sible. When in bloom, such a Rose is very attractive, and in two
years, on a strong Brier, it will form a perfect head, although it will
improve for many )'ears afterwards. The stock and forked branches
must be prevented from making shoots.

As regards the situations in which specimen plants should grow,
much depends on the form of the clumps, and beds on the lawn, and
the disposition of the walks. They may be planted with advantage
near a clump, but not too close to it, and if opposite an inward curve,
so much the better; but there should be twelve feet between the
specimen and the clump, and in all cases they should be four or five
feet from the walk. In many places, a few specimen Roses add
greatly to the general eflfect ; but until they arrive at a large size they
are not worth notice ; yet it is better to grow them where they are
to remain than to remove them when full grown, for when removed
at that age they never answer well afterwards.

Oct. 1th.

A WORD OR TWO ABOUT ANNUALS.

The charge so often laid against this very useful class of flowers,
that of being so ephemeral in their duration, requires some degree
of qualification. That they frequently are so, cannot be denied ; but
it will be observed that such is oftener the result of mismanagement
than attributable to the real deficiencies of the plants. They are
so universally employed as a means of decoration, that a word or
two in their favour will not, I hope, be out of place. From the
aristocratic parterre to the oval flower-plot of the citizen amateur,
they are found lending their richness of colour during the sum-
mer months. Nor can this be wondered at. In their ranks are
placed some of our greatest favourites. In colour, in habit, in profu-
sion of bloom, they have much to recommend. Look at the Zinnias,
making the very eye quail when gazing on them beneath an August
sun. Then the gorgeous Portulacas ; the humble but never-to-be-
described Messembryanthemum bicolor; the quaint Calandrinia splen-
dens ; and the beautifully veined Salpiglossus. Then, again, the
rich blue of the Eutoca viscida ; the no less beautiful but paler Nemo-
phyllainsignis, and the lovely Platystemon californicum ; Indian Pinks,
Campanulas, Stocks, Asters, Lobelias, and hosts of others, rise up in
the memory and demand a notice. Nor must be forgotten one of
the most gorgeous, superlatively handsome as it is in a mass, the
Sphenogyne speciosa. When this plant is well managed, and a bed

NOVEMBER.

267

of each in full bloom, nothing can equal it for richness in its peculiar
colour — orange-yellow with a dark eye, and each flower of the
size of a crown-piece. I have seen a bed of this plant when the
mass of flowers, expanding as they do above the foliage, looked in
the sun literally a sheet of gold.

In pots too, for the decoration of the greenhouse and conserva-
tory in summer, how admirably are they adapted ! The loveliest
of all flowers, llhodanthe Manglesii, stands foremost in this rank.
Collinsia bicolor is beautiful, and of good habit for the purpose.
Brachycome iberidifolia in its several varieties is excellent ; as is also
the Schizanthus pinnatus, and several others.

In climbers, too, there is ample to select from ; and a garden can
present nothing in the way of flowers more chastely beautiful, more
indescribably dehcate — such as no pen can describe, or pencil imitate
— than a mass of the annual Ipomceas at sunrise. Soon after, the
edges of the petals become crumpled, and then their beauty rapidly
decays. Those ladies who have never gazed upon them when in
their beauty, have a rich treat in store. The Ipomoea is in every
way a favourite ; and I never look upon their evanescent beauties
without exclaiming, with Moore,

" I never loved a tree or flower,
But 'twas the first to fade away."

Annuals are for the most part sown so thickly in the open border,
that the plants smother each other in their struggles for light and
air ; or in pots, and are starved into a premature maturity. In either
case, the real resources of the plants are not developed, and pre-
mature decay is the natural consequence of precocity of maturity.
The blossoms are no sooner produced, than, like a rocket, there is
a dazzling blaze for a brief period, and all is over. Yet some of
the annuals, it must be confessed, are of very brief duration ; and to
furnish anything like a summer's display, a constant forethought
must be exercised to keep up a succession. But, on the whole, they
are capable of a much greater degree of usefulness than they aff'ord
under the ordinary modes of treatment. Because they are of easy
culture, and so rapidly decay, we forget, or care not, to recognise the
fact, that they demand care and attention to induce them to a full
development of their beauties ; and there are few of them but well
repay us for our attention.

Annuals that are sown early, under the protection of frames, are
generally deteriorated in constitutional vigour by an undue excite-
ment, or by a number of individuals beuig crowded together in a
small pot. And those placed in the open borders are either sown in
patches, and allowed to " take their chance," or are transplanted from
the reserve-garden in tangled masses, with weakly stems, unable to
combat successfully their change of circumstances, and their always
brief duration is rendered still more brief.

The fact is, that annuals, as a general rule, should be treated as
individual plants. At all events, in the earlier stages of their growth
such a course should be adopted. The greater length of their dura-

268 THE FLORIST.

tion, size of their flowers, and sturdiness of habit, will be the best
recommendation for such an amount of care. For some of the later-
sown annuals, a good system is to sow their seeds in some convenient
situation, in a light shallow soil well incorporated with fine leaf-
mould, to induce an abundance of fibres. It is well to render the
natural surface perfectly solid, and to place artificially all the soil re-
quired. As soon as the plants are of sufficient size, they should be
transplanted into a situation similarly prepared to that in which the
seeds were sown, and at sufficient distances from each other to allow
their removal with as little mutilation of root as possible. If a con-
stant succession of plants is provided in this way, they can be moved
at any time during the summer months, and often scarcely a leaf
will droop. Of course, a cloudy day, in which to remove all plants
of a like nature, is desirable ; but if they are grown as I have sug-
gested, a bright day need be no bar to their removal. No soil is so
well calculated for growing them in till their final removal as well-
decaying leaf-mould. I have generally placed a stratum of ordinary
soil on the surface, to prevent excessive evaporation. But the fibres
ramify so thickly in the decaying leaves, that in the process of removal
little damage is sustained by them ; and whenever a whole bed has
to be filled, or a vacancy re-occupied, a trowel and handbarrow or
basket, expeditiously employed, will soon accomplishthe desired end.

It will be well to observe that all ordinary beddmg-plants, when
removed from their cutting-pots, are best treated in this way. It
saves pots, is less trouble, and the plants are individually superior to
others wholly grown in pots ; as it often happens, that if from any
cause plants intended for the flower-borders become pot-bound, the
greater part of the summer is consumed before they begin to recover
themselves.

Annuals that are required to remain as long a period in blossom
as possible should never be allowed to perfect seeds. It should'be
remembered, as a physiological fact closely bearing upon practical
gardening, that the great end of all organic life is to perpetuate its
kind ; and that by taking advantage of this principle, and retarding
such a consummation, a more protracted existence can be procured.
By such practice plants naturally annuals are rendered of perennial
duration — to wit, the Mignonette ; and the full blooming season of
many plants, as the Chinese Primrose amongst flowers, and the
Strawberry in fruits, can be artificially protracted for our gratification.
This fact is a strong supporter of the belief m the analogy of animal
and vegetable life. If the eggs of any of the birds, as, for instance,
pigeons — which, under ordinary circumstances, only lay two — are
constantly removed, others are as constantly deposited ; and in many
of our common song-birds, as the thrush, double the usual quantity
are sometimes produced by their being removed as soon as deposited
in the nest, leaving one as a " decoy."

On the accumulation of vigour in annual plants, Mr. Knight says,
" By appropriate management annual plants may be made to accu-
mulate in one period of their lives the sap which they expend in
another, with very great advantage to the cultivator." G. L.

NOVEMBER, 269

NEW PLANTS.

Figured in the Botanical Magazine for October.

Spathodea l.kvis. a robust-growing stove-plant belonging to Bignonias, and
attaining the lieight of twenty feet. On the ends of the branches are produced
corymbose panicles of numerous large white flowers, delicately spotted, and
streaked with rose. It is a native of Sierra Leone, and was imported by Messrs.
Lucombe, Pince, and Co.

Stylidium MUCKOMFOLiUM. A Very pretty dwarf greenhouse plant, nearly
allied to S. saxifragoides. It is a free-blooming species, producing tufts of
flowers in August of a bright yellow colour, margined with zigzag lines of orange
round the mouth. It was raised from Swan River seeds by Messrs. Lucombe,
Pince, and Co.

GoKDONiA JAVAMCA. A shrubby evergreen stove-plant, with the habit of
the Tea or Camellia; having single white flowers produced from the axils of the
leaves, similar to those of the Tea: it is not very attractive, although it flowers
freely in a small state. Imported by Messrs. Rollisson from Java.

PiTCAiKMA Jacksoni. A dwarf evergreen stove-plant, of the Pine-apple
tribe, having an erect raceme of showy scarlet flowers : its nearest affinity is with
P. bromeliffifolia. Native country, Guatemala, from whence it was imported
by Messrs. Jackson of Kingston.

Calantiie Masuca. a terrestrial Orchid, with a habit similar to Phajus
grandifolius. It is one of the handsomest of the genus, having a raceme of
deep purple-coloured flowers, which continue for a considerable time in per-
fection. This is an old species, having flowered with Messrs. Rollisson in 1842.
It is a native of Nepal, Bengal, and Ceylon.

Opumia Salmiama. a slender straggling-growing and much-branching plant
of the Cactus tribe, bearing at the apex of the branches clusters of flowers of a
sulphur yellow, streaked with red and rose-colour in the centre. It is a very dis-
tinct species, and a free bloomer. Native country, Brazil.

Coloured Illustrations in Paxton^s Flower -Gar den for October.

Rhodothamxus kamtchaticus. a dwarf and very compact-growing hardy
evergreen shrub, with a habit similar to Rhododendron chaniffcistus ; well
adapted for cultivating on shady rockwork : it has very large nodding flowers of
a deep purple. This species was raised from seed about twenty years ago by
Messrs. Loddiges of Hackney. It is a native of the north-west coast of North
America.

HovA ovALiFOLiA. An evergreen twining stove-plant, having lanceolate
leaves six inches long, and umbels of yellow flowers that are rather showy.

II. PALLIDA. A smaller species, not very attractive, having small umbels of
pale-coloured flowers that are sweet-scented. Both are natives of the East
Indies, and have flowered at Chatsworth.

Cattleya labiata, var. Candida. A beautiful light variety, having a very
richly coloured lip. It has flowered at Syon.

C. LABIATA, var. PICTA. A richly-coloured variety, which flowered with J. J.
Blandy, Esq., Reading. These varieties, as well as the species to which they
belong, are the most beautiful of all Brazilian Orchids, richly meriting a place
in every collection.

The woodcuts contain : 1. A head of flowers of Dianthus cruentus; 2. A leaf
and flower of Echeandia terniflora ; 3. A flower of Lilliun Wallichianum ; 4. A
flowering branch of llypocyrta gracilis, — this species is noticed at p. 227; 5.
Two flowers of Catasetum fimbriatum ; 6. A portion of a branch containing
leaves and flowers of Ilakea cucuUata, a plant noticed at p. 227; 7. A small
sprig of Veronica formosa ; 8. A flowering branch of Ochna atropurpurea,
noticed at p. 177; 9. Part of the stem with leaves and flowers of Moussonia
elegans ; 10. A flowering sprig of Metrosideros buxifolia, noticed at p. 17G.

Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. J. Houlston.

270 THE FLORIST.

THE LADIES' PAGE.

" Now the leaf
Incessant rustles from the mournful grove ;"

and the partially denuded tree.?, from the branches of which the
condensed fog drips like a shower of tears, seem to be weeping over
the loss of their green mantles.

" Fled is the blasted verdure of the fields ;
And, shrunk into their beds, the flowery race
Their sunny robes resign."

Although this aspect of desolation is caused by the unchangeable
laws of Nature, yet no true lover of flowers can repress a feeling of
sorrow for the loss of his favourites. It will be well, therefore, to
divert the mind from dwelling upon and deploring that which is un-
avoidable, by planning and preparing for that hopeful season, when

" The penetrative sun,
His force deep darting to the dark retreat
Of vegetation, sets the steaming power
At large."

It is presumed that amateur managers of gardens have, during
the past flowering season, made notes of any defective arrangements
that may have been apparent as regards colour, stature, and habit of
the various plants composing the beds, and have determined upon
whatever improvements their resources may enable them to make.
Some part of this innovation upon former systems might possibly be
the employment of early-blooming plants, in accordance with the
hints we have before given ; and if circumstances should have pre-
vented the necessary preparations from being made during the last
month, they ought to be commenced immediately. Hardy plants,
whether herbaceous or woody, succeed better when transplanted in
autumn than in spring ; and, in addition to this, another great ad-
vantage is gained by doing every thing that can be done before that
busiest season of the gardener's year comes on. Trees and shrubs of
all kinds may therefore be removed now with almost perfect safety, if
the operation is properly performed, though the end of September and
beginning of October is perhaps preferable for conifers and evergreens
generally; that most desirable of all under-shrubs, the Rhododendron,
might, however, be safely transplanted at any time up to April, or
even later if the weather is moist, as its numerous fibrous roots retain
so much soil amongst them, that it is next to impossible to take up a
plant without its having what some planters so much covet — a baU
of earth attached to the roots. This plant is specially mentioned for
the purpose of correcting the erroneous but general notion that it
will thrive only in peat-earth, whereas we lately saw it in Messrs.
Lane's nursery at Great Berkhampstead, growing and thriving well
in the common soil of the locaUty, a sandy loam ; also at the place
from whence this is written, there are immense bushes of Rhododen-
dron ponticum and its varieties grossing and flowering freely in very

NOVEMBER. 271

poor sand. Even where the soil is not naturally suitable, it might
be made so to a limited extent by mixing rotten leaves and sand
with it ; and if the means of cultivating only a few plants of this
beautiful tribe can be attained in this manner, the amateur gardener
might profitably amuse himself by hybridising and raising seedlings.
By selecting distinct and striking varieties to commence with, and
judiciously blending the most desirable properties of two dissimilar
kinds, such as the late blossoming of Rhododendron maximum with
the high colour of R. Russelhanum, or the fine foliage and hardihood
of the true R. alta-clerense, &c., a most valuable breed might be
obtained, or rather increased, as there already exist several new va-
rieties in which large and high-coloured flowers are combined with
late blooming. Perhaps, also, some of the recent importations from
Northern India (which will soon become common) may be found
useful for giving improved form and colour to the common kinds.
The subject of shrubs and trees is, however, too important to be
dismissed in a page or two, and we shall therefore leave it to be
treated on by our successor in this part of the Florist. For the same
reason we have purposely avoided giving detailed directions for the
management of greenhouse plants, that being a subject sufficient in
itself to occupy the space allotted to the Ladies' Page.

As regards the winter management of the plants which have been
potted for the flower-garden, it may be advisable to caution inexpe-
rienced gardeners against the too liberal use of fire and water. No
more fire-heat must be given than is necessary for preventing the
access of frost to them and to expel damp, and no more water than
is necessary to prevent them from actually flagging for the want of
it; for too much warmth only excites such plants into unnatural
growth at a season when they ought to be at rest, and too much
moisture softens their tissue by filling their vessels with fluid, engen-
ders damp, and thus causes them to be more susceptible of injury by
cold. When brick pits or wooden frames are used for the purpose
of wintering plants, and leaves or stable- dung are employed as a
warming agent in place of hot-water pipes or smoke-flues, such fer-
menting materials must be built up on all sides of the pit or frame
as high as its top. A substantial lining of leaves, covered by some
long litter or fern, will keep out a severe frost, if the lights are also
well protected ; for which purpose straw mats, or thatched wooden
frames made to fit the lights, or boarded sliutters with a little dry
hay spread between them and the glass, are perhaps as good as any
thing. The lights should be drawn off* for an hour or two on fine
dr5" days, and air must be freely given by tilting them whenever the
weather is suitable ; dead leaves or other decaying matter must also
be frequently removed by hand-picking.

Although it will be impossible at this season to maintain that
order and cleanliness which so greatly enhance the enjoyment of a
pleasure-ground, still the falling leaves ought not to be suff'ered to
accumulate on the walks and in the immediate vicinity of the dwelling-
house, where, in addition to their unsightliness, the exhalations aris-
ing from decaying matter would be insalubrious. When the leaves

272 THE FLORIST.

have all fallen, they should be raked up and carried away, either to
be employed for some such purpose as that above mentioned, or to
be laid in a heap to rot into leaf- mould. It might then be advisable
to mow the lawn once more, which will greatly improve its appear-
ance through the winter months, and also facilitate that troublesome
work in spring.

J. B. Whiting.

CARNATIONS:

WITH A NOTICE OF THE RAISERS OF THE VARIETIES
FIGURED LAST MONTH.

The correctness and beauty of the last plate prompts me to oiFer a few
remarks upon this ancient Florists' flower, of which the poet well says :

" Let yon admired Carnation o^vn

Not all was meant for raiment or for food,
Not all for needful use alone;

There while the seeds of future blossoms dwell,
'Tis coloured for the sight, perfumed to please the smell."

Shakspeare makes Perdita say,

" The fairest flowers o' the season
Are our Carnations."

I could quote whole pages in its praise, if such were needed. I take
it that in the whole range of Florists' flowers, not one is more largely
cultivated in all parts of the country. It is asserted, that in the
vicinity of Manchester alone, there may be two hundred growers of
this flower.

That the requirements for a perfect Carnation were well known
many years since, is proved by Mr. Hogg's Treatise pubhshed in
1820. The thirty years which have elapsed have not brought to
light any thing desirable which he had not claimed as essential to
form a first-rate flower. He says, " The stem should be strong, tall,
and straight, not less than thirty, nor more than forty-five inches
high ; the flower should be at least three inches in diameter, con-
sisting of a great number of large well-formed petals ; but neither so
many as to give it too full and crowded an appearance, nor so few as
to make it appear thin. The petals should be broad and substantial,
particularly those of the lower or outer circle, commonly called
guard-leaves ; these should rise perpendicularly about half an inch
above the calyx, and then turn off" gracefully in a horizontal direc-
tion, supporting the interior petals, and altogether forming a convex
and nearly hemispherical corolla. The interior petals should rather
decrease in size as they approach the centre of the flower. The
petals should be regularly disposed alike on every side, imbricating
each other in such a manner as that both their respective and united
beauties may captivate the eye at the same instant ; they should be
nearly flat ; however, n small degree of concavity or inflection at the
broad end is allowable, but their edges should be perfectly entire,
that is to say, free from notches, fringe, or indenture. Whatever

NOVEMBER. 273

colours the flowers may be possessed of, they should l)e i)crfectly
distinct, and disposed in stripes, broadest at the edge of the petals.
Each petal should have a due proportion of white, i. e. one half, or
nearly so, which should be perfectly clear and free from spots.
Bizarres, or such as contain two colours on a white ground, are
esteemed preferable to flakes, which have but one, especially when
the colours are remarkably rich, and very regularly distributed.
Scarlet, purple, and pink, are the three colours most predominant in
the Carnation ; the first two are seldom to be met with in the same
flower, but the last two very frequently."

The same author says, " A Florist that raises six new Carnations
in his lifetime may be considered fortunate." How has Dame For-
tune, then, lavished her bounty upon the two amateur Florists, Messrs.
Puxley and May, whose flowers form the plate alluded to above !
The former gentleman must have enjoyed the success of half-a-dozen
lives at least, for his career has not only been brilliant, but continued
through a long series of years ; nor shall I err much in awarding to
Mr. Puxley the merit of raising more good flowers in his time than
any other individual. His liberality also is only equalled by his per-
severance and determination to obtain first-rate varieties, of which
the following is a brief list : Armada, Emperor, FalstafF, Howard,
Lionel, Prince Albert, Robert Bruce, Saladin, Gil Bias, Jenny Lind
(see plate). Queen Victoria, Princess Helena, Perfection, Crusader,
Mars, Madame Sontag, Princess Royal, Prince of Wales, President,
Lady A. Peel, Dr. Solander, and others.

Mr. May's victories are of more modern date, and for the short
time he has pursued the art, it would be impossible to find any one
to surpass him. A large portion of his finest varieties are the pro-
duce of two or three seasons only, — a career unprecedented beyond
doubt.

Unlike Mr. Puxley, Picotees have also claimed Mr. May's atten-
tion ; and as the raiser of Sebastian, Ann Page, Constance, Jessica,
Juliet, Portia, Viola, Phoebe, and others, he occupies no mean place.
As the raiser of Bolingbroke, Hotspur, Caliban, Duncan, Edgar,
Mercutio, Owen Glendower, Poins, Cardinal Wolsey, Justice Shal-
low (see plate), Tybalt, Antonio, Ariel, Lorenzo, Romeo, Tymon,
and others, he holds a most enviable position indeed amongst Car-
nation raisers.

I have heard it asserted that a grower of both Carnations and
Picotees could never expect to obtain good seedlings, on account of
the intermixture of their pollen where the two flowers are cultivated
together. Now this doctrine has proved only empty theory, for Mr.
May has had the most marked success ; and further, I have heard that
gentleman say, that in his batches of seedlings, the seed was always
true from the sort saved, whether Carnations or Picotees ; and the pro-
duce was always distinct, and so kept by him until blooming time.

With much pleasure I thus register my thanks to these raisers,
in return for the delight I have experienced in the cultivation of
their beautiful productions.

Hollovmy, October 1850. John Edwards.

VOL. III. NO. XXXV. Z

274 THE FLORIST.

THE NEW GARDENS, WHITBY.

In noticing Mr. Willison's Rose Nursery in the last Number of the
Florist, I inadvertently stated that the Roses were grown on alluvial
soil ; this is an error (although perhaps not of much consequence,)
which I wish to correct. The soil in this garden varies much, both
in its nature and quality; and although there is a small portion of
the alluvial, yet the principal part of the Roses is cultivated on
strong loam. Since my last notice, I regret to add, that the re-
spected lessee, Mr. Alexander Willison, has been " gathered to his
fathers :" he died on the 7th October, at the advanced age of 75 years,
after having had the superintendence of this nursery for nearly forty
years. These gardens, however, will very probably be carried on by
his son, Mr. W. Willison, who has hitherto had the entire manage-
ment of the Rose department.

Amongst floral curiosities, I may first mention a seedling Dahlia
of very dwarf habit, which has attracted much attention. Mr. Wil-
lison now possesses about a dozen plants of this truly singular pro-
duction, the tallest of which does not exceed ten inches in height,
and several of them are not more than six inches, and yet flowering
in this dwarf state. What may we not expect from the Dahlia !
Some say we may grow and exhibit Dahlias in pots as we do Auri-
culas; others state that we shall now be furnished with plants of the
Dahlia for our smallest compartments, even for our Wardian cases.
How much of this will be realised, time alone will reveal ; at any
rate, the variety to which I allude is as complete a Liliputian as
ever was created by Chinese art.

From a conversation which took place a few days ago between
Mr. Rivers and Mr. Willison, some interesting facts were elicited in
reference to raising seedling Roses. Whilst remarking on the Weep-
ing Rose, the Crested Moss, the Miniature Moss, and other Roses
raised at this nursery, Mr. Rivers expressed his surprise, that seed
could be obtained in such an (apparently) unpropitious locality ; to
which Mr. Willison replied, that he never was at a loss for seed, but,
like his neighbours, he had often failed in causing it to vegetate.
Amongst those from which he had anticipated the most (but without
success), were Smith's yellow Noisette (impregnated). Curled Crested
Moss (Willison's), &c. From other varieties, such as Madame Laf-
fay, Proserpine, W. Jesse, Madame Desprez, and others, he had
succeeded in raising some scores of seedlings, exhibiting in many
instances the greatest dissimilarity from the parent, especially those
from Rose Ruga, many of its offspring certainly being like the parent ;
but one half at least were stated to be either true Tea or China
Roses; and one in particular. King of the Ayrshires (Willison),
with very durable maroon flowers, is most like a climbing Gallica.
Also those obtained from the old China exhibited, if possible, a
greater diversity of character ; some were like Sweet Briers, others
were smooth and flexible in their shoots, resembling the Boursault,
blooming only as Summer Roses, while the rest were Chinas, Climb-

NOVEMBER. 275

ing Noisettes, &c. ; and from this heterogeneous breed was obtained
a rich strawberry- scented Pillar-Rose, the Governor (Willison). It
is still more singular that from Summer Hoses have been obtained
the most decided Perpetual Roses, not of the character that would
class with Madame LafFay, Baron Prevost, Dr. Marx, Duchess of
Sutherland, &c., but such as ought to be classed with Clementine
Duval, as they difter only from China and Tea in having stems thickly
clad with spines and a somewhat rougher leaf. Of such are Willi-
son's Omniflora, sometimes striped like a crimson and scarlet Ra-
nunculus; Lady Lucy Smith, a Pvose highly commended in the Mid-
land Florist (not then named), and Fulgens, h. p., which in form
and brilliancy of colour is almost identical with the old favourite
Summer Rose of that name, but which differs from it in this very
desirable quality of being an ever-bloomer, blooming under glass
from January to December. This Rose is highly odoriferous, and has
been favourably noticed during the season by the Florist, Midland
Florist, and other publications.

In reference to Hybrid Perpetuals, I would observe en passant,
that in an excellent article on Roses in the Florist, p. 195, by a trans-
atlantic writer, it is stated that Hybrid Perpetuals are by no means
perpetuals in their blooming habit ; " they are, in fact, June Roses,
that bloom two or three times in the season, whenever new shoots
spring up." To this assumption the English Rose-growers, I fancy,
will hardly subscribe, if the Hybrid Perpetuals are to remain as they
are now classed. Where is there a more genuine Perpetual than
Geant des Batailles ?

One word in conclusion on that much-vexed question, the "Rose-
stock." Mr. Rivers, as all know, is very partial to the Manetti, and
Mr. Willison says it does not answer in this locality so well as the
Victoria stock, a sort of Hybrid Ayrshire, raised by himself some
years ago. I think that both stocks are geod for some sorts of Roses ;
but do not believe that either of them form a " panacea for all evils."
A few months ago, I inspected Mr. Appleby's collection of Roses, at
the Rose Mount Nursery, York, most of which are budded on the
Manetti stock, and I must confess I never saw a more promising
lot of plants, — they are remarkably strong and healthy. But then,
on the other hand, Mr. Willison has budded several of our most deli-
cate Roses, such as Eliza Sauvage, Vicomtesse de Cazes, &c. on
his favourite stock, and they also are growing most vigorously,
certainly quite equal to the others. The Manetti, Cehne, Bour-
sault, and other stocks may have their advocates, but there is no
doubt, in my opinion, that different stocks suit different localities ;
and this may perhaps account, in some measure, for each having its
supporters. Mr. Rivers, I understand, intends to try the Victoria
stock ; and when its merits are fully tested by the side of the Manetti,
the readers of the Florist, it is hoped, will be favoured with the re-
sults.

Whilbi/, nth Oct. M. Wooduouse.

276 TUE FLORIST.

THE DAHLIA SEASON OF 1850, AND ITS RESULTS.

To the article I sent you for insertion in last month's Florist, you
were pleased to add some comments of your own on the cover.
Now, in reply, I can only state, that for many reasons a correspon-
dent's name is often best withheld : what may go down very well
under the signature of A. B., would hardly be noticed were the plain
name of John Smith of some obscure village (perhaps a hundred
miles off from the head-quarters of floriculture,) appended to an
article ; and so the only course left is for you, in your editorial capa-
city, to insert such papers as you may deem most likely to interest
the great variety of readers of your periodical. Be it remembered
that the spirit of Junius's letters was much more telling in its
effects from the fact that the author was, and is even now, I believe,
unknown. Not that I wish for a moment to compare myself with
that powerful wielder of the pen, for an article written to aid a flori-
cultural journal can surely have no personal or political feeling ; and
the name of the author cannot be of much consequence while his
pen is used only for the legitimate purpose of spreading floricultural
information. If this is not considered of sufficient interest for the
readers of the Florist, it will not be inserted, and no one will be any
the worse, except that the paper will have been wasted ; and the
writer must consider himself fortunate in already seeing five of his
concoctions appearing in such a respectable and well got-up work
as the Florist really is.

As in my last I endeavoured to shew the Geraniums oftenest seen
on the London exhibition-tables, my present object is to give the
names of Dahlias seen also in like manner. This ought not to be
considered a rule altogether ; for the season may not have suited
some flowers : Dreadnought, a very perfect crimson ; Walter Hilson,
a nicely formed orange ; Samuel Girling, a very model of form ; and
several others that have come well in former seasons, have not been
shewn once this year. Another reason is, that perhaps the anxiety
to exhibit novelties causes older equally good varieties to *' hide
their diminished heads," and thus each year they will get "fewer
and fewer, and then by degrees beautifully less." Amongst varieties
let out previously to 1850, the following have been exhibited :

Let out

Times.

ia49 Duke of Wellington . . 24

1848 Shylock 20

1847 Yellow Standard .... 20

1849 Mr. Seldon 17

1848 Richard Cobden .... 16

1850 Fearless 14

1849 Grenadier 13

1849 Mrs. Bacon 12

ISl'G Marchioness of Corn wallis . 12

^^l^""^ Times.

1845 Beeswing 12

1849 Purple Standard .... 10

1848 Crocus 9

1843 Essex Triumph .... 8

1847 Scarlet Gem 7

1845 Cleopatra 7

1848 Imbiicata 7

1842 Admiral Stopford .... 6

1844 Nonpareil 6

The above return is not so complete as could be wished, owing
to the difficulty there is now in obtaining full reports of the large
country exhibitions, the Chronicle never chronicling these events

NOVEMBER. 277

now, though in former years as many as ten reports of provincial
shows have appeared at once. Could not the Florist add some
sort of a supplement to give these very useful reports, and so cause
it to be regarded as the head organ of the floricultural world ? the
Midland Florist, a threepenny publication, has done this for some
time past, to the great satisfaction of its numerous readers. The
varieties let out this season now demand our attention. The fol-
lowing were shewn :

Times .

Queen of Lilacs (>

Serai)h 5

Magnificent 4

Fame 3

Charles Turner 2

Sir F. Bathurst . . .
]Mrs. Seldon ....

Times
... 15
. . 8

Snow-flake

... 7

Thames-Bank Hero . .
Duke of Cambridge . .

. . . 7

. . . G

There are several shows not yet reported — Salisbury, Shackle-
well, Slough, and the Grand Birmingham and Metropohtan ; but I
do not think the result of them will materially affect the above state-
ment.

In conclusion, a few words on the novelties of 1849 and 1850
may not be unacceptable to your readers, though they only give the
experience and observation of one individual. First and foremost,
then, stands the Beauty of Hastings, a flower which, with all its
boasted qualifications, has not appeared once through the past season.
Its failings appear to be " hard and treacherous in its eye," and in
size not coming up to the point required for a front-row flower ; but
possibly in another season it may " come out better." Then Dread-
nought has not once been exhibited, I suppose on account of size,
being generally small; but a better dark flower I have not grown this
year, so constant, and in form and outline a perfect model. Bushell's
Duchess has appeared only once, though many were the good points
it was stated to possess ; it is now marked to be thrown out. Rubens
and Dr. Franklin have proved but very transitory planets ; and
Dauntless and Queen of the West have been very diffident in ap-
pearing before the public, for reasons best known to their respective
growers.

To turn now to the more pleasing task of praising the " Stars of
the Season." All must own that the Iron Duke has proved himself
worthy of his noble name ; indeed, take him for all in all, he is, in
my opinion, the Dahlia I should grow were I only able to cultivate
one variety. Mr. Seldon is another noble variety, and is a fitting
companion to the Duke ; I have not seen a bad flower of either this
season. Fearless is a very tine lilac, pretty constant ; Grenadier a
useful ruby-crimson, not always high enough in the centre ; Mrs. C.
Bacon, a very useful novel variety ; Purple Standard, good, but not
novel in colour ; Queen of the East, a variable variety, sometimes
blush, and oftener fawn, and would be better a trifle closer ; Earl of
Clarendon, a rich orange-scarlet, at times hard in the centre ; Negro,
a useful dark, but a little too much ribbed in the jjctals. To speak
of the varieties sent out this year as a whole, they have caused
another step in advance. Sir F. Bathurst will long be a favourite,

278 TUE FLORIST.

being very constant ; a good j^ellow is obtained in Mrs. Seldon, and
a fair white in Snow-flake ; Queen of Lilacs is rather coarse, but
still good ; Fame is a good acquisition, being a great novelty in
colour ; Charles Turner will be much admired as a constant tipped
variety, though its outline might be rounder, and it might be a little
deeper. Queen of the Isles has not been all that was expected of
it from the well-known integrity of its " sender out ;" but it may
prove better another season.

The novelties for next year having been so recently described in
your account of the exhibitions, I need say nothing further, except
that I think the most popular of them will be George Glenny, Queen
of Beauties, and Hon. Mrs. Ashley ; though, as a whole, the results
of the season 1850 will not come up to that of 1849.

Okion.

A PEEP AT THE PARIS FLOWER-MARKET.

No lover of flowers who visits the French capital should fail to spend
a morning at the Flower-market. Though somewhat different in
character from similar exhibitions in our own country, it is certainly
in no respect inferior. I was in Paris on the last three days of
July — days remarkable in the political history of that city, — and so
agreeable was my reminiscence of former visits, that I resolved to
spend the early part of one of those fete-days at the Marche aux
Fleurs. Accordingly, I arose at the dawn of day, and quitting
my hotel in the Rue Rivoli, was soon at the Quai aux Fleurs,
where the market is held. Long before I had reached the desired
place, I was reminded of my approach by the return of earlier
visitors. The thrifty housewife, wdth a Heliotrope under one arm,
and a Rose beneath the other, was moving with a brisk step, her
affections pro tern, divided between the darlings of her choice, her-
self apparently unconscious of the busy scene which surrounded
her. Then the workman, who had risen long before the hours
of labour, in order that he might present to the sharer of his toils
a fresh and sweet token of his affection and esteem, was bearing
homeward a less costly offering in the shape of a stock or a pot of
musk. How refining and moralising must be the influence of this
love of flowers ! I wish it were more general among labourers in
our own land. But I was aroused from reflection by my arrival at
the market, which indeed presented a busy scene.

It is a large paved square, planted with rows of Acacia trees,
whose soft and elegant foliage trembling in the breeze harmonised
with the animated scene they overshadowed. In the centre of this
square was the bureau, where I imagined the market-keeper dwelt,
with the view of preserving order and taking toll. Near each end
was a fountain, surrounded with a basin of water, apparently con-
structed for use as well as ornament. Around these and the bureau
were lounging men in blouses, with large baskets, flat at one side to
fit the back, lying at their feet, waiting to carry off the purchases.

NOVEMBER. 279

There was a walk in the centre of the square, and the plants were
arranged on either side to face the walk. The stalls, which were
principally kept by women, who were enjoying their morning's
repast of bread and fruit, were set out with order and neatness.
There were Oranges, Oleanders, Magnolias, Pomegranates, Roses,
Myrtles, Carnations, Balsams, Cockscombs, Tuberoses, Fuchsias,
Verbenas, Amaranths, Mignonette, Marigolds, Asters, and indeed
almost every plant of the season, mingled together in sweet and
inextricable confusion. The plants certainly were not large ; they
were rather close and compact, laden with blossoms, whose odours
rose on every air we breathed. Then the vast quantity of a sort,
each seemingly a counterpart of the rest, so nicely surrounded with
white paper, and placed so closely together, that the whole re-
minded one of a large flower-garden. I could not look on such
a variety of beautiful objects without wishing to know the prices
at which they were sold, and these I found were any thing but
extravagant. But I paid for my inquisitiveness. I was quickly
beset by the men en blouse before mentioned, who seemed to take
it for granted that / could not carry home my purchases. It was
in vain I declined their services, though " they were sure Mon-
sieur Anglais would not carry plants through the streets of Paris ;
and if he did not intend to purchase, he would not demand the
price." Who could answer such arguments, backed as they were by
reiterated cries from the vendors, " Ce n'est pas cher, Monsieur, ce
n'est pas cher." No, indeed, thought I, as I gazed on a pot of
Forget-me-not offered for six sous, and contrasted its soft and deli-
cate tints with the sunburnt countenances around, and the horny
hands which upheld it ; it is not dear ; yours is no overpaid occupa-
tion ; truly thou fulfillest the commandment of thy Maker : " In the
sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread." Having purchased this
simple plant, and handed it over to the man en blouse, I was allowed
to pursue my course unmolested, my new acquaintance acting as
protector.

One of the most striking features of the market was the bouquets.
I had noticed them on entering ; but I now caught sight of others,
the flowers arranged with exquisite taste, and which far surpassed
all that I had previously seen. These were lying at one corner of
the market, close to a heap of cut flowers, with which a flower girl
was busily engaged. Bouquets were made with great rapidity, and
sold as rapidly as made. Retiring to a respectful distance, where it
was sheltered by an Acacia tree, I resolved to watch the movements
of the fair bouquctiere, and thus obtain an insight into the difficult
art of nosegay- making. Although slight variations were introduced,
one general principle seemed to regulate the whole. One of the
prettiest that was manufactured was round and flat, and arranged
in this manner : — the first act was to collect together a handful of
Red Roses — these formed the centre ; around them was placed a
narrow belt of Mignonette ; then a ring of White Carnations ; next
in order came a band of Purple Pansies ; Heliotrope succeeded, not
regular as the preceding, but scalloped ; then came a band of Pe-

280

THE FLORIST.

largonium compactum (salmon-colour), raised a little above the other
flowers ; last in order was a row of Dahlias and Roses placed al-
ternately; and surrounding the whole, Fern -leaves.

While studying these manoeuvres, I had resolved, if possible, to
impress the knowledge thus acquired more thoroughly on the mind
by making there and then a bouquet ; and seeing the bouquetiere now
little occupied, I stated my wishes, and readily obtained permission.
My instructress being otherwise engaged, did not notice my proceed-
ings until the bouquet was nearly completed, when to her astonish-
ment she discovered -a fac-simile of her own. " C'est mon habitude,
Monsieur," said she with unfeigned surprise ; '* c'est mon habitude!"
" Et moi aussi," was my reply. "Ah!" rejoined she, "c'est la
mode d' Anglais." Her attention being called off in another direc-
tion, I had not the opportunity of undeceiving her, although the
gravity with which my attendant, who was in the secret, regarded
the whole proceeding excited my risibility more than once. But the
pleasant hours passed in the morning air had given me a keen appe-
tite; and having purchased the bouquet, and placed the pot of
Forget-me-not beneath my arm, I left the market.

Kryptos.

mm:

1 ''^«^

l"\

fa^Andretn, Deli A Zmar

Calceolarias

1. Pearl.

2. >iegro

3. Resplendens

b bamier

6. Model

7, Siirprise

tnnna. cr i t-'uuor.

DECEMBER. 281

THE SUPERINTENDENT

TO THE

READERS OF THE FLORIST AND GARDEN MISCELLANY.

"With the present Number we conclude our Third Volume,
the last of the First Series ; and have much pleasure in an-
nouncing that our arrangements are all completed for com-
mencing anew on January the 1st, 1851 ; and we request your
company and that of all your friends.

We have hitherto jogged along very agreeably, and fallen
out but little by the way ; and considering how difficult it is to
please every palate, we think you have shewn yourselves, on
the whole, satisfied with the entertainment we have provided,
though some of you have wished there had been more of this
dish or of that. We have enlarged our table : we shall give
you in the coming year a dessert, — yes, of the finest fruits ;
and that not at the expense of the flowers, but an agreeable
mixture of both. We are also about to provide you with a
little light reading for your arbours : a monthly paper by our
" Erratic Man," and some by our old correspondent " Seden-
tary." *' Iota " is at work ; Mr. Edwards the same ; and so
are our northern friends, Woodhouse and others.

And you, idle yet able readers, come forth and contribute
your quota to the general fund of information : 'tis your duty ;
make it your pleasure. Come forth, some of you that are
veteran Florists; tell us of your early days, of the old "Florists'
feasts," of your enthusiasm, your success and your failures;
and so encourage those who are taking your places.

And you, the successful ones of the present day, the
Puxleys, Mays, Hoyles, and others, — why do you not con-
tribute to our stores of information ? Tell us what you have
done, and how you have done, and what you are doing. 'Tis
a debt due to floriculture. Will you pay it ? If you will,
now is your time ; the evenings are long, paper is cheap, and
so are pens : we can admit no excuse. We have figured your
productions; the least you can do is to repay us by giving
us the fruits of your experience. Ask us for any thing we
can supply, and you shall have it : return this in kind. And
you who have the power to increase the number of our sub-
scribers, let us ask you to set about it at once : we desire a
large circulation, and we deserve it. With the Illustrations
of any work of the kind, we challenge comparison ; and we do
the same for our general information.

We are in great favour with the ladies, we may say in-

VOL. III. NO. XXXVl. A A

282 THE FLORIST.

creasingly so. We shall endeavour to repay their interest in
our success by providing for their amusement and instruction
in particular. We shall be glad at all times to receive sug-
gestions from them ; let them acquaint us with their wants and
desires, and they shall be gratified, if possible.

There! — we seem to have exhausted ourselves of every
thing of a comphmentary character; so, with your permission,
we will descend to the lower level of our every-day walks, and
take leave of the subject, and of our readers of all kinds, in a
cordial Farewell for 1850.

THE CALCEOLARIA.

NOTES ON NEW FLOWERS.

The Calceolaria being a special favourite of mine, and ha^dng re-
ceived a pressing invitation from my excellent friend Mr. Wilcke,
of the Wingrove Nursery, Newcastle-on-Tyne, to inspect several
collections of seedlings (including an extensive one of his own,) in
that neighbourhood, I determined on availing myself of the plea-
sure ; and accordingly, one fine day in the month of June last, I
started on my expedition. Elated with what I saw in this locality,
and the kind hospitality of my friend, I resolved at once to see what
was doing in other parts of the country ; and embracing the facilities
now afforded to travellers by railway, I was soon in the midst of the
southern Florists, and, of course, visited several of the gardens cele-
brated for the culture of this flower.

I shall not attempt any particular description of the different
nurseries and gardens I visited, as the object of my journey was
purely to see what advancement was being made in the Calceolaria,
and to take notes of novelties and new flowers, which I shall proceed
briefly to detail.

Mr. Wilcke's nursery is situated about a mile out of Newcastle,
and is a very neat and attractive spot. He has one greenhouse, and
several pits devoted exclusively to the culture of the Calceolaria, and
this plant he grows very successfully.

Amongst his seedlings I noticed John Deans, raised last year,
and described by me in the Florist for February last, p. 57. It fully
maintains its character, and is decidedly the most brilliant flower of
the " Emperor class" I have seen. Unfortunately it is of rather
delicate habit, and will not bear high culture.

Queen of Beauties (No. 11) is a fine rich little flower in the
style of Dickson and Co.'s Aurora, striped and blotched in centre
with alternate streaks of dark brown and pink ; a very attractive
flower, but rather delicate in habit.

Standard (No. 9). A nice symmetrical flower, well inflated,
orange ground, and densely spotted in centre with tiny spots of
brown.

DECEMBER. 283

There were in Mr. Wilcke's collection several other good seed-
lings of this year; but as they will be cultivated another season
before being let out, I reserve further description at present.

Mr. John Deans, gardener to H. L. Pattinson, Esq. of Felling,
Newcastle, has a fine collection. The greenhouses and conservatory
were principally stored with the Calceolaria, most of which were
seedlings.

Among the most attractive were. No. GO-50, sulphur ground,
richly spotted with dark purple ; outline good, and tolerably well
inflated; habit fine. No. 13-50, yellow ground, richly marbled in
front with dark brown ; tolerable outline ; inflated, and of good habit.
Several other seedlings were fine in colour and marking, but defec-
tive in outline.

Mr. Kinghorn, gardener to the Earl of Kilraorey, Twickenham, is
well known as one of the most successful raisers of the Calceolaria.
His Lady Anne Charteris, Masterpiece, and Van Trump, are each suf-
ficient to gain celebrity in this respect.

At the time I inspected his collection, several of his this year's
seedlings were cut down. The plants were, however, in fine con-
dition ; and his Arhelia, Mary, and Pearl, were in good character.
His Mrs. Jewett is a beautiful flower, a seedling of this year ; fawn
ground-colour, singularly marked in front, and of good properties ;
habit tolerable. The flower was rather long when I saw it; but it
appeared too far advanced in bloom to be in perfection. Several
other promising seedlings were in the same state, and consequently
not in a fit condition to report upon with accuracy.

Mr. J. Pennycuik, gardener to Henry Bevan, Esq. of Cambridge
House, Twickenham, has a splendid collection. His seedlings are
generally of excellent habit, and make beautiful specimens. That
favourite variety. Baron Eden (raised by Mr. Pennycuik last year),
was in superior culture.

No. 1-49 is a rich flower, well inflated; of good habit. No.
1-50 is a hght- ground variety, beautifully marked, and of robust
habit. These plants were fine specimens.

It is a pity these seedlings, with the facilities Mr. Pennycuik has
for the purpose, were not exhibited at the Worton-Cottage IVIeetings,
where I am sure they would have been duly appreciated.

Mr. W. H. Holmes, F.H.S., of Sudbury Nursery, Derbyshire,
is justly celebrated as a raiser of this flower, having within the last
few years raised several fine varieties ; indeed his Hamlet is now the
best light flower extant. Passing Derby during the night-time, I
was unable to avail myself of the pleasure of a visit to this nursery,
without interfering with other engagements ; a circumstance I regret
much, as I visited Mr. Holmes's gardens last year, and was greatly
pleased, not only with his fine collection of plants, but with the taste
and harmony displayed in the arrangement of the garden-grounds.

Mr. H. Major (now Messrs. Major and Son) of Knosthorpe,
Leeds, was, I believe, the first who made any advancement in the
Calceolaria as a show-flower. He informed me that he began to
pay attention to the improvement of the Calceolaria by hybridising

284 THE FLORIST.

about seventeen years ago ; his parent plants being Rugosa, Bicolor,
and Arachnoides ; that by fertilising these indiscriminately, he obtained
various shades of colour, some of which were figured in Harrison's
Floricultural Cabinet and Marnock's Magazine, and therein noticed
as pleasing varieties. In 1834 the strain appeared much improved,
and he was successful in raising some very good varieties (at least
what were then considered so), amongst which was a crimson-scarlet
self; a nice shrubby sort, which was named Majoriana, and which
was figured in the Cabinet for April 1835. This variety was much
admired at the time, and found its way into all parts of the country,
and was generally cultivated for some time. After this, with the
assistance of a small herbaceous spotted variety (the name of which
Mr. Major had forgot), his varieties became numerous ; selfs of
many shades, clouded and spotted varieties, amongst which was a
small white self, whence originated the beautiful light- ground varie-
ties which have since been so much cultivated and admired. All
this while (although improvement in shape was not lost sight of),
Mr. Major preferred and studied to procure variety and richness of
colour, beautiful markings, and size ; features which are remark-
ably striking in his flowers of the present day. Added to this,
Messrs. Major's varieties possess that substance of petal rarely to
be met with ; and such flowers retain their character much better
than those which are of a thin and flimsy character.

The following are some of Messrs. Major's best seedhngs of the
present season :

Surprise. A fine rich yellow-ground flower, with large deep
mahogany spots and markings ; and of extra substance. Tolerable
shape, but rather indented in front : a beautiful flower.

Captivation. A large flower, of good shape and substance ; straw
ground, strongly marked in the centre with shaded mulberry.

Resplendens. A large and attractive flower ; clean bright buff
ground densely marked in centre with large blotches of very rich
crimson-maroon.

Enchantress. A nice flower, prettily marked with rosy-purple
on primrose ground ; too thin.

Pearl. A little compact flower; creamy white ground, with
blotches of shaded claret in the centre, leaving a clear margin of the
ground-colour visible ; good shape.

Criterion. A very excellent flower ; yellow ground, richly marked
with dashes of deep crimson-maroon in centre, and spots round the
margin.

Spotted Charger. A very large and attractive flower ; white
ground, handsomely marked with singular large and small spots all
over the surface of shaded crimson.

Unique, Novelty, and several other seedlings, are fine flowers ;
but the above I considered the most attractive, and generally of good
habit.

Messrs. Major, I was glad to learn, are trying to secure some
good self-coloured varieties ; a class of flowers much wanted in col-
lections, and which has lately been sadly neglected.

DECEMBER. 285

Mr. William Willison, of the New Gardens, Whitby, has two nice
varieties, seedlings of this spring.

Belle Veau. A fine light mulberry-mottled flower; good out-
line and well inflated both back and front.

Grandisswia. An attractive flower in the style of Baron Eden,
but more striking in colour ; shape tolerable ; habit rather delicate.

Of my own seedlings I shall say nothing further, than that
blooms and trusses of several of them were exhibited at the Worton-
Cottage Meeting on the 5th June last, and reported to be of " an
excellent class," two of which {Model and Negro) were selected for
Mr. Andrews to take a coloured memorandum of.

Messrs. Dickson and Co. of Edinburgh are extensive cultivators
of the Calceolaria, and eminent raisers of seedlings. During my ab-
sence a box of blooms had arrived from this establishment containing
many fine flowers, but which, however, on my return, I found much
faded. Julia, Duke of Richmond, Gem of the North, and Acantha,
appeared to be very fine varieties.

Mr. N. Gaines of Surrey Lane, Battersea, also cultivates the Cal-
ceolaria rather extensively, and from him I had blooms of some good
things. They were principally blooms of Mr. Kinghorn's seedlings
which have already been let out.

A few notes on seedling Pansies, Dahlias, and other flowers, are
reserved for a future Number.

Whitby, 15M Oct, 1850. M. Woodhouse.

[Of the flowers figured in our Plate, Pearl, Resplendens, Capti-
vation, and Surprise, were raised b)' Mr. Henry Major of Knos-
thorpe, Leeds ; Hamlet by Mr. Holmes of Sudbury, Derbyshire ;
Negro and Model by our correspondent, Mr. Woodhouse of Whitby.
They were all exhibited at the Worton-Cottage Meetings, and given
to Mr. Andrews to figure at the time. — Editor.]

REMARKS ON BRITISH FERNS.

NO. IX.

[Continued from p. 253.J

CYSTOPTERIS.

In this genus the involucre is fixed by its wide base to the lower side
of the clusters of fructification, a circumstance that readily distin-
guishes it from Aspidium, Lastrrea, and Polystichum ; and certainly
the difference in position, shape, and substance, warrants the separa-
tion from the above genera. Doubtless ere this time C. Dickieana
is pretty widely distributed, and will be still more so, as I have ample
opportunity of knowing that it is a general favourite with the ad-
mirers of British Ferns ; in fact, many now appear to concur with me
in considering it one of the most distinct forms in the genus; in
support of this opinion, the seeds or sporules produce new individuals,
identical with the original plant.

286 THE FLORIST.

With regard to C. alpina, I am much disposed to set it down as
a beautiful alpine form of C. fragilis, and approaching closelj'- to C.
angustata in some of its stages of growth. It is true, however, that
C. alpina appears to be more divided in the fronds, and generally a
less plant than the other forms with which I am acquainted. Having
disposed of some of the forms of Cystopteris in an article in the
Gardeners' and Farmers' Journal of May 13th, 1848, p. 308, I shall
here add it to the above remarks.

" C. DicKiEANA. Whether we consider this to be a species, or
only a casual variety, in either case it will doubtless prove, at the
present time, a valuable addition to our ferneries, if not to the British
Flora. For its discovery, as well as that of other rare British plants,
we are indebted to the unwearied exertions of Dr. Dickie of Aber-
deen, who detected it, as I am given to understand, amongst rocks
by the sea- side in the vicinity of that town, and who very kindly
forwarded to me both living plants and dried specimens from its
habitat. Its characters appear to run nearly as follows : C. Dickieana,
fronds bipinnate, pinnae nearly lanceolate, pinnules almost entire,
very obtuse and broad, stipes short.

Notwithstanding this apparent difference between it and the
several other forms of Cystopteris, we may easily trace a gradation
from C. fragilis to C. Dickieana, depending entirely, I suspect, on
circumstances. In the young state of it, the fronds are usually pin-
nate, and have really much the appearance of Woodsia Ilvensis in that
state also, only the latter is invariably clothed with hairs, or scales,
which in the present plant are mostly wanting, I believe that I am
now cultivating from five to six different forms of Cystopteris, and
amongst the rest is a large one, indeed the largest Cystopteris I
ever saw, brought from Scotland by my friend Mr. J. B. Mackay,
yet, like some of its co-partners, it may readily be referred to C.
fragilis. Again, must we not in justice refer C. dentata, C. angus-
tata, and C. alpina, &c., all to one species ? I think my plants and
specimens from various parts of Britain justify, in a great degree,
the above opinion ; for really it is difficult to find words sufficient to
express what one means, as applied to several of these forms, at
least I find it so, and I think, ere long, that others w^ill arrive at the
same conclusion. It is true that many of our monstrosities are
readily detected, even at first sight ; but when we find it necessary
to apply to them for distinguishing characters, they are but too often
found wanting, and this may truly be said to apply to Cystopteris.
Therefore, if any of the recorded species, apart from C. fragilis, have
a claim to rank as such, so also must C. Dickieana.

I am quite aware that the above will be considered a sweeping
conclusion to arrive at ; but it must be remembered that I take
nothing in this way for granted. Nevertheless, I shall not be par-
ticularly surprised to find Cystopteris Dickieana ultimately converted
into something else.

On the presence or absence of teeth in the pinnules depend our
chief divisions in this genus." Robert Sim.

Erratum. — At page 235, line 17 from bottom, /or Athyriura foeminum read
A. filix foemina.

DECEMBER. 287

A FEW WORDS ABOUT ROSES.

Nothing in floriculture has inarched so rapidly and steadily onward
as an improved and common-sense taste for Roses. It is only a few-
years since all the gardening world used to talk of the 2000 varieties
of Roses grown by the Messrs. Loddiges ; and happy was the ama-
teur who could beat his rival by a score or two of varieties ; I mean,
varieties in name and not in fact. In this we had, with our usual
national weakness, copied our neighbours the French, who will even
now say to their English visitors, " Ah, Monsieur ! have you seen
my new Rose ? — la voild f" and then you will have pointed out to
you a seedhng from La Reine, with an accidental stripe on each
petal ; or a seedling from Madame Laff'ay, with smaller flowers than
its parent : then takes place the following dialogue :

English Florist. These are of no use, Monsieur; they are not
distinct enough.

French Florist. Monsieur, distinct ! they are new.

E. F. New or old, they are of no use, I tell you : have you a
scarlet La Reine, or a yellow one, or a white Madame Laff'ay ?

F. F. Monsieur, cest impossible; but stop! I have fine new
Roses from La Reine, all superb ! Voila Perpetuelle, Coupe d'Hebe.

E. F. Why, your seedlings are all pretty, but they are not
distinct enough. But at what charge do you propose to sell these
seedlings ? for although of nearly the same colour as their parent, I
should like one or two, if not too dear.

F. F. Monsieur, they are new. What a horrible word is that
" distinct" of yours ; I pray you do not use it. But for my seed-
lings I must have a high price, as I will deliver to you all the pro-
perty in them ; let me see, for No. 1 you must give 100/. ; for No. 2,
125/.; for. No. 3, 150/.

E. F. Stop, stop. Monsieur ! I will not give you one hundred
shillings for your " propriete ;" they are not distinct enough.

F. F. Monsieur, what a horrible word ! it kills me.

And so, as usual, not only with Roses, but with many other mat-
ters, the quiet cool Englishman sees through his lively brother.

When I commenced this, I was going to illustrate the improved
taste in our culture, by observing that amateurs are not now content
with mixed beds of Roses ; all our finer sorts are planted in masses :
thus, in some Rose-gardens formed this season, the beds are made
to contain from fifty to sixty plants each ; in olden times, these would
each have had fifty varieties, forming a patchwork of colour ; now
they are arranged so as to form masses of distinct colours. Thus,
No. 1 is Baronne Prevost; No. 2, Doctor Marx; No. 3, Madame
Aimee ; No. 4, Geant des Batailles, and so on : now these crimson
and blush and rose-coloured large groups must have a fine eflfect.

We are still too much inclined to copy our neighbours, and to
have our catalogues burdened with too many names. In some of
our English catalogues are more than one hundred varieties of hy-
brid Perpetual Roses ; and in the French catalogues one hundred

288 THE FLORIST.

and fifty of the same family. Now from forty to fifty sorts of this
very interesting and beautiful group will give us every shade of
colour and every variety of excellence. Let us be severe, and use our
heavy English common-sense, by naming and describing such Roses
as are really worthy of culture, and not be taken by new names, but
keep to those only that are good and — oh, horrible word in a French-
man's ear ! — distinct.

Nurseries, Sawhridgworth. T. Rivers.

ON FLORAL TASTES, AND THEIR RESULTS.

THE BEARING OF FLORAL TASTES ON THE NATIONAL
WELFARE.

If the readers of the Florist have honoured our essays with a perusal,
and will call to mind what has been said in preceding papers, it will
be evident that the pursuits of the gardener have an important in-
fluence on national welfare and happiness. If floral tastes counteract
worldliness ; if they bring before us the way in which our Maker
allows us to he fellow -workers with Him; if they produce refinement
of manners ; if they teach /a«7A and confidence in God; and, lastly, if
they promote goodwill and kindness among all the classes of society
who cultivate them, — they must surely be important agents in pro-
ducing national well-being. Those pohtical economists who rate every
thing by a money-value may demur to this conclusion ; but it will
be admitted unreservedly by those who believe that the number of
well-regulated minds in the body politic constitute its real greatness.
If it were possible to make all members of the higher classes
amateur gardeners, and all mechanics and labourers cultivators of
some little plot of ground which they could call their own, who does
not see that a higher grade would at once be occupied by society at
large ? What dissipation would be avoided, and how many elevating
and gentle thoughts and aff'ections cultivated, if all thus took an in-
terest in flowers ! It is well known that savings-banks are the best
security we have against popular outbreaks, because they keep men's
own acknowledged interests on the side of peace and quiet. To some
extent also a generally diffused taste for gardening has the same result,
by attaching a value to home and home pursuits. Among the poor,
the beneficial results of horticulture are more perceptible, because
they have but little time to spare, so that this taste, when possessed,
is a certain safeguard against debasing associations and pleasures.
We have, before, guarded remarks of this kind, to prevent its being
thought we are weak enough to think gardening is a specific for
every social malady, a panacea for all ills. Alas, how often is the
contrast most dark and deep between the innocence and purity of a
flower, and the bosom which wears and cherishes it ! What we do
say, without fear of contradiction, is this : Floriculture has a direct

DECEMBER. 289

tendency to promote industry, temperance, and thoughtfulness ; and
therefore, however numerous may be the exceptions, it has an im-
portant bearing on national prosperity and happiness.

But this conclusion is correct in a more material and commercial
sense ; for gardeners are experimentalists and discoverers, the conse-
quences of whose skill are made to bear on that extended agriculture
on which this country's welfare is so dependent. With some excep-
tions, it will be found that improvements in field operations have had
their origin in gardens, where, on a small scale, various modes of
growth are tested, and their relative value decided upon. Hybri-
dising, for example, has been practised very extensively by the Florist,
with results most unexpected and extraordinary ; and there can be no
doubt that the great crops which are the staff of life are capable of
similar development and improvement by the same means. It is
sufficient just to glance at this topic, to suggest a variety of probable
improvements, which the agricultural interests will in time avail
themselves of, having their origin in the labours of the more humble
gardener.

We have now brought our task to a close, and with it has arrived
the end of another year. Can the readers of the Florist hesitate to
say that the time spent in the service of Flora, or the more laborious
cultivation of a general garden, has not been misspent ? We trust
that many of the higher influences of these pursuits which we have
indicated, have fallen gently like refreshing dew upon the minds of
many since the year began ; and that through the new period of time
which will soon commence, .our readers will enjoy all the entertain-
ment and derive all the instruction which the flowers of the garden
and the field are capable of affording.

Henry Burgess.

NEW AND FIRST-RATE PELARGONIUMS.

I AM glad that you have drawn attention to the system of exhibiting
the " new and first-rate Pelargoniums ;" and you have certainly made
it very plain that none but new and first-rate varieties should on
any account be exhibited. Your suggestion of sending plants to
Mr. Cock or Mr. Staines for specimen-growing is excellent, and
would, if acted upon, be of great assistance to the majority of ama-
teur growers ; for, owing to the high prices and the uncertainty of
many " notorious flowers," few now think of purchasing until they
have been out three seasons, when those sent out at a guinea and a
half or two guineas have dropped down to about 25. Qd. or 'is, 6d.,
and something more than mere hearsay is known about their various
pretensions.

In your remarks you say that Delicatissimum was shewn by you
twice : this I find, on a careful examination, to be correct ; but
Blanche only ai)pears once, though it may have been staged at the
Surrey shows, none of which have' been fully reported this last season.
Besides these two, our statements seem to agree pretty well.

In reply to your request, I must inform you that I have applied

290 THE FLORIST.

to about forty celebrated Pelargonium-growers for the names of the
twelve very best varieties, and also the twelve best suited for general
and exhibition purposes ; but I fear the replies will reach me too
late for giving you the result for this month's Florist, but it shall
certainly be forwarded in time for the January Number. Without
wishing to disparage the productions of other raisers, the almost
total absence of Mr. Hoyle's flowers from the Exhibitions of the
past season (see list at p. 254) quite confirms me in stating that
the most of them are very finely bred, yet few of them are well
fitted for general and exhibition purposes, for which Beck's, Foster's,
and Lyne's, have been so long celebrated. Orion.

« NEW AND FIRST-RATE VARIETIES OF PELARGONIUMS."

Will you give me space to make a few observations touching the
Pelargonium, suggested by your remarks in last month's Florist ?
You "want the public to demand that all the new flowers sent out
this autumn be seen next season in specimen plants ;" and you kindly
furnish the names of two metropolitan exhibitors who are willing to
grow and show for any raiser who does not himself exhibit. I con-
clude you mean they should be shewn in the collections. Now to
this request I beg to enter my protest. It appears to me a much
wiser plan that buyers of new flowers should demand to see a speci-
men plant before they be asked to purchase, and thus have a fair
opportunity of judging whether the plant suits their taste or not ;
and it should be borne in mind, that the prizes oflFered for collections
are for " specimens oi superior cultivation ;'' and although something
is said in the schedules of "new and first-rate varieties," I have
never seen any attention paid to this point in making the awards ;
the only point apparently attended to is, which are the finest plants }
I do not say it should be so, if the object be to test the merits of
new varieties ; but I do say, that to conclude that the winning col-
lections contain the best flowers that have been raised, is to be mis-
led, as I was myself often misled in the days of my simplicity. I
give it as my opinion that such specimens are not needed to shew
the quality of a new variety, nor are they the best from which to
form a judgment. I should choose to judge from a plant of such
size and growth as any ordinary cultivator can grow, in preference
to one requiring some sixteen square feet of stage-room, the only
merits of which frequently are, large size, w^ell- trained form, and
abundance of bloom. For such specimens a peculiar habit is required,
and the absence of this peculiar habit is often the reason why new
flowers, and good flowers too, are not shewn in collections ; but it
should not be forgotten that the principal requirement for new varie-
ties is to improve the collections at home, where such specimens are
neither desired nor desirable.

I cannot think you are quite correct in saying that Mr. C, or
Mr. S., or Mr. Anybody, only require a well-rooted small plant in
September or October, to make a plant fit to exhibit the following

DECEMBER. 291

June. I know that exhibitors generally are anxious, whenever they
admit a new variety into their collections, to obtain an " old bottom,"
if possible, as it saves a year's time ; and my own experience con-
vinces me that many sorts do not produce blooms in perfection until
two years' old ; and I am confident many sorts are condemned the
first season, which, had they tJeen tried another year, and received
justice in growing, would have been highly admired.

Many sorts, and particularly the high-coloured ones, are liable
to have the colour discharged from the margin of the petals. I
believe this disfigurement to arise, or at least to be aggravated, by
watering the plants, when in bloom, in the evening. I would recom-
mend all such to be only watered, when in bloom, in the morning ;
and I prefer this time of day for that operation in all stages of their
growth.

As you have referred to my flowers, and the opinions expressed
of them, I may be permitted to say, that in whatever terms of praise
the "several publications" you refer to may have spoken of them,
they have at least been perfectly unbiassed. I am not one of those
who write "reports" upon their own flowers.*

I have pleasure in expressing my testimony to the fidelity of the
figures of Ocellatum and May Queen ; they are, I think, as near to
nature as I have ever seen coloured plates of Pelargoniums. The side
petals of May Queen are made to cover too much of the top petals ;
but that may have been the case with the blooms forwarded to the
artist. I do not participate in your opinion that no great advance
has been made the last two years ; the two " novelties" you have
kindly figured " without pecuniary advantage," I beg to remind you
possess what you have recorded as the first point in the Pelargonium ;
and, 1 think, with Ajax, Ocellatum, May Queen, Nonsuch, Celia, &c.
I have no reason to feel disappointment, or join your lament ; I think
we have plenty of room for progress, and have confidence in the
capabilities of the Pelargonium to command a large share of public
patronage for long to come.

One point more, and I close these already long observations.
All my flowers, with one exception, sent out this autumn, have been
shewn at the two principal metropohtan exhibitions, many of them
three or four times ; and I think often enough to warrant their being
sent out, whether they get into the collections next season or not.

Reading, Nov. I5th, 1850. G. W. Hoyle.

[We act in this case as we wish to do in all others. We have
stated our opinion, and Mr. Hoyle has done the same; it is now
for our readers to draw their own conclusions. We have often ex-
pressed it as our judgment that there are beauties of colour yet to be
obtained in the Pelargonium, of which we have scarcely dreamt. Its
popularity must continue, for we have no plant in cultivation to take
its place. — Superintendent.]

* We insert tliis reflection, believinijj our friend Hoyle levels it at ourselves ;
had it been at another, we should certainly have suppressed it, for we higlily
disapprove of insinuations of all kinds.

292 THE FLORIST.

THE LADIES' PAGE.

Before concluding the desultory instructions which it has been our
task to furnish for the lady and amateur readers of the Florist, it
will be advisable to correct any errors and to supply any omissions
that may have been made.

In addition to the flower-garden plants heretofore recommended,
the following will be found worth notice. Verbenas : Laura, deep
pink ; Letitia, deep rose ; Perrier, bright rosy pink ; L'Ardoise, blue ;
Phaeton, dark crimson ; Madame Liencourt, claret ; Cyparisse, rosy
purple, light eye ; Gloire de Paris, deep crimson ; Lord of the Isles,
distinct colour, something between lilac and pink ; Baucis, purple.
We have also seen an unnamed seedling, raised by Messrs. Ivery
and Son, of Dorking, which promises to make an admirable bedding
variety.

Those who are partial to veined Petunias should procure Flora
M'lvor, Si^lendens, Beauty of Rushbrook, Cserulescens, Ellen Ma-
vourneen, and Exquisite. The King of Crimsons is a fine glowing
colour, and Beauty of Prospect Hill is one of the best of the white -
throated kinds.

Purchasers of perennial Phloxes who may not have had an oppor-
tunity of making their own selection, as advised at p. 252, will not
be disappointed if they procure any of the following kinds : Comte
de Flandres, Pieta, Modestaj Eliza, Elegantissima, Exquisite, Ccelestis,
Arsinoe, Boileau,- Minna Troil, Alba Kermesina, Standard of Perfec-
tion, Herman Kaegel, Madame Joly.

We would likewise call the attention of amateurs to the showy
genus Mimulus, of which a fine variety is figured in the present
volume ; and other desirable kinds in the same way are called Rubi-
nus and Conductor. M. cardinalis is a very different-looking species;
and it also has been improved by hybridising ; the varieties named
Hodsoni, Fraseri, Moodiana, Maclainii, and others, being the result.
The first three are descendants of the old M. luteus, and are conse-
quently hardy ; the others are less so, but make fine summer border-
plants, and the whole are very ornamental when cultivated in pots.

The improved varieties of the Hollyhock are exceedingly hand-
some, and ought to be grown wherever there is a border devoted to
herbaceous plants. In places of limited extent, the kitchen-garden
quarters are often bordered with flowers ; and for such situations
Hollyhocks, alternating with or behind a row of Dahlias, are ad-
mirably adapted. The names and colours of the leading sorts having
been published in this work in the reports of the exhibitions of the
South-London Floricultural Society, &c., it is not necessary to re-
peat them here, especially as first-rate kinds are not yet so numerous
as to make a selection necessary.

It must be understood, however, that the Verbenas and other
things mentioned in these papers are not the very newest, nor pos-
sibly the very best that are procurable ; our object having been to
indicate varieties whose habit of growth and vivid colouring make

DECEMBER. 293

them suitable for planting in masses, for whicli purpose other proper-
ties than size and shape of individual flowers — essential points in the
eyes of a professed Florist — are requisite. A close and compact mode
of growth, and bright- coloured flowers freely produced, are of much
greater value to a flower-gardener than all the properties required in
order to stamp a new variety with a Florist's approbation.

Upon looking over the previous Ladies' Pages, we have not de-
tected many mistakes of consequence, although no doubt much
useful information has been omitted, especially as regards the orna-
mental trees and shrubs best adapted for small gardens. As before
remarked, however, this matter can be discussed in future Ladies*
Pages ; or, in case it should be thought better to incorporate this
portion of the Florist wdth the monthly calendar of operations, so as
to make both parts more generally useful, we will undertake to write
an occasional paper upon this subject. One error demands correction
at page 106, where a Scarlet Geranium named Reidii is highly spoken
of; but further experience has proved it to be scarcely, if at all, dis-
tinguishable from an older variety called Master Squeers. It is per-
haps hardly w^orth while to allude to some few typographical errors
which escaped notice till too late to correct them ; we will therefore
only remark that the botanical name of the Throatwort Campanula
ought to have been C. Tracheliiim.

In closing these papers, we may be permitted to express a hope
that some few have derived profitable instruction from them, and
that the result may be seen in their gardens being more beautiful in
the coming season than they have been in the past.

J. B. Whiting.

NEW PLANTS.

Figured in the Botanical Magazine for November.

PiMELEA MACROCEPHALA. A branching evergreen greenhouse shrub, about
two or three feet high, and much resembling P. spectabilis. It has large dense
heads of flowers of a very pale rose-colour, with orange anthers. It was raised
by Messrs. Lucombe, Pince, and Co. from Swan-River seeds.

AsTRAP.EA viscosA. An evergreen stove tree, of robust growth; uninteresting,
unless for large collections. Native country Madagascar.

HoYA CAMPANULATA. An evergreen twining stove plant, having pendulous
umbels of large broad shallow bell-shaped waxy flowers of a pale-green or buff
colour. It is a native of the mountain districts of Java, and was imported by
Messrs. Veitch.

Freziera tiieoides. a glabrous shrubby evergreen stove plant, remarkable
fo/ its near resemblance in leaves and flowers to Tlica Bohea, or the Black Tea
<Jf China. The flowers are creamy white, and one inch and a half in diameter.
Native country Jamaica, where it attains the height of twenty feet.

EcniTES franciscea, var. floribus sulphureis. An unattractive evergreen
stove twiner, having sulphur-coloured flowers marked with red. A native of
Brazil.

Almeidea rubra, a hard-wooded evergreen stove shrub, about four feet
high, bearing small panicles of flowers of a deep rose-colour. Brought to Kew
from Liege.

294 THE FLORIST.

Coloured Illustrations in Paxton''s Flower-Garden for November.

Allium ACUMINATUM. A hardy bulbous plant of the onion tribe, about one
foot high, with narrow rushy leaves, and flowers in loose umbels richly stained
with crimson. There are but few of this extensive genus worth cultivating, un-
less for culinary purposes. The present species is said to be one of the showiest.
It was introduced to the Horticultural Society from California.

Tacsoma mamcata. One of the most beautiful of greenhouse climbers, and
closely allied to the Passion-flowers. It is said to be an abundant bloomer when
allowed plenty of pot-room, or when planted out; the flowers are large, and of
the most brilliant scarlet. Its native locality is hedges near Loxa, in Peru. In-
troduced by the Horticultural Society. It has flowered Avith A. F. Slade, Esq.,
Chiselhurst, Kent, and was figured from there.

Dendrobium transpakens. a pretty delicate free-blooming Orchid, having
wide-spreading pinkish flowers stained with crimson in the middle of the lip.
Native of Nepal; and was detected on the Garrow Hills by Mr. T. Lobb, Messrs.
Veitch's collector, through whom it was introduced.

The woodcuts contain: 1. Leaves and flowers of Polygonum cuspidatum;
2. Leaves and flowers of Calochortus pallidus ; 3. A flowering branch of Styli-
dium saxifragoides, — this plant is noticed at p. 227; 4. A leaf and flower of
Gordonia javanica, noticed at p. 269 ; 5. A plant in miniature of Coccoloba
macro phylla, noticed at p. 238; 6. A leaf and head of flowers of Rogiera amcena;
7. A flowering sprig of Potentilla ochreata.

Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. J. Houlston.

HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY.

November T). — J. Knowles, Esq., of Trafford Bank House, near
Manchester, sent a new Burlingtonia, from Demerara. It was
covered with numerous pendent spikes of beautiful white blossoms.
A Banksian medal was awarded it. — Messrs. Veitch produced a new
terrestrial Ccelogyne, called Maculata, from the mountains of India ;
also a handsome specimen of the true Calanthe vestita, for which a
Tariety without the red eye is sometimes sold. A certificate of
merit was awarded for the Calanthe. — Mr. Hamp, gardener to J.
Thorne, Esq. sent a nice exhibition of Epiphyllum truncatum and
its varieties, for which a Banksian medal was awarded. — Pimelea
(macrocephala), a robust stiff- growing white-flowered kind, was ex-
hibited by Messrs. Henderson, of Pine-Apple Place ; and a seed-
ling Pentstemon, w^hite streaked with pink, called Salteri, by Mr.
Salter of Hammersmith.

Among miscellaneous subjects was a number of drawings of
various kinds of flowers and fruit, executed on rice-paper, from Mrs.
Dickens, of Hereford Square, Old Brompton. These were reported
by Dr. Lindley and others to be satisfactory examples of the style
of art to which they belong. From the garden of the Society came
the Musk-scented Angelonia ; Ipomoea ficifolia, very gay at this
season ; Salvia pulchella, which has lately been sold under the name
of S. elegans ; three Cape Heaths; the charming Lyperia pinnatifida,
a plant which is nearly always in flower ; the handsome Veronica
Andersonii ; some Chrysanthemums, Orchids, and other plants.

DECEMBER. 295

STOKE-NEWINGTON CHRYSANTHEMUM EXHIBITION.

The above was held on the 20th November at the Manor Rooms,
Stoke Newington ; and we have great reason to regret that the day
proved so unfavourable for visitors. The exhibitors and friends of
floriculture, however, were not to be deterred by bad weather : there
were superb collections of plants and cut blooms, exhibiting the per-
fection to which these popular flowers have been brought by the
untiring and unceasing energy of the exhibiting Florist. The pro-
ductions were an evident improvement upon the exhibition of the
previous year.

Class for 24 blooms, in not less than 12 varieties. 1st prize, Mr.
Taylor, whose varieties were : Imperial, General Morceaux, Pilot, Golden
Cluster, Beauty, Goliath, King, Temple de Salomon, Princess Marie,
Madame Hardy, Campestroni, Defiance, Madame Poggi, Formosum,
Annie Salter. 2d, Mr. Holmes : Goliath, General Morceaux, Queen
of England, Pilot, Orlando, Beauty, King, Satyr, Minerva, Queen of
Yellows, Clustered Yellow, Madame Poggi, Annie Salter, Sappho,
Golden Cluster, Phidias, Aristides. Equal 3d prizes, C. J. Lockner,
Esq. and Mr. Merry : the varieties being. Golden Cluster, Orlando,
Beauty, Pilot, Goliath, General Morceaux, Temple de Salomon, Im-
perial, Princess Marie, Vesta, Queen of Yellows, King, Queen, De-
fiance, Formosum, Annie Salter, Campestroni, Beauty, Madame Poggi,
Queen of England, Duke, Hecuba, Chandlerii, King of Crimsons,
Nonpareil, Pharamond. 4th prize, Mr. James: Duke, Imperial, Sy-
denham, Pilot, King, General Morceaux, Queen of England, Dupont
de I'Eure, Warden, Beauty, Clustered Yellow, Satyr, Formosum, Ma-
dame Meillez, King of Crimsons, Rabelais, Phidias, Annie Salter,
Vesta. 5th and 6th prizes consisted of the varieties already enume-
rated. In this class eight collections were produced.

Class, 12 blooms, varieties. 1st prize, Mr. James : Queen of Eng-
land, General Morceaux, Madame Hardy, Duke, Warden, Vesta,
Clustered Yellow, Two-coloured Incurved, Gohath, Rabelais, Beauty,
Defiance. 2d, Mr. Taylor : General Morceaux, Goliath, King, Beauty,
Madame Chauviere, Golden Cluster, Princess Marie, Imperial, De-
fiance, Vesta, Formosum, Annie Salter. Equal 3d prizes, Mr. Holmes
and Mr. Tant : Beauty, General Morceaux, Goliath, Orlando, King,
Queen of England, Pilot, Zoe, Satyr, Madame Poggi, Defiance, Annie
Salter, Orion, Imperial, Temple de Salomon, Formosum, Clustered
Yellow, Campestroni. 4th, Mr. Scruby : Minerva, Goliath, King,
Imperial, General Morceaux, Golden Cluster, Vesta, Beauty, Madame
Saler, Lucidum, Annie Salter, Formosum. In this class there were
twelve exhibitors, and eight prizes awarded ; in the lists given are
included the whole of the varieties.

Class, 6 blooms, varieties. 1st prize, Mr. Taylor: King, Pilot,
Superb Clustered Yellow, Defiance, 13eauty, Annie Salter. 2d, Mr.
James: Queen of England, Campestroni, Duke, .Goliath, Clustered
Yellow, Warden. 3d, Mr. Tant : Imperial, Superb Clustered Yellow,
Beauty, Pilot, Formosum, Defiance. 4th, Mr. Briscoe : King, Goliath,

296 THE FLORIST.

Beauty, General Morceaux, Defiance, Vesta. 5th, Mr. Sanderson :
Temple de Salomon, Queen of England, King, Defiance, Vesta,
Beauty. 6th, Mr. Merry : Beauty, Goliath, Pilot, Annie Salter, Gem,
Golden Yellow. In this class some twelve to fourteen collections
were shewn, and prizes awarded to two-thirds of them.

Class, 6 plants. 1st, Mr. James : Defiance, Madame Poggi, Vesta,
Pilot, Annie Salter, Madame Camerson. 2d, Mr. Croxford : Defiance,
Pilot, Clustered Yellow, Minerva, Vesta, Annie Salter. 3d, Mr.
Holmes : Pilot, Vesta, Golden Cluster, Defiance, Annie Salter, Mi-
nerva. 4th, Mr. Elliott : Goliath, Queen of Gipsies, Vesta, Madame
Poggi, Annie Salter. Equal 5th prizes, Mr. Scruby and Mr. Argent.

Some collections were also shewn in pots limited to size, and
also for special prizes presented by some liberal patrons.

Specimen plants : 1st, Mr. James, Pilot ; 2d, Mr. Holmes, Vesta ;
3d, Mr. Bundle, Vesta ; 4th, Mr. Scruby, Defiance. The plants shewn
in this class were indeed specimens in every sense of the word.

Some Pompons, or Lilliputian varieties, were shewn by Mr. Salter.
The varieties were, Pouledetto, la Fiancee, Chapeau rouge, Bijou,
Circee, d'Or, le Nain Bebe, Julie, Langlade, Elise Meillez, la La-
ponne, Henriette, Sydonie.

A new variety was also shewn by Mr. Salter, possessing much
merit ; colours, a carmine red with golden tips, and named Pio Nono.

The censors were Mr. C. Turner of Slough, Mr. J. T. Neville,
Mr. Salter, and Mr. Eraser.

SOME REMARKS ON

WINTERING CARNATIONS AND PICOTEES.

I HEAR and read of continual lamentations respecting the difficulty
of wintering these favourites ; but why such should obtain, I am at
a loss to guess, for few plants are more easily wintered, as I will
presently endeavour to shew as briefly as possible.

After the layers are detached in a dry state from the parent
plant, they must be cleared of any decayed foliage, and the shoots
removed where they are abundant ; for a clean stem is far preferable
to a bushy plant. Then pot singly or in pairs in 3-inch pots, using
a compost not over-rich or exciting, and of a stiff rather than a
sandy texture ; let the plants be inserted firmly, about half an inch
from the side of the pot if in pairs, or in the centre if single plants ;
above all, keep their heads above water, i. e. do not bury the stems
more than is requisite for keeping the plant in an upright position.
Label as you proceed, and store away each day's potting in a frame,
usually known as a Cucumber-frame, which, being placed on a dry
surface, must be filled up in the inside w^ith dry brick-rubbish, coal-
ashes, or sawdust, or all the three combined, to within eight or nine
inches of the lights. Use the finer material for the surface, where
the pots are to be plunged. After the plants are placed in the

DECEMBER. 297

frame, let them be kept close for seven or ten days, and shaded
from bright sunshine, if such should occur during that time. After-
-•vards gradually admit air ; and if a mild and gentle shower should
offer itself, allow the plants the benefit of it, especially those that
may have had time to get established ; and in order that the latter
may be all together, each light should cover the same day's work.
Proceed in this way till all are potted. Look carefully after green-
fly, and the moment it appears, fumigate.

Prepare now to place all the plants in winter quarters, plunging
the pots up to their rims in the material already in your frame.
Clean and stir the surface-soil as you progress, and stow all away
in good order, keeping the different sorts together, and the numbers
in rotation, in order that every variety may be seen at a glance.
From the present time, or say from the 1st of December, the amount
of moisture required will be very little. Whenever water is given,
use a small pot without a rose, so as not to wet the " grass ;" and
only water at such times when the air is so dry and bright that you
can allows the lights to be taken quite off, wdth a view to dry up the
superabundant moisture. Warm gentle showers are really needed
occasionally ; but a difficulty exists in getting rid of the moisture,
which hangs like morning dew on the grass for days together.
Give air on all favourable occasions; by persevering in this they
will endure a great amount of hard weather. Carnations and Pico-
tees are far from being tender. If easterly winds prevail, tilt the
lights cautiously on their western side ; when " rude Boreas" issues
from the north, prop up the lights some two or three inches on
their southern side. If a continuance of damp and wet obtain, keep
up the lights some inches at both ends, in order that a free current
of air may pass over the plants ; and upon all favourable occasions
remove the lights altogether.

I never required glass erections, or houses with open sides, for
wintering my favourites in, or any other structure than a sound
frame ; nor has my success in wintering been moderate, although at
blooming time I occasionally get beaten. March is the most trying
time ; searching and drying winds then prevail, when the stock is
making a vigorous start ; the soil must then have attention to w^ater-
ing, for the fibres will be at work, and will require a due amount of
food. At this time more than at any other during the hard weather,
do I recommend the use of mats over the lights, to break the force
of high and parching winds ; during continued frosts their use may
be of advantao^e, but do not remove them should there be sunshine,
as a sudden thaw is highly injurious. On the matter of thorough
cleanliness I will not enlarge ; he who would neglect it, deserves to
suffer the ravages of mildew, spot, and vermin, which are ever ready
to seize so favourable an opening.

I have thus hurriedly reviewed the winter season, and must here
conclude, by soliciting the practice pursued at potting and blooming
times by our eminent modern growers, the Messrs, Burroughes,
Matthews, May, Newhall, a word or two from whom will be highly
esteemed and prized by all. J. Edwards.

VOL. III. NO. XXXVI. B B

298 THE FLORIST.

AUTUMN FLOWERS, ETC.

Who shall despise the labours of the Florist ? I ask the question as
I sit with a large bouquet of flowers before me, consisting of a va-
riety of Ferns for a background, Roses, Antirrhinums, Pentstemons,
Fuchsias, Verbenas, Scarlet Geraniums, Primulas, and Pelargoniums,
not one of which but ow-es its charm to that indefatigable race who
are ever trying to produce greater beauties from the sources which
Nature has prepared to their hand. Surely it is cause for congra-
tulation that so many of all classes are found seeking their pleasure
in so useful and pleasing an employment. For my own part, I can-
not describe the peace and tranquillity brought over my mind when,
w^earied with the toil of business, and sick of the feverish struggle
entailed upon me by the present competition in trade, I enter my
garden or greenhouse, and hold converse with my favourites. I
know that these simple pleasures are enhanced by previous labour,
and I feel it a privilege to have that constant necessity for daily em-
ployment w^hich is rew^arded by consequent relaxation and repose ;
'tis the too much of it of the present day that causes me to regret.

However, to my flowers. Is any one able and willing to give
through your periodical next year a list of the most gay and hardy
flo^ver-producing plants suitable for bouquets ? How charitable it
would be, if some of those who have large means and establishments
would, either directly or by their gardeners, supply us through your
pages with information adapted to cottage readers like myself! I
have derived much information and pleasure from Mr. Whiting's
communications, Mr. Rivers' s papers have always been welcome,
Mr. Edw^ards's lists most valuable, and so, indeed, has been every
Number of the Florist and Garden Miscellany ; and I tender my
sincere thanks to each individual contributor.

I am promising myself much pleasure in a reperusal of the
volume during the long winter evenings which are now commencing
in earnest ; and I will endeavour to provide a mite of information to
such of your readers as are, like myself, possessors of small gardens
with a little greenhouse, to which they attend themselves, with oc-
casional help from a labouring man — not your jobbing gardener, an
impracticable race that I can do nothing with. I am afraid even
" Gregory of the Packet of Seeds" and I should have fallen out ; for,
"make a spoon or spoil a horn," I will have my own way. I like
to give responsibility to able servants, and nothing is more to be
valued than the faithful exertions of such ; but my one hobby, my
garden and flowers, will not carry double, and I never had a jobbing
gardener that did not want to get in the saddle himself, and put you
on the pillion. J. M. C.

DECEMBER. 299

PRIMULA ALTAICA AND PLUMBAGO LAUPENT.E.

I HAVE several plants of the Primula flowering freely in the beds,
and a very pretty object it is ; but as one or two plants have no
blooms at all upon them, the former may be an accidental thing. If,
however, it should prove that it is its habit to flower at this late
season, it will prove a valuable addition to our border-plants, for
it has a bright, cheerful appearance, particularly in the sunshine.
Its blossoms are also very pretty when mixed with Violets and
Primula sinensis in shallow vases.

Plumbago Larpentae, which so many of us have thrown away, is
now, I hear, in course of restoration to many gardens, in consequence
of its having proved valuable for many purposes. Its charming
blue colour, so much wanted in our flower-borders and beds, and
upon rock-work, makes it very desirable to try it under every cir-
cumstance, and particularly as it has proved quite hardy in several
instances which have come to my knowledge.

It would be well, if by some arrangement, a correct judgment
could be formed of the real character of new plants like this Plum-
bago. The manner in which it was spoken of in more than one
publication, led every one to form very exaggerated notions of its
beauty, and proportionate disappointment was the consequence.

James Border.

[We have one or two plants of Primula Altaica in bloom, and
some without a blossom. Beside the former, a Polyanthus is in
flower, and that is, of course, quite out of season. We think, how-
ever, that the former is a pretty thing ; and though many people
speak of it as very common, we have not met with it except when
received from Mr. Turner's stock. It is, however, a plant that
received more praise than it deserved before it was sent out, and
that excess of praise has injured it in public estimation. We
recommend our readers to obtain it ; they will find it a very nice
addition to their greenhouse flowers at this time. Mr. Turner did
wisely to send it out, as he did, at a very moderate price. — Editor.]

RAISING SEEDLING ROSES.

I HAVE been for some years an enthusiastic seedHng raiser. In my
case I find the old proverb " Hope deferred maketh the heart sick"
quite set at nought ; for year after year my pleasurable anticipations
seem increased by failure, instead of my heart growing sick with dis-
appointment. In my early career as a Florist I often wished to
raise Seedling Roses, but was deterred by the cry, " Two years in
coming up." How that absurd though generally received notion
got abroad, seems now to astonish me ; however, I then believed it,
but at last determined to wait and hope.

I had some very old leaf-mould, which I mixed witli old turf and

300 THE FLORIST.

small pieces of charcoal. I sowed my seed in a pan, and placed it
in my greenhouse ; this was in January 1847. Many seeds vege-
tated in June, which after a time were planted in an open border ;
but in consequence of some neglect in my absence from home, they
were suffered to perish. Again I collected seed, which I sowed in
January 1849, and it vegetated in July. This altered my opinion,
and gave me fresh vigour ; I sowed this time in November, and have
now (April 3d, 1850) potted oif many seedlings, and others are daily
making their appearance, w^hilst those of last year are healthy plants
breaking strongly.

I made my principal sowing this year on January 20th, in a cold
frame, also some for experiment in the border a week ago ; the result
of both I will carefully report to you. In the mean time, I may as
well state that my seed has been saved mostly from Perpetuals and
their hybrids.

November \'2th.

A PARTING LINE FOR THE PRESENT SERIES.

Sir, — As this is the last time I shall have the privilege of addressing
you, — and w^e have the authority of Dr. Johnson for saying, that
we never do any thing for the last time without a feeling of regret,
— it is at least a satisfaction to me that my object in doing so is
to congratulate you on the successful termination of your labours.
With this Number, it seems, you conclude the series of the Florist
and Garden Miscellany. And I, for one, am free to admit, that I so
far justify the above maxim, as to look back with a peculiar feeling
of interest on the work now ended ; while I rejoice that you only lay
down your office wdth the one hand, in order to take it up with the
other, endowed -with an enlarged and more comprehensive juris-
diction.

In adding the word " Fruitist" to your title, you may expect to
engage to your interests a large and influential class of readers ; for
such is now the advance made in intellectual cultivation, that even
epicures I believe can, and sometimes do, read books. May they be
led to take up yours for the amusement of an hour before dinner ! —
for they will find it, and something better with it.

But it is no imputation of sensuality upon any man that he takes
a pleasure in the fruits of his garden any more than in its flowers.
Both are objects for the gratification of the senses, and equally so.
And the Creator has made them what they are for the purpose, not
to be despised, but to be duly used. And it would be a childish
aflfectation, unworthy of the manly character maintained by the
Florist from its commencement, to admit of praise to be bestowed
on the one at the expense of the other ; for both are well worth any
one's attention who has the means of bestowing it. And I think the
admission of Jupiter in the classic fable had more of sense in it than
was usual with that personage, when, the other deities having fixed

DECEMBER. 301

on barren trees as their representatives to shew their disinterested-
ness, he commended Minerva's choice of the OUve-tree above that of
all the Olympic conclave, because she had given honour to what was
useful as well as ornamental. And in like manner, it is plain that
m a Garden Miscellany the fruit has intrinsically as good a claim
to attention as the flower. The care of either is equally an exercise
of skill, and the improvement of the one as much a demand on the
intellect, and as rational a recreation, as that of the other. Nor is
it less a pleasure to read of what has been done and is doing in the
one department than in the other. And I am sure that neither the
beauty nor the fragrance of a well-ripened Pine is in any degree
impaired by the fact that this monarch of garden productions is
as pleasing to the palate as to any other of the senses. You were
therefore at full liberty, if you deemed it desirable, to add the depart-
ment of Fruits to the range of your lucubrations. And I am ready
to repeat publicly what I have said privately, that though you thereby
vastly increase your responsibilities, and the extent of what will be
expected from you, I think you have done wisely. It is just, and it
is natural, that, having conducted with credit and acceptance one
division of garden operations to the close of a natural series of your
magazine, you should ascend to a higher position, which will em-
brace the other also. It is not for the purpose of resting on your
oars, but of more extended labour and greater usefulness. You have
made your way to the position you occupy by the best method, — by
steady perseverance in your course, and by giving money's worth for
money received. You have triumphed over indifference and competi-
tion, and, I am sorry to add, over somewhat of unprovoked hostility.
But let that pass. I know you agree wdth me, that the best way to
overcome that, is to live it down ; not altogether disregarding it, but
when compelled to notice it, by doing so with the dignity of one
who knows it to be undeserved. And the truth is, you can afford
to do so.

I suppose it is advisable when the early numbers of a periodical
are no longer to be procured, to recommence the series, in order that
new purchasers may not be compelled to content themselves with an
imperfect set. And as a change in the subject-matter itself was in
this case independently contemplated, there is the more reason for
its adoption. But as this course gives its detractors an opportunity
of expressing suspicions of its vitality, it may be as well to notice
the objection at once, and meet it with facts.

For myself, I hope the outward change will not be great, and the
inward one no greater than is necessarily caused by an increase of
matter. The Florist has become to me a " household word," and
its appearance a household face ; so that if from any cause the
monthly number has not come from my bookseller by the usual con-
veyance, I have felt it as a disappointment. Its matter has been
instructive as well as amusing, and its spirit unexceptionable. I
have been a gardener for a quarter of a century, and there is no
operation of the craft in which I have not received instruction from
your pages. And as one ranged on the side of religion, of morality,

302

THE FLORIST.

and of social order, I confess myself under an obligation to the con-
ductors of a periodical dedicated to a subject of general amusement
and of national partiality, which has infused into the pursuit, and
circulated among the population, a high tone of that righteousness
which exalteth a nation. — I am, Sir, yours.

Iota.

"PRAY REMEMBER THE POOR FROZEN-OUT GARDENERS!"

For the tailpiece to our present Volume, we present our younger
readers with a sketch illustrating a custom now extinct, at least in
our neighbourhood. Some years back, as soon as inclement weather
rendered it impossible for the men and women employed in the mar-
ket-gardens to pursue their daily labours, they formed themselves
into bands, and bearing bunches of vegetables upon poles, solicited
donations from the charitably disposed, appealing to them with the
cry of *' Pray remember the poor frozen-out gardeners !" As it was
generally the most idle and profligate that composed these parties,
and the proceeds were almost invariably expended in dissipation, it
was considered an abuse, and was suppressed by the magistrates
and police. Our cut gives an excellent representation of one of
these parties.

GENERAL INDEX.

Achimenes, 66.

Allamanda cathartica, 84.

Amaryllis, by Dr. Homer, 1 63.

Animal and vegetable kingdoms, adjust-
ment of, 12].

Annuals, word about, 266.

Anomatheca cruenta, 49.

Auriculas, 162.

ventilating frame for, 10.

in the North, 56.

Australia, notes from, 235.

Autumn flowers, 298.

Balsam, culture of, 120.

Bee-keeper's INlanual reviewed, 160.

Beginners, a few words to, 170.

Bulbs, hints on the cultivation of, 6.

Bulbous plants, 250.

Calceolarias, bedding, 95.

from seed, 169.

new flowers, 282.

Camellias, Countess of Ellesmere, 114.

■ illustrated work on, 1 33.

Carnations, 46, 82, 97, 125.

Mr. Edwards' tables of, 164.

grand trial exhibitions of, 213,

233.

to winter, 231, 296.

raising of, 272.

Catalogues, Nurserymen's, 86.

Cattleya spectabilis, 91.

Chiswick and Regent's Park Exhibi-
tions, 139, 166, 197.

Chorozemas, culture of, 143.

Chrysanthemums, 12, 295.

changes in, 85.

pot-culture of, 128.

Climbers, stove, 26, 63.

Colours, contrast of, 59.

Covering for frames, 34, 146.

Cuphea platy centra, 44.

Curtis's Beauties of the Rose reviewed,

49.
Dahlias, fancy, 8.

Dahlias, select, 56.

Chinese, 217.

Dahlia season, and its results, 276.

Daisy, its eradication, 37.

Ericas, 33.

Erythrina laurifolia, 244.

Exhibition of 1851, 81.

Ferns, British, 69, 110, 132, 151, 183,

188, 230, 252, 285.
Fern-garden, 234,
Floral tastes, &c., 54, 108, 13'), 144,

105, 220, 246, 259, 288.
Florist, fragments for the, 115, 173.

to the readers of, 281.

Flowers, seedling Florists', 5.

= wild, rambles for, 25, 50, 87.

a few good northern, 55.

essay on, 221, 239.

— autumn, 298,

Flower-market at Paris, 278.
Fox, Esq., the late Charles, 100.
Frames, ventilating, 10.

covering for, 34, 146.

Fuchsias, seedling, 65.

hardiness of, 210.

Gardeners, frozen out, 302.
Garden birds, &c., 37.
Gesnera zebrina, 155.
Gladioli, 14, 62, 68, 76.
Godfrey, old, 70.
Heaths, 33.

culture of, 261.

Hollyhock, 28.
Hooker, Dr., 75.

Horticultural Society, 22, 88, 112,
134, 226, 294.

literature, 89.

Hoy a Bella, 1.

Hyacinths, Hamilton's supporter for, 7.

Illustrations, our, 142, 161.

Insects, garden, 37, 42, 104.

Kalosanthes coccinea, 186.

Kew Gardens, visit to, 147, 245.

304

Ladies' Page for —

January, 20.

February, 40.

March, 79.

April, 105.

May, 126.

June, 156.

July, 180.

August, 203.

September, 228.

October, 250.

November, 270.

December, 292.
Leschenaultia formosa, 232.
Lisianthus RusselHanus, 207.
Miltonia Morelliana, 123.
Mimuluses, 138.
Mitraria coccinea, 1.
Narcissi, 157.

Nepenthes Rafflesiana, 12, 77.
Netting, 64.
Ode, 2.
Orchids, 150.

Packet of Seeds, reviewed, 48.
Pansies, shanking-off of, 19.

select, 57, 154.

Pansy Society, 149.

boxes, 93.

Paris, flower-market at, 278.
Pelargoniums, properties of, 29.

monstrous, 211.

for exhibition, 253.

new varieties of, 257, 289.

Pelargonium exhibition, seedling, 158.
Peonies, herbaceous, 51.
Picotees, 46, 60, 97, 125, 296.

Mr. Edwards' tables of, 164.

grand trial exhibitions of,

213, 233.
Pinks, 46.
Pitcher plants, 77.
Plants, British, 25, 50, 87.

new, 15, 56, 74, 101, 124, 152,

176, 202, 227, 238, 269, 293.

Plants for vases, 83.

for bedding out, 118.

American, 178.

herbaceous, 203, 252.

Platycerium grande, 47,

Plumbago Larpentae, 136, 299.

Primula sinensis, 45, 103.

altaica, 299.

Rambles for wild flowers, 25, 50,
87.

Ranunculus beds, 62.

Roses, transplanting, 13.

chapter on, 1 89.

to prune, 212.

select, 228.

specimen, 264.

a few words about, 287.

seedling, 299.

Rose insects, 42, 104.

Rose Gardens of Hertfordshire, re-
viewed, 49.

Rose Nursery, Willison's, 255, 274.

Royal South -London Floricultural So-
ciety, 135, 174, 218, 248.

Scripture Illustrations, 17, 96.

Seedling raising, 113, 137.

Stoke - Newington Chrysanthemum
Exhibition, 295.

Superintendent, to the, 300.

Trichomanes speciosum, 16, 42.

Tropseolum tricolorum, 58.

Tulips, Haward's Magnificent, 111,
161.

Chellaston, 117.

Mr. Groom's, 160.

Northern, 23.

Tulip Society, amateur, 160.

exhibitions, great northern, 172,

ramble, our, 185.

Vases, plants for, 83.

Verbenas, fine, 53.

Victoria Regia, 114, 153.

Worton- Cottage meetings, 83, 209.

Zauschneria califomica, 102.

END OF VOL. III.

PRINTED BY ROBSON, LEVEY, AND FRANKLYN,
Great New Street, Fetter Lane.

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