96 THE FLOKAL WOELD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



ScHYZOSTiLus coccixEA. — S. J. HosJcins. — "We are quite glad you have made 

 inquiries about this fine plant, as we have paid especial attention to it since it was 

 introduced by Messrs. Backhouse. It does not do well in pots ; it requires a free 

 soil, and is, therefore, best treated as a hardy border plant. We have grown it and 

 flowered it in pots by the hundred, in order to keep our plunging system going late 

 in the year, but it did not perfectly answer. "We observe also that in merely mul- 

 tiplying for etock, potted plants are apt to acquire a poor appearance, the leaves 

 becoming brown at the points. Then if the plants are left out, and treated as hardy, 

 they seldom show their proper beauty, for the flowers begin to open just as the frosts 

 and fogs of winter begin to wage war with all vegetable beauty. Now, having 

 grown the plant all sorts of ways, the method we now follow as attended with the 

 minimum of trouble and the maximum of advantages is as follows : — The bulbs are 

 planted out in an open border of light rich soil, plenty of sand and leaf-mould 

 being used ; but any ordinary good soil will serve the purpose. The plants should 

 be allowed to grow until the flower buds begin to rise above the leaves, and then 

 should be taken ^p and potted, and put in a rather warm house to open the flowers. 

 An unheated house will do, but a little warmth is desirable. By this course of 

 treatment a quite hardy plant which does not open its flowers well in the open air, 

 becomes one of the best of indoor wintei'-flowering subjects, and that with the least 

 imaginable trouble. We never pot them until the flower spikes are visible, because 

 some of the tufts require two years growing before they are worth potting. That it 

 is well worth this little trouble none who know it need be told, but those who have 

 not made acquaintance with the plant would do well to take it in hand according 

 to this prescription, for the sake of its beautiful scarlet flowers in winter. 



Venetian Creeper. — I should be much obliged if you would tell me in the 

 March number of the Floral "V^^grld wliether there is an evergreen creeper called 

 " Venetian Creeper," which bears a small light coloured yellow flower, somewhat like 

 elder flower. It attaches itself to walls by means of spurs or tendrils thrown out 

 from the back of the stem, at the ends of which are small claws. The stem thus 

 stands out from the wall instead of clinging to it like ivy. I was told of it by an ama- 

 teur gardener. We cannot hear of it at any of the great imrseries. — Pang ourne. 

 [We cannot imagine what plant (if any plant) is properly known as " Venetian 

 creeper." Surely there must be some confusion arising out of a mistake in descrip- 

 tion, and a mistake in name. Let us suppose the description of the flowers to be 

 erroneous, and that instead of beingwhite, like elder flowers, they are green like grape 

 vine flowers. Then suppose a mistake in name, and instead of " Venetian," this is 

 Virginian creeper. Such, at least, we suppose it to be ; and if so, the plant can 

 be obtained at the nearest nursery, no matter where our correspondent dwells. 



Sensation Chrysanthemum. — S. J. K. — Very few people have seen the 

 flowers of this, owing to the extensive manner in which it has been propagated. It 

 is, however, rather shy in flowering. If you wish to flower it next year, grow a 

 few plants liberally, and begin at once, and all through the season do not take a 

 single cutting from them. Being white, the flowers do not look well amidst its 

 variegated leaves, so as a matter of taste it is scarcely worth flow?ring. We do not 

 know Sir Walter Scott rhododendron. It is most likely a hardy one, and would do 

 better in a peat-bed out of doors than in a pot. 



Books and CAXALoarES. — Enquiries having been made for Mr, Ilibberd's new 

 work on " Beautiful-leaved Plants,'' it is necessary to say thai it is being issued in 

 monthly parts at \s. each by Messrs. Bell and Daldy, York Street, Covent Garden. 

 Three parts are now ready, comprising figures and descriptions of the following 

 subjects: — Maranta vittata, Saxifraga Fortunei, Begonia Dsedalea, Erantheraum 

 sanguinolentum, Hypoestes sanguinolenta, Maranta rosea-picta, Diefienbachia Bara- 

 quiniana, Gymnostachyum Verschaffelti, Caladium macrophyllum, Dracaena termi- 

 nalis. The following seed and nursery firms have sent their catalogues for 1868 : — 

 Messrs. Sutton and Sons, Eeading ; Messrs. Cutbush and Sons, Highgate ; Messrs. 

 Eollisson and Sons, Tooting ; Mr. B. S. Williams, Holloway; Messrs. Barr and 

 Sugden, King Street, Covent Garden ; Mr. Pierpont, Bridge Street, Warrington ; Mr. 

 Bull, King's Eoad, Chelsea ; Messrs. Veitch and Son, King's Eoad, Chelsea ; 

 Messrs. Downie, Laird, and Laing, Stanstead Park, Forest Hill, and Frederick 

 Street, Edinburgh ; Messrs. E. G. Henderson and Son, Wellington Eoad, St. John's 

 Wood. 



