264 THE FLORIST. 



any thing but problematical in their culture, in general succeeding 

 well in their natural soil, but requiring time to become established in 

 any new home. Admirers of the British Ericacese may observe some 

 of the indigenous kinds in great abundance in many parts of Windsor 

 Park, on Callow Hill, as also on the spacious Egham Enclosure, adja- 

 cent to Chobham Common, already alluded to, where, during the 

 propitious weather of our summer season, these plants present a truly 

 ennobling appearance to those otherwise dreary and neglected spots. 



Cyclamen hederccfolium is a favourite border-flower with all per- 

 sons. It possesses the advantage of being neat and dwarf in habit, 

 and though its property is to yield blossoms somewhat delicate in 

 character, yet the same have generally been considered tolerably 

 showy ; while the comparatively long duration of the period it con- 

 tinues to bloom, is perhaps not the least important feature to be 

 noticed in attempting my description of this plant. Early in their 

 development, these flowers become to us welcome harbingers, appris- 

 ing us of the speedy approach of another congenial spring and sum- 

 mer, when wild flowers will smile, and in quick succession again 

 unfold their varied blossoms, to charm us by their accustomed gaiety 

 of colour and shade. It is clearly a plant to be desired in our gar- 

 den-borders, or even in beds, contributing its full moiety of colour 

 at a very early period of the season. The habitats given for tihs 

 interesting plant are exceedingly limited, both in number and extent ; 

 to furnish some adequate idea of the disputable character of the 

 various stations in our country claiming to have given it birth, one 

 may not perhaps do better than cite the remarks of an observant 

 botanist on the whole genus : " None of the species can have any 

 claim to be admitted as indigenous, if, indeed, any can properly be 

 said to be naturalised." 



Englefield Green. W. Whale. 



MEMORANDA FROM KEW. 



The falling of the leaves and the clouded days of November, coupled 

 with the paucity of out-door flowers, render the garden somewhat 

 unattractive ; nevertheless there are always a few hardy-flowering 

 things to be found, so that a bouquet may be gathered up even to 

 the depth of winter. Among greenhouse plants very little is at pre- 

 sent in flower : Acacia platyptera and one or two other kinds are, 

 however, developing their globose heads of bright yellow blossoms. 

 Indigofera juncea, a pretty flowering Australian shrub, is at present 

 gay with pink flowers. Cobsea scandens, a large coarse- growing 

 evergreen Mexican climber, with large purplish bell-shaped flowers, 

 is thickly covering the back walls of two of the greenhouses, a situa- 

 tion for which it is well adapted ; it is at present in flower, and will 

 continue throughout most part of the winter. Eccremocarpus scaber 

 and Passiflora hybrida-coerulea are excellent plants for covering a 

 similar situation ; both of these are at present in flower here. 



