JUNE. 169 



that, if seasons are not propitious, artificial means must be had recourse 

 to, or all our efforts as regards a successlul issue will prove abortive. 



Geo. Fry. 

 Manor House Gardens, Lee, Kent. 



FOLIAGE versus FLOWERS. 

 To contemplate the past history of British gardening, the rapid strides 

 it has made of late years, and the great number of new and beautiful 

 plants introduced, together with the perfect state of cultivation attained, 

 must be a subject of the highest gratification to all lovers of horticul- 

 ture. It is also pleasing to find so many of our countrymen, when 

 travelling abroad either upon business or pleasure, instinctively turning 

 their attention to the collection of seeds or plants, feeling desirous to 

 add something to the botany of their native lands ; and some of these 

 amateur collectors have been fortunate in sending home plants of the 

 highest importance, and all have given a proof of their love of fiowers. 



But while we have been collecting and improving the class of plants 

 that produce fine flowers, we have to a great extent neglected those 

 that produce fine foliage. Now, if we take into consideration the 

 transitory nature of the flowers and the permanent character of the 

 foliage, we cannot but regret that the latter class is not more exten- 

 sively cultivated. 



In this particular branch of gardening we are far behind our conti- 

 nental neighbours. They appear to consider foliage of the first im- 

 portance, and many fine plants imported by nurserymen to this 

 country have met with so little favour that the importers have been 

 obliged either to send them to the continent to find a market, or sell 

 them to foreigners for the same destination. But let us hope that this 

 state of things is nearly at an end, and that foliage wiU soon carry with 

 it as much influence as flowers. 



Persons who have seen the magnificent Palm stoves at Chatsworth 

 and Kew would be better able to estimate the real value of beautiful 

 foliaged plants. The noble and varied leaves of the Palms, Cycads, 

 Musas, Agaves, tree and other Ferns, &c., presenting as a whole the 

 most enchanting aspect, and giving us, as the late Dr. Wallich enthu- 

 siastically observed, " a perfect miniature of a tropical forest." 



The first large house of this kind in England was undoubtedly built 

 by the late Messrs. Loddiges, of Hackney, who attained a world-wide 

 celebrity for their unrivalled collection of these interesting plants, 

 althougli that collection is now no longer for sale. We are happy to 

 find the nucleus to another has been rapidly formed, and will, we doubt 

 not, if encouragement be given, be as rapidly increased by Mr. Veitch, 

 of the Exotic Nursery, Chelsea, where may be seen some excellent 

 specimens of this class of plants. 



We are quite aware that large plant houses, such as those referred 

 to, will never become universal, and that large specimens of Palms, &c., 

 cannot become generally cultivated ; still there are many fine foliaged 

 plants which may be introduced into our ordinary stoves and green- 



