3Q THE FLORIST. 



NOTES FROM KEW. 



Protea cordata. An extensive number of species is contained in the 

 genus Protea, all natives of the Cape of Good Hope, many of them being in 

 cultivation, amongst which are some that are interesting and may be useful 

 as ornamental plants for general cultivation. They are hard-wooded ever- 

 green greenhouse shrubs, requiring no particular treatment, except tbat of 

 ordinary greenhouse plants. They vary from a few inches to ten or a dozen 

 feet high,"and, like other Protcacea3, appear characteristic of a dry, hard, 

 sterile-like habit. The present one was lately in flower here, and is perhaps 

 one of the most singular of them ; it is a highly ornamental species, 

 deserving a place among all large collections of greenhouse plants. It forms 

 a low shrub, a foot and a half liigh, with slender red branches, and large 

 thick leathery heart-shaped leaves, 4 — 5 inches across, of a bright green, 

 with a red margin ; the flowers are sessile, produced from the old wood 

 at the base of the branches, each flower being an inch or more across, of 

 a brown colour, lighter within. 



Crinum giganteum. a large fragrant flowering Lily from Guiana, 

 having leaves a foot and a half long, and an erect flower stem nearly two 

 feet high, bearing on its apex an umbel of 4 — 6 white flowers, each flower 

 when expanded being 7 — 8 inches across, and having a strip of green on the 

 outside of each petal. This species has been recently in flower here in one 

 of the stoves ; it is a large, attractive thing when in flower, but remains in 

 perfection but a few days. 



Ceropegia Thwaitesi. This is one of the prettiest flowering species of 

 this genus, and can be grown successfully on a small trellis in a moist stove, 

 where it Avill soon form a neat beautiful object. It has a similar habit to C. 

 candelabra, but is a far more beautiful flowering species, both being 

 natives of Ceylon, and introduced to Kew a short time ago, where they are at 

 present in flower ; it has slender branching stems, easily trained on a trellis, 

 for which it seems most suitable, as it is not a robust growing kind ; the 

 flowers are about the size of those of C. elegans, but more beautifully marked, 

 the lower part being thickly spotted ; above is buff, with a very distinct 

 marking of a rich dark purple, surmounted on the apex with a pea-green. 



Aster Nov^ Anglic. Few things at this late season of the year are 

 to be found in flower in the herbaceous grounds; lately the most conspicuous 

 was the Aster of New Engand, a tall-growing species, that is valuable for 

 clumps or shrubbery borders ; it grows 4 — 5 feet high, and flowers later 

 than most other kinds, being in perfection far on in November. The 

 flowers are produced 4 — 5 on the apex of each stem or branch, and are of a 

 bright purple-blue. This is a useful species for cutting, with a few other 

 things to form bouquets. 



Griffinia hyacinthina. Although this very elegant flowering bulb 

 has been in cultivation for nearly half a century, it is much to be regretted 

 that it is at present far from being common among collections ; it is 

 unquestionably one of the best of all the Amaryllis tribe ; indeed, when in 

 flower, few can vie with it in beauty, or produce a more charming efi^ect ; it 

 is a desirable aquisition to any collection, and the flowers Avhen expanded 

 remain for a long time in perfection. It is a hothouse species, requiring a 

 moist stove temperature, and a moderate supply of water while growing, 

 afterwards kept cool and rather dry. In a mixture of sandy peat, with 

 good mellow turfy loam and silver sand, it thrives vigorously ; a good 

 specimen of it here was lately in flower ; its leaves are large, more than 

 a foot long, the flower stem stout, erect, nearly a foot and a half high, 

 bearing on its apex an umbel of 12 — 16 good moderate sized flowers, which 

 are of a violet-blue, white within. 



J. HOTJLSTON. 



