APRIL. 115 



every small branchlet; they are pendulous, of a bright yellow, literally 

 covering the whole plant, which has then much the appearance of some 

 Berberis, or a Cherry tree covered with yellow flowers ; they have a very 

 agreeable perfume, scenting the whole house, and remaining in perfection for 

 several weeks in succession. The specimen now in flower is a standard near 

 six feet high, with a head five feet in diameter ; it was formerly subject to 

 greenhouse treatment, but that was evidently unsuitable, as it did not flower. 

 Within the last two years it has been placed in th.^- coolest end of an ordinary 

 moist stove, where it thrives far better, and now produces flowers abundantly. 



Begonia ukophylla. This is one of the most desirable species for cultiva- 

 tion, being a profuse bloomer, and having a good dwarf habit ; it is a hothouse 

 herb, and was introduced to Kew from the continent, last year, and proves to 

 be one of the showiest of this useful tribe of plants for winter and spring 

 flowering. The stem or rhizome is decumbent and creeping, leaves simple, 

 of a bright shining green, 6 — 9 inches long, and 6 — 7 broad, with a petiole 

 nearly a foot long ; the flower-stalks are erect, of a red cast, bearing cymes 

 of large flowers, which are white with a dash of pink : a large specimen of 

 this species is now in flower here, and has a very striking appearance : its 

 flowers remain in perfection for a long time. 



Thyrs ACANTHUS RUTiLANS is an evergreen hothousc shrub, introduced to 

 English gardens, from the continent, about a year ago. It is one of those 

 beautiful things that will doubtless soon find its way into all choice collec- 

 tions. It grows freely in a close moist stove, but is not likely to be grown 

 so as to make a bushy plant, on account of its peculiar inflorescence, which 

 is produced from near the tops of the stems. It attains the height of three 

 or four feet, has lanceolate leaves, minutely hairy, and very slender pendu- 

 lous panicles, one to two feet long, of rosy-red tubular flowers, each 

 being about an inch and a half long. It is at present flowering at Kew. 



J, HOULSTON. 



THE NOMENCLATURE OF TULIPS. 



This is a subject so rife with difficulties that any practical suggestion 

 for its elucidation will, I feel sure, be accepted with favour at the hands 

 of all Tulip growers. Your monthly contemporary, the Midland 

 Florist, teems with enumerations of aliases, and consequent contradic- 

 tions ; for while one grower avows this break and that variety to be 

 identical, so do others either deny the soft impeachment or strengthen 

 the accusation. One bold writer in the eighth volume, just completed, 

 very rudely (I imagine), handles ]\Ir. H. (iroom, and would fain doubt 

 his veracity as a fancier, because high priced names are given in his 

 catalogues, and varieties said to be therein retained, which may not 

 boast, par excellence, all the arbitrary properties which florists may 

 desire. Surely a professional florist may be allowed to cater for his 

 customers, some of whom will give no ear to premier pretensions, but 

 simply purchase varieties that may please their eye or suit their taste. 

 And is a tradesman to be condemned and held up to scorn for such an 

 act ? I am not of that turn who would blame a tradesman for selling 

 to his customers subjects that please them when bought with their eyes 

 open, and I would further condemn any such arbitrary dictator who 

 should contemn the character of an upright dealer on so slight a 

 pretence. But to the subject of the nomenclature of Tulips. Let at 

 each National meeting year by year a bed be grown in the immediate 



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