MAY. 153 



of their growth, and by this means contrive to keep Larkspurs, Aconites, 

 Phloxes, and some other kinds, in bloom for a very long period ; the 

 flowers are scarcely so fine, but it is a pleasure to me to induce them 

 to bloom for three months, instead of only half that time. Pseonias, 

 and many kinds of bulbous plants, I grow principally on shrubberry 

 borders, and as these cannot be taken up very often, I have them 

 well supplied with liquid manure in the summer, by which assistance 

 I am rewarded by masses of flowers truly gorgeous, either my soil 

 or treatment suiting them remarkably. I may here notice that I do 

 not spare water in dry weather, for 1 find without it we should not keep 

 our plants in bloom through the hot months of July and August. 

 On the whole, 1 may say, that for variety of outline and colour, com- 

 bined with sweetness, and a long display of bloom, I can safely 

 challenge all my neighbours — while my expenses are within the means 

 of a village clergyman. I see you occasionally give lists of new plants, 

 and I wish you would inform us of anything new and showy among 

 herbaceous plants, more especially late-flowering varieties of Pentste- 

 mons, Lupinus, Gentians, Chelones, Asclepias, Campanulas, &c. Your 

 list of new Phloxes in a recent numlDer has added to my stock of that 

 very ornamental tribe, and I hope will be followed by others; which I 

 cannot but think will oblige many as well as a 



" Country Rectos." 



MEMORANDA FROM KEW. 



Having during the three preceding months had to contend with one 

 of the most rigorous winters ever experienced in this country, it 

 may be of some interest, if only for comparison, to know how vege- 

 tation stands affected here up to the present crisis, April 16. The 

 general aspect of the majority of all hardy or out-door things may be 

 said to have nearly one uniform appearance — that is, excessively rusty ; 

 several things that have weathered the storm unhurt for many succes- 

 sive winters are this season cut down to the ground, if not completely 

 destroyed. Nothing in the herbaceous grounds yet wears a green aspect, 

 except the young growths now springing up ; against the walls are a 

 few evergreens unhurt, as Ilex caroliniana, Arbutus procera and 

 Andrachne ; the two latter in the open ground have lost all their leaves, 

 or are so nmch injured as not to recover ; almost everything else in t e 

 way of evergreens is to a greater or less extent injured, a fact which is 

 becoming more palpable every day. JMagnolia grandiflora, against the 

 walls, or as standards, has not a soHtary green leaf left, and in some 

 cases it is perfectly deciduous. A large specimen of Ceanothus thyrsi- 

 florus, with a stem six inches in diameter, has stood unhurt against an 

 east wall for many years, but is now dead ; C. azureus against a west 

 wall is killed to the stem, and C. dentatus against a south wall has all 

 its leaves browned, and the last growth killed; Ilex rotundata against 

 an east wall has most of its leaves killed, and Fabiana imbricata close 

 adjoining is very much injured. The Laurustinus, Phillyreas, Aucubas, 

 Mahonias, Arbutus, and common Bay have most of their leaves 



