THE FLORIST. 



Although we cannot say the Mitraria is a perfectly hardy plant, 

 yet. from its having stood with us the two last winters against a north 

 wall without protection, and with but very trifling injury, we have 

 eveiy reason to believe it will do well in the open air, in sheltered 

 places, especially when protected by other shrubs. It is, however, 

 us a hardy conservatory plant that we recommend it. We pot it as 

 we do Eriostemons and such-like plants, in a mixture of turfy loam, 

 fibrous peat, and silver-sand. It is a close, compact-growing shrub, 

 of neat foliage, and the blossoms, which are quite equal both in 

 colour and size to the figure, are produced in great abundance. It 

 blooms freely in a small state. 



We consider the present subjects two of the very best of our as 

 yet published introductions through the Messrs. Lobb ; and it is with 

 great pleasure we avail ourselves of the opportunity of your thus 

 uniting the fruits of their successful labours in your publication, to do 

 them thus publicly an act of justice by recording our sense of their 

 energetic, persevering, and in every way meritorious labours. It is 

 an additional satisfaction to know that the greatest botanists of the 

 day highly appreciate their exertions. 



It may not be amiss to inform your readers that these gentlemen, 

 whose names will long be remembered as botanical collectors, are 

 practical gardeners ; and that for the last seven years, actuated by a 

 love of botanical science, they have explored, the one in the Eastern, 

 the other in the Western hemisphere, Peru, Patagonia, the island of 

 Chiloe, the Organ mountains, Java, the Philippine islands, Moulmein, 

 Mount Ophir, and Acte, with but little illness, and without meeting 

 with a single accident, or with any insult or molestation from the 

 natives. 



Nursery, Exeter. Veitch and Son. 



ODE. 



WRITTEN AT THE DESIRE OF E. G. 

 1. 



A GARDEN claims the lay: 



Nor would the Muse forget 

 Where dwelt our parents ere they tasted woe ; 



Where beauties still repaj'^ 



Man's fostering care ; and yet, 

 In times to come, where brighter scenes shall glow. 



2. 



To make his glory known, 



And on the world He made 

 To stamp his image, ere its course began ; 



When earth, air, seas, be sown 



With seed ofhfe. He bade, 

 Sole lord of all, God last created man. 



