256 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



obtained from seedsmen are not good ; it is, at all events, true that I have sowed 

 seedsmen's samples hundreds of times, and never to my knowledge obtained a single 

 plant. The metliod of increase adopted here has been to divide tlie plants in spring, 

 and that has answered admirably. — S. H. 



Calceol.ybias Dying. — J. W. Rose. — When vs^e have long periods of hot dry 

 weather, bedded calceolarias are sure to perish. At the Crystal Palace and other 

 great places they always keep a reserve stock, wherewith to patch up the beds where 

 blanks occur. The subject has been so often discussed that it seems as if nothing 

 new could be said about it, yet we have something new to say which will not require 

 many words. We put out very early (middle of April) a clump of Calceolaria 

 Aurea floribunda ; the soil used was one part melloio turfy loam and three parts 

 hotbed manure rotted almost to dust. The result is sucli a bloom as we have never 

 seen before in any garden. They began to flower in May, and now (July 2G) the 

 clump is literally a solid mass of rich deep shining gold. Several readers of the 

 Floral World have been struck by the splendour of these calceolarias, and we shall 

 expect some of them, say Mr. Prior or Mr. G. Spencer, to send a word stating what, 

 as observers, they think of this example. The nature of the soil they are in has not 

 been stated to any of our visitors, and it is strange that though eulogistic exclama- 

 tions have been uttered freely, no one has asked about the secret of the splendid 

 condition the plants are in. 



Plunging System. — Vindex. — There is no system of decoration so well adapted 

 for small gardens as this. But it is costly, demands skill, needs following up closely. 

 There must be seme glass, and the best management of it, to keep up a succession, 

 and the place in which the plunging is to be done should be especially prepared for 

 it. To plunge in beds of earth is nonsense. As you live on the north side of London 

 you may see an example of plunging at the Whittington Nursery, near Archway 

 Tavern, Higligate. 



LITERATURE. 



Ferns, British and Foreign, their History, Organography, Classification, and 

 Fnumeration, etc. By John Smith, A.L.S. (Robert Hardwicke.) — The author of this 

 work is probably better acquainted with exotic ferns than any other person living. 

 Fern-growers of all grades are familiar with the reputation of Mr. Smith, who for so 

 many years acted as curator at Kew Gardens, and during liis term of office laboured 

 assiduously and conscientiously in settling difficult points in fern classification and 

 nomenclature. Tlie book before us is literally the result of the labours of a life- 

 time ; it is methodical ; there is no attempt made to " popularize" the subject ; it 

 evinces hard work from beginning to end, and there are only such engravings given 

 as are needful to explain the grormdwork of the classification. It scarcely need be 

 added, that it is a mine of wisdom, that it is concise and truthful, that it is every- 

 where practical, and that, to sum up our eulogy, it is such a book as no lover of ferns 

 should be without. 



Catalogues.- — We have received from Messrs. Carter and Co. the third part of 

 their Vade llecum, in which there is a capital list of bedding plants, and an essay 

 on styles in bedding, which every lover of the parterre may consult with advantage. 

 From Mr. B. S. Williams, a general Plant Catalogue, of a very elegant and attrac- 

 tive kind, illustrated with figures of palms, Beaucarneas, ferns, etc., and containing 

 a complete list of stove, greenhouse, and hardy plants, on sale at the Victoria 

 Nursery, HoUoway. From Messrs. E. G. Henderson and Son, a Catalogue of Soft- 

 ivooded Plants, in which their new tricolor geraniums, and other novelties, are 

 announced. It is rich in matters of interest for growers of geraniums, fuchsias, 

 gloxinias, and other choice tenants of the greenhouse and the stove. From Messrs. 

 Smith and Simons, Glasgow, a Catalogue of Bulbs and Roses. The bulbs announced 

 are good leading sorts, and the roses include all the novelties of the season. From 

 Mr. George Smith, Hornsey Road, a General Catalogue of choice plants, including 

 new geraniums, petunias, fuchsias, verbenas, etc., etc. From Messrs. F. and A. 

 Smith, Dulwich, A List of New Varieties of Florists' Flowers, comprising new 

 roses, new fuchsias, new geraniums, etc., etc. 



