28 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



from rcy list, wliich was written with the hope of finding one hundred good plants 

 that would give satisfaction to every one who tried them. And I felt satisfied that 

 those who tried them Avould be induced to seek further, and find out the hundreds 

 of good things omitted. Trollius eiiropceus is a good plant, and very sweet, too, 

 which we cannot say of very many of its order. I remember meeting with a fine 

 tuft of it growing on a big stone, without any soil, in the middle of a Cumberland 

 stream, during the past summer, and was surprised to find it blooming strongly 

 from a mere crack. But let Mr. Williams try Trollius napellifoUus, and he will 

 find'it very much better. The poppy he mentions, and speaks so highly of, is in my 

 list, or at least the species, for ic is only a variety of P. orientale. I find, by the 

 by, that some of the things he finds fault with me for not naming are in my com- 

 plete list. 



Now, I shall look over his selection, and may say at once that it is very good. 

 The best of them are enumerated in my complete list. I will begin by begging a 

 good plant of the true Bracocephalum grandijlorum. I will send him my address, 

 and promise anything from X/ilium superhum to Iris cristata in return. Lobelia 

 syphilitica i& a very poor plant indeed to recommend to gardeners generally. It 

 only succeeds well in a partially shady place, and in a good moist soil, and is at 

 best a second-rate thing. Centaurea ocliroleucra is one of those plants that serve 

 to make herbaceous borders contemptible to the generality of gardens. Sedum 

 populifoUum is cui'ious, but not beautiful, and curious things I avoided. Ranun- 

 culus montana is a gem, but must go among the alpines. There is a prize offered 

 for the best selection of alpines. Will Mr. W. send a list to the Editor of the " Gar- 

 dener's Magazine ?" Asphodelus ramosus is coarse when strongly grown, and not 

 remarkable at any time. Digitalis aurea is infinitely inferior to the worst variety 

 of the common foxglove ever seen. What is D. speciosa 1 Why mention the 

 worst Yucca ? Gloriosa, recurva, and glaucescens are as far before the filamentosa 

 as the dome of St. Paul's is to an empty crab-shell ! Cheiranthns Marshalli is not a 

 hardy herbaceous plant. It is not even perennial. Can you say it is, Mr. W. ? Do 

 not confound it with C. alpina. Iris acuta is infinitely behind tenax, pallida, 

 and a dozen other pretty species. The Uvularias are hardly quality enough, and 

 fail miserably in many soils in England. Stachys aurantiaca is of very doubtful 

 merit. What is it ? Probably a Phlomis ! Statice latifolia, true, is much better 

 than Gmelini. Ptarmica vulgaris fl. pi. is a preciously good double white flower, 

 fit for cutting for wedding bouquets, and fine in effect. I have seen many fine things 

 since that list was compiled, and wish only to make a few alterations. As it is, I 

 believe it as nearly perfect a century of plants for all soils and all parts of the 

 United Kingdom as could be selected. I wish to remove Aster hessarabicus, and 

 substitute the fine bright Lathyrus rotundifolius. Also to say that so fastidious a 

 plant as Trillium grandijlorum should not be named, were it not that it is lovelier 

 when in flower than the best plant of Phalsenopsis ever seen. I have seen bushes 

 of it this season two feet high, and ivith scores of flotoers on each. The way to 

 grow it like that is to plant in deep shade, and in a moist spongy deep soil. All 

 my vines are magnificent, but I wish to add one named De Bergii, which I think 

 I did in correcting the proof, but the printer omitted to insert it, and I also wish to 

 specify one variety of Germanica — /. " Victorine." I. Gibraltarica is not the true 

 name for my favourite Iberis, the one sold by the London' nurserymen as I. corrcea- 

 folia, nor can I find any one who can tell me its right name. Judging from De 

 CandoUe, it is likely to prove Iberis eontracta. 



In conclusion, I may also assure Mr. W. that I left out some splendid things 

 like Dodecatheon Jeffreyanum because of the utter difficulty of the many pro- 

 curing them as yet, and I may also assure him that though I have searched for 

 these fine plants in many parts of England, Ireland, and Scotland, I have hardly 

 as yet begun the work with them that I intend to pursue, and while without the 

 slightest doubt that I shall, before becoming quite white, see these fine plants obtain 

 their due place in every British garden, and I hope, too, to place something on 

 recoi'd about them quite different from my little list of one hundred, and which will 

 endeavour to include all that are really good, and guide to their tasteful arrange- 

 ment and successful culture. ]\Ieantime, I am pleased to find any person who takes 

 the interest in them that Mr. Williams does, and wish him all success, and hope 

 one day to see his interesting collection. O'S. 



