28 THE FLORIST AND POMOLOGIST. [February, 



whose rich and ample purple blossoms seem to be borne as freely in winter as in 

 summer. Ixora amabilis and I. Dixiana, both of garden origin, and both bearing 

 salmony-orange flowers, are decided acquisitions. Another beautiful plant is the 

 Aphelandra nitens of New Grenada, with its polished leaves and erect spikes of 

 vermilion flowers ; while Dicentranthera macrophylla, a tropical African Acanthad, 

 gives us long spikes of bell-shaped rosy-purple flowers. Eranthemum elegans is 

 another acquisition, on account of its continuous-blooming spikes of white 

 spotted-lipped flowers. Tydsea Lindeniana is a very distinct South American 

 species, with silvery striped leaves, and short-tubed white flowers, having a yellow 

 throat and violet-coloured stains on the lower lip. Finally, M. Van Houtte's 

 hybrid forms of Plectopoma, remarkable for their large flowers, brilliant colours, 

 and profuse inflorescence, are grand additions to the decorative Gesnerads. 



The ornamental-leaved group of stove plants is one to which large additions are 

 constantly being made. The most important now to be recorded are the numerous, 

 varied, and beautiful forms of Codiseuni (Croton) variegatum, sent to England 

 from the South Sea Islands by Mr. J. G. Veitch. C. Veitchii is one of the finest. 

 Two continental Marantas, virginalis and Baraquinii, both Brazilian, with broad 

 leaves, marked with silvery bands, are exceedingly handsome. Among Palms, 

 which are more fully attracting, as they deserve, the attention of gardeners, a 

 beautiful dwarf species, from Central America, which bears the name of Geonoma 

 Seemanni, is remarkable for its uniform, plicate, bilobed leaves, the smallest of 

 which, an inch or two long, are exact miniatures of the much larger ones 

 developed on the older plants. 



Though we have but lightly skimmed over the surface of the treasures of 

 1868, it must now be evident that the annals of the year, as regards New Plants, 

 are far from being a blank, far from being unimportant. M. 



-p 



GROWING NEW GRAPES FOR SHOW. 



jT has been my custom, for many years, to prove new kinds of Grapes by 

 inarching them on established healthy vines. The wrinkle may possibly be 

 of some use to intending exhibitors. I have found that to inarch a strong 

 fruiting-rod on a healthy established vine, makes a wonderful difference in 

 the size of the bunches and berries, compared with the produce of one of the same 

 age and strength, if left to fruit in a pot. By inarching a young new vine on an 

 old one, we get a strong fruiting-rod for next year, and if the sort turns out first- 

 rate, by leaving a few bunches on the young rod, one may secure fine show grapes 

 the first year it is sent out. The bunches will likewise be compact, and fur- 

 nished with large berries, in consequence of their increased nutriment ; and the 

 colour will be first-rate, as it is well known that the best-coloured grapes are pro- 

 duced near the ventilators in the front of vineries. My object at first in inarch- 

 ing new vines on old ones was the sooner to prove their merits or demerits ; and 

 if they were not up to the standard, out they went. The process of inarching 



