136 



THE QARDENER'H MONTHLY 



\_May, 



are entire, about a foot broad, and nearly two 

 long, of a bright dark green color. The flower 

 spikes of this species greatly enhance the beauty 

 of the plant, they being of a bright yellow color. 



C. elegaiu<. — A most desirable species, elegant 

 in form, and of a hardy, vigorous constitution. 

 The pinnate leaves grow about four feet long, 

 the leaflets about eight inches long and one 

 broad, and are of a dark green color. The gene- 

 ral habit of the plant is beautifully pendent, and 

 altogether a very beautiful jjlant ; native of 

 Mexico. 



C. Arenber (J a. —One of the most common spe- 

 cies in cultivation and a very attractive plant. 

 The stem is slender, the leaves pinnate, about 

 three feet long, the pinnpe about twelve inches 

 long and four wide, of a bright green color. This 

 species is very easily injured in a house where 

 the bright rays of the sun are allowed to enter 

 unobstructed ; it, therefore, should be grown in a 

 well shaded house. 



C. 8candens.—Th\s, is one of the most slender 

 growing palms, being of a climbing habit, after 

 it attains the height of si.\ feet. Leaves are pin- 

 nate, about two feet long, the leaflets about one 

 foot long and one inch broad, and dark green 

 in color; the leafstalks are of a glaucous green, 

 which greatly increases its attractiveness ; native 

 of Mexico. 



C. Sartorii.—A. beautiful plant, having pinnate 

 leaves about three feet long, the pinn^ being 

 about ten inches long and two wide, the color is 

 bright dark green. It makes a fine plant for 

 table decoration. 



C. Wamceidczii.—K slender growing, beautiful 

 palm, having long pinnate leaves of a light 

 green color; native of Guatemala. 



C graminifolia.— This graceful species deserves 

 a place in every collection, and whether used as 

 a decorative plant for the greenhouse, or for the 

 dinner-table, it is alike beautiful. The leaves are 

 pinnate, about four feet long, the pinnas about 

 a foot in length and very narrow ; they are of 

 glaucous green. Its hardy constitution and 

 adaptability for bearing with impunity most any 

 position, make it a very valuable acquisition ; 

 native of Costa Rica. 



NOTES ON A SUMMER TOUR. 



BY WM. SUTHERLAKD, PHILADELPHIA. 



The seed store of H. A. Dreer,on Chestnut St., 

 Phila., is complete in all the regular departments 

 of the seed trade, and has in addition a green- 



I hou.«e 6(txir) feet wide on the top ; the whole es- 

 tablislunent being heated by one furnace, in the 

 interior of which a dense coil of two-inch pipe 

 is placed, from which hot water is conveyed by 

 four-inch pij)es through the different stories up 

 to the greenhouse on the roof and returned in 

 the same manner. Here every precaution is 

 taken to guard against fire. A large vat on the 

 roof is kept constantly filled with water, from 

 which pipes with hose attached are introduced 

 to every floor, so that at almost any moment a 

 supply of water can be obtained sufficient al- 

 most to deluge the building. An improved ele- 

 vator carries you up or down to any department 

 of the establishment you may wish to visit, with- 

 out the exertion of climbing the stairs. 



The seed farm and trial grounds, known as the 

 Spring Grove Nurseries, are situated at Riverton, 

 N. J., about eight miles from the seed store al- 

 ready mentioned, but so pleasant is the trip by 

 rail or steamboat, that it does not seem half the 

 distance, and it will amply repay any one inter- 

 ested in horticulture, to inspect them. Here, at 

 the time of my visit, we saw a very healthy 

 stock of fruit, shade and ornamental trees, 

 shrubs, evergreens, roses, small fruits and escu- 

 lent roots scattered over some ten acres, while 

 ten acres more were devoted to raising vegetable 

 seeds. Nearly eight acres were in Gladiola, Lilies, 

 Tuberoses and other bulbs, while six acres more 

 were in flower seeds, of which the verbena beds 

 occupied nearly one third, embracing one of the 

 largest and best collections of that useful bed- 

 ding genus it has been my fortune to behold. 

 The glass structures consisted of fifteen green- 

 houses, with 2.5,000 square feet of glass, heated 

 by Myers' new patent boilers, while at least two 

 acres were covered by frames and sashes, one- 

 half of which were occupied with planted out 

 Crotons, Dracaenas and Marantas, many of which 

 were of the newest kinds. This system of grow- 

 ing stove-plants may be new to many of your 

 readers, and therefore I will describe it in detail. 

 After the frames are no longer wanted for bed- 

 ding plants, the soil inside is dug out to the depth 

 of a foot below the bottom of the frame, and 

 filled in with a compost of peat soil, sand and 

 decayed cow manure; the sashes are white- 

 washed on the inside, and the young Croton.«, 

 &c., are planted out one foot apart, and kept 

 well watered. Very little air is given, except in 

 the middle of the day, and healthier, better col- 

 ored plants I never saw. These, of course, at 

 the approach of cold weather, are carefully 



