isn.] 



AND HORTICULTURIST. 



13t 



lifted, potted and removed to the greenhouses, 

 for sale. Among the Dracaenas, I noticed some 

 fine plants of Imperialis, Hendersoni, Cooperi, 

 Baptisti, Gilfoylii, Veitchi, Dennisoni, Nigrescens, 

 and Elegans Rubra — the last named appearing 

 to be of a very dwarf habit ; of the Marantas 

 were Barquinii, Fasciata, Vandenheckel, Regalis, 

 Makoyana, &c. ; the latter seems to be one of the 

 finest and mostdistinct of the genus. While to de- 

 scribe the numerous varieties of Crotons, would 

 occupy too much of your valuable space, suffice 

 it to say that the leaf markings and shades 

 embrtced everything peculiar to the family. 

 My attention was next -"ailed to the Pelargonium 

 beds, which were very fine ; prominent among 

 the sorts, being Marshal Mac Mahon and 

 Black Douglas, two bronzes which to my mind 

 stand strong sunshine better than any other vari- 

 egated varieties. Koenig Albert, an ivy-leaved 

 double, George Sand and the Ghost, the best 

 double whites yet introduced, and Guillon Man- 

 gilli, with very large, double violet-crimson flow- 

 ers, a first-rate sort ; also Peter Grieve, the most 

 vigorous in growth, and the finest habit amongst 

 the golden tricolors. I observed a large circu- 

 lar bed of tropical appearance, planted with 

 Musaensete in the middle, surrounded by Can- 

 nas lessening in height towards the sides, and 

 alternated with Wigandia caracasana. Promi- 

 nent among the ornamental grasses were numer- 

 ous specimens of the new rose-colored Pampas 

 grass, (Gynerium carmineum Rendatleri,) the 

 flower stalks of which attained the height of 

 twelve feet or more. Another striking object 

 which came under my notice was a beautifully 

 variegated Tobacco. 



I found one greenhouse, about 100x25, fully 

 devoted to Camellias, those in the centre part 

 planted out with a surrounding table, covered 

 with smaller ones in pots. Another house was 

 devoted to the production of rose-buds for bou- 

 quets, by far the most numerous sort being Jean 

 Pernet, considered for the purpose superior to 

 Marechal Niel. There was a house filled with 

 Begonias in very great variety of species and 

 coloring, and another of Caladiums, of which the 

 various and richly-colored foliage was absolutely 

 gorgeous. In the Palm house were some fine 

 specimens of Areca aurea, Lutescens, Rubra and 

 Verschafelti, Chamasrops excelsa, Giesbrechti 

 and humilis, Livistonia, Hogendorfi and Olivae- 

 formis. Mr. Dreer, we understand, makes the 

 production of these a specialty for window and 

 table ornamentation, and nothing could be bet- 



ter. Lygodium scandens, a climbing fern, was 

 grown in great quantities, intended as a substi- 

 tute for the " Smilax," (Myrsiphyllum,) which 

 we think it is likely to supersede. Adjoining the 

 Palmery, was a fine lot of other ferns, notably 

 Pteris argyreea, tricolor, nemoralis variegata and 

 rubro-vena — in this connection I may men- 

 tion a great variety of very healthy Selaginellas. 

 An objection is often urged against the interest- 

 ing and useful Tradescantea repens vittata, that 

 it so often throws off" its stripes and reverts to its 

 normal plain green coat. Mr. Dreer has suc- 

 ceeded to a great extent in obviating this by 

 growing it in sifted coal ashes, pure and simple. 

 Many other objects and matters of interest might 

 be mentioned here, but I fear I have men- 

 tioned too much already for the pages of the 

 Monthly, and the patience of its readers. I 

 cannot, however, conclude without tendering 

 thanks to Mr. George Gross, the intelligent fore- 

 man at the Spring Grove Nurseries, for his kind- 

 ness and attention. 



PLANTS WHICH ENDURE DRYNESS. 



BY A. G. 



Having spent some Winter months in Nice, 

 France, the plants in the vicinity of which are 

 subject to long spells of drought, I thought, we, 

 who cultivate plants, might take a hint from the 

 mode, and kind of plants cultivated there. Ex- 

 cepting the moisture from the sea, there was no- 

 thing to refresh them, but a brief rain-storm, at 

 long intervals. The sandy soil, however, soon 

 absorbed all the water that fell in these. The 

 regular rains come in Fall and Spring, and it is 

 not unusual for these to vary considerably as to 

 dviration. 



At the head of the list of plants flourishing 

 under such circumstances, of course, stood the 

 Cacti and Aloes, which near Nice remain out 

 during the entire Winter, as the frosts are rare, 

 and slight. These make surprising growths to 

 eyes accustomed to the small oval of the Opun- 

 tias of the greenhouse, or the Aloes kept in 

 vases. They are often of magnificent propor- 

 tions, the Aloes very stately, with leaves stand- 

 ing up five or six feet in height, and the large 

 Opuntias, (with ovals twelve inches in length,) 

 still higher. Next to these were the Zonale Ge- 

 raniums, which reached above the highest fences, 

 or grew here and there, as hedges, their Winter 

 appearance not being at all attractive, as their 



