38 



THE GARPF.XFR'S MOXTIII ) 



[ luhruary. 



tiriiiix of tlifir ncw-louiHl iVicinl. Already '•()\vn 

 Hoot Ro.st's" arc at a puiiiiuin. 



The Kn^jlisii Pkimhosk.— Tin- dunhn de- 

 serves credit for introducing us to a ".'ood old 

 friend wlioni most of us liavo for<rotten — the 

 KnL,'lisli Primrose, through a beautiful colored 

 I)latc, of many pretty varieties— crimson rose, 

 white, and scarlet. In America the ditliculty is 

 to kei p them well over throujih dry summer 

 atmosphere. But the good gardener can easily 

 manage this. With very little care they may be 

 made to do well. 



Amkkh AX TuisEUOsKS. — These still maintain 

 their great poi)ularity in England, retailing at 

 about Si .50 per dozen. 



XEJJ' OR RARE PLAXTS. 



HiiEiM xoBiLE, HooKEK. — Of this remarka- 

 ble species of rhubarb, till now unknown in our 

 gardens, I am gratified in being in possession of 

 fresh seed for the first time. This is a native of 

 Sikkim. where it was originally found by Dr. 

 Hooker, in whose valuable Himalayan journals 

 it is thus described: "The individual plants of 

 Rheum nobile are upwards of a yard high, and 

 form conical towers of the most delicate straw- 

 colored shining semi-transparent concave imbri- 

 cating bracts, the upper of which have pink 

 edges ; the large bright glossy shining green 

 radical leaves, with red petioles and nerves, 

 forming a broad base to the whole. On turning 

 up the bracts the beautiful membranous fragile 

 pink stipules are seen like red tissue paper, and 

 within these again the short branched panicles 

 of insignificant green tlowers. The root is very- 

 long, often many feet, and winds among the 

 rocks ; it is a-s thick as the arm, and bright yellow 

 inside. After flowering the stem lengthens, the 

 bracts separate one from another, become coarse 

 red-brown, withered and torn ; finally, as the 

 fruit ripens they fall away, leaving a ragged- 

 looking stem covered with panicles of deep 

 brown pendulous fruits. In the Avinler these 

 naked black stems, projecting from the beetling 

 cliflTs, or towering above the snow, are in dismal 

 keeping with the surrounding desolation of the 

 season . — Garden. 



Philodendrox amurexse.— This interesting 

 hardy tree, made known to our readers through 

 Prof. Sargent, is attracting attention in Europe. 

 Mr. Max Leichtlin, writing to the Garden, says : 



" This, a native of Siberia and Mandschouria, 



!•- Just now a hiaulitiil nlijcet in my garden. My 

 speeinuii of il isal)out twelve feet in height, and 

 lias a tall pyr:imidal crown of from three to 

 six feet. The I'orin of ils foliage, which is deeply 

 lobed, gives it a singuliir appearance-, and the 

 coloration of the leaves, which are bright red. is 

 very tine. It is also all the more valuable on 

 account of its keeping its foliage nnich lonj:er 

 than other deciduous trees, which hereabouts 

 have shed their leaves a fortnight aco. It lias a 

 spoiiLTV iiark. and is called the Siberian c<!rk- 

 tree."' 



Iliniscus (ro.'^a sixexsis) albo variegata. — 

 A free-growing and elegantly-marked stoveplant, 

 obtained from the Pacific Islands; of a closely 

 branched hal)it. with pale green stems, and ovate 

 slightly toothed leaves, which are freely mottled 

 and variegated with greyish color and white, 

 breaking out irregularly in a manner similar to 

 the markings of H. Cooperi, to which it would 

 form a companion plant, having the variegation 

 white instead of pink. It should be grown in 

 full light, near the glass, to bring out its proper 

 coloring. 



H. (ROSA sinensis) cabminata perfecta. — 

 A charming stove plant, in habit resembling H. 

 rosa sinensis, recently imported from the South 

 Sea Islands. It has stalked ovate obscurely 

 three lobed leaves which are deeply toothed, and 

 very large flowers, nearly five inches across, with 

 broad and slightl)> undulated petals, forming a 

 full round flower, of perfect shape, and of a rich 

 soft carmine-rose with a deep crimson eye. The 

 staminal column is very prominent, and adds 

 much to the beauty of the flowers, the column 

 being of a rosy hue, the numerous stamens bright 

 yellow, and the five stigmas a rich velvety 

 crimson. 



II. (nosA sixexsis) mixiata semi-plena. — 

 This remarbably showy stove plant has firm, 

 almost leathery, ovate leaves, which are coarsely 

 toothed, and brilliant flowers of a vermillion- 

 scarlet color, darker towards the base of the 

 petals. The flowers are semi-double, the petals 

 very much waved and recui-ved, forming an 

 irregular undulated mass four inches across, from 

 which the partially petaloid staminal column 

 projects two inches.' The brilliant and attractive 

 flowers are i-emarkable for the absence of for- 

 mality, the shape bcmg wild and abounding in 

 fantastic curves, but nevertheless they are re- 

 markably handsome. It has been imported 

 from the South Sea Islands. — Wm. Bull. 



New Esciioltzias. — The common golden 

 yellow escholtzia, of California, has been so 

 skilfully selected that a race with flowers almost 

 crimson has been produced. A beautiful colored 

 illustration recently appeared in the Garden. 



