1880.J 



AND HORTICULTURIST. 



299 



about its roots. The Olea is not a very tender 

 tree and is about as hardy as an Orange. It is 

 on this account an excellent house plant. Un- 

 fortunately, it is very subject to the scale, and 

 should be occasionally washed with water in 

 which whale oil soap h:\s been dissolved in the 

 proportion of three ounces to a gallon. 



During the summer season, place the plant 

 outside in a partially shaded place; if in a pot, 

 the pot should be plunged. Syringe freelj-^ and 

 water as often as necessary. 



During the winter it requires a temperature of 

 40° or 45°, and do not allovv the plant to become 

 either very wet or dry. Or if the plant is in a 

 pot, the best method of treatment is to plant it 

 out in a well prepared border about the 10th of 

 May, and to take it up and pot it carefully about 

 the 10th of September. I would advise Mrs. 

 M. W. to follow this method of summer treat- 

 ment if possible. 



The Olea fragrans is a native of China, and 

 was introduced in 1771, and the flowers are said 

 to be extensively used by the Chinese for the 

 purpose of flavoring tea. Propagation is effected 

 by cuttings of the ripened wood. 



SOME HANDSOME PLANTS. 



BY MISS A. G., BALTIMORE, MD. 



While visiting the large establishment of 

 Robert J. Halliday, Pennsylvania avenue, Balti- 

 more, we were shown some new, rare and beau- 

 tiful plants, viz., Louis Chretin a Rex, or orna- 

 mental leafed Begonia, said to be a new seedling. 

 The leaf is bordered by a band of apple green, 

 shading into a maroon-brown ; the latter forming 

 also a large irregular spot in the centre. The 

 space between the border and spot is tinted with 

 a gray-green. Over all glimmers a dark rosy- 

 purple lustre, that deepens in the centre, and at 

 the veins, giving to the young leaves a specially 

 rich appearance. 



A Begonia metallica (one of the newest) has a 

 broad leaf at the shoulder, but narrows rapidly 

 after to a sharp point. The veins are so deeply 

 indented as to give it almost a convoluted ap- 

 pearance. Its general tint is of a light-bottle or 

 apple-green. A bright metallic lustre covers, the 

 leaf, which in the whole plant has the effect of 

 sun-lit dew upon it. A large plant of the Begonia 

 metallica exhibited in the Horticultural Society 

 of Baltimore, last fall, excited much admiration. 

 In a fine collection of Ferns, a variety of a 

 pale green tint, named Hicrolephia hirta cris- 



tata, was conspicuous for its elegance of form, 

 and a peculiarly graceful fringe terminating the 

 point.s of each matured frond. Its nature is 

 delicate, requiring the atmosphere of the stove 

 or hot-house to keep it in perfection. It is a new- 

 one. 



A large purple and white Petunia, quite 

 double, with the petals exquisitely fringed, is an- 

 other attraction among new plants. A climbing 

 plant, which can also be trimmed to a shrubby 

 form, has minute, delicate fern-like leaves, the 

 young ones of which show a tint of maroon, 

 giving a rich coloring to the whole plant, and 

 contrasting elegantly with the mature green 

 leaves. It is named PauUina thalictrifolia, and 

 the fronds are said to resemble those of a highly 

 divided maiden hair fern. 



We would call attention also to another lovely 

 plant not quite so new, the Campsidium filici- 

 folium, from the Fiji Islands. It is a climbing 

 plant, which grows easilj'. It is very elegant, 

 and has delicately cut leaves, resembling a fern. 



Anthericum variegatum, another novelty, is a 

 handsome plant, with long narrow-pointed leaves 

 bordered with white. The matured plant sends 

 out slender trailing stems that bear small white 

 flowers. There is a green variety which grows 

 very freely, the name of which we have been 

 unable to ascertain. When in full vigor the 

 branching, drooping stems make a graceful 

 adornment for vase or wall-pot, when placed 

 either side of the door or window. 



The above are a few of the many fine plants 

 shown. One improvement we saw that we hope 

 will extend to other establishments, viz., the 

 evident purpose of making beauty of arrange- 

 ment one of the features of the place. We won- 

 der, as a matter of policy, that others do not 

 follow the plan, as all that florists can show of 

 the proper placing and developing of each 

 characteristic beauty is an inducement for pur- 

 chasers to buy, that they may emulate it. We 

 have frequently seen plants so badly placed as 

 to hide instead of show their loveliness. 



In one end of the hot-house the wall was en- 

 tirely covered with mess, held in by wires. In 

 this are growing Selaginellas (Lycopodium), 

 Orchids, Ferns, &c., and with these and some of 

 the wild plants introduced with the moss form a 

 fairy scene of beauty. Near these orchids are 

 suspended also ferns, and overhead droop the 

 branches of the lovely AUamanda Schottii with it« 

 primrose colored bells, mingled with the large 

 dark-blue flowers of a tropical morning glory, 



