300 



THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY 



[October, 



the Pharbitis hispida Dickensonii. Tree ferns, 

 delicate filmy leaved ferns like a cloud of airy- 

 green; climbing Selaginellas (moss), with the 

 exquisite steel-green tint, so rare ; Dracaenas in 

 stately grace, and of varied color, with hanging 

 or climbing plants interspersed, and others of 

 beautiful forms or colors, made up the charming 

 assemblage. Added to this in the centre of the 

 house a wall or grotto is formed of West India 

 brain coral, in the interstices of which are grow- 

 ing on one side sun-loving plants of various kinds, 

 and on the other, lycopodiums, ferns, begonias, 

 arums and other moisture-loving plants, among 

 which trickle tiny streams of water that fall 

 tinkling into a large tank surrounded with fairy- 

 ferns, and containing water plants. In time 

 these will be walls of living verdure and a rare 

 pleasure to see. Something of art, and more of 

 nature (for who can rival her inimitable grace), 

 combine to make a refining and constant pleas- 

 ure; for the pleasures of nature seldom weary. 

 The love of flowers and trees is one that time 

 seldom destroys, for it is renewed day by day, 

 and constant investigation only adds to our 

 knowledge of the wonders and great wisdom 

 and power of their Creator. 



EDITORIAL NOTES. 



Plants in Living Rooms. — The excellent papers 

 on plants in living rooms by Dr. Anders, of 

 Philadelphia, which we published, and now have 

 attracted more than usual interest in Europe. 

 The Record says of it : 



"There was once, still is, perhaps, a super- 

 stition that plants in rooms are unwholsome. 

 Setting aside special cases it may be said that, as 

 a general rule, plants in a living room, if they 

 have any perceptible effect at all, are beneficial 

 rather than otherwise. We are glad to see, says 

 the Gardener's Chronicle, the faculty taking this 

 view of the subject. An American physician 

 has, it seems, pointed out that by their powers of 

 transpiring moist vapor plants render great ser- 

 vice in rooms warmed by dry air. The value of 

 plants and flowers as delassement for the weak 

 and weary is acknowledged on all hands. Dr. 

 Anders, according to the British Medical Journal, 

 goes further, and states that the pursuit of 

 gardening, though it naturally favors rheuma- 

 tism, appears to arrest consumption in persons 

 of phthisical tendency, while the abandonment 

 of the pursuit in other cases led to the develop- 

 ment of the disease. Dr. Anders recommends a 

 room well stocked with plants as a complete and 



agreeable health-resort free from the inconveni- 

 ences of traveling and the anxiety of separation 

 from home We concur with our contemporary 

 in the opinion that the doctor has opened up a 

 most interesting subject for investigation." 



Paullinia thalictrifolia is one of the most 

 beautiful of plants, and one that cannot fail to 

 become a favorite. It is a native of the southern 

 Brazils, from whence it was introduced to the 

 nurseries of Messrs. Veitch & Sons, of Chel- 

 sea. In general appearance it is not unlike a 

 minutely cut-leaved Maidenhair Fern, and, in- 

 deed, so much does it resemble a Fern, that it 

 might easily be mistaken for one. The leaves 

 are of a rich shade of green, and, as the specific 

 name implies, they closely resemble in shape 

 those of some species of dwarf Meadow Rue 

 (Thalictrum). The young branches are clothed 

 with a velvety down of a greenish-chocolate 

 color, and the woody stems are also tinged with 

 brown. 



If only required for decorative purposes there 

 should be no inclination to make the plants pro- 

 duce flowers, which are inconspicuous; there- 

 fore the main object should be to have plenty of 

 healthy foliage. To secure this, the plant should 

 be grown in a temperature of from 65° to 70°, 

 and if one part of the greenhouse is more 

 adapted to its growth than another, it is the 

 dampest part. After this plant came into the 

 possession of Messrs. Veitch, and before its true 

 value became known, some plants of it were 

 placed in a corner of an old, very damp, warm 

 pit, in which position they grew wonderfully 

 strong, and quite surpassed in vigor and beauty 

 those that were, as was then supposed, placed 

 under more advantageous circumstances, i. e., 

 in drier and lighter parts of other houses. Care 

 is therefore now taken to keep them where 

 abundant atmospheric moisture can be supplied. 

 This plant may be gr(nvn to train on a small 

 trellis or to affix to short rafters, but the best 

 mode is to grow it so as to form little well- 

 foliaged specimens. A compost consisting of 

 two parts good substantial peat and one of loam, 

 together with some silver sand, suits it admirably. 

 — Gardening Illustrated. 



Decorative Art. —The Gardener's Chronicle 

 tells us that recently a ball to the Prince of 

 Wales was given by Mrs. R. C. Naylor, in Bel- 

 grave Square, and to give sufficient accommoda- 

 tion to the numerous guests a spacious pavilion 

 was thrown across the back garden, covering in 



