350 



Tlie HoriicuUarist and Journal 



The first prize among gardeners was given 

 to Mr. R. Downing, for the following pretty 

 arrangement: Out of a tazza rose a glass 

 stem, supporting on the top of the trumpet. 

 Half way up this stem projected three tiny 

 curved branches. In the tazza were blooms 

 of deep crimson Roses, Stephanotis, blue 

 shaded Statice, &c., set off by Ferns and other 

 foliage. The small curved branches contained 

 blossoms of Stephanoti and Statice, intermixed 

 with fronds of Adiantuin cuneatum. In the 

 trumpet was an elegant plume of Ferns, 

 Grasses, and flowers, similar to those employed 

 in other portions of the stand ; while drooping 

 down from the mouth of the trumpet were 

 long sprays of Selaginella, which gave a cer- 

 tain amount of grace to the whole arrange- 

 ment. 



Button Hole Jtouqiiet.i. 



These, which are exceedingly fashionable 

 in London, are sold freely in shop windows, 

 and also in Covent Garden market. One of 

 the most popular designs is made of white 

 Hyacinth flowers, and .a blossom or two of 

 Scilla Sibirka, a white Hyacinth, and a pip 

 or two of Euphorbia Jacquiniaeflora, backed 

 in both cases either by a fresh Rose leaf, or 

 Maiden Hair Fern. Rose buds, with their 

 own foliage, arc always elegant, and can 

 hardly be excelled. 



Curious Habits of flnnfs. 



Some Orchids, whether wild ones, such as 

 Ladies' Tresses, or those various and more 

 gorgeous ones, mostly air plants of tropical 

 regions, which adorn rich conservatories, curi- 

 ously resemble butterflies, either a swarm of 

 them, as some of the smaller ones in a cluster 

 on a long, light stalk, fluttering with every 

 breath of air ; some are like a large, single, 

 gorgeous, orange and spotted butterfly ; another 

 takes its name from the resemblance of its 

 flowers to a moth. Can the likeness be a sort 

 of decoy to allure the very kinds of insects that 

 are wanted for fertilizing these flowers ? * * 

 When a fresh and active tendril in climbing 

 comes in contact with a neighboring stalk, or 

 any similar support, it hooks or coils its end 

 round it, then having secured a hold, it 

 shortens by coiling up its whole length, or a 



good part of it. This commonly draws up 

 the climbing stem, nearer to its support, and 

 makes it easier for the younger tendrils above 

 to gain their hold. A tendril which has 

 taken hold and coiled up, usually becomes 

 stouter, rigid, and much stronger than it was 

 before. One which would break with an ounce 

 weight, becomes capable of supporting two or 

 three pounds. — Prof. Gray. 



Novelties in I'^lowcrs. 



Two novelties among flowers have been dis- 

 covered, so rare and wonderful that we are 

 almost tempted to treat them as of fables until 

 their verity is established by our own vision. 

 One is a black lily in Santa Clara, California, 

 with three large blossoms, each nine inches 

 long, and perfectly black outside of the green 

 petals. The other is to be seen at Constan- 

 tinople, and described by an eye-witness as 

 bolonging to the narcissus genus of bulbs. 

 The flower represents a perfect humming-bird. 

 The breast, of bright emerald green, is a com- 

 plete copy of this bird, and the throat, head, 

 beak and eyes are a perfect imitation. The 

 hinder part of the body, and the two out- 

 stretched wings, are of a bright rose color, 

 one might almost say flesh colored. These 

 wondrous bulbs should have been sent to the 

 Vienna exhibition. They will be in abundance 

 by the time of our Centennial Celebration in 

 1876. And yet they can hardly be greater 

 curiosities than the strange and mysterious 

 " Sand a Spiritu''' flower from South Amer- 

 ica, with its life-like representation of doves. 



Tlie New Conservatory , 



In Central Park, New York, is to be 230 feet 

 long and 50 feet wide ; a grand Fifth Avenue 

 entrance on Seventy-fourth street. The up- 

 per story is to be devoted to botanical plants 

 and flowers, and the domes surmounting each 

 end, one to ferns and the other to camellias. 



fears in the Garden of l^lants. 



The collection of pears in the Jardin des 

 Plantes, at Paris, was begun 1792. In 1793 

 there were 186 varieties of all kinds of fruits. 

 In 1824, when Thouin died, there were 265 

 varieties of pears alone ; now there are more 

 than 1,400 varieties. 



