AprU 11, 187i. ] 



JOUENAL OF HOBTICULTUKE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



bOO 



Piuce's Grape here, I commenced with Mr. Disraeli on the 

 '28th ul December, and finished off with Mr. Gladstone on the 

 31st of March. I think, therefore, that I have proved Mrs. 

 Piuce to be a first-rate late-keepiug Grape, and likewise of 

 first-rate flavour'. 



I can only say to those who have not grown it. Plant it at 

 once, treat it well, and it will give every satisfaction. — A. Dok- 

 .iLDsoN, Latiiners. 



I ijuiTE agree with Mr. Pearson as regards the above Grape. 



With me it is far superior in flavour to Lady Downe's, the 

 berries are much larger, with more pulp in them, and the 

 bunches are larger ; it sets equally well, and is not liable to 

 scalding like the latter Vine, but it is not so good in colour. 

 I find the fruit in the position to get the most air colour far 

 the best, and m the coolest part of my house the Grapes were 

 the blackest. Altogether I like it so much better that I have 

 told my gardener to graft it on the Lady Downe's, as I shaU 

 gi'ow it in preference to that variety. All those who tasted the 

 two together from my Vines are of the same opinion as myself. 

 — Hakeison Weie, H'ciilciijli. 



COCOS CAMPESTEIS. 

 The popirlar name for the genus, Cocoa-nut, renders it I plant, and be no mean object in the exhibition tent. Should 

 familiar to almost everyone throughout the length and breadth it not be desirable to use it for public exhibition, it must always 

 of the land ; but the well-known fruit is the produce of Init | be remembered that a plant which looks well at an exhibition 



one species, and that 

 a very different-look- 

 ing plant from the 

 one we have now un- 

 der consideration. 



Cocos campestris, 

 represented in the 

 accompanying illus- 

 tration , for which we 

 are indebted to M. 

 .\Jphand's splendid 

 work " Les Prome- 

 nades de Paris," is 

 sometimes designat- 

 ed Diplothemium 

 campestre ; but whe- 

 ther or no it is suffi- 

 ciently distinct to 

 be removed from 

 the genus Cocos I 

 am unable to say, 

 and therefore prefer 

 making a few re- 

 marks upon its 

 claims to popularity 

 under its most fa- 

 miliar name. The 

 members of this ge- 

 nus are all elegant 

 and higlily orna- 

 mental plants, and 

 C. campestris is cer- 

 tainly no exception. 

 It is, I believe, a na- 

 tive of the campos 

 of Brazil, where it 

 attains a consider- 

 able size, and pro- 

 duces a charming 

 effect. As horticul- 

 turists, however, we 

 have to use our en- 

 deavours to produce 

 a good effect with it 

 in a young state, and 

 this is not a matter 

 of gi-eat difficulty to 

 those having a stove 

 and a slight know- 

 ledge of its requh'e- 

 ments ; but as it is 

 possible that some 

 may wish to possess 

 themselves of this l ccsc 



plant, and yet have 



not the accommodation of a stove, I shaU make a few remarks 

 upon its adaptation to the decoration of apartments. 



In the first place, if Cocos campestris is to be cultivated 

 solely for the decoration of the plant stove and for public 

 exhibition, it should be grown in a mixtm-e of loam, peat, and 

 sand, in tlie proportion of two parts of the first to one of each 

 of the latter two. The pots should be weU drained, the plant 

 liberally suppUed mth water, and kept in a moderate heat. 

 Under these conditions it will form a peculiarly handsome 



presents an eijually 

 charming effect at 

 home. 



Taking, however, 

 the case of those am- 

 ateurs who have no 

 stove to develope the 

 noble proportions of 

 this species, but who 

 are, nevertheless, en- 

 thusiastic admirers 

 of its beauties, I 

 would advise them to 

 select a well-rooted 

 plant in a medium- 

 sized pot, and have 

 it gradually inui-ed 

 to a cool tempera- 

 ture, or hardened-off, 

 as it is technically 

 called, when it may 

 be removed to the 

 window or the draw- 

 ing-room, where it 

 will form a charm- 

 ing object for years. 

 If a plant can be 

 obtained sufficiently 

 large for the decor- 

 ation of the hall 

 during the winter 

 months, or for stand- 

 ing in any large re- 

 cess which may re- 

 quire such ornamen- 

 tation, it will not 

 only afford a pleasing 

 change during the 

 dreary dull months, 

 but it may be plunged 

 in the open air dur- 

 ing the summer, and 

 will give the garden 

 a somewhat tropical 

 character. 



Thus it will be seen 

 that for a compara- 

 tively small outlay a 

 plant may be obtain- 

 ed which increases 

 in beauty aunuall3', 

 and is an object of 

 general admiration 

 '1*' " in whatever situa- 



tion it may be seen 

 whether on the dinner table, in the window, placed in an 

 elegant vase in a lady's boudoir, as a specimen in the plant, 

 stove, or in the open air ; and to such plants I would strongly 

 recommend amateurs with limited glass accommodation to tm'u 

 their attention. Let it be well understood that I by no means 

 urge the neglect of flowering plants, but would rather suggest 

 a happy medium, by which means a greater amount of beauty 

 is obtained in a small place ; and more interest is centred in 

 even a small garden than is to be found oftentimes in one of 



