December 19, I8S7. 1 



JOURNAL OP HOKTIOUIiTUBS AND COTTAGE GARDENEB. 



461 



aay Polygticbum has been found to be proliferous in its wild 

 state. 



We have now a list given by " Fiux-fcemina," consisting of 

 seventeen varieties of proliferous Polystiehums. Many of these 

 have proved highly proliferous, others perhaps only so for a 

 season. 



To the above-mentioned number we may add — 



AsPLKNiuM lo.s'TANUH REiT.ACTUM. — A Very interesting Fom 

 with dark brown rachis, and bearing bulbs at the lower part of 

 the rachis. It is very doubtful if this rare Fern has ever been 

 discovered in Great Britain. Its history is very obscure, but 

 I believe most growers of British Ferns include it in their col- 

 lections. 



Scoi.()i'ENi)RitT« voLOAEK, vitr. Wahdii. — One of our finest 

 dwarf multifid forms. Mr. Lowe says it was rai.icd by Mr. 

 Glaves, of Scarborough. .\ most prolific Fern. By pegging 

 the fronds down young plants are easily raised, but without 

 care and attention it is by no means easy to cultivate. I have 

 a magnificent plant of this now growing in a damp greenhouse 

 well shaded. 



OsMUNDA nEGALis, var. cnisTATA RCLBiFEHA. — A Splendid 

 form, and proliferous, as its name indicates. It was raised by 

 -Mr. Clift, who possesses a plant now. Mr. Lowe and myself 

 have also plants of this. 



ScoLopENDRiuM vcLGAKE vivo-POLYSCHiDES. — A good proli- 

 ferous form. 



ScoLopENDRicM voLGARE vTviPAKUM. — I have ncver seen a 

 plant of this, but believe it is a proliferous variety. 



I found in Devonshire, a few years ago, a plant of Polysti- 

 chum angulare of normal form, which is occasionally proli- 

 ferous, but only on one or two fronds. This plant grows in 

 the open air, and was not proliferous when found. 



Two plants of a variety called Scolopendrium crispum mar- 

 ginatum fan inconstant form), were raised by a nurseryman in 

 Birmingham from bulbs on a plant of Scolopendrium crispum. 

 This occurred several years ago. 



I do not consider a warm and damp climate essential to the 

 full development of proliferous Ferns, though in most instances, 

 no doubt, damp atmosphere has originally been the cause of 

 this. 



I reside within two miles of the county of Warwick,' and 

 have a fine plant of Polystichum angulare proliferum growing 

 out of doors in an exposed situation, and the fronds are lite- 

 rally covered with balba. — J. E. M. 



THE CONmON W.VLLFLO-WER. 



Mv theme is a common one, though it requires more than a 

 common amount of courage on my part to publicly approacli 

 it ; yet as my remarks are intended for the common good, I 

 will, even at the risk of provoking a smile, summon confidence, 

 and boldly pronounce the common Wallflower a useful plant — 

 useful as a decorative plant for the conservatory early in sprine, 

 when its fragrance is so delightful as to make one for the 

 moment almost forget that the plant is but a common one — 

 useful also for filling flower-beds in the autumn after these 

 have been deprived of their summer occupants, and providing 

 a refreshing green in place of the dead expanse of bare soil. 

 Here the Wallflower may serve a double use; for if it is de- 

 sirable or expedient to till the beds with bulbs or annuals for 

 an early spring display, these can be planted closely amongst 

 the Wallflowers, and will thus receive a slight but by no 

 means unsightly shelter, which wjll often carry them safely 

 through the frosts and piercing winds of winter ; and in the 

 spring the Wallflowers can be cut out without injuring or dis- 

 placing a sprig of those subjects remaining for the principal 

 display. It is also useful for placing a few potsful, when in 

 bloom, in the early Peach or orchard house, where the busy 

 bees will " scent them afar off," and on a comparatively mild 

 and sunny day will be attracted into the structure in large 

 numbers, and will revel not only in the trusses of the Wall- 

 llowers, butalso in the blossoms of the trees, and so be productive 

 of good. Their cultivation, too, is very easy. 



Sow the seeds in April or early in May. Prick oS the seed- 

 lings in an exposed place, giving them plenty of room — say a 

 distance of 12 to 15 inches apart ; pinch out the top when they 

 are 5 or 6 inches high, and by the autumn they will be fine 

 bushy plants, their foliage resting on the soil, and with a top 

 as flat and large as a plate. Such plants will be very different 

 from, and much hardier and earlier-blooming than those left 

 to grow in a eemi-neglected state, by being allowed to spindl« 



in the seed-beds, receiving no stopping except too late in the 

 season. Pot some of them in the autumn, and place them in a 

 light airy house, bringing them on gradually, and in February 

 and March they will present a rich appearance, have foliage 

 curling over and half covering the pots, and from eight to 

 twelve spikes of bloom of the uniform height of 8 or 10 inches. 

 Such were my plants last spring, when, in a house gay with 

 Camellias, Azaleas, and Eoses, they were admired by every- 

 one. Pot a few plants and try them ; but it not prepared they 

 will be poor in comparison with those which have had a httla 

 care bestowed on their cultivation. 



The double varieties are also good for the purpose, theyeUow 

 being especially useful ; but they do not flower so early as the 

 common single — an important point ; neither are they so fra- 

 grant.— J. W. 



PORTRAITS OF PLANTS, FLO'SVERS, AND 

 FRUITS. 



C.iLCEOLAP.iA pisACoifEKSis (Orange red Calceolaria). Nat. 

 ord., Scrophu!ariace;r. Linn., Diandria Monogynia. — " Cer- 

 tainly the handsomest Calceolaria that has been introduced for 

 many years." Native of Peru, imported by Messrs. Veitch 

 and Sons. It is too tall and stout for the usual bedding em- 

 ployment of the Calceolaria. — (But. Mag., t. oHlT.) 



NvcToc.vLos Thomsoni (Assamese Nyctocalos). Nat. ord., 

 Bignoniacea'. Linn., Didynamia Angiospermia. — Native of the 

 Nicku Hills, near Gowahatty, in Assam. A climber ; flowers 

 white, and 7 inches long. — {IbiiL, 1. 5ti78.) 



Den-dkobium Bessoni.e (Mrs. Benson's Dendrobe). Nat. ord.., 

 Orchidacea?. Linn., Gynandria Monandria. — Native of Moul- 

 mein, whence it was received by Messrs. Veitch & Sons. Flow- 

 ers white ; lip with yellow centre and two purple spots'. — [Ihid., 

 t. 5079.) 



Bego.sia Kos.iiFLORA (Rose-flowered Begonia). Nat. ord., 

 Begouiaceic. Linn., Monoicia Polyandria. — A lovely, stout, 

 stemless herb ; native of the Peruvian Andes at an elevation 

 of 12,000 feet, from whence it was imported by Messrs. Veitch 

 and Sons. Flowers dark pink. — (Ihid.. t 5i")S0.) 



Saccolaeium Hdttoni (Mr. Hutton',- ^iccolabium). Nat. 

 ord., Orchidacea;. Linn., Gynandrid >» uiudria. — Native of 

 •lava. Imported by Messrs. Veitch & Sons. Flowers rosy 

 purple ; lip of same colour, but much daiker. — (Ibid., t. 5681.) 



ViTis HETEP.OPHTLLA (TItnnb.) Var. HUMULiFOLiA (Hop-leaved 

 Vine). Nat. ord., Vitacere. Linn., Pentandria Monogynia. — 

 Native of North China and Japan. — (Ibid., t. 5(582.) 



Camellia, Contessa Laiinia MafT'ii ro.iea. — "In the general 

 character of the plant and in the build of the flower it resembles 

 the striped kind, but the colour is throughout of a rich and 

 peculiarly bright carmine rose — more brilliant, as it appeared 

 to us, than that of any other variety of this class of colour. 

 When to the size and quality of flower presented by the ori- 

 ginal Lavinia Maggi, this lovely and briUiant hue is superadded, 

 no further praise is needed. — (Florist andl'omoloyist.yi., 281.) 



NEW BOOK. 



The Orchard-House. By Thomas Rivers. Thirteenth Edition. 

 Longmans. 



It is needless to say more than to announce that the 13th 

 edition of this popular work has appervred, with much ad- 

 ditional information as to the progress that has been made in 

 the cultivation of fruit trees under glass since the last edition 

 was pubUshed. "The vineyard under glass " promises to be- 

 come one of the most attractive modes of Vine culture from 

 the simplicity of its treatment, and the success attending it. 

 At page 142 of " The Orchard-House," we find the following:— 



" In The .lotuiNAL of Horticultuhe for November, 1865, page 

 y.Sl, a verj- pleasing description is given by W. T. Gage, Esq., of 

 WiUiton, near Taunton, of his vineyard nnder glass, which has been 

 a source of much pleasure to him. He now writes me (October 10th, 

 1867). to the following effect : — 



" ' I predict tliat Tine3arda under glass will be more common than 

 orchard houses, becsnse all amateurs are not good gardeners enough 

 to make the latter thoroughly successful, whereas the vineyard is much 

 less troublesiime. is pretty and charming, and yields without fire heat 

 ripe Grapes from August to .January. The Grapes of 186.5 are far 

 surpassed by those of this year. My heaviest bunches now weigh 

 2S OTIS., and the Grapes have been eiquisite in flavour. I seldom 

 allow more than a dozen to fifteen bunches to remain on a bosh or 

 jjyramid. To prevent the ground becoming too dry. and to enable me 

 to leave off watering and syringing when the Grapes begin to colour, I, 



