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 320 



JODENAIi OF HOBHOULTUBE AND COTTAGE GABDENEB. 



[ May 13, 1869. 



NarciSBUs, edged with Myosotis intermedia of the Boyal Hor- 

 ticnltui-al Society, but wliich appeared to be identical with the 

 coeamon blue Forget-me-not, MyoBotis eylvatica. 



The terrace garden next the house ia also extended round to 

 the north side of the dwelling, and here the beds are smaller, 

 and are used to some extent as trial beds for the newer intro- 

 ductions. The larger or principal beds had occupants similar 

 in character to those previously noticed, though with diverse 

 arrangements. A thrce-lobed bed, for instance, was extremely 

 gay with mixed Hyacinths, edged with a charming line of the 

 Cliveden Blue Pansy. On each side of this were two circular 

 bads, one having single scarlet Tulips and a carpet of the 

 wbite double Daisy ; the other, a bed of Golden Prince early 

 single Tulip, very fine indeed, and a carpet of Aubrietia gra'ca. 

 Close by these were four parallel lines of small circular beds, 

 separated by a gravel walk, having two lines on either side, 

 oach bed was about 2 feet in diameter, and bad a standard 

 Bose in the centre. In a few of these beds the Crocuses, which 

 had been very gay, were juet past blooming, one was filled 

 with a rich-coloured double crimson and one with the double 

 yellow Primrose. Among the latter, was one Isnown as the 

 Giant Yellow, of great size, fully double the dimensions of the 

 ordinary variety ; another was filled with Viola lutea in f uU 

 bloom, an excellent spring-flowering plant, being much earlier 

 than V. cornuta ; another had the new white variety of V. cor- 

 nuta, but there was no trace of bloom on it. In one bed was 

 the Imperial Blue Pansy, which appears to be deficient in 

 constitution, and therefore comparatively useless for spring 

 work — a testimony corroborated by Mr. Stewart, of Nuneham 

 Pkkrk, who has used it with a like experience. A small bed 

 was occupied by a white Pansy, named White Queen, and 

 whieh also appears to want constitution, though not to such an 

 extent as the Imperial Blue. Both these, however, may prove 

 to. be very acceptable summer-bedding kinds. 



A similar small garden to this, but at a lower level, contained 

 other small circular beds, having double white, lilac, and crim- 

 gott Primroses, pretty single Primroses in three or four colours, 

 Aubrietia purpurea variegata, and white and crimson double 

 Daisies. In a smail border was a short line of Bambusa varie- 

 gata, a somewhat uncertain bedding plant, but which is said 

 by Mr. Stewart to be extremely gay when the first flush of the 

 young growth is on it. 



Beaching yet another terrace garden, there is seen a capital 

 bed of the golden variegated Balm, very showy and bright, 

 edged with fancy Pansies. A splendid bed of Keizerkroon 

 early single Tulip, edged with the sulphur-coloured double 

 Primrose ; Couleur Pon(,'ean early single Tulip, edged with 

 Aubrietia purpurea, a very fine mass of gorgeous flowers ; 

 Hiixed Hyacinths in beds, edged with double white Primroses ; 

 ^Kbite Hyacinths edged with the pink double Daisy; and a bed 

 of single blue Hyacinths, among which Charles Dickens was 

 again very fine, edged with yellow Pansies. 



Such is a general outUne of the agencies by which Mr. 

 Stewart makes such a fine show in the early mouths of the 

 year. The situation is highly favourable to the production of 

 bnjbs, and by the time these are out of bloom, the various 

 stunmer-bedding plants can be placed in their blooming 

 ctaarters. 



Glen Eyre, beeides the charming spring garden, has many 

 other objects of special interest. In the conservatory can now 

 be seen the magnificent Tacsonia Van-Volsemi with numberless 

 pendant blossoms of rich crimson flowers — a very aristocrat 

 among cool greenhouse climbers. Then there are gigantic 

 specimen Camellias growing in different parts of the ground 

 without any shelter, and in the severest weather escaping 

 unscathed, and which, during March and April, are literally 

 covered with flowers. There are also great banks of Ehodo- 

 dendrous, some of which were already in full bloom, delicate 

 tints and rich and striking hues being dotted about here and 

 there. On a grassy bank of considerable extent were to be 

 seen some fine specimen Conifer* of different kinds, ail of 

 which appeared to flourish in the peaty, clayey soil so pre- 

 valent in this district. 



There is also a fine range of plant houses for the growth of 

 Orchids, specimen stove and greenhouse plants. Pelargoniums, 

 Azaleas, itc, while of Primulas, Mr. Stewart has strains of 

 single and double kinds that can hold their own against any 

 others that can be pitted against them. 



At any period of the year a visit to Glen Eyre would 

 amply repay anyone interested in horticultural pursuits. It 

 ia one of those places where both skill and intelligence are 

 found allied with a highly cultivated taste, and where there 



is no stint of resources ; at once an illastration of the ad- 

 vances made by modern horiculture, and a pledge of fatoie 



triumphs. — Via. 



TENDER ANNUALS.— No. 4. 



Celosias. — There are several kinds besides the Cockscomb, 

 but there is so little difference between some of them, that 

 they may safely be reduced to three — viz., C. argentea, 

 having silvery flowers ; C. pyramidalis aurea, with orange 

 flowers ; and C. pyramidaUs coccinea, with crimson flowers or 

 spray. The plants produce flowers whieh are very fine for 

 cutting for bouquets, and handsome for room and conservatory 

 decoration. They are not unlike Cockscombs when young, and 

 they may not inaptly be termed feathery Cockscombs, as they 

 grow rather tall, and the flower spray appears all the way up 

 the stem, hanging down in some cases, and having a larger 

 drooping spray at top, giving the plant a graceful appearance ; 

 but in others the spray is more erect, like Love-lies-bleeding, 

 and is very elegant. 



The treatment of these Ctlosias is very similar to that of the 

 Cockscomb, but the seed should not be sown until the begin- 

 ning of April, and at the end of that month or beginning of 

 May fur a late bloom, and even as late as the end of the latter 

 month or beginning of June. The treatment of the seedlings 

 and the potting are the same as for Cockscombs, only it is not 

 necessary to keep the plants in small pots until the flowers 

 show, though it may be done when dwarf plants are required, 

 especially when they must be in small pots. In this case they 

 need not be shifted into larger pots than those C inches in 

 diameter, feeding the plants with Uquid manure ; but to have 

 fine specimens the plants should be shifted from one size of 

 pot to the other as often as the pots become filled with roots, 

 an 8-inch pot being in most cases suffieiently large ; one 

 6 inches in diameter answers well for general purposes. 



The temperature need not be so high as for the Cockscomb 

 by 5°, but the plants cannot have too much light, and should 

 not be crowded together, nor further from the glass than suffi- 

 cient to allow of room for growing, air being given freely to 

 keep them stiff. A moist atmosphere should be maintained, 

 and to keep down red spider the plants should have a gentle 

 syringing morning and evening ; they ought also to be turned 

 round frequently to keep them erect. They succeed on a shelf 

 in the stove, or in a house having a night temperature of from 

 60' to 65°, and from 70° to 75° by day, with a rise from sun 

 heat and air to 80° or 85°. The plants will be more healthy 

 and sturdy if grown in a cold pit, which, from June to Septem- 

 ber, may be made to afford a stove heat by keeping the lights 

 moderately close, giving air early, and shutting up early in the 

 afternoon, so as to husband the son heat. Give water whenever 

 it is necessary, and sprinkle every available surface. 



After the plants are full-sized and in full flower, their beauty 

 will be of longer continuance if they be kept in a house with 

 a temperature of 50', where they long remain ornamental and 

 useful. 



A compost of two-third.sloam from decayed turf, sandy rather 

 than heavy, and one-third old cow dung or very rotten hotbed 

 manure, with a free admixture of sharp sand, will grow them 

 well. Free drainage is essential. 



GoMPHBENA, or Globe Amahanth.— Of this there are several 

 varieties — namely, alba, white ; aurantiaca, orange ; camea, 

 flesh ; purpurea, purple ; and striata, with striped flowers. All 

 are tine for room, greenhouse, or conservatory decoration in 

 summer and autumn. The plants attain a height of 2 feet or 

 more under good cultivation, and are of stiff, erect, pyramidal 

 habit, affording an abundance of fine globular flower heads that 

 continue a long time in beauty. 



The seed of these, as of all tender annuals, should not be sown 

 until there is a considerable amount of sun heat, as without 

 that the plants are liable to be drawn up from the deficiency of 

 light, and the coldness of the external atmosphere rendering it 

 necessary to give a less amount of air than is requisite for this 

 class of plants. They consequently become weak, run to flower 

 prematurely, and are anything but ornamental. 



The middle of March is a good time to begin sowing, and 

 seed may be sown up to the end of May ; but I consider the 

 best plants are raised from seed sown early in April. A rather 

 light sandy soil from turf a few months old, and broken or 

 chopped up rather finely, is best for sowing the seeds in, well 

 draining the pot or pan, and filling it to within a quarter pf 

 an inch of the rim with finely-sifted soil, the pot being in 

 the first instance half-filled with the unsifted soil. The seeds, 



