Jta-oli 6, 1873. ] 



JOUBNAL OF HOETICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



199 



only -when about to flower. If potted at the period named it 

 usually begins to blossom about the end of March ; but this 

 d-epends in some degree on the temperature in which it has 

 been kept. If the roots were preserved in a dry state untU 

 January or February, we think it highly probable that they 

 might be planted in the open borders with the protection of a 

 hand-Ught, and would then flo\j-er in May and June, but without 

 this covering it would be imprudent to risk the bulbs. The 

 treatment of all the winter and spring-flowering species may 

 be assimilated to that of the O. cernua. 



Our plant is not a recent introduction, having been brought, 

 as long since as the year 17G7, from the Cape of Good Hope, 

 of which country nearly one-half the species are natives. The 

 trivial name of the plant is by no means distinctive, for there 

 are many species the flowers of which droop before expansion ; 

 nor is the term more applicable to the leaves. 



The genus derives its name from the Greek word o.rys, sour 

 •or sharp, in allusion to the acid properties of many of the 

 species, due to the presence in their tissues of oxalic acid, 

 usually combined with potash. It is scarcely necessary for us 

 to oba^rve in these days of diffused chemical knowledge that 

 the potash is the only constituent of the combination thus 

 formed (termed by chemists the binoxalate of potash) that is 

 derived from the soil, the oxalic acid being elaborated in the 

 plant through the agency of the carbonic acid of the atmo- 

 sphere, that grand store-house from which are drawn the 

 elements of every vegetable product. Formerly the expressed 

 juice of the Oxalis AoetoseUa was employed in the preparation 

 •of this salt — the salts of sorrel of commerce — but the re- 

 sources of modern science have long since led to the substitu- 

 tion of more certain and cheaper methods of procuring it. 



Nor is the genus Oxalis the only one in which this acid 

 occurs, for it is constantly present in the common Sorrel, 

 Bumex Acetosa, in the roots of the Gentian family, and also 

 in some species of Saponaria ; in combination with lime it 

 exists in the Rhubarb stalks ; and in several kinds of Lichen, 

 such as Parmelia and Variolaria, the oxalate of lime is so 

 abundant, that it forms a hard skeleton or crust. — | W. Thomi'- 

 Son's English Flower Garden.) 



CHOICE GREENHOUSE EHODODENDEONS. 

 No. 2. 



Ehododendkon Pkincess Royal. — A. dwarf compact plant 

 of great beauty. The umbels of bloom are long and funnel- 

 shaped, and rich rose in colour. This I have seen bloom twice 

 an the year. A garden variety. 



R. Princess Alice. — Most of our Royal Princesses would 

 seem to have one of these beautiful hybrids dedicated to them, 

 and this is a perfect gem. It would seem to belong to the 

 group of which E. ciliatum is the type; dwarf in growth, with 

 small foliage, it becomes perfectly covered with its bell- 

 shaped flowers, which are pure white within, the outside of 

 the petals being suffused with rosy pink ; added to this, they 

 are deliciously sweet. 



R. Princess Mary. — This is a beautiful hybrid, of compact 

 growth and profuse blooming habit. The flowers are produced 

 in terminal umbels, and are pure white within, but suffused on 

 the outside of the petals with rosy carmine. A very desirable 

 variety. 



R. Countess of Haddington. — A hybrid of robust habit of 

 growth, forming a much-branched handsome shrub or small 

 tree. The foliage is ample and dark green, the umbels of 

 bloom are numerous, and the individual flowers large, often 

 measuring :■! inches in diameter, with a spreading Umb, pure 

 white, softly tinged with blush, and deliciously fragrant. It 

 is the result of a cross between K. ciliatum and E. Dalhousie- 

 anum, and blooms during March, April, and May. 



R. .Tenkinsii. — This is a fine species, forming a handsome 

 much-branched shrub, or, perhaps, it may better be called a 

 small tree, as it attains a lieight of or 7 feet. The leaves 

 are oblong-lanceolate, coriaceous in texture, slightly waved at 

 the margins, and bright dark green in colour. Flowers large, 

 snow white, measuring between 3 and i inches in diameter, of 

 fleshy substance, and lasting long in beauty. It is a native of 

 Bhootan. 



E. BooTHii. — Another of the fine Bhootan kinds, growing 

 some 5 or feet in height. The leaves are somewhat small, 

 oblong, or inclining to ovate, with a rounded base ; they are 

 coriaceous in texture, furnished at the edges with a few brown 

 hairs, the upper side bright shining green, paler below. The 

 young shoots are also clothed with a brown woolly tomentum. 



which, however, disappears with age. Trusses terminal, bear- 

 ing from six to nine medium-sized, clear, soft yellow flowers 

 of good substance and great beauty. 



E. Henkvanusi. — A garden hybrid, produced between R. Ses- 

 terianum and R. Dalhousieauum. It is a plant well meriting 

 a place in every greenhouse. The flowers are large and of 

 good form, pure snow white, and deliciously sweet. 



R. WiNDSom. — This is a beautiful species, but one which is 

 too seldom seen in our conservatories. It forms a very hand- 

 some much-branched shrub or small tree. The foliage is 

 somewhat small and dense, oblong-lanceolate in shape, and 

 acuminate, deep green above, paler below. The trusses of 

 bloom are very compact, the flowers themselves being glowing 

 deep crimson in colour. Native of Bhootan. 



E. WiNDSORi leucanthum. — A variety of the preceding, but 

 it does not owe its origin to the skill of the cultivator, having 

 originated in its native country. It differs from the normal 

 form in its smaU lanceolate-acuminate leaves, which are deep 

 green above and glaucous below, and in the flowers themselves 

 being pure white. In habit of growth it resembles the species, 

 and attains to about the same dimensions. 



E. Dennisonii. — A compact-growing, much-branched plant. 

 Leaves ample, medium-sized, bright dark green on the upper 

 surface, but paler beneath. It blooms very freely, the flowers 

 being large, pure white, saving the upper petals, which are 

 stained with soft sulphur yellow. It is a garden hybrid of 

 great beauty, the result of a cross between E. Dalhousieauum 

 and E. Edgworthii. 



E. javaniccm. — A very fine species, of dwarf compact habit. 

 Leaves some 4 inches long, and nearly 2 broad, ovate-lanceo- 

 late in shape, and acuminate, fleshy in texture, deep, almost 

 bronzy, green on the upper side, hght green beneath. Flowers 

 large, of good substance, and bright orange in colour. It is a 

 charming plant. Native of the mountains of Java. 



E. jAVANicrM angustifolu'm. — A variety of the preceding, 

 often called Veitch's variety to distinguish it from the preced- 

 ing, which is called RoUisson's, the respective forms having 

 been introduced by these firms. In this plant the leaves are 

 somewhat narrower, and the flowers are rich dark orange in 

 colour, rendering it both attractive and desirable. Native of 

 Java. 



E. NuTT-iLLii. — We now come to a magnificent species. Al- 

 though, perhaps, not one of the most compact-growing kinds, 

 it is, nevertheless, well deserving a place in every conservatory. 

 The foliage is large, being from 9 to 12 inches in length, and 

 4 or 5 in breadth, ovate-oblong in shape, thick and leathery 

 in texture, the upper surface being deep green and much cor- 

 rugated, the under side suffused with reddish pink whUe 

 the leaves are young, which changes to hght green with age. 

 The trusses of bloom are very large, frequently bearing eight 

 or nine flowers each, measuring G inches in diameter ; these 

 are of good substance, pure white within, reUeved by a golden 

 centre, suffused with lilac rose without, and very fragrant. 

 This noble species is a native of Bhootan. 



R. HoDGSONii. — This, although a most beautiful species, 

 still remains amongst the rarer kinds of the genus. It forms 

 a compact and handsome shrub or smaU tree. The leaves 

 vary from 6 to 12 inches in length, and are bluntly obovate, 

 coriaceous, and dark green, but the under side of the leaf is 

 clothed with a white tomentum. The trusses of bloom are 

 large, round, and termiual ; the flowers are campauulate and 

 of tine form, the prevailing colour rose and white, more or 

 less suffused with purple. It is a lovely ornament to the 

 gi-eenhous^. Native of Sikkim Himalaya. 



E. Maddeni. — A compact dwarf-growing shrub, seldom, as 

 far as my own observation goes, exceeding 4 feet in height, 

 and as it blooms freely even when quite small, it is well suited 

 to the requirements of those with very limited space. The 

 leaves are lanceolate and acute, medium-sized, smooth and 

 dark green on the upper side, whilst beneath they are clothed 

 with a short ferruginous tomentum. The flowers are large 

 and freely produced, tubular, with somewhat pointed lobes at 

 the spreading bell-shaped mouth, where they measure upwards 

 of 3 inches in diameter. Colour pure white, tinged with rosy 

 pink on the upper segment. In addition the flowers are very 

 fragrant. It blooms during April and May, lasting many weeks 

 in full beauty. Native of Sikkim Himalaya. 



R. Falcoxeri.— Although this species is only suitable for 

 those possessed of large conservatories, the plant is of such 

 noble aspect, that it seems worse than sacrilege to omit it 

 from an enumeration of this kind ; moreover, it is sulliciently 

 hardy to stand in the open ah, but unless it is placed in some 



