Morcti e, 1878 ] 



JODENAL OP HORTICDLTWRE AND COTTAGE GAKDENER. 



20B 



beauty of the Chinese Chamajrops ; indeed, if a case of any 

 liind is made out against anything, the verdict would seem to 

 bo unfavourable to your correspondent, who planted the Palms 

 out of doors without at first protecting them from rude storms, 

 and still persisted in subjecting them t) cutting winds, thus 

 disfiguring every fresh leaf that was made, in spite of the facts 

 before his eyes proving that a Uttle shelter from neighbouring 

 shrubs was all that they required to maintain theu- pristine 

 . beauty. 



Again, in my estimation there exists no plausible reason 

 why both amateurs and gardeners should not be urged to plant 

 this Chamierops extensively, instead of being dissuaded from 

 it. To refuse to plant it on account of its slow growth is, to 

 say the least, a very selfish reason. Our forefathers did not 

 argue thus when planting small Cedars of Lebanon, Oaks, and 

 many other slow-growing trees, otherwise we should lack the 

 fine specimens which now adorn the parks and gardens through- 

 out the length and breadth of the land. 



The late Dr. Lindley was very sanguine as to the future of 

 this plant, and I well remember his words on the subject 

 delivered in the old Eegent Street rooms. He said, " I would 

 advise everyone to plant this newly introduced Palm exten- 

 sively ; for I am fully convinced, if this be done, that in the 

 course of some twenty years the distinctness of its habit com- 

 bined with its thoroughly tropical aspect will quite alter our 

 park and woodland scenery, and render it a general favourite." 

 Had this advice been taken in the spirit in which it was 

 given, numerous fine examples would in this year of grace be 

 objects in the land, but in those days English plant-growers 

 had no love for Palms as a rule. Now that the scales have 

 fallen from our eyes, and we can appreciate then- beauty, we 

 should endeavour to make all the amends in our power for 

 former shortcomings. 



I wish it, however, to be perfectly understood that I do not 

 advise Chamajrops Fortunei to be planted in the open ground 

 in the small state in which your correspondent seems to have 

 done it, and this, too, because I acknowledge the slow progress 

 the plants make under these circumstances and the little effect 

 they produce in that stage. I mtich prefer growing them in pots 

 and tubs for some time, using them as ornaments in the green- 

 house and conservatory until they attain considerable dimen- 

 sions, so that when finally planted in the open air they may 

 produce an immediate effect. 



Plants intended for planting-out in spring should be kept 

 during the preceding winter in some structure with a northern 

 aspect, and in as low a temperature as possible, so that when 

 exposed to the sunny balmy days of spring they may burst 

 quickly and vigorously into growth. If, on the other hand, 

 they are wintered in a warm spot, the probability is the summer 

 will be nearly past before any growth is made, and this will be 

 injured during the first winter. Of course they require some 

 temporary shelter at first — in fact, a naturally sheltered spot 

 should be selected. We do as much for many other plants 

 which adorn our gardens, and why not for this? In winter a 

 little short litter laid across the crowns between the petioles 

 will serve to keep the snow or too much moisture from running 

 into the heart. 



Chamasrops Fortunei is only increased by seeds, so also are 

 the majority of our finest Conifers, but I never heard this 

 raised as an objection to theu' culture. The plant annually 

 produces a quantity of seeds in the South of Europe, and they 

 come up freely ; and anyone who visits the nurseries in Hol- 

 land, Germany, and Belgium, may see thousands of these 

 plants growing in various stages, from those with but a single 

 leaf up to good plants fit for planting out or using as summer 

 adornments in the subtropical garden. These are distributed 

 throughout the whole of Europe, great numbers finding their 

 way to Russia, and are used for window plants and for the 

 decoration of dweUing-rooms and vestibules in winter, and for 

 terraces, &c. , diu'ing summer, so that there is no dearth of the 

 species ; and had Dr. Lindley 's adrice been taken, there is not 

 the slightest doubt that, in our southern and western counties 

 especially, wo might now have possessed many fruit-bearing 

 trees also. 



In conclusion I may add, that having had considerable expe- 

 rience with Palm seeds, I have found as a rule that if kept 

 dry very few kinds retain their vitaUty for any lengthened 

 period ; for however large the seed, the germ itself is usually 

 but a mere speck, and if this becomes shrivelled so as to leave 

 however small a cavity between it and the nut, vitality is 

 gone. This can easily be ascertained before planting by caro- 

 luUy paring the nut down first having found the position of 



the germ. On the other hand, if kept moist and cool they 

 will remain a long time, but it is a dangerous practice, because 

 they are apt to decay ; and therefore I recommend Palm seeds 

 of all kinds to be put at once into strong moist heat, although 

 I have found this not always effectual in getting them up 

 quickly ; the most remarkable case which occurred with me 

 being some seeds of West African Raphias, which continued 

 starting into growth a few now and again, extending over a 

 period of three years and seven months. — Expekto Crede. 



POBTBAITS OF PLANTS, FLOWERS, AND 

 FRUITS. 



Bellis KOTUNDiroLi.i cSRULESCENS. Niit. onl., ComposittB. 

 Linn, arr., Syngenesia Superflua. — The Blue Daisy of the Atlas 

 Mountains. Leaves with a petiole of about 3 inches long ; 

 blade about an inch in length, ovate, orbicular or subcordate, 

 sinuate-toothed, three-nerved. Disk florets yellow ; ray florets 

 varying from white to pale blue. — {Dot. Mag., t. 6015.) 



Ellbanthus xanthocomus. Nut. iird., OrchidacefK. Linn, 

 arr., Gynandria Monandria. — A native of Peru. Leaves sub- 

 erect, 5 to 7 inches long, lanceolate, acuminate, about ten- 

 nerved. Bracts yellow, tinged with green. Flowers crowded, 

 bright yeUow, sessile. Lip panduriform, strongly incurved. — 

 {Ibid., t. 6016.) 



Alsomitba saecophylla. Nat. ord., Cucurbitacea:. Linn. 

 arc, MonceciaPentandria. — A climbing evergreen plant, native 

 of Burmah and Siam. Foliage fleshy, bright green. Flowers 

 small, very numerous. Panicles slender, axillary, pendulous, 

 many-flowered, greenish yellow. Flowers dioecious, ebracteate, 

 pale straw-coloured. — {Ibid., t. 6017.) 



Beachyotum confebium. Nat. ord., Melastomaceffi. Linn, 

 arr., Octandria Monogynia. — Native of the Andes of Peru and 

 Ecuador. Flowers pendulous, each with two opposite, spread- 

 ing, leaf-like bracts and four decussating, orbicular, concave, ap- 

 pressed coriaceous ones. Four inner bracts pale yellow-green ; 

 outer pair suffused with red. Corolla tubular, deep violet 

 purple.— {Ibid., t. 6018.) 



Zingiber Paeishii. Nat. ord., ScitamineK. Linn, arr., 

 Monandria Monogynia. — Native of Moulmein. Stems leafing, 

 3 feet high, thick as a swan's quill, almost cylindrical. Leaves 

 with a glabrous terete sheath, and an eUiptical-oblong or lance- 

 olate acute blade, dark green above, paler beneath. Bracts 

 closely imbricated, green, with broad scarlet margins. Flow- 

 ers pale straw-coloirred ; the lip reticulated in squares, with 

 brown purple veins. — {Ibid., t. 6019.) 



Cotyledon MAjiiLLAKis. Wa(. ord., Crassulacese. Linn, arr., 

 Decandria Pentagynia. Stems sparingly branched, pale red- 

 brown, thick as the middle finger, fleshy, covered with close 

 prominent scars of fallen leaves. Lips recurved. Leaves 

 spindle-shaped, pointed, contracted at the base, quite cylin- 

 drical on a transverse section, smooth, glaucous green, nerve- 

 less. Spike a foot long, rachis dark chestnut brown. Corolla 

 tube dull red-brown, with five-ribbed angles, contracted at the 

 mouth ; hmb duU red-brown, spreading, reflexed, five-lobed. — 

 {Ibid f. 6020). 



Iris iberica Peekvana. — " One of the most striking and 

 curious plants of its extensive family, and one which sooner 

 or later will find a place in every garden, is the Iris iberica, of 

 which one form is represented. Its gigantic flowers and curious 

 combination of colour, together with its neat dwarf habit 

 render it as striking as it is pretty. This plant was introduced 

 to English gardens by Mr. T. S. Ware, of the Hale Farm 

 Nursery, Tottenham, who has already bloomed several distinct 

 varieties. The subject of these remarks flowered during the 

 past season in the open ground. It is a native of the Cau- 

 casian Mountains, and is found growing at an elevation of 

 from 6000 to 7000 feet. It forms a tuft of glaucous, shghtly 

 recurved Unear-ensiform leaves, 3 inches to 4 inches long, and 

 produces a stem 4 inches to 6 inches high, surmounted by a 

 large sohtary flower. It has proved perfectly hardy, having 

 stood the past three winters without any protection whatever. 

 It seems to prefer a hght sandy soil, in which it grows very 

 freely ; and it is admirably adapted for almost any position, 

 either on rockwork or in the borders ; moreover, it succeeds 

 well as a pot plant. This vaiiety differs from the tyjie form 

 (as figured in the 'Botanical Magazine,' t. 5847), both in 

 colour and size of flower, the true I. iberica being larger, with 

 the outer perianth segments more erect, and the spots at the 

 base of a deeper colour, while the inner segments are of a 

 yellowish-green colour, covered with wrinkled dark purple 



