September 4, 1666. ] 



JOURNAL OP HOBTIGULTUBE AND COTTAGE GABDENEB. 



183 



interest at this seasen. A small span-roofed stove is chiefly 

 devoted to plants of recent introduction and others not yet 

 generally cultivated, such as Anthnrium Soherzerianum and 

 •agniticum, Begonia Pearoei, Bertolonia guttata and pubes- 

 •ans, Palicourea disoolor, Peperomia arifolia, Dieffenbachia 

 Baraqniniana, new Marantas, &c. We also noticed handsome 

 voung plants of Spbairogyne latifolia, Stevensonia grandifolia, 

 and a £ood collection of other Palms, many of which well de- 

 serve a more extended culture in this country ; on the Continent 

 they are very popular for a variety of decorative purposes, con- 

 stituting quite an important branch of nursery commerce, and 

 they are beginning to make their way into favour here. 



In the propagating-house there is a very useful case which 

 i* employed in the multiplication of large plants, such as 

 Marantas, Dieffenbaehias, Caladiums, Sec, and among the con- 

 tents of other parts of the house are different Conifers in con- 

 siderable numbers for distribution among the Fellows, various 

 Japanese plants, Poinsottias, Peperomias, Palicourea discolor, 

 and a number of Cattleyas sent home by Mr. Bowman, an in- 

 telligent young man who was formerly one of the foremen, but 

 now a plant-collector in Brazil. The span-roofed propagat- 

 ing-pit is temporarily filled with Boavardias, variegated Hy- 

 drangeas, Potunias, and alot of Indian-rubber and other plants, 

 which will soon have to make room for fresh occupants. In 

 other pits we noticed a fine stock of Koses in 48-sized pots, 

 Chinese Primulas, a considerable number of half standard 

 plants of Solanum pseudo-capsicum in one, and of fruiting 

 Aucubas in others. One of these plants was a handsome bush 

 quite 4 feet high, and other two were fine standards about 

 3 feet in height, and it is expected that the fruit of the whole 

 will be in full beauty about Christmas. Several other pits con- 

 tained miscellaneous decorative plants, and in one there were 

 Geraniums with sweet-scented leaves, offering a great variety 

 of form, and about eighteen different scents. That of Odora- 

 tiseimum resembles a combination of the lemon with the 

 &pple scent ; Lady Scarborough again has a very powerful 

 odour, resembling that of the well-known Sweet-scented Ver- 

 bena as it is commonly called, or more properly Aloysia citri- 

 odora. Odoratissimum lobatum has a powerful scent of pepper- 

 mint, and Citriodorum majus also possesses a most agreeable 

 fragrance. 



The Rose-house at present is filled with Nosegay and Zonale 

 Pelargoniums in pots. There are now many beautiful varieties 

 which are, strictly speaking, only adapted for this mode of 

 culture, whilst others are good either under glass or out of 

 doors. The most striking for their beanty and profusion of 

 bloom were Dr. Lindley, Clipper, Monsieur Martin, Rev. J. 

 Dix, a very free-flowering scarlet with a white eye ; Eleanor, 

 Lucius, Provost, Amy Hogg, Monsieur G. Natchet, Beaute de 

 Suresnes, Rose Rendatler, White Perfection, and Virgo Marie. 



It seems a natural transition to pass from these glass- 

 sheltered Pelargoniums to those bedded-out on each side of 

 the conservatory walk, and which constitute a beautiful sight 

 as well as a most interesting study. There, each in a small 

 circular bed, a multitude of varieties are arranged as nearly as 

 possible according to class and colour for trial by the Floral 

 Committee, and though utility, not ornament, has been the 

 leading idea in carrying out the arrangement, the effect of the 

 whole, notwithstanding the great diversity of the materials, is 

 excellent. It is also worthy of remark that every variety is 

 distinctly labelled, which is a great advantage to those who are 

 desirous of making notes on the kinds grown. The following 

 are those which, at the time of oar visit, appeared the best and 

 most distinct : — 



Scarlet. — Clipper, Garibaldi, Eleanor, Punch, Glow (Smith), 

 Commissioner, and Rev. 3. Dix. Red Riding Hood, bright 

 scarlet, with a white eye, is conspicuous by itB very dark zone. 



Rosy Scarlet and Rose. — Provost, Forester, Bonnie Dundee 

 (light cerise), Excellent (G. Smith). 



Rose Pink. — Christine, Wiltshire Lass, and Beaute de Su- 

 resnes. 



Salmon. — Souvenir de 8 Juin, Fanty, and Eugfinie Mezard. 



IVhite. — White Perfection and Purity. 



Nosegays. — Stella, Cybister, Amy Hogg, Orange Nosegay, Le 

 Grand, Waltham Seedling. 



Silver-variegated. — Flower of Spring, good habit ; Queen of 

 Queens for flowering, Mrs. Lennox for the purest white, and 

 Silver Chain for its good habit and flowers. 



Golden-leaved. — Golden Chain, General Longstreet, Circlet, 

 deep bronzed zone, fine trusses of scarlet flowers ; Glowworm, 

 narrow tone, of fine habit ; Beauty of Oulton ; Little Pet, very 

 compact. 



Tricolor.— Mrs. Pollock. 



Among the Verbenas are several beds of Mr. Wills's seedlings, 

 which aro quite a new race, and somo very pretty Italian 

 striped varieties. Melindres superba (Wills), is remarkable 

 for carpeting the ground so closely, and Oboron, from the 

 same raiser, is a very effeotive deep rosy crimson. Crimson 

 King and King of Scarlets are likewise most effective. 



Turning into the walk, on each side of which the snbtropioal 

 plants are growing, well sheltered on the one side by the arbo- 

 retum and on the other by the tall Lime trees forming the 

 Duke of Devonshire's avenue, we find Cannas, Wigandiag, 

 Castor Oil and Indian-rubber plants, Polymnia grandis, Nico- 

 tianas, Solanums, Dracaenas, and other tender plants'. We 

 noticed Cyanotis vittata in a bed, with Solanum auriculatum 

 for the centre, growing as luxuriantly as it usually does in a 

 stove, variegated Pampas Grass, variegated Bamboo, and varie- 

 gated Maize, here beautifully striped. Another effective orna- 

 mental Grass, though not variegated, is Panicum sulcatum. 

 Coleus Gibsoni also formed a compact bed, which, from the 

 dwarf habit of the plant and the blackish hue of the foliage, 

 was effective, and so was a bed of the variegated Coltsfoot. 

 Iresine Herbstii, as bedded-out here, presents a very good ap- 

 pearance, not so, however, the new Alternantheras ; but posi- 

 tion or other circumstances may have had some influence in 

 this result. Of other plants Canna peruviana was in fine 

 bloom, and so were Solanum laciniatum and robustum. A 

 hotter position as legards shelter for a sub-tropical garden 

 could hardly be found, and the planting of this eastern part Of 

 the garden with subjects such as those* indicated above, has 

 effected a great improvement on its former aspect. 



Among other improvements, it may be mentioned that a 

 large number of Roses have been planted in the new Rose 

 garden, that walks have been mown through the grass of the 

 arboretum, and, which is of still more importance, a pinetum, 

 as already stated, has been formed on a slip on the north side 

 of the arboretum. All the specimens are young and legibly 

 named, and as they advance in growth from vear to year they 

 will also greatly increase in interest. All the kept parts of the 

 garden are in excellent order, and Mr. Barron, the Superin- 

 tendent, deserves all the more credit for this, inasmuch as 

 there are heavy demands on his own time and that of his men, 

 such as do not occur in private gardens. 



SOWING GERMAN AND INTERMEDIATE 

 STOCKS— ALYSSUM CUTTINGS. 



It was mentioned a week or two since that this was a good 

 time for sowing German and Intermediate Stocks ; tell me 

 whether they will stand in the open borders, or if they should 

 be protected from frost until the spring. 



I was very unsuccessful in striking cuttings of the Varie- 

 gated Alyssum last spring ; state if they take more easily in the 

 autumn, and whether they should be struck in heat or in a 

 cold frame ? — E. S. 



[The Stocks may be sown anywhere now in pots, and then 

 kept in a cold frame or pit all the winter, plenty of air being 

 given. 



The Variegated Alyssum will strike freely now under a hand- 

 light or in a frame, where it will be kept rather close and 

 shaded from the sun. It will strike in a third of the time in 

 spring if the cuttings are afforded a little heat.] 



LILIUM AURATUM. 



I fokwabd to you my yearly account of the progress of 

 Lilium auratum here, as from the numerous letters I receive 

 from many parts of Great Britain and the Continent it would 

 appear to be of some public interest. The bulb is now in a 

 15-inch pot, with three stems ; the largest two are each 9 feet 

 6 inches high from the surface of the soil, one with fourteen 

 flowers, the other with thirteen ; the smallest stem is 2 feet 

 high, with one flower, making a total of twenty-eight. The 

 largest of the flowers are about 1 foot in diameter — not so large 

 in proportion to the strength of the plant as in previous years ; 

 but, perhaps, this may be accounted for by the fact that I was 

 anxious to bring the plant into flower, and subjected it to the 

 temperature of the EaBt Indian-house (Orchid-house), from the 

 time the buds were half-matured until several of them were 

 expanded. In this way I had it in flower in less than half the 



