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JOUKNAL OP HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ October 23, 1866. 



but others in the most exposed situations do not appear to 

 sustain any injury. This species deserves a place everywhere. 



Pinus cejibra differs widely from the preceding alike in hue 

 and outline. Our best specimen, growing in rather a confined 

 place, is 39 feet high, and 8 feet in diameter. The outline of 

 the tree is somewhat cylindrical rather than conical ; the stem 

 is straight, and thickly set with branches, and the foliage of a 

 sort of ashy grey, and more stiff than that of P. excelsa, from 

 which this species differs widely in every respect. It appears 

 to be quite hardy, but is little planted, although in a collection 

 its upright character gives it a claim to more general cultivation. 

 I believe that in some collections there are much finer speci- 

 mens than the above, which is only mentioned in order to call 

 attention to the species. 



Pinus Bentiiamiasa 10 feet high and feet in diameter. 

 This is a handsome, long-leaved species, having a greater 

 abundance of foliage than P. ponderosa, which it somewhat 

 resembles. Our tree is in a rather exposed place, and con- 

 sequently its growth is less rapid than that of some others, 

 being in this instance only 1\ feet iu the last five years. There 

 seem to be several kindred species to this, which renders it diffi- 

 cult in some cases to say with a certainty which is the true one. 

 The plant, however, promises well. 



Pinus ponderosa, 41 feet high and 26 feet in diameter, having 

 grown Sfeet in the last five years. This is really a handsome 

 tree. The leaves are long, of a fine, healthy green, very robust, 

 and thickly set in tufts at the extremities of the branches, 

 which, instead of being drooping, stand out stillly from the stem, 

 in whorl fashion, in all directions. The stem like the leaves is 

 robust and strong, and the bark presents a beautiful kind of 

 fretwork when the foliage is shed, so that the naked limbs are 

 on the whole ornamental rather than unsightly. In a young 

 state the tree is not ornamental, but the specimen above re- 

 ferred to is much admired. The timber is said to be excellent, 

 and the branches, though stiff, seem to bend without breaking, 

 like a Hazel. I have not noticed any appearance of cones, 

 but having only one large tree, it may, perhaps, not be a cone- 

 bearing one. 



Pinus austriaca, 42 feet high and 24 feet iu diameter, having 

 grown 8.{ feet in the last five years. This is a free-growing 

 species, of sturdy habit, and capable of withstanding high winds ; 

 it is also of quick growth, though not so much so as P. insignis. 

 It is, however, a fine-growing tree, and seems adapted for 

 elevated situations, as some trees here in a much more exposed 

 place than that of which the dimensions are stated surpass it 

 in general appearance, and promise ere long to outstrip it in 

 height. 



Pinus fyrenaica, a symmetrical-growing tree of the most 

 lovely green. The shoots, which are very thickly set on the 

 stem, after drooping a little turn up again, and their tips all 

 point upwards, but so numerous and dense are they that it is 

 difficult to see the bole without holding the branches aside. 

 This, however, is a slow-growing tree as cempared with 

 P. insignis and ponderosa ; for a specimen planted at the same 

 time as these kinds is not more than half the height, being 

 only 23 feet high, and about the same in diameter. It forms a 

 compact cone, or rather a sort of bulbous cone in outline ; 

 foliage stiff, and pointing upwards. 



Pinus laricio, Jeffreyana, radiata, and some others have 

 representatives here, but not so remarkable as to call for 

 special notice. The first-named hardly thrives so well here as 

 to merit the high name it has received elsewhere. 



Pinus stroeus (The Weymouth Pine). — Some young trees of 

 this well-known species certainly do not grow so fast as P. ex- 

 celsa ; it may, however, be hardier than the latter, but as this 

 has not shown any indication of being injured in our hardest 

 winters, its pre-eminence over the Weymouth may be said to 

 be established. —J. Robson. 



(To be continued.) 



We have received some very well painted drawings from 

 Messrs. E. G. Henderson & Son of double Violets — King, purple, 

 and Queen, white ; also of three new Camellias, Elvira Bian- 

 chini, white with pale rosy tint; General Cialdini, rosy with 

 dark stripes ; and Zoraide Vanzi, pale rose, with dark blotches 

 and stripes. Also of seven tricolored-leaved Geraniums, all 

 very striking. We must warn our readers against expecting 

 that coloured-foliaged Geraniums will retain the colours in the 

 leaves if grown in common garden soil. We wish some of our 

 readers would state the soil, or compost, which enables the 

 plants to retain their brilliant attire. 



CYMBIDIUM SINENSE. 



Looking over some back volumes of The Journal op Horti- 

 culture one day I accidentally saw the following at page 30, 

 vol. viii. : — " The Cymbidium sinense is a most useful plant 

 for the drawing-room, the scent is most delicious." I went 

 forthwith to look for this Cymbidium in all the catalogues of 

 stove plants and Orchids which I possess — those of Messrs. 

 Williams, E. G. Henderson, Backhouse, &c. — but I could not 

 find it in any of them. It is not a new plant, as the " Cottage 

 Gardener's Dictionary" states that it was introduced in 1793. 

 Can any one tell me where it is to be had ? What is the reason 

 for its being neglected, or at least disappearing from the cata- 

 logues ? — Clericus. 



[There is no doubt about the correctness of the statement 

 made in our pages. The C. sinense is figured and described in 

 the tenth volume of the " Botanical Magazine," published in 

 1805. There it is stated to be "a native of China, from whence 

 it was introduced by the late Mr. Slater. It thrives luxuriantly 

 in the conservatory." It has been supplanted among Orchid- 

 growers by C. eburneum, which is portraited and thus noticed 

 in the " Botanical Register :" — " The flowers of this charming 

 plant are not only among the largest of the genus, but among 

 the sweetest. They resemble, in fragrance, those of the Chinese 

 Cymbid, than which nothing is more delicious." 



C. eburneum is a native of the East Indies, and could not 

 take the place of C. sinense in the drawing-room. Why is not 

 this more available species retained in their catalogues by 

 nurserymen ? Where can it be obtained ? — Eds.] 



ROSES. 



I thane "D." for his Rose information. Madame Canrobert, 

 Souvenir d'Elise, and a globular specimen of Gloire de Dijon, 

 were the three best-shaped Roses at the National Rose Show. 



I ordered twelve plants of Madame Canrobert, but was told 

 it was a bad grower, and so I issued a counter-order. I will 

 not keep a Rose that is not " vigorous." A Rose may be 

 vigorous and yet not hardy. 



The two best pot Roses at the National were each Rushton 

 Radclyffe. I cannot perceive it to be tender. Since Jules 

 Margottin and Charles Lefebvre came out, I have not had a 

 Rose with so many good attributes. I have ordered twelve 

 more. The original six came from M. Verdier. They have 

 done well. This Rose throws up from the base of the plant 

 shoots 24 inches long. It is a continual bloomer, full-sized, 

 and full to the centre, of circular outline, has deep smooth petals, 

 is a free bloomer in all weathers, and never has a blind end. 

 I gave " S. R. H." off one plant enough to bud nine Roses. 

 Since that was cut off it has grown well and bloomed well. I 

 am satisfied with it ; but if " D." will have another, let it be a 

 maroon, or blue violet purple. Shorten the name to " Rad- 

 clyffe." Long names are a nuisance. 



There are sixty-four novelties about to make their appear- 

 ance. I like the 'reading of the two Tea Roses, Madame Bre- 

 mond, and Madame Margottin ; of Mr. W. Paul's Black Prince 

 and Dr. Lindley ; and of Mr. Eugene Verdier's Napoleon III. 



At a venture' I will back Dr. Lindley against the other sixty- 

 three novelties. I saw it in London twice in one year, ex- 

 panded and globular, and thought it the finest and best English 

 seedling that I ever saw. 



If Lord Clyde and Lord Macaulay are English seedlings, they 

 are very fine, and in quality of petal the nearest to Charles 

 Lefebvre. which is the l>cst of all Roses. 



John Hopper and Devouiensis are worthy of all praise. — 

 W. F. Radclypfe, Okeford Fitzpaine. 



STRAWBERRIES IN GROUND VINERIES. 



Allow me to suggest that these structures might be used to 

 bring forward a crop of Strawberries, and, after the Strawberries 

 were gathered, to ripen a crop of Melons. 



Let the Strawberries be planted in beds of two rows, the 

 rows 1 foot apart, and the plants 2 feet apart in each row. A 

 three-feet vinery would be more than ample to cover two such 

 rows. 



The time of the Strawberries' ripening will depend on the 

 sort, and on the amount of ventilation given ; but the crop 

 will be off by the middle of June, and you will have well-ad- 

 vanced, if not rooted, runners ready for new beds. 



Now move your vinery to the spot destined for your Melons. 



