178 



JOURNAl. OF HOBTICTJLTURE AXD COTTAGE GARDENER. 



r Marcli C, 1866. 



Salvia iaten.?. of a fino blue, would be invaluable if its l)los- 

 somB were ninre abundant. As it is. it is descrvinR of a place. 

 Salvia aii'IKStea is n white, woolly-leaved plant, verj' nhowy. 

 As an onmmcutal-fuliaged plant it deserves to be more known. 

 IsoToiLv AXILLARIS. — A nciit bluc-flowcrinR plant, deservinp 

 attention alike for its continuous flowering and its compact 

 babit, which fit it for beds, and there, in years gone by, it was 

 often met with. 



DiANTiiiTs. — This extensive family presents several that are 

 worthy of aplace. D. Heddewigii was much admired a few years 

 ago, but has fallen into disrepute as a bcdder, tliough entitled 

 to a place in the mixed border. 



GoDF.TiA. — These ]ilauts, allied to (Enothera, are also better 

 adapted to mixed borders than beds. U. Lindleyana and its 

 varieties are good. 



Sai'Onaria CALAiir.iCA requircs nothing said in its praise, unless 

 it be to recommend it to the very few who do not happen to 

 know it. It stands near the top of the list of annuals, espe- 

 cially for bedding, for which it is not approached in its way 

 by anything else. 



Senecio ei.eoans. — The single-flowering variety of this is 

 more showy than the double. For a bed of flowering plants 

 2 feet high this is deserving of attention. 



Fhekcd Marioold. — Really good, dwarf, double yellow va- 

 rieties have been common during the last year or two. and we 

 may. consequently, expect these plants to be more sought after 

 for bedding than formerly. They deserve a place everjwhere. 



Afi;i(as Mauigolhs. — These have not varied much like the 

 last-named, but good flowers are at all times regarded as an 

 acquisition. 



Garden M-Vkigolh. — There is a prospect of a good white 

 variety coming out, but as I have not seen it, I can give no 

 opinion. Those of the old class deserve more attention than 

 they often receive. 



Lobelia. — The dwarf blue varieties of Lobelia erinns require 

 notliing to be said in their favour, and the white and interme- 

 diate varieties are equally well known and approved of. I am 

 not, however, acqnainteil with the taller annuals of this section, 

 but the perennials are ranch grown and admired. 



Tagetes sigx.^ta. — This I consider next to S.iponaria for 

 general usefulness as a bedder, and superior to it in the 

 duration of its flowering. The plant promises to be a rival to 

 the yellow Calceolaria, which it resembles in size and habit, 

 but it is even a more abundant bloomer than that verj- popular 

 flower. It makes an excellent edging to larger-growing plants, 

 and for a line in a ribbon border is equally valuable. The in- 

 dnidual flowers are small, but they are produced in such obuu- 

 dance as to clothe the plant completely over, and this not for a 

 week or two, but for three or four mouths, ending with severe 

 frost. I can strongly recommend it for all purposes except 

 bouquet-making. 



Ti;op.kolu5i. — I hardly know what to say of this family. A 

 dwarf-growing variety, which becomes taller than the other, as 

 it does not run, flowers most abundantly, and shows the flowers 

 better above the foliage, but the trailers would be more easily 

 kept in order if they did not glow too rank. If other plants be 

 plentiful, I would not recommend Tropicolums for beds, al- 

 though as single plants, or to cover banks, they are invaluable. 

 MiMfLvs. — These are mostly regarded as perennials, re- 

 quiring rather a moist soil. 



Nemophila issiGNis, and others, cannot be exceeded in 

 beauty while they are in bloom, but in dry hot seasons the 

 bloom is so soon over, that it is not advisable to depend too 

 much on them. 



ScHizAXTHus, like the last-named, is very handsome, but it, 

 too, is of too transient beauty to be recommended for general 

 purposes. 



Thuniieiigia .*lata, and others, are ciphers, and in hot 

 season.s look better out of doors than in the houses. They 

 ought, however, to have a sheltered situation. 



TnACHELiusi ciEr.uLEuji, though a perennial, will, never- 

 theless, often flower in the first season. It is pretty, but not 

 very hardy, being apt to bo killed in sharp winters. 



CoNvoLvi-Lus. — I confess to never being so much in love with 

 these plants as many have been ; certainly they look well when 

 full blown, but when the flowers close in ihey look badly. The 

 plant is robust and sturdy. 



EnvsiMiJi. — The varieties of Peroilskianum arc an improve- 

 ment on that species, and look well. This is one of the best 

 of annuals to stand the winter, with the exception, perhaps, of 

 the Virginian Stock, which is also good, and well adapted for 

 spring gardening. 



Clintonia rfi.ciTELLA.— I confess never being very success- 

 ful with this annual, but I have seen it in good order ; it 

 seems to require a hot summer, and sunny position. 



I»ELpiiiN-irM roiijioscM, being a perennial, is hardly admis- 

 sible here ; but it may be treated as an annual, for mixed 

 borders especially. 



GiLiA TuicoLOR — A pretty annoal of neat growth, and deserv- 

 ing attention. 



Gaii.lardia picta, and its varieties, are deserving a place 

 where showy plants are grown, and when placed along with 

 other snitable plants. 



Leptosiphos iiENSiFxonrs, and others, are neat growers, and 

 showing their bloom well above the foliage, appear to ad- 

 vantage. 



LiMNASTRES DorGLASii IS olso, like the last, a compact, 

 manageable plant of some merit, though not to compare with 

 Saponaria or Tagetes signata. 



LipisEs. — There are several species or varieties, bnt L. poly- 

 phyUus is as good as any of the tall ones, and descnes a place 

 in the herbaceous border. 



Besides the above there are many other annuals of merit, 

 according to the wants of those who patronise them, but as this 

 list baa already extended farther than it was intended, it is not 

 advisable to point out more of the flowering class, but there 

 is another section remarkable fur their ajipcarauce, to which 

 allusion may be made. 



Pehii.la xankinensis.— Too well known to require comment, 

 its hardiness is not the least of its merits. 



Ricixis. — Castor-oil plants, remarkable for their handsome, 

 large, palmate foliage. In a favonrable season like last year, 

 they will attain the height of 8 feet, and upwards, with but 

 very little attention. 



AsiAR.tNTHVs MELANcnoLicrs itriiER has not become so 

 popular as it was expected to be ; it is certainly not so hardy 

 as the Perilla, and dies off sooner in the autumn, but when at 

 its best it exceeds the Perilla in appearance. 



IcE-i'i.AST. — This likes a diy, sunny bank, and its use in 

 garnishing is, perhaps, not the least of its merits. 



SoLANUMs. — A new era seems to dawn upon these, and we 

 may expect to hear of several species remarkable for their fruit 

 or their manner of growth. S. marginatum is about the best 

 of the latter that I am acquainted with. 



CAXNAs.^These are not truly annuals, bnt may be raised 

 from seed. Good varieties with a dark bronzy tint on the 

 stems and foliage, and when of good growth and healthy, look 

 well. They require plenty of moisture in summer, with heat 

 as well. 



IsDiAX CoRX. — Not by any means an uninteresting plant, as 

 its appearance is truly tropical. It requires a warm season to 

 perfect its growth. 



Grasses. — These are so numerous that I feir I must give up 

 the task of enumerating them ; but good specimens may be 

 found in the genera Agrostis, Briza, Bromus, Aruudo, Era- 

 grostis, Fcstuca, Hordeum, Panicum, Stipa, and others, to say 

 nothing of the Pampas Grass, the most graceful of them all. 

 Grasses require special notice, but not being snfliciently well ac- 

 quainted with them, I cannot enter into their merits fully. It 

 is probable, however, that during the coming season some 

 one will point out to us what it is advisable to grow, and 

 what not, for this class, like the flowering annuals, will soon 

 want weeding. At the same time accessions are acceptable 

 when of merit. I have no doubt that other large-foliaged plants, 

 and those of singular growth, such as the common Teazle, will 

 have their admirers, and contribute their share to grace the 

 back of the shrubbery-, while the front is occupied by such 

 plants as those noticed above. Perhaps some other contri- 

 butor will give their names. — J. RoBSOX. 



POTATOES AGAIN. 



I jiAKE no hesitation, in travelling out of my own peculiar 

 line, to say a few words more on the subject of this favourite 

 esculent, and that notwithstanding the broad hint given me by 

 tlie " man of lloss " that I should '• stick to my last," as every 

 cobbler ought to do. I do think it a very unkind cut to tell a 

 man who has been partly brought up in the land of " praties " 

 tliat he knows nothing at all about them, and then to come 

 down on him with the physiologj- of the subject. On that 

 point I do ])rofess my ignorance, and bog to thank your cor- 

 respondent for the enlightenment which he has kindly given 

 inc. Before, however, adopting his advice, I should hkc to 



