302 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GABDENEB. 



[ Much 13, 1888. 



and sharply serrated on the upper half. The flowers are cnp- 

 sbaped, greenish-white, with the sepuls bluntly egg-shapod ; 

 persistent, and produced on lorked flower-stems a foot high 

 and which, as wtU as the leafstalks, are beautifully mottled 

 with reddish brottii spots. 



This kind is a native of the Bithynian Olympus, and flowers 

 from Febniaiy to April. ^, , , 



Dr. Lindlcy, who tirst described this species, gives the fol- 

 lowing as its'distiugiiishing characters from the other species 

 of the genus— viz., " From Helleborus orientalis it dillers in 

 having palmate not pedate radical leavo.'^, which are less acute 

 and more finely toothed ; in its two-flowered stems, and in its 

 smaller flowers, which are pale green and not coloured like 

 flowers. From Helleborus niger it differs In its leafy scape 

 being much longer than the leaves, which are palmate and not 

 pedate ; in the form of its leaflets, which are serrated almost 

 to the base, and want the almost rhombic form of that species 

 From Helleborus odorus it differs in its white and earlier 

 flowers, thinner and smaller leaves, and an entire want of the 

 coarse prominent ribs that stiffen the foliage of that plant. 

 From Helleborus purpurasceus it differs in its larger floral 

 leaves and finely toothed leaves ; from Helleborus atrorubens, 

 to which it is nearest, in its much larger pallid green flowers, 

 rounder sepals, and broader, palmate, not trifid, floral leaves ; 

 the leaves, moreover, are much more leathery thau iu that 

 species." 



Helleborus odorus, Walchtein (The Sweet-scented UeUe- 

 tore).— Syn. H. odoratus, of ganU-m. The root-leaves of this 

 species are palmate, pubescent on the under surface when 

 young, with the segments oblong, quite entire at the base, but 

 serrated towards the apex. The flower-stems are about a foot 

 high, forked near the top, and bearing large, solitary, sweet- 

 scented, gieenish-white flowers, the sepals of which are ovate- 

 oblong and permanent. This kind is a native of Hungarj-, and 

 flowers in February and March. 



Hellebords puRruR-iscENs, n'ahUtein (The Purplish-flowered 

 Hellebore).— Syn. H. purpureus, nj gardens. This species has 

 the root-leaves palmate, with the segments wedge-shaped at 

 the base, pubescent on the under side, and from three to five 

 lobed at the apex. The floral leaves are nearly stalkless, and 

 the stems two-flowered, with the sepals roundish, permanent, 

 and of a purplish colour when young. 



This kind grows about a foot high, and flowers in March and 

 April. It is a native of Hungary, Podolia, and Volhynia. 



Helleborus atrobuuens, Waldstein (The Dark-purple Helle- 

 bore). — Tlie radical leaves of this fine species are very smooth, 

 pedate, shining, and paler underneath, with the stem-leaves 

 nearly sessile and palmate. The flower-stems are somewhat 

 angular, bifidly-branched, and about 18 inches high. Flowers, 

 when young, dark purple, particularly towards the edges of the 

 sepals, which are roundish and permanent. 



This species is found plentifully in woods and bushy places 

 in Hungary. There it flowers in February and March. 



Helleborus multifidus, r/Kinni' (The Multifid-leaved Helle- 

 bore). — Syn. H. Bocconi, Tenore. The root-leaves of this kind 

 have long footstalks, are very large, leathery, smooth, and 

 pedate-parted, with the segments narrow, lanceolate, taper- 

 pointed, sharply-seiTated, very veiny, dichotomously-lobed, and 

 wedged-sh,iped at the base. The flower-stems are tall, angu- 

 lar, bifid, and with broad, ovate, greenish floral leaves, pal- 

 mate-parted, and almost sessile. Flowers large, cup-shaped, 

 with broid ovate sepals, of a light greenish colour. 



This species, according to Professor Visiani, resembles 

 Helleborus dumetorum, but is larger in size and flowers more 

 freely. 



It is a native of the Apennines of Etrnria and Dalmatia, 

 where it grows from 1{ to "2 feet high, and flowers from Feb- 

 ruary to April. 



Helleborus dumetorum, U'tihlsli'in (The Thicket Hellebore). 

 — Syn. H. laxns, of gardenn. The radical or root-leaves of the 

 Thicket Hellebore are pedate, very smooth, and spreading, 

 while the stem-leaves are almost sessile and palmate. The 

 flower -stems grow about a foot high, are round, bifidly- 

 branched, and bear large, cup-shaped, soUtary flowers, with 

 round, greenish-white sepals. 



This species is a native of Hungary, and flowers in March 

 and AprU. 



Helleborus v^RIDIs, Linncnis (The Green-flowered Hellebore). 

 — The root-leaves of the Green-flowered Hellebore are very 

 smooth, pedate, and on long footstalks, while the stem ones 

 are almost stalkless and palmate. The flower-stems are 

 18 inches high, forked, and bear solitary cup-shaped flowers 



on the ends of the peduncles. The sepals are ronndish ovate, 

 and bright green. 



This kind is a native of many parts of Europe, and is found 

 wild in woods and thickets, in chalky soil, in England, where it 

 flowers in April and May. 



The roots of the Green Hellebore are frcrinently substituted 

 for those of the lilack Hellebore of the Fast, and are said to 

 possess nearly the same medicinal qualities. 



Helleborus lividds, Aiton (The Livid or Corsican Helle- 

 borej. — Syn. H. argntifolius, Viviani; H. trifolius, Litmceun; 

 H. corsicus, of r/ardavs; H. trifoliatus, of ynrdcrm. This is a 

 very singular evergreen species, with a many-flowered leafy 

 stem about a foot high. The leaves are tcmate, leathery, very 

 smooth, glaucous beneath, and pale green above ; the segments 

 of the leaf are ovate-lanceolate, irregularly incised, with large, 

 wide, sharp-pointed serratures along the margins. The flowers 

 are cup-shaped, light green, and a little larger than those of 

 the Fa?tid Hellebore. 



The Livid-flowered Hellebore is a native of Corsica and the 

 Balearic Islands, particularly of Majorca, and flowers from 

 January to May. 



Hellehorus FfETiDUB Litino'us (The Bear's-foot Hellebore). 

 —This is a well-known evergreen herbaceous plant, with very 

 smooth, deep-green leaves, having oblong-linear segments, and 

 a many-flowered leafy stem from 1 to 2 feet high. 



The Fatid Hellebore is found wild in many parts of Europe, 

 and is a native of England, where it is common in shady 

 places in the chalky counties. The whole plant is fu"tid, acrid, 

 and a violent cathartic, especially the green leaves ; but these, 

 when dried, are sometimes given as a domestic medicine to 

 destroy worms. It flowers in March and April, and produces 

 a very pleasing effect in shady places during the winter 

 months. — George Gordon, A.L.S. 



GAS LIGHTING A CONSERVATORY. 



I DAVH lately seen some inquiries in the Journal as to the 

 best means of preserv- 

 ing plants in conserva- 

 tories from the effects 

 of gas ; but none of 

 your correspondents 

 mentions anything Uke 

 the following, which I gaw fitted up 

 and frequently used for two years. I 

 send you a description of it, in the 

 hope that it may be of use to some 

 who are thinking of lighting their 

 conservatories with gas. 



On the top of the glass was a copper 

 plate, to which was attached a funnel, 

 passing through the rafter to the out- 

 side, for the escape of the heated air. 

 A tube at each side of the funnel was 

 brought in and entered at the bottom 

 of the glass, to supply fresh air to the 

 flame. The small door at the bottom, 

 to allow of lighting the gas, had an 

 indian-rubber flange, which made the 

 whole perfectly air-tight. I may men- 

 tion that the gas-pipe was run up 

 under the rafter, where it entered 

 one of the cold-air tubes, and was 

 brought down it into the glass. The tubes were bronzed, and 

 the outer two twisted in imitation of a rope. The whole had 

 a very ornamental appearance, and, as it was air-tight, of 

 course had no effect whatever on the plants. — A. A. 



a. Glass. 

 b b. Air-tnb€s. 

 f. Funnel. 

 </. Door. 

 e. Kalttr. 



WORK FOR THE ^\'EEK. 



KITCHEN GARDEN. 



A DISTINGUISHING feature in this department is its unifor- 

 mity — straight Unes and angles meet the eye in evcrj- direction ; 

 and whatever may be said in favour of a departure from this 

 rule in the disposition of pleasure grounds, we cannot deny 

 that straight lines are preferable for the kitchen garden. 

 Straight walks, with the edgings neatly kept, seed-beds of a 

 uniform width, with the seeds drilled in at equal distances, the 

 disposition of plants in rows, trees all trained with the greatest 

 exactness, together with continual surface-stirring, and the 

 consequent absence of unsightly weeds, are amongst the dis- 



