Februuy 18, 1875. ) 



JOURNAL OP HOBTICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GARDENEB. 



Ml 



There is also the double variety, pure white and exceedingly 

 fragrant. This is fine; indeed, all are especially Buitahlo to 

 furnish cut flowers for room-decoration. 



We would now glance at some of the allies of the type just 

 noticed, and we appreciate at a glance the great diversity of 

 character, colour, and form which exists in the numerous 

 varieties of the family. There are the lowly Corbularias, 

 some of the sweetest of Flora's gems, which are so neglected 

 as not to have a place in nine-tenths of English gardens, in- 

 stead of having, as they ought to have, a welcome and a home 

 in all. One of the smallest of these, and one of the best, is 

 C. tenuifolia (Hoop Petticoat), golden yellow, growing only a 

 few inches high. C. conspicua is equally worth growing, and 

 is more plentiful. The white variety, C. alba, is exceedingly 

 chaste, and, unfortunately, somewhat rare. 



From these miniatures we pass to notice very briefly another 

 group almost perfectly opposite in character — viz., the Pseudo- 

 Narcissus, or Daffodil's. There is less refined elegance in this 

 group, and they are better described as gaudy ; yet this term is 

 only legitimately permissible when they are used in unsuitable 

 places, and the term is then more applicable to the taste which 

 misapplies the plant than to the plant itself. Close beneath the 

 drawing-room windows in loose careless patches they may be 

 regarded as coarse ; but see them in bold massive groups or 

 broad thick lines skirting the wood of some distant view, and 

 what can be compared to their dazzling brightness at the period 

 of their blooming ? As thus seen with the sunlight glistening 

 on their massive heads the effect is positively exhilirating. 

 Used in quantity for distant effect they are especially adapted, 

 and never look better than when growing out of the green 

 turf of lawn or pasture. When once established in fairly good 

 soil they will push through the grass at the call of each suc- 

 ceeding spring, and will last for years with little or no attention. 



Very nearly allied to this section is another with conspicuous, 

 yet withal very beautiful flowers, alike in form to the above, 

 but softer in colour, of which N. incomparabilis is a typical 

 example. The whole of this section are particularly beautiful. 

 Their prevailing hues are primrose and the softer shades of 

 yellow with white. The flowers of these have considerable 

 intrinsic merit, possessing in no small degree the form and 

 substance of the Rose ; they are, moreover, sweet, and for 

 cutting for vases few things are more suitable and effective. 

 The double white variety has long enjoyed the designation of 

 the Peerless Daiiodil, and certainly few can question its simple 

 beauty. 



But even more beautiful than this is the waxy-petalled pure 

 white variety, N. cernuus plenus. As a flower for a lady's hair 

 and other room-decorative parpopes the stove Eucharis ama- 

 zonica or the greenhouse white Camellia can hardly surpass 

 this charming hardy flower. To see it growing in the border 

 with its partially drooping head it might be passed by un- 

 noticed, but cut it and intermix with it fronds of Ferns and it 

 will compel a pause for admiration from every passer-by. It is 

 almost as sweet, quite as pure, equally good in texture, and 

 superior in form to the finest blooms of Gardenias. This 

 variety is unfortunately somewhat scarce, its increase having 

 been neglected, but it is worthy a place in every garden where 

 out blooms are in request. It is commended to all lovers of 

 white cut flowers as giving a supply when white Camellias 

 fail and before Koses are in profusion. 



We now pass on in this cursory review, to which N. poetions 

 has led the way, to the well-known N. Tazetta or Polyanthus 

 group. These are commonly cultivated in pots, but are fine 

 for the outside garden, and are better adapted for growing 

 under the partial shade of trees than most plants. It is not 

 necessary to enumerate, but we may say that the chaste old 

 Paper White variety is worthy of more extended cultivation 

 than it generally receives. 



With the necessary omission of many varieties of Narcissus 

 we would not pass in sOence the bright and sprightly Jonquils. 

 A quarter of a century ago most gardens had glittering masses 

 of these — both the double and single, but they are not com- 

 monly seen now ; yet grown in quantity nothing else can give 

 in April such decided brightness to a garden. 



It remains only to say, inclosing these gossiping notes, that 

 the whole of this tribe of plants are bulbous-rooted, and can be 

 purchased and planted any time during their season of rest. 

 Do not forget them. Do not limit bulb orders to Hyacinths 

 and Tulips. Think of the Narcissus in its various forms. The 

 genus literally teems with quiet, chaste, satisfying beauty. They 

 will grow in any kind of soil, but of course the richer and 

 deeper it is the better will the plants flourish. Further— and 



this may not be so well known — they will remove from place to 

 place at this season of the year, preserving earth to the roots, 

 and not sufl'ering them to become dry during removal. The 

 varieties too, which are suitable for indoor decorative purposes, 

 may be taken out of the ground and potted just when the 

 plants are breaking through the ground. The flowers are then 

 formed, and only require free soil, a suitable — that is, a 

 moderate temperature, with a suflicioncy of water to bring 

 them to perfection. — W. 



BUDDING. 



In the number of January 2lBt Mr. Benstead describes hia 

 method of separating the wood from the shield, of which I 

 do not quite approve, although it may suit some sorts, such as 

 Lord Raglan, because, separate the wood from the shield how 

 you will, it is very rarely that the eye will come out. I will 

 attempt to describe my method, but I do not use the quill, not 

 deeming it necessary at all. Insert the knife above the eye 

 and bring it out obliquely, then put the nail of the left-hand 

 thumb on the wood opposite the eye. Next put the point of 

 the knife under the wood, snatch the wood and shield asunder, 

 breaking the wood at the thumb nail ; then sever the o'hi r 

 end of the biid, and snatch the wood out in the same way. 



I have found all kinds of Rose buds so taken out to bo quite 

 perfect. Perhaps some may think the way I have described 

 tedious, but I do not find it the least so, as I can put in two 

 buds in one minute, and with good success. I lately budded 

 ten rows, numbering sixty in a row, and not one failed amongst 

 them. — J. C. CoLMAN, Greevford Hall. 



Fi^-. :iO.— Sairaccuia purpurea. 



A HARDY PITCHER-PLANT. 



We have been asked by " A Ladt Gaedenek" to name a 

 Sarracenia sufficiently hnrdy to grow in the border of a mid- 

 land county garden. Not 

 knowing of one, we referred 

 to the catalogues of various 

 florists, and find the follow- 

 ing in that of Mr. T. S. 

 Ware, Hale Farm Nurseries, 

 Tottenham. He has obliged 

 us also by sending this wood- 

 engraving from his " Illus- 

 trated Catalogue of New and 

 Bare Hardy Perennials." 



" Sabeacenia puepurea. — 

 This is the only hardy 

 pitcher-plant in cultivation. 

 It is a native of the Ameri- 

 can swamps, where it forma 

 a dwarf prostrate mass, pro- 

 ducing large winged pitchers 

 of a dark green colour, while 

 the throat and lip are beau- 

 tifully veined with crimson. The flowers are solitary, nodding;, 

 and of a deep purplish-red colour ; a fine associate for Cypri- 

 pedium spectabile, Parnassias, Pinguiculas, and others of this 

 character." 



NOVELTIES IN THE ROYAL GARDENS, KEW. 

 Or the large number of Acanthacese known in cultivation 

 comparatively few only are worth universal attention. A few 

 of the best well-known kinds will always hold their own ; but 

 in addition to these are several beautiful species that we rarely 

 meet with. Stephanophysum Baikiei, now flowering in_ the 

 Palm house, may be mentioned as one. During the winter 

 season it produces fine panicles of tubular scarlet flowers, 

 which have the advantage of being more persistent than is 

 often the case in the order. The habit of the plant is dwarf, 

 and though not much inclined to branch, is easily compelled 

 to do so by cutting back. Its leaves are ovate lanceolate, in 

 opposite pairs. This and several other Acanthaceie appear to 

 receive much benefit from being shifted shortly before the time 

 of flowering. The production of bloom is much strengthened, 

 and the quantity in no degree diminished. It was introduced 

 to Kew by the Niger Expedition under the command of Dr. 

 Baikie, after whom it was named, and was figured in the " Bo- 

 tanical Magazine " of 1859. Cuttings are rooted without diffi- 

 culty in a few days, and now is a good time to get them in for 

 flowering next winter. An intermediate-house temperature is 



