M»y 2U, 1876. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTDBB AND COTTAGE GAKDENER. 



301 



July, 1873 ; it forms a pretty stove plant about 3 feet high." — 



{Bot. Mii'j., t. 61(i5.) 



The Frenxh Paeadise Api'LE {Poininicr de Paraclh). — " The 

 French ParadiBO stock U of Bpreadins habit, witb purplish 

 shoote. The inflorescence is abundant, and precocious aa to 

 season, and also in relation to the age of the plant. The 

 young leaves areglabrescent, oblong-lanceolate, the apex acute, 

 the base rounded, the margin crenulated, the crenulations 

 mucronulate ; the petiule is less than half the length of the 

 leaf, setose, and the stipules are linear-subulate, as long as the 

 petiole. The peduncles are about three-quarters of an inch 

 long, setose ; the flower-tube glabrous, nrceolate, reddish, one- 

 eighth of an inch long ; the calyx-lobes triangular, gradually 

 acuminate, setose within ; the petals concave, oblong, obtuse, 

 tapering at the base into a short stalk, and provided with a 

 few cottony hairs on the inner surface ; the styles are crested 

 at the base for a short distance, and there slightly covered with 

 cottony hair3, dividing above into five stigmatic branches. 



" The fruit, which is a really good early eating Apple, is, 

 according to our notes, of medium size, oblate, somewhat 

 angular, yellow, changing on the exposed side to deep golden- 

 yellow, and sometimes halving a thin flush of rosy red. The 

 eye is broad, but closed, sunk in a rather deep cavity. The 

 stalk is short, scarcely projecting from the hollow, which is 

 not so deep aa that of the eye. The flesh is pale straw colour, 

 fine-grained, solid, juicy, and with a brisk agreeable flavour. 

 It ripens in the middle and end of August, and would form a 

 good useful early dessert Apple, independent of its value as a 

 dwarfing stock for Apple trees grown in the hush or pyramidal 

 iotm."— [Florist and Pomoloijist, 3 s., viii., 97.) 



CELOSIA PYRAMIDALIS. 



FoK the decoration of greenhouses or conservatories during 

 the late summer and autumn months the Celosia pyramidalis 

 aurea and coccinea are enduring and beautiful, and are well 

 deserving extensive culture. The habit is pyramidal, branched 

 or feathered, and the height depends upon the culture. High 

 culture produces plants 2i to 3 or 4 feet in height ; small pots 

 and high feeding produces very much dwarfer plants ; and 

 starving treatment results in smaller plants which not unfre- 

 quently, from their fine feathery habit, are fully as useful as 

 those which have been more liberally treated. The varieties 

 vary considerably iu the mode of growth, though the pyramidal 

 form is maintained in most plants, but some branch very near 

 the base and are grandly feathered to the summit, the branch- 

 lets arching over with much grace and elegance. These are 

 the most beautiful. The tasselled forms are heavier in appear- 

 ance, being a combination of coarse feathers and small cocks- 

 combs. Iu colour too they also vary considerably, pink, rose, 

 crimson, scarlet, orange, yellow, and all the various shades of 

 those colours. Some plants in a young state are apt to show 

 a small comb, and the impression is given that the strain is 

 a bad one, and under the impulse of the moment the plants 

 are thrown away. That is too hasty judgment. Celosia 

 pyramidalis is a broken Cockscomb, and a premature comb 

 is not an evidence of bad strain, but we can hardly say it 

 shows a good one ; yet if the small precocious combs are 

 pinched out, and the plants are grown on, the plants and 

 quality of the strain will be surprising. The plants have a 

 tendency to revert after the removal of the heart comb to the 

 comb form. These combs whenever exhibited should be re- 

 moved, and this will throw more vigour into the feathery parts, 

 causing tine-habited plants and a more dense and compact 

 growth; in fact, judicious and early stopping (confining it, 

 however, to the strong side shoots, and to the upper part so as 

 to preserve the pyramidal form) is essential to freedom from 

 comb, and to produce elegant feathery plants. 



The culture required is exceedingly simple. From the middle 

 of April to the middle of May is a suitable time to sow the 

 seed, and from seed sown early in June I have seen plants 

 surpassing in beauty and freshness for autumn decoration 

 those sown at an earlier period of the year. The seeds require 

 to be sown rather thinly in light moderately rich soil, and the 

 seeds covered about an eighth of an inch deep. The pots 

 should be placed in a hotbed having bottom heat of about 75', 

 and top heat of (j.5' to 75', with a rise from sun heat and air. 

 The seedlings require to have the soil moist, and yet if kept 

 very wet they are liable to damp. It is important they be 

 kept near the glass and be well ventilated, so as to induce 

 sturdy growth. When the plants have two or three leaves in 

 addition to the seed leaves they should be potted off singly iu 



small pots, and not deeper than the first leaves, returning them 

 to the hotbed and shading for a few days. The plants must be 

 kept regularly moist, but still must not be overwatered. Shift 

 the plants into larger pots as they till with roots, potting 

 rather firmly. The last shift may be into fl-inch pots, which 

 are sufficiently large for the largest specimens, and at this 

 move the drainage should be liberal, whilst for the others 

 moderate drainage will suffice. The plants when grown too 

 tall for a frame should be removed to a light house or pit, 

 where they can be kept near the glass and have light on all 

 sides. No artificial heat will be needed, providing the tempe- 

 rature, by moderate air-giving, be kept up so as to be that of 

 a cool stove. The plants are the better of light sprinklings 

 overhead morning and evening, and the floors and other sur- 

 faces kept moist. Liquid manure may be given at every alter- 

 nate watering after the pots are tilled with roots. Plants so 

 grown will be tall and very effective for conservatory decora- 

 tion. After they are fully developed they require to be carefully 

 watered, or they will rot at the stem. If kept very dry the 

 foliage becomes yellow, therefore water only to keep from 

 flagging. The plants will remain in good condition for many 

 weekp. 



If dwarf plants are required we have only to keep them in 

 small pots, standing upon boards or slates so that they do not 

 root through into the hotbed, liquid manure to be given at 

 every alternate watering and the plants kept near the glass. 

 The soil in potting should be made very firm, and the shifts 

 but two — i.e., from ;5-ineh to 4i-ineh, and from the latter to 

 6-inch pots, the sides of the balls" at each potting being loosened 

 so as to remove part of the close matting of the fibres. 

 Shade for a few days after potting, as the plants from the loss 

 of fibres would otherwise flag and the foUage suffer. The 

 drainage at the last potting should be liberal, and in all cases 

 it is better to use half-inch bones than crocks. Light turfy, 

 loam three parts, and one part old cow dung or well-rotted 

 manure, well mixed and broken up fine, will grow them per- 

 fectly. — G. Abbey. 



WELLINGTONIA GIGANTEA. 



We are enabled to publish two woodcuts, one of which gives 

 a good idea of the size of this Brobdignagian tree, and the 

 other of its cone which is but rarely seen. 



The Wellingtonia was discovered by that young martyr of 

 science, David Douglas, in 182ij, and his journal of an ex- 

 cursion to obtain its cones is one of the most exciting of narra- 

 tives. We have space only for one extract : — 



" Thursday, October the 25th. Weather dull, cold, and 

 cloudy. When my friends in England are made acquainted 

 with my travels I fear they wUl think that I have told them 

 nothing but my miseries. This may be very true; but I now 

 know, as they may do also if they choose to come here on 

 such an expedition, that the objects of which I am in quest 

 cannot be obtained without labour, anxiety of mind, and no 

 small risk of personal safety, of which latter statement my 

 this day's adventures are an instance. I quitted my camp 

 early in the morning to survey the neighbouring country, 

 leaving my guide to take charge of the horses until my return 

 in the evening, when I found that he had done as I wished, 

 and in the interval dried some wet paper which I had desired 

 him to put in order. About an hour's walk from my camp I 

 met an Indian, who on perceiving me instantly strung his 

 bow, placed on his left arm a sleeve of raccoon skin, and stood 

 on the defensive. Being quite satisfied that his conduct was 

 prompted by fear and not by hostile intentions, the poor 

 fellow having probably never seen such a being as myself 

 before, I laid my gun at my feet, on the ground, and waved 

 my hand for him to come to me, which he did slowly and 

 with great caution. I then made him place his bow and 

 quiver of arrows beside my gun, and, striking a Hght.gave him 

 a smoke out of my own pipe and a present of a few beads. 

 With my pencil I made a rough sketch of the cone and Pine 

 tree which I wanted to obtain, and drew his attention to it, 

 when he instantly pointed with his hand to the hiUs fifteen 

 or twenty miles distant towards the south, and when I ex- 

 pressed my intention of going thither cheerfully set about ac- 

 companying me. At mid-day I reached my long-wished-for 

 Pines, and lost no time in examining them and endeavouring 

 to collect specimens and seeds. New and strange things seldom 

 fail to make strong impressions, and are, therefore, frequently 

 overrated ; so that lest I should never again see my friends in 

 England to inform them verbally of this most beautiful and 



