March 28, 1878. 1 



JOUBNAL OF HOBTIODLTOEB AND COTTAGE QABDENER. 



229 



4. Abntilon vexillainm anroa.— A distinct and effective va- 

 riety. Its yellowisb marbled and blotcbed leaves are distinct 

 and beautiful. It is of a trailing and branobing habit, and 

 is a very dusirable acqnieition for margins, lines, beds, and 

 borders. It is propagated in autumn and spring by cuttings 

 struck in boat. 



BED p. 



This is a bed of a totally different cUaraoter, and ehonld be 

 planted as follows : — 



1. Lobelia Blue 

 King. 



2. Cineraria acan- 

 tbsefolia. — A robust 

 Bilvery-foliaged bed- 

 ding plant, with 

 leaves somewhat re- 

 sembling those of 

 Centaurea candid- 

 issima, but the plant 

 is of a more compact 

 habit than the Cen- 

 taurea. It is valu- 

 able addition to the 

 silvery foliage plants. 

 It is propagated from 

 cuttings, which in 

 the autumn will root 

 in a cold pit or frame. 

 In the spring bottom 

 heat is required for 

 striking the cuttings. 

 Perhaps it would be 

 as well to state that 

 cuttings of white or 

 grey silvery-foliage 

 plants do not require 

 to be shaded as much 

 aa others, as white 

 is a non-conductor 

 of heat. 



3. Alternanthera 

 amcena epeotabile, 

 brilliant magenta 

 red. 



4. Tagetes signata 

 pumila, green. 



6. Alternanthera 

 paronychy oides 

 major. 



6. Lysimachia 

 nnmmularia aurea, 

 or the Golden Creep- 

 ing Jenny .—This is a 

 distinct ornamental- 

 foliage plant ; the 

 leaves and branches 

 are of a bright golden 

 yellow. The original 

 type of this plant 

 (Creeping Jenny) is 

 well known as one 

 of the most useful 

 for vases or baskets, 

 but this golden sport 

 is well adapted for 

 decoration in the 

 most exquisite ar- 

 rangements. I have 

 used it in Kensing- 

 ton Gardens with 

 the greatest success. 

 It is easily increased by cuttings put in any time between 

 March and September with or without bottom heat. It is 

 quite hardy, and I have no doubt it will become a general 

 iavourite both as a bedding and basket plant. 



7. Echeveria secunda glauca. — N. Cole, Kensington. 



WHAT GARDENERS MAY SEE AT EXETER. 



Ir you, gentlemen, ever long for a little change, and yet not 

 too violent a one, and desire to have the delights of the country 

 together with the luxury of a city, let me recommend you 



some day to take the 2.10 express on the London and South- 

 western Railway and land soon after six o'clock at the fair 

 metropolis of the west— Exetor. If you do not find Exeter ia 

 the pleasantest place that you have ever been at I shall be 

 much surprised ; and not only that, but one where yon can 

 live equally well and for half the money that you spend in 

 London. There is a capital club close to the pubhc promenade 

 called Nortbenhay where we hold our Rose shows, and close 

 to the club you can have excellent lodgings at a most reason- 

 able rate. For 10s. 

 a- day you may live 

 like a prince and 

 enjoy yourself too 

 at the same time. I 

 have j ust been spend- 

 ing a couple of nigbta 

 there, and thought 

 I would write and 

 tell you about it. I 

 should like to have 

 you two elected aa 

 honorary members 

 of our club , and show 

 you what a charming 

 life you can lead at 

 that elysium. 



You have every- 

 thing you want there. 

 Do you wish to see a 

 few sweet flowers 

 which will remind 

 you of summer and 

 make you forget that 

 you are in midwinter, 

 walk through Nor- 

 tbenhay and across 

 the railway, and 

 there is Mr. Robert 

 Veitoh'a nursery at 

 your service. " You 

 will find all the 

 houses open, and if 

 you would like the 

 foreman to go round 

 with you, you have 

 only to ring the bell." 

 But you want no 

 foreman to under- 

 stand flowers ; be- 

 sides, all the plants 

 are labelled. You 

 enter a door, and lo ! 

 every delicious scent 

 salutes your senses, 

 and flowers of count- 

 less hues greet the 

 sight. Here we are 

 in the Hyacinth 

 and bulb house. 

 Cyclamens, Primu- 

 las, Hyacinths, Tu- 

 lips, and a few Aza- 

 leas and greenhouse 

 Rhododendrons, and 

 numbers of other 

 flowers, combine to 

 make you forget that 

 it is raining outside 

 and that your feet 

 are caked with mud. 

 Then a little further 

 on you enter the Palm house where Palms and gorgeous foliage 

 plants lead up to the Camellias, which now are in full bloom. 

 I saw some superb blooms of varieties new to me, and there 

 was every prospect that the flowering season would last till 

 Easter, which, by the way, all the wise men who draw up the 

 almanacs have fixed a week too late. " Why, old fellow," a 

 man said to me, " you must look out that you don't have a 

 Sunday too much this year." Well, however late Easter may 

 be, Mr. Veitch will have some Camellias for us on that " day 

 of days " at least. From this house we go to the Orchids and 

 Lyoopodiums and tropical Ferns. Hundreds of that charming 



Fig 70. Bed P. 



