238 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GABDENEB. 



( Match 25, 1876. 



Feraok Kbao, and Princa Albert are the best of the very dark 

 or black-bine varieties, not, however, omitting Lord Melville 

 with its diBtinct white eye. Of lighter shades — " true blues " 

 — are King of the Blues ; Marie, somewlut similar to Blue 

 Monrant, yet superior to that good old sort — Marie is very 

 fine in every instance, and possesses undoubted merit ; Piene- 

 man, noble bells, distinct, and fine ; Leonidas, a fine spike 

 and bells, and also attractive by the two distinct shades of 

 lilac in the petals. Amongst the lightest of the Blues Czar 

 Peter, Blondin, Grand Lilas, [and Lord Darby are the best 

 varieties. 



Of the Whites, Mont Blanc is uniformly vigorous and pure, 

 and in this collection surpasses La Grandesse, which is high 

 praise. Alba Maxima is also in noble form, and there are fine 

 spikes of Mirandoline, Paix de I'Enrope, and La Franchise; 

 while the waxy petals and stout spikes of Seraphine and 

 Grandeur K Merveille merit favourable notice. Snowball is 

 fine in bells and pure but generally deficient in spike, yet not- 

 withstanding is a fine variety. 



Beds. — Due de MalakoEf, salmon ; Prince of Orange, semi- 

 donble, pink, tall close spike, fine; Von Schiller, an established 

 favourite and likely to remain so ; Maoanlay, very superior ; 

 Vurbaak, bright and glowing ; Cosmos, very tall spike of the 

 most delicate rose; Sir J. Paxton, semi-double, rich; but 

 richer still is Prince Albert Victor, which is exceedingly bright, 

 rivalling in this respect Garibaldi, which is, taking all points 

 into consideration, perhaps the finest red Hyacinth in cul- 

 tivation. The above are the best varieties now staged. 



Associated with the Hyacinths are Tnlipa, Azaleas, and 

 Cinerarias, relieved by a few dwarf Ferns and Palms. 



Amongst Tulips the most effective varieties are Canary Bird, 

 Cottage Maid, Joost Van Vondel, Keyzers Kroon, Molifere, 

 Pottebakker, white and yellow; Proserpine, Rosa Mandi, Rose 

 Lnisante, Van der Neer, and Vermilion Brilliant. 



The display is highly attractive, as we expect that it should 

 be when provided by the premier prizemen of the year in the 

 finest of spring flowers — the Hyacinth and Tulip. 



thought of among popular garden plants. It will be eeen that 

 this rule has to do with fertilisation. The very points that 

 please our senses are also the allurements that bring insects to 

 their food, and they at the same time are the unwitting agencies 

 for the necessary transportation of pollen from one flower to 

 another. Boronia megastigma is easily grown : it requires the 

 ordinary greenhouse treatment, and may be increased from 

 either seeds or cuttings. 



We have just alluded to Akebia quinata, but a few words 

 must be given on its own merits. Though quite hardy it is 

 desirable for the greenhouse. Trained to the rafters it throws 

 out slender drooping branches laden with its peculiar brown 

 flowers and pretty foliage. It is a native of China, and there 

 grows over the trees and hedges. 



Clematis indivisa, though unlike the large-flowered and 

 highly coloured hybrids, is equally beautiful in its way. It 

 has dark evergreen leaves and panicles of pure white flowers 

 in profusion, varying from IJ to 2 inches in diameter. It is a 

 native of New Zealand. 



Myrsiphyllum asparagoides can be recommended as one of 

 the best plants for forming wreaths and for other purposes 

 where long slender sprays of delicate green are required. The 

 branches may be obtained many feet in length, perfect through- 

 out. In America it is largely grown, and is said to be used for 

 the trimming of ladies' dresses. Just now the side branches 

 are covered with greenish Asparagus-like flowers, but with 

 bright red anthers, so that they are somewhat ornamental. 



Some of the gorgeous Himalayan Rhododendrons are in 

 flower in the Temperate house. The fiery scarlet B.barbatnm, 

 with curiously bearded petioles; R. ciliatum,E. arboreum var., 

 B, argentenm, and R. fnlgens. 



NOVELTIES IN THE KOYAL GAKDENS, KEW. 



Since the appearance of our last notice a number of highly 

 ornamental and interesting Orchids have come into flower. A 

 fine plant of Dendrochilum glumaoeum has about fifteen 

 spikes of its translucent and sweetly scented flowers. Want 

 of colour is fully compensated for by graceful habit. There 

 are several plants of the beautiful Dendrobium Wardianum, 

 which from recent large importations is now comparatively 

 cheap. D. Pierardi is also a fine species, but of different 

 habit, its pendent stems are wreathed with creamy flowers. 

 A fine specimen of D. densiflorum is now one of the most 

 striking plants of the collection, and does not fail to arrest 

 the attention of visitors. The brilliant yellow flowers are in 

 large and dense drooping spikes, backed with ample foliage. 

 D. nobile var. pendulum is a fine form with larger and deeper- 

 coloured flowers than those of the type. Other attractive 

 kinds are D. crassinode, D. superbum, D. infundibnlnm, and 

 D. l:ngu£e forme. The latter is rare in collections, though 

 decidedly ornamental when well bloomed and covered with its 

 pure white flowers. It is also curious from the flat tongue- 

 like pseudobulbs, which are adpressed to the block on which 

 it grows. It is a native of Australia, and does well in the 

 cool house. The flowers are mentioned as purple, but none 

 of that colour have come nnder our notice. Odontoglossums 

 are always represented, and are welcome at any season. There 

 are now 0. Alexandrce ; 0. Rossii, a fine form of 0. triumphans ; 

 0. Iseve, and 0. luteo-purpureum. Cattleya citrina, Ls:lia 

 anceps and L. superbiens also deserve mention. 



The Conservatory is gay with a variety of forced and other 

 flowers, many of which are not often grown for decorative 

 purposes. Boronia megastigma was introduced to Kew three 

 years ago, and may soon be widely known, being in the hands 

 of all the chief nurserymen. It is quite unlike the other cul- 

 tivated species, and is remarkable from its Heath-like foliage 

 and sombre brown flowers. These are very profuse and have 

 a most delicious perfume, for which alone the plant is worth 

 attention. This with Tinnasa (ethiopica, which is much like 

 it in scent, and Akebia quinata, all similar in colour, occur to 

 us as illustrating the law, " that very brightly-coloured, or 

 large, conspicuous, variegated flowers are seldom scented, 

 while highly scented flowers are often inconspicuous, or, if 

 coloured, are at least not variegated." Exceptions will, of 

 course, suggest themselves, but illastrations may b« easily 



BOSE CUTTINGS— HOW TO GROW THEM. 



I WAS rather surprised to read Mr. Camm's experience of 

 Rose cuttings, so contrary to mine, which is, however, mostly 

 applied to plants cultivated in pots. 



Having repotted all my Eoses by the middle of February I 

 place them in a cool house to bring them on gradually. They 

 remain in this house until the second week in March, then I 

 take them into a house in which they have to flower. They 

 are generally in flower in May, and are one mass of bloom. 

 When they have done blooming I select my cuttings, taking 

 the wood that has had a bloom on it, cutting it in the usual 

 way. I insert one cutting in a small pot, and then plunge in 

 a gentle bottom heat, and I will guarantee that ninety out of 

 every hundred will strike. The soil I use for striking is sandy 

 loam, adding a little silver sand on the top of the pot when 

 the cuttings are inserted. This prevents evaporation, which 

 is of great importance in striking. After they have made 

 growth 2 or 3 inches long they are repotted into larger pots, 

 BtiU keeping them in the same house, but without bottom heat. 

 By the end of July they are placed in a cold frame, and re- 

 main there all the winter exposed to all the sun and light to 

 ripen their wood. The following season they may be repotted 

 or planted out in the rosery with success. If Mr. Camm will 

 give his Rose cuttings another trial in the way I have laid 

 down I am sure he will not condemn the practice of raising 

 Roses from cuttings. 



It may be interesting to Mr. Camm and other Rose growers 

 to know that we have had Roses 6 inches across from cuttings 

 struck the previous year, the cuttings being struck in the 

 usual way — only allowing one stem to grow, keeping them as 

 dwarf as possible, and not allowing them to be drawn up. 

 The following February they are repotted into 8-inch pots, 

 still only allowing one stem to grow up. They will generally 

 grow about 16 inches high. At the top there will be one Rose 

 bud, which is worth all the trouble. These placed here and 

 there in the conservatory have a very beautiful effect. Any of 

 the strong-growing sorts are well adapted for this style of 

 growing. Baroness de Rothschild is one of the best sorts for 

 this work. — James Povali,. 



HANGING PLANT BASKETS. 

 Baskets tastefully filled with plants, and suspended from 

 the roof of plant houses, are generally very ornamental. In 

 lofty -roofed structures they give the place a furnished appear- 

 ance. There are various sorts and siies of baskets manu- 

 factured for the purpose. Those made with galvanised wire 

 are the best; soil or damp makes no impression on them. 

 Those made of common wire and painted green soon lose the 



