28G 



JODENAL OF HOBTICDLTDBE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



t April 13, 1876. 



SO far as known, have yet sneoeeded in blooming it — in fact, a 

 great number have discarded its cnltare. At Kew it bloomed 

 in October of 18G9, and a figure was publislied in the " Bota- 

 nical Magazine" of the following January. The only other 

 instance occurred in a private collection last autumn. In both 

 cases it grew close to the glass, and this may have favoured 

 the condition of growth necessary to produce flowers. It may 

 also be that the stems were allowed to run their own way. 

 Climbers for convenience are often confined on sticks or other 

 contrivance, but which is not conducive to vigour. This we 

 have seen trained on balloons from its being of slender habit. 

 It is a physiological aphorism " that the more erect a stem 

 grows the more vigorous it is ; and the more it deviates from 

 this direction to a horizontal or pendulous position the less is 

 it vigorous." CUmbers and creepers of course do not always 

 require to grow erect, and for these the above aphorism need 

 not be taken in a literal sense, but rightly considered it seems 

 to have application in this case as opposed to artificial restric- 

 tion. So beautiful a plant would be highly valued if a sure 

 method could be found for causing it to bloom. In the stove 

 it grows well without trouble, and a mixture of peat and loam 

 in equal parts, with an addition of sand, seems to suit its 

 requirements. It has wiry stems, with thin heart-shaped 

 leaves, and racemes of bright rose-coloured flowers. It be- 

 longs to the Polygoneae, but is entirely without the coarseness 

 usually associated with the order. 



The small plants of Toxicophlea speotabile, recently 



exhibited at South Kensington by Mr. B. S. Williams prove 

 how valuable is this stove evergreen for decorative purposes. 

 The corymbs of pure white flowers were produced from every 

 axil of the leaves, forming an effective contrast with the rich 

 green foliage. A valuable addition to the chaste appearance 

 of this plant is the delicious fragrance of the flowers. This 

 plant is of easy cultivation, growing freely in loam and peat, 

 and requires the temperature of a cool stove or intermediate 

 house. 



Mb. Christie, gardener, Orton Hall, Peterborough, 



states that he has cut nineteen dozens of Maeechal Neil Roses 

 from one shrub planted out in a large house which has been 

 converted into a stove, and the heat has brought out the Roses 

 not only early but exceedingly fine. Several other buds are 

 showing on the plant. 



We have recently seen in the gardens of H. Chaplin, 



Esq., of Blankney Hall, a new Beet not only perfectly distinct 

 from but decidedly superior to any other variety which has 

 come under our notice. It has been selected by Mr. Frisby, 

 the gardener, from Nutting's Dwarf Red Beet, but is as dis- 

 similar to the type as is the Early Horn to the Long Surrey 

 Carrot. In shape this Beet is precisely that of a perfectly 

 formed Carrot, the root being the reverse of short and stubby 

 so common in Beets, but is narrow, long, and gently tapering. 

 A full-sized root in its thickest part is not larger in diameter 

 than a fair-sized Cucumber, and this diameter is very nearly 

 maintained to a length of 9 inches. In other words, three 

 times the number of slices can be cut from a root of this Beet 

 than from one of the variety from which it has been selected. 

 There is Uttle if any doubt that this is the most perfectly 

 shaped Beet at present in cultivation, and in colour and 

 quality it is all that can be desired. It is an important addi- 

 tion to our root crops, and is calculated to drive most of the 

 ordinary types of Beet out of the market and garden. It has 

 also proved to be perfectly constant and fixed in its character. 



The horticultural decorative establishment of Mr. 



Wills at Onslow Ckescent is at present unusually attractive. 

 The Palms, Tree Ferns, towering Dracsenas, and other orna- 

 mental-foliaged plants are not only numerous but exceedingly 

 fine. The flowering plants are in great variety, and are 

 arranged in various and tasteful ways and attractive groups. 

 The miniature aquariums with their canopies of cork whereon 

 are trailing plants and mosses demonstrate how ornamental 

 snch contrivances are for rooms and conservatories ; and pro- 

 minent objects in the open air are handsome standard Laurus- 

 tinuses. These have stems 3 to 5 feet in height, surmounted 

 with globular heads 3 feet in diameter densely covered with 

 flowers. For terrace ornamentation it is difficult to imagine 

 anything more imposing at this period of the year than these 

 hardy standard Laurustinuses. 



Messrs. W. & J. C. Casson, Thome, near Doncaster, 



inform us that Rhododendron Caucasicum Mnemosyne gran- 

 diflorum has stood out fully exposed all the winter and during 

 the severe frost and snow in March, yet it is now splendidly 



in flower. The plant is only 18 inches high, and has twenty- 

 three trusses of flowers expanded. The outside of the petals 

 are a bright rose lake with fringed edges; the inside of the 

 flowers are nearly white, each being about 2 inches in diameter. 

 As the trusses are large in proportion to the size of the plant, 

 and the foliage good, it is just now a very beautiful object. 



SouE idea of the recent tornado that passed over France 



may be gathered from the fact that no fewer than 30,000 trees 

 were blown down in the forest of Compiegne, a part of which 

 belongs to the Duo d'Aumale. Gaps 500 yards wide and 

 1000 yards long have been made in the old forest. The 

 damage is estimated at over a million francs. In many parts 

 of Normandy a third of the Apple trees have been destroyed, 

 and the damage wiU take years to repair. 



■ The approaching International Horticultural Exhi- 

 bition to be held at Brussels is expected to be one of the most 

 successful gatherings of the kind on record. The arrangements 

 of the Committee have been on the most liberal scale, and the 

 inducements offered to English exhibitors have been such as 

 to command attention. We are informed that most of our 

 principal nurserymen have applied for space at the Exhibition. 

 The order of proceedings is arranged as follows : — Friday, 

 April 29th, at 9 p.m., official reception of the members of the 

 Jury and of the Botanical Congress in the hall of the Hotel de 

 VUle, when the vin d'honneur will be offered by the Burgo- 

 master. Saturday, April 30th, 9.30 a.m., meeting of the Jury 

 at the exhibition in the Plan du Petit Sablon. In the evening, 

 meeting at the Cercle Artistique. Sunday, at noon, formal 

 opening of the Exhibition ; spectacle at the Theatre de la 

 Monnaie. Monday, May 1st, at 10 a.m., opening of the Con- 

 gress; at 6 P.M., grand banquet offered by the Flora Society 

 to the members of the Jury and the Congress. Tuesday, con- 

 tinuation of the Congress. Than a visit to this Exhibition wa 

 know nothing of greater interest to horticulturists and gar- 

 deners, who may rely not only on a great horticultural treat 

 but on receiving a warm welcome by our Belgian friends. 



Flower Gardens in Churchyards. — Dr. Tristram, 



Chancellor of the diocese of London, has lately given his 

 decision respecting the application by the Rev. Harry Jones, 

 rector of St. George's in the East, and the churchwardens, for 

 a faculty to convert a part of the churchyard (which was closed 

 in 1SS5J into a flower garden. He said that all parties agreed 

 in the application, and the Court had jurisdiction to make an 

 order which would give access ; and it could not confer on the 

 parishioners any greater power. If the Court sanctioned the 

 ground being planted with flowers it would be doing nothing 

 that could be construed as desecrating the ground or offering 

 any disrespect to the dead. In granting the appUcation for a 

 faculty he considered he was exercising a sound discretion, 

 having regard to the times and circumstances and the interest 

 of all parties concerned. 



JOTTINGS ABOUT EOSES. 



On page 217 of our Journal, "Winchmore" suggests that 

 my great failure with the Briar last year was owing to the 

 enormous amount of manure that I used with them. Now I 

 cannot think this, for in the first place it is exceedingly difii- 

 cult to over-manure the Briar, although, as I myself have 

 proved, you may over-dress the Manetti ; and secondly, I did 

 not, as " Winchmore" may possibly imagine, place the whole 

 of the manure on at the same time. I covered the land with 

 manure first in the summer, and then ploughed it in. I next 

 planted the Briars in the winter and top-dressed them in the 

 spring, budded them in July and manured them again in the 

 following winter, and mulched them again in the spring. So 

 there were four distinct dressings. As for draining, our soU is 

 so Ught and stony that it is never required. " Winchmore" 

 concludes by having a shy at my peroration. 



About the Osmunda regahs "Winchmore" says, "The 

 Osmunda regahs needs Uttle protection with us, for in our 

 unfavoured district you would be as likely to find an Anthu- 

 rium or Poinsettia." I am very sorry to hear it, for here it 

 grows in perfection ; but if he wants a more homely ending 

 let me implore him to leave the wild Rose to follow its own 

 " sweet will," bloom in his hedges undisturbed ; let it protect 

 the honest Dandelion and screen the useful if vindictive Sting- 

 ing Nettle, so will the herbalists and the dear old women of 

 his native place cover him and it with blessings as they make 

 their delicious medicine. Mayhap he will thereby be saved a 

 doctor's biU, and all because of the dear Dog Rose. 



