April 27. 1876. ) 



JOUBNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GAEDBNEB. 



829 



kinds are following each other in rapid EuccesBion — plants 

 which are remarkable for brightness of foliage, elegance of 

 form, and some of them Eingularity of aspect. Mr. Bnll's 

 collection of these plants is exceedingly rich. Here is to be 

 seen a fine example of the Ham's Horn Croton (C. volutnm) 

 which when well grown is exceedingly distinct. Not less novel 

 is the Corkscrew Croton (C. spirale), of which the establish- 

 ment contains handsome specimens. C. majesticum is another 

 of Mr. Ball's introductions, and is certainly one of the finest 

 in cultivation. The Imperial Croton (C. imperialie) has noble 

 foliage finely margined, and C. pieturatum is both novel and 

 ornate. This plant, of which Mr. Bull enables me to submit 

 an illustration, is remarkable by each leaf proper producing a 



slender filament, at the extremity of which is subtended a 

 smaller secondary leaf. This variety is also highly coloured, 

 the midrib being red and the blotches yellow merging to red. 

 It is of medium growth, and is both novel and attractive. 

 There is also an extensive collection of the new Trilobed 

 Crotons in several varieties, and kinds even newer than these 

 not yet submitted to the outer world. Some of the best of these 

 are C. elegantiesimum, a slender drooping mass of gold ; 

 C. formosum, finer in character than C. W'eismannii, and 

 richer in colour than C. majesticum ; C. Eex, having the same 

 relation to C. spirale as the large augur has to the small 

 corkscrew; and C. gloriosum, a fine plant with long wavy 

 foliage of creamy yellow and green. The above are but a few 



Fig. OG.— Croton pictubatcm. 



of the extensive collection of these popular and effective stove 

 plants. 



lu the house adjoining the Crotons are many new and 

 valuable plants, but none more distinct than the remarkable 

 new Dracfcua D. Goldieana. This plant represents a totally 

 new family of Dracjenas, being dissimilar to the ordinary types 

 alike in character of growth, form of foliage, and markings. 

 The foliage is somewhat heartshaped and fleshy in texture, 

 each leaf being transversely marked with silvery grey on a green 

 ground. When this plant flower.'^ and becomes either a seed- 

 bearing or pollen-producing parent, and crosses are cft'ected 

 with other varieties, it is impossible to predict what the issue 

 may be. It is a plant from which mui-h is expected, and is 

 doubtless one of the most cherished possessions of its owner. 



There is also in the same house some new Diefifenbachias, 

 the new Artocarpus Cannoni, and on each side of the door 

 the striking wall plants Marcgraavia paradoxa and M. dubia. ; 

 No Ivy can adhere to the wall with the same persistency as 

 these plants, for not only the stems but the leaves become 

 affixed to the structure as if embedded in gum. At the end of 

 this house are a pair of plants which probably cannot be 



matched in Europe, and which may fittingly introduce a brief 

 notice of the 



Palms.— The plants referred to are a pair of Pritchardia 

 grandis, and truly grand they are in their massive dark 

 fronds. They are plants of great value, not only on account 

 of their admitted scarcity but for their noble beauty. Another 

 new Palm is not nearly so scarce — Geonoma Carderi — an 

 elegant introduction from Colombia. Of this Palm there are 

 many hundreds, and which are now being distributed. Fine 

 examples in almost all sizes are seen of the most graceful of 

 all Palms— Cocos Weddelliana, and perhaps greater numbers 

 of the charming table Palm Doomonorops palembanicus. The 

 Silver-leaved Palm (Astrooaryum argenteum), is also note- 

 worthy, and not less so is the Blue Palm (Sabal caTuIescens), 

 a blue tinge suffusing the leaves and especially on their under 

 surfaces. Kentias, Livistonias, Arecas, Martinezias, and nu- 

 merous others are represented in various sizes and in large 

 numbers. Entering another house we find several " new and 

 rare " plants, including a choice selection of 



Aealias. — These are the princes of table plants, and are in- 

 dispensable for decorative purposes. One of the most hand- 



