Janimry 15, 1874. ) 



JOUIINAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENEB. 



59 



Bteadily increased in number and length till the plant had the 

 appeai-anoe given in the plate ; the flower stem and Typha- 

 liice spike commenced to emerge about July of last year, and 

 attained its full development iu September, when the Uowers 

 began to expand from below upwards, and a full month 

 elapsed before all hail opened. During llowering time a 

 copious honey-like secretion was exuded, which hnng in great 

 tear-like drops to the brown spike." — [Ibiih, t. 6075.) 



CoLcmcDM si'KCiosusi. Nat. ord., Melauthaceie. Linn., 

 Ilexandria Trigynia. — Native of the Caucasus, tlowers red- 

 dish purple. " The largest known species of the genus, and a 

 very handsome one, a native of the countries bordering the 

 Caucasus range on the south, and extending thence into 

 Persia, if, as appears to be the case, a Ghilan plant of Aucher 

 Eloi (n. .OSTO) is the same species. Ledebour in his ' Flora 

 Rossica,' says that it inhabits the provinces of Mingi-elia, 

 Iberia, the Suwant, Lenkoran, and the south-west shores of 

 the Caspian Sea. It has been for some time known to amateurs 

 in England, though not hitherto figured in any EngUah work. 

 C. speciosum has been cultivated for many years iu Kew, but 

 the specimen here figured, which is much more deeply coloured 

 than the Kew one, was sent by Messrs. Barr & Sugden, who 

 have a fine collection of the species of this beautiful genus." — 

 (Ibid, t. C078.) 



NOTES AND GLEANINGS. 

 Dr. E. Regel, Director of the Botanical Gardens, St. 

 Petersburg, has published a work on the species or Vines met 

 with in North America, Nurthern China, and Japan, in which 

 he discusses the long-coutroverted question of the origin of 

 the Vine. According to him, the cultivated Vine, which forms 

 our vineyards and produces our wiues, is not a distinct and 

 separate botanic species : it is a hybrid of two species belong- 

 ing equally to the genus Vine — viz., V. Labrusca, L., and V. 

 Vulpina, L. The former of these two species is met with in a 

 wild state in Northern America, in Japan, in Mantchuria, and 

 in the Himalayas. Its leaves have their inferior face covered 

 abundantly with a cotton-like down. The second species, 

 which grows naturally in the same countries, has upon the 

 inferior face of its leaves only small hairs, short and very stiff, 

 upon the nerves. The first of these two species has furnished 

 the two most remarkable varieties of American Vines — the 

 Catawba, much cultivated for the production of wine, and the 

 Isabella, the grape of which, sought after for the table, has a 

 perfumed flavour and peculiar odour, agreeable to some, but 

 disagreeable to others. 



The finest kitchen oarden in France is that of 



Versailles, which belongs to the State, and brings in a yearly 

 revenue, taldng good and bad years together, of about 20,000 

 francs. The Assembly has determined to apply this valuable 

 property to the formation of a model market garden and 

 school of horticulture. The details of the institution are not 

 yet arranged, but it 's presumed that it will be self-supporting, 

 and that it will render valuable assistance in the development 

 of horticultural science iu France. — {Nature.} 



TiiK consumption of ijiported Potatoes must be very 



large. The declared value imported in the last twelve months 

 was ±12,121,21^5 ; iu the preceding year, £1,G51,24U. 



NOTES- ox VILLA .\nd SUBURBAN GARDENING. 



Nosegays and Ci'T Flowers. — Though these are very ac- 

 ceptable to most .persons, there are few who rightly understand 

 the art of keeping them long in a fresh state, or reviving them 

 when they have faded. It is true that when a flower or branch 

 is cut off from its parent plant its support is thereby destroyed, 

 but still some flowers may be kept in great beauty for a much 

 longer period than others, and many for a far longer time than 

 is generally done, or even supposed possible. For this purpose 

 flowers should be gathered early in the morning, but not till the 

 dew be nearly dried off them. They should be placed in a flat 

 basket or on a tray so as not to press upon and crush each other, 

 and they should be neatly cut, and not mangled or bruised. 

 When thus gathered they should be covered with a sheet of 

 paper and immediately conveyed to the apartment where they 

 are to be used (Messrs. Dick Radclyffe & Co.'s would be a neat 

 and handsome bouquet-holder for the purpose). But if they are 

 to be sent to any distance they should be placed in tin cases, 

 such as botanists use when collecting specimens. In this way 

 the Dutch florists send specimens of their finest flowers, not only 

 to England, but to more distant parts of continental Europe, 

 Our own florists send to the metropolis, for competition at ex- 



hibitions, flowers from Cornwall, from the north of England, 

 and from Scotland, and they arrive without the least decay. 

 They are placed in wooden or tin boxes having an internal 

 arrangement of small phials fixed under a covering of tin just 

 large enough to admit the stalks of the flowers, the ends of which 

 are placed in the water of the pliials, and iu this way they are 

 conveyed with perfect safety. 



Flowers should not be cut during sunshine, or kept exposed 

 to the solar influence, neither should they be collected in large 

 bundles and tied tightly together, as this invariably hastens 

 their decay. "When in the room where they are to remain, the 

 ends of the stalks should be cut clean across with a very sharp 

 knife (never with scissors), by which means the tubes through 

 which they draw the water are left open, so that the water 

 ascends freely ; this it will not do if the tubers of the stems are 

 bruised or lacerated. A thin shce should be cleanly cut off from 

 the end of each stalk every time the water is removed, which 

 will occasion fresh action and revive the flowers. Water about 

 milkwarm or containing a small quantity of cumpbor will some- 

 times revive decayed flowers. The best method of applying this 

 is to have the camphor dissolved in spirits of wine, for which 

 the common camphorated spirits of the druggists' shops will be 

 quite sultieient, and add a drop or two of this for every half- 

 ounce of water. A glass shaie is also useful iu preserving 

 flowers ; and cut flowers ought always to be shaded during the 

 night, and, indeed, at all times when they are not purposely 

 exhibited. The following are some of the genera of plants, the 

 flowers of which remain the longest after being cut — Gnapha- 

 lium, Astelma, Hehchrysura, Phieuocoma, Aphelexis; and others 

 which the French have designated " immortal flowers," from 

 remaining unchanged by decay, hold the first rank. 



Rockeries. — For ordinary purposes, the materials of which a 

 rockery, however small, is termed should lie on their broadest or 

 flat sides, and not be set on edge, much less be placed with their 

 [loints upwards. Little deviations may occasionally be allowed 

 for variety, but the mass will have more appearance of solidity 

 and strength, and be more accordant with Nature's teaching if 

 each piece be laid flat with the outward edge tending a little 

 downwards rather than upwards. Any great elevation should 

 never be sought in small rockeries. This would be inconsistent 

 with their breadth, and would render them too prominent and 

 artificial. They should not be carried higher than the point at 

 which they can be well supported, and backed with a broad mass 

 of earth and vegetation. To grow Ferns upon them the shade 

 of trees or some other objects will be indispensable ; but many 

 rock plants prefer an open sunny situation, so that rockeries 

 should not be entirely shaded. Cerastium Biebersteinii, with 

 its white leaves and whiter flowers, and procumbent habit of 

 growth, is admirably adapted either planted iu a recess or sus- 

 pended gracefully over the front of some stone. Arabis pro- 

 cumbens is also a beautiful plant for a like purpose. Aubrietia 

 purpurea grandiflora is a charming purple spring plant. Mr. D. 

 Thompson's interesting paper containing most useful hints on 

 alpine plants for spring bedding, and Mr. G. F.Wilson's list, are 

 well worthy of notice for rockeries. Plants with traihng habit, 

 evergreens, and a few of the less delicately-branched weeping 

 kinds, and those which assume a wild, rugged, and picturesque 

 character, are most suitable for rockeries. 



As neatness should always be a leading feature in the villa 

 or suburban garden, everything that can be done to promote 

 this should be forwarded now, when Uttle else can be performed. 

 Anything that appears unsightly and that will make manure 

 should be removed to the rot-heap, which should be turned over 

 occasionally and covered with a littlo soil. This prevents all 

 noxious effluvia from escaping; the soil also mixes among the 

 decaying vegetables and becomes excellent compost. Soapsuds 

 have a good effect on many kinds of vegetables, and should not 

 be thrown away ; they act beneficially on soils where Cabbages 

 are infested with the club, and in some instances have been 

 known to entirely cure that disease. 



Veget.vbles. — A sowing of Radishes may be made on a warm 

 border, but they must be protected from frost by covering the 

 bed with straw. If any digging or trenching yet remains to be 

 done, no time should be lost in getting it forwarded while the 

 weather will permit. 



Feuit. — In planting Gooseberry and Currant trees care mu.st 

 be taken to thin them well out in the centre, so as to admit 

 plenty of sun and air. The same remark is also applicable to 

 standard Apple trees : the middle of the trees must be kept 

 quite open, taking care that all the branches lead outwards, and 

 presei-ve a regular distance from each other. Pear trees should 

 also be well thinned, and the produce wUl be much better in 

 quahty. 



Flowers. — Pelargoniums, Fuchsias, &o., in pots should have 

 as much light and air as possible; they should be sparingly 

 watered, and this ought always to be done in the morning. If 

 they are inclined to grow up tall and slender, the points of the 

 shoots may be pinched off with the finger and thumb, and this 

 will induce them to throw out side branches, and make them 

 dwarf and bushy. Anything that is likely to be injured by 



