June 11, 1874.] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICaiiTnRB AND OOTTAQE GARDENER. 



ill 



SterculiacefB that can be grown out of doors. The leaves and 

 other parts are clothed with stellate hairs. It was first intro- 

 duced by Messrs. Veitch a few years ago. Among the Lilies, 

 L. pyrenaioum, L. Szovitsianum, and others are in bloom. In 

 the next bed Antherieum Liliastrum is producing several 

 spikes of its large white flowers. Asphodeline lutea and 

 A. taurioa are very ornamental ; they have graceful foliage, 

 and the yellow flowers are produced long in succession. The 

 New Zealand Veronica buxifolia is pretty aud interesting ; is 

 hardy, and forms a miniature shrub — round and dense ; the 

 Box-like leaves are glaucous, and the flowers white, produced 

 many together at the tips of the branches. A clump of the South 

 European Gladiolus byzantiuus has a fine appearance, with 

 about twelve spikes. Noteworthy of the Irises recently open 



are I. variegata var. elatior, a fine variety with stronger habit 

 of growth than I. variegata, and richer colouring. I. Gulden- 

 stadiaua, a thin flower, distinct, but not very ornamental. 

 I. IfBvigata, one of the most stately ; the drooping segments are 

 large without undulation. It is known in nurseries, where 

 many varieties are to be found, as I. K;ompferi. ,Ethionema 

 orientale is in great beauty with its profusion of pink flowers ; 

 it is suffrutescent in habit, and ono of the best perennial 

 species. A few yards off Sarracenia purpurea is in flower. 



Recently open in the Orchid collection are Cypripedium 

 Veitchianum (G. superbieus), one of the finest of the C. bar- 

 batum type ; Galanthe Masuca, Catasetum atratum, and C. 

 cernuum ; this genus aud its alUes " are the most remark- 

 able of all Orchids" — (Darwin); Oncidium divaricatum and 



MR. FINca S FLOWER GARDEN. 



0. pulohellum, a small but very pretty species ; the white lip 

 is very large in proportion to the rest of flower ; Liparis 

 Bowkeri, Lycaste Deppei, Stanhopea WardLi, Cyrtopera san- 

 gninea, and several more of less interest. A plant of Onci- 

 dium ampliatum has five spikes of bloom, and the profusely- 

 flowering 0. Harrisoni is very pretty. Sobralia macrantha, a 

 good dwarf variety, is producing its last flowers, after having 

 been in bloom several weeks. Also in flower in this house is 

 the elegant Utricularia montana ; though usually associated 

 with Orchids, is in no way related. 



At the rockwork Silene Hookeri is the plant of greatest 

 interest. It was introduced by Mr. Thompson, of Ipswich, 

 under the name of S.Bolanderi, but this name being the more 

 recent must give way in favour of the former. It is variable 

 as a wild plant ; in this instance the flowers are more than 

 1,1 inch in diameter, the petals are divided into narrow seg- 

 ments so as to suggest the rays of a composite, and the tint is 

 that which people are pleased to call flesh colour. From the 

 pccuUar flowers and greyish foliage it is like no other SUene 

 in cultivation. It is a perennial, perhaps not quite hardy, and 

 requires care in winter; when at rest it retires, or may retire, 

 beneath the soil, and in that case must not be thrown away as 

 dead. Lychnis diurna plena is extremely pretty ; the flowers 

 at a short distance look like little Roses. Houstonia cajrulea, 

 a tiny gem, must have attention ; the delicate blue flowers are 



borne in profusion on slender erect stems. It is common in 

 North America, though rarely seen in cultivation. Many com- 

 plain of its being difficult to grow ; it does not seem to be, 

 simply requiring moisture with good drainage. It increases 

 freely by division. Dianthus saxicola is a distinct and pretty 

 species, with grassy foliage and pink flowers. The most strik- 

 ing plant in bloom is a fine example of Saxifraga Cotyledon 

 (S. pyramidalis). That grown as S. nepalensis is the same; 

 there is not the slightest deviation from the typical character, 

 and from wherever received cannot possibly have anything to 

 do with Nepal. They who consider it distinct should at least 

 adopt a more suitable name. To have this plant in perfection 

 the rosettes must be grown freely from the first, and have all 

 offsets removed. The rare and not easily-grown Saxifraga 

 florulenta, figured in the "Botanical Magazine" for this 

 mouth, seems likely to do well. 



In the succulent house two plants of Agave yuocsefolia are 

 throwing up their flower stems. 



In the south octagon of the temperate house Eucalyptus 

 cornuta is in flower and fruit, showing well the character of the 

 genus. The sepals remain united, forming a cap, with which 

 the corolla is combined ; the flower opens by its falling away. 

 In E. cornuta the cap is large, and resembles in form the 

 " Horn of Plenty." Near at hand Callistemon rigidum is 

 producing its brushes of scarlet filaments, and is veryorna- 



