i^ovember ll, 1876. 1 



JOURNAL OF HORTIGULTUEE AND COTTAGE GARDENEli. 



427 



His was the first place I ever saw a stage of blooms in a regular 

 Auricula house, and I shall as long as memory lasts never 

 forget the sight — all the plants models of growth, strong, but 

 not " lishy," and with fine trusses of bloom of generally 

 seven pips ; he never allowed more. He was most chary of 

 introducing novelties, thinking the old better; but although 

 he clung to them he was in later years obliged to confess that 

 in such kinds as George Lightbody, Richard Headly, and 

 others the old had been distanced ; and when he introduced a 

 new variety into his frames he very soon obtained a good stock 

 of it. It was the same thing with Carnations. That wondrous 

 rose flake, Burt's Flora's Garland, I have seen with him as 

 one of the grandest flowers possible, but it has now almost 

 passed away, and in very few (if any) lists is it now to be seen. 



Of his Tulips it is impossible to speak too highly ; they were 

 all of grand strains, of great purity and size; and as^he was a 

 true florist he admitted nothing inferior into his collection ; 

 and although my memory goes back to Groom's grand collec- 

 tion at Clapham, and I have seen the Slough, Stapleford, and 

 other beds in bloom, I have never seen beds of greater excel- 

 lence than his were. 



As I left Ireland nearly thirty years ago I have had of late 

 years but few opportunities of seeing Dr. Plant and his collec- 

 tions, but I am sure he will be greatly missed in the horticul- 

 tural world, especially in the Royal Horticultural Society of 

 Ireland, of which he was the oldest member at the time of his 

 death, having joined it forty-five years ago. I fear he leaves 

 but few behind him to follow in his steps, and I am quite sure 

 not one who can occupy the position he for so many years 

 held.— D., Deal. 



NEW DRACAENAS AT THE ANERLEY PARK 

 NURSERY. 



Mr. Wills is to he congratulated on the possession of a 

 batch of seedling Dracajnas which not only eclipse the few 

 hybrids hitherto raised, but which effectually supersede all 

 foreign introductions of this fine genus of stove plants. For 

 these plants he is indebted to the skill and perseverance of his 

 industrious foreman, the eminent hybridist, Mr. F. Bause. 

 For this splendid achievement Mr. Bause is to be complimented 

 by the whole nation of horticulturists, as he must be honoured 

 and recompensed for his brilliant success. Only a few years 

 ago Mr. Bause revolutionised the family of Coleuses, and un- 

 folded new beauties which were not before dreamt of, and now 

 he has revolutionised the Dracrenai, and, as with the touch of 

 tie magician, he has brought out the hidden beauties of a 

 family of infinitely greater value than the Coleuses. In three 

 years the Coleuses by rapid pi'opagation had become common ; 

 but in three times three years these fine DracKuas will be 

 coveted by those who do not own them, and cherished by those 

 who do. 



A portion of these grand hybrids were exhibited yesterday 

 in the Council-room of the Royal Horticultural Society, and 

 it is gratifying to be the first to publish their names and give 

 some description of them. We have also seen them at home, 

 for on the invitation of Mr. Bause we hastened to Anerley to 

 see his brilliant family, and we were fairly startled by their 

 beauty, variety, and distinctness. 



The vigour of these plants is wonderful, their habits excel- 

 lent, and their colours such as have never been seen before in 

 the family. The varieties where white predominates are not 

 only pure and pearly, but the white is a solid white without 

 any flimsy decaying edge. The magenta in their foliage are 

 rich and glowing, the red full and deep, the pink and rose pure 

 and decided, and there are tints of orange, salmon, and purple, 

 with various shades of green and bronze as their staple or 

 ground colours. Yet they are now only just breaking into 

 beauty and character, each new leaf being brighter than the 

 last ; and what the plants must be when the tops are struck, 

 and with, as we may reasonably expect, their colours intensi- 

 fied and preserved in the lower leaves, time can only tell. But 

 if never more beautiful than now they are the most beautiful 

 of all, and we take them and briefly describe them as they are. 



The (luickness with which these plants have been raised and 

 grown is not much less remarkable than their intrinsic mtrit. 

 Three years have not yet elapsed since Mr. Bause entered the 

 service of Mr. Wills, and here are plants — hundreds of thsm, 

 of great substance and vigour of from 2 to 3 feet in height. 

 Mr. Bause found a few old stumps showing flower-spikes, and 

 these were the parentage of this unequalled group. The seed 

 was sown on August the 1st, 1874, and on November the 10th, 



1875, these splendidly-grown plants were exhibited. Mr. 

 Bause is therefore not only a hybridist of the first rank, but as 

 a cultivator his skill must be equally acknowledged. 



The group must be divided into three sectious^broad, 

 medium, and small-leaved. The former will be unrivalled for 

 general decorative purposes, and the latter must have the front 

 rank as dinner-table plants. We are able to give the names of 

 about thirty-six varieties which have been selected out of a 

 collection of 1700 seedlings, with their parentage ; of the 

 latter the variety first named having been the seed-bearing 

 parent. 



M'iHsii X excelsa and Regina. — Plant robust ; leaves 

 broadly oblong and gently curving ; colour rich bronze flaked 

 with magenta, some of them suffused with pink. Splendid. 



Baitsi'ii X Chelsoni and Regina. — Plant stout and vigorous ; 

 foliage broad, of great substance, and arched ; colour deep 

 bronze, distinctly edged with deep red, which is pure and con- 

 stant. A grand variety. 



Victor'ue x concinnum and Regina. — Plant strong, of sub- 

 erect habit ; leaves broadly oblong, tapering ; colour, lower 

 leaves green and the upper leaves almost pure ivory white, 

 healthy, and with no signs of decay. Very effective. 



AiierUycnsis X terminalis and Regina. — Plant very robust ; 

 leaves long, broad, and sub-pendant ; colour bronzy green, 

 creamy, striped with deeper cream and suffused with rose. A 

 bold and attractive variety. 



Versicolor. — Parentage and character similar to the above, 

 yet distinct. Plant not so robust, but colour richer. Effective. 



Falgens x excelsa and terminalis. — Plant massive ; leaves 

 broad and drooping ; colour deep bronze with narrow rosy 

 pink margin. Very fine and promising. 



Alha marginata x nigrescens and Regina. — Plant robust, 

 erect ; leaves green marked with clear white. Distinct and 

 good. 



Mastersii X nigrescens and Regina. — Plant massive, dwarf ; 

 leaves very broad and drooping ; colour light bronze with 

 deep pink edge and a narrow dark midrib ; habit very fine. A 

 very promising variety. 



Telliniji < ferrea and Regina. — Plant robust ; habit sub- 

 erect ; leaves large; colour bronze and rose, but not yet fixed. 

 A very effective and promising variety. 



Barroiii ■: terminalis and Regina. — Plant of robust dwarf 

 habit ; colour bronze, heavily marked with pink and cream. 

 Very fine and effective. 



Leacocliila X Cooperi and Regina. — Plant tall and free; 

 colour green and clear white. Distmct and effective. 



Pictarata < nigrescens and Regina. — Plant very massive; 

 leaves broad and fine; colour deep olive-green, with a margin 

 of mottled pink and red, promising to be constant. Very fine. 



Salmojiia :< concinnum and Regina. — Plant of free upright 

 growth; leaves long and tapering ; colour green suffused with 

 salmon, which may possibly deepen and lead to a new colour. 

 Interesting. 



I'riunq)hans.^P\B.nt of the same parentage and character as 

 Picturata, but not mottled, and colours lighter and brighter. 

 Good. 



Renardlce X Cooperi and Regina. — Plant moderately robust 

 and of excellent habit; colour green, the new leaves creamy 

 suffused with rose. Very attractive. 



Seottiic x cDncinuum and Regina. — Plant vigorous and 

 dwarf ; habit good ; leaves broad and drooping ; colour rich 

 bronze ; the upper leaves creamy suffused with pink. A hand- 

 some and promising variety. 



Pendens x Cooperi and Regina. — Plant vigorous ; leaves 

 broad and elegantly arched ; colour deep green, edged with 

 rose and cream. Very attractive and fine. 



Stricta alba. — Parentage doubtful, possibly x nigrescens 

 and Regina. Plant free, erect ; colour green marked with 

 clear white. Distinct and fine. 



Carolettic (Mrs. Wills) x concinnum and Regina. — Plant 

 medium, dwarf; leaves narrow, IJ inch broad; colour bronze 

 and magenta. A brilliant and striking variety. 



J'oliita X Cooperi and Regina. — Plant robust and forming a 

 perfect massive pyramid of arched foliage; colour dark, the 

 upper leaves edged with cream and suffused with rose. Very 

 distinct and promising. 



Venusta X concinnum and Regina. — A rich-coloured droop- 

 ing variety. Very promising. 



Eluabe'tlue X Cooperi and Regina. — Plant massive and of 

 fine habit; colour bronze and red. A fine and promising 

 variety. 



Terminalis alba x terminalis and Regina. <=- Plant tall, 



