Tin; ILLUSTRATION IIORTICOLE. 



— Economical labels. — Recently Ave directed attention 

 to the improvements effected by Mr. Girard-Col , of Cler- 

 mont-Ferrand in his garden labels. One of the principal 

 obstacles in the way of their general use was their high 

 price, which put competition with the much cheaper wooder 

 labels out of the question. But this obstacle has been re- 

 moved. Mr. Girard-Col writes that he has been able to lowei 

 the prices materially , and is now prepared to furnish the 

 zinc-parchment labels from four shillings per thousand, and 

 above. We strongly recommend gardeners to give them 

 trial : and we contidcntly predict that these labels will soon 

 supersede all others. 



— Stipa penxata. — Mr. Foldessy, seed merchant at 

 Buda-lVsth. Hungary, collects and dries the feathery inflo- 

 rescence of this elegant grass on a large scale. It is exceed- 

 ingly abundant in the plains of Hungary; and Mr. Foldessy 

 supplies it at the rate of about eighteen pence per pound. 

 A case „f oo kilogrammes (110 lbs. 5 ozs. 10 drms.) costs JE 8. 



— Fi.owEJtixi; of Yucca gloriosa in Scotlaxd. — A 

 correspondent of Thr < uird.rtt says that there are two plants 

 of this Yucca now in flower in the gardens at Hawkhill 

 I-odge , Largs . Ayrshire. One of the plants is 14 feet 3 inches 

 high, and has over 1,300 flowers on it. This plant is more 



idely 



spread, and like by to prove very disastrous. On the other 

 hand, the fruit crop generally is above the average, and 

 many kinds are extremely abundant. 



— " The Floral „ manure. — There has been a great 

 deal of talk lately about this new manure, which is intended 

 more especially for ornamental plants. When it was first 

 introduced it was so highly puffed that cultivators fought 

 shy of it. Nevertheless, it would appear from many com- 

 munications we have received that it really produces remark- 

 able results. Those desirous of giving it a trial should apply 

 to Monsieur A. Dudouy et C [ % 38, rue Notre Dame des 



— Obituary. — France, and, indeed, Europe, has just 

 lost one of its brightest ornaments in the horticultural world. 

 Andre Leroy of Angers is dead ; and his funeral on the 

 2V, July was attended by a large and sympathetic concourse 

 of his fellow citizens. His nurseries had a world wide repu- 

 tation for the splendid collection of trees and shrubs they 



contained. For three quarters of a century his name has been 

 identified with one of the best and largest horticultural 

 establishments in the world. He was 73 years of age , and 

 succeeded his widowed mother. The fruit-tree department 

 of his nurseries furnished the material for his magnificent 

 and admirable Dictionnaire de Pomologie, which only awaits 

 the elaboration of the Stone Fruits to be complete. 



And his collection of forest and ornamental trees was unri- 

 valled, without which, and his generous hospitality, the 

 Dendrologie of professor K. Koch would never have seen the 

 light. The influence he exercised in his own neighbourhood 

 was remarkable; he created a distinguished horticultural 

 world around him by his personal example and encourage- 

 ment. A chevalier of the Legion of Honour, director of the 

 Angers branch of the bank of France, and correspondent of 

 the Central Horticultural Society of France, he was the 

 honour and pride of his countrymen; and he succeeded 

 in wresting the palm of horticultural preeminence from 

 Orleans, to secure it for the advantage and profit of the 

 city of Angers. 



"We enjoyed the honour of being received by this father 

 of gardening last year, and we recall the pleasures of a 

 prolonged visit , passed with him in viewing the treasures 

 of his beautiful nurseries. It is at the same time a sad and 

 a rich reminiscence; and we wish to pay our tribute of 

 respect to the venerable pioneer of modern arboriculture. 



Mr. Boreau, professor of botany and director of the botanic 

 garden at Angers, died a short time before Mr. A. Leroy, 

 at the age of 72 years. He is widely known by his excellent 

 Flore du centre de la France; a work of considerable extent, 

 which first appeared under the auspices of Comte Jaubert , 

 but quickly reached a third edition. Formerly he was a 

 firm supporter of Jordan in his views respecting the limit- 

 ation of species, and the third edition of his work bears 

 too strong evidence of this fact ; but latterly his opinions 

 on this subject underwent considerable modification; and 

 we awaited with lively interest the appearance of a supple- 

 ment to his publications on the botanical region which he 



well. 



LIcm 



first botanical teacher, and we have always 

 been honoured with his personal friendship, the remem- 

 brance of which will not fade from the heart of a faithful 

 grateful scholar. 



E. Andre. 



