MISCELLANEOUS INTELLIGENCE. 189 



two of them chiefly with Azaleas. The principal Azalea house is 40 ft. long, 

 and contains some grand specimens ; several large phceuiceas, from 4 ft. to 6 it. 

 high, clothed to the ground with foliage and flowers; several whites of similar 

 dimensions and growth ; sinensis, 5 ft. high and 5 ft. through, is bursting lite- 

 rally into a mass of bloom; speciossiina 5 by 3 ft., fine; Danielsiaua, several 

 trained like standard Apples. Fine bushes of Smithii, Rawsonii, mirabilis, 

 leucomegista, splendens, 5 ft. by 5 ft., a grand plant, double red ; pulchra, 6 by 

 5 ft., and purpurea macrantha, and various other splendid specimens. The next 

 house contains all the finer kinds known about London, new and old kinds ; 

 amongst them we noticed exquisita, a noble lateritia, densely covered with 

 bloom, just expanding; a magnificent tree of Danielsiana, tricolor, triumphans, 

 coronata, rosea superba, phoenicea alba. Prince Albert, Hibbertii, grandiflora 

 rosea, Apollo, Minerva, Decora, sinensis tricolor, leucomegista, and Prima 

 ])onna. It is scarcely possible to imagine plants in more luxuriant growth than 

 these; many of them in this house, although only one year out of the hands of 

 the nurseryman, are already great rude bushes in rampant growth. The suc- 

 ceeding house is what is termed the intermediate house, and contains sume fine 

 things. Gompholobium polymorphum luteum is progressing rapidly, so also is 

 a healthy bush of Pimelea Hendersoni. Roella ciliata is 2 by 2 ft., and in 

 superb order. Chorozema angustifolia, C. ovata, and a new species of a fine 

 genus, are all admirable ; in a similar state of health is Lalage ornata and Cos- 

 melia rubra. Leschenaultia Baxteri is making a fine plant, so is Chorozema 

 Dicksoni. There is a fine plant of Chorilama myoporoides, 3 ft. across and 3 ft. 

 high, growing very rapidly. The scarce and beautiful Daviesia coidata is just 

 coming into bloom. There are very large specimens of Statice macrophylla and 

 S. arborea, Siphucampylus Betulaefolius and hntanifolius. Solanum amazoni- 

 cum and Canavalia bonariensis are just expanding their blossoms. There is a 

 fine plant of Styphelia tubirlora, and an immense one of jEschynanthus formo 

 sissimus. Zichya rotuncifolia is shooting out vigorously, so also is a curious 

 climber from New Zealand allied to Echites, named Parsonsia heterophylla. 



The next and last house comprises a collection of Pelargoniums which are 

 cultivated principally for exterior decoration, as a vast number of showy plants 

 are required during summer for vases, beds, and other situations. Finally, Mr. 

 Robertson conducted us to what is termed the North House, a desirable and 

 most useful building in all large establishments where plants are required to be 

 kept in bloom for any particular purpose, as is often the case at Ealing Park, 

 not only for the great exhibitions of the Horticultural Society, where the col- 

 lections of Mrs. Lawrence form objects of prominent interest, but also for the 

 purpose of decoration during the gay parties which are so often given here 

 dutiug the summer. In this house we found noble plants of Cytisus rilipes and 

 C. racemosus, the latter 10 feet high and 7 feet through — a perfect mass of 

 bloom ; Kriostemon myoporoides, 7 by 4 feet, just in perfection, so likewise was 

 K. cuspidatus, 6 feet high, and beautifully formed ; Acacia alata, 10 feet high 

 and 9 ieet across, a most wonderful plant to be in a pot ; Kennedya monophylla, 

 trained to stakes C feet high, and clothed thickly to the pot, is a sheet of purple. 

 But our space is exhausted sooner than our subject, which, to be treated pro- 

 perly, would require a volume. 



Guano; its Action lpon the Growth k Vaiuous Plants, Fuuits, &c. 

 By J. E. Tesciikmaciikh.— The ultimate object of vegetable life appears to me' 

 to be the production of seed ; to this purpose, and to accumulate the properties 

 and ingredients for the formation and perfection of this seed, the root, stem, leaf, 

 and flower are devoted, each peiforming its destined gradual part, until, by their 

 united efforts, brought into action by soil, light, heat, and moisture, this object 

 is attained ; exterior vegetable action then declines until another season. Ex- 

 periment has shown that plants grown on mere sand, with the assistance of 

 water, will throw out stem, leaf, and flower, nay, even the forms of seed, but 

 these will be mere integuments, empty vesicles, or little bladders ; also that by 

 constantly stimulating with peculiar manure, wo can throw plants into such un- 

 interrupted luxuriance of shoots and foliage, that often the flowers, and more 

 often the seeds, do not appear within the limits of the seasuu. Combining these 



