210 BRIEF REMARKS. 



Araucaria imbricata from the same country. Dr. Lindley, writing on 

 this and the other Chilian Spruce, Libocedrus tetragona, says of them, 

 " No doubt they are among the finest Conifers in the world." 



After planting the Chilian Libocedar under the royal standard, 

 which waved over our heads from the summit of the Albert Tower, a 

 recent pile erected from the designs of Mr. Barry, his Royal Highness 

 opened a conversation on the recent divisions into which the Conifers 

 have been arranged by Endlicher and other botanists, and evinced such 

 a thorough knowledge of the different sections as surprised even an old 

 gardener, to say nothing of the workman-like manner in which he 

 handled the silver-mounted spade in the act of planting this fine tree, a 

 biography of which had been prepared for his perusal. It turned out 

 that his Royal Highness had little need of such aid respecting any of 

 the recently-introduced trees to this country. A gentleman present 

 having expressed a wish that his Royal Highness might live to see the 

 tree he had planted rear its head as high as the top of the flag-staff close 

 by, he immediately instanced, in reply, the rapid growth of several 

 species of Cypresses, and, among the rest, an avenue of Cypress near 

 the city of Mexico, where some of the trees have attained the enormous 

 height of nearly 300 feet. Altogether his Royal Highness remarks, 

 conversation, and questions about our craft have put some of us here 

 to the blusb ; and I only Avish that I could say or write in the same 

 strain, so as to induce our rising race of gardeners to study, more than 

 they usually do, the geography of the plants they cultivate, and also 

 their botanical arrangement, according to the best authors. Depend 

 upon it a young gardener has only put his foot on the first step of the 

 ladder when he has received his gold medal for a collection of well- 

 grown specimens. — D. Beaton. (Cottage Gardener.) 



Victoria House for Water Plants, in the Nursery of Messrs. 

 Knight and Perry, King's-road, Chelsea. — This structure has been 

 noticed in a former number ; and on calling to see the plants of 

 Victoria regia we were much delighted with the large handsome house, 

 and more so with the plants growing and blooming so admirably in the 

 large tank. It contained not only plants of the Victoria regia, but 

 fine healthy specimens of the following : — 



Nymphce rubra. — The flowers are eight inches across, of a rich 

 crimson, having a tinge of purple. The leaves, too, are very singu- 

 larly dark coloured. It is exceedingly handsome, and very showy. 



N. odorata. — The flowers are six inches across, white, with a large 

 yellow centre of stamens, and delightfully fragrant. 



N. maxima. — Flowers six inches across, white, with a centre of 

 yellow stamens. 



N. micrantha. — Flowers four inches across, white, with a centre of 

 pale sulphur stamens. 



N. dentata. — Flowers eight inches across, white, with a centre of 

 yellow stamens. 



N. pygmcea. — Flowers two inches across, white, with yellow centre. 



These were in perfect health, and blooming beautifully. 



An excellent plant-grower recently visited Messrs. Knight and 



