TUOP.EOLUM UMBELLATUM. 181 



value, the more so that but few plants -will yield their flowers, at 

 least, so abundantly, in situations deprived of the sun's influence. It need 

 not, however, be restricted to such exposures, as it does not refuse to grow 

 in any but such as are very dry and hot. It requires the same description 

 of soil as most of the other species — viz., a rather light, and moderately 

 rich friable loam : very sandy soils, as well as those of an adhesive clayey 

 nature, are unsuited to this, or the majority of the Tropseolums. We are not 

 aware whether this species has ripened seed in this country, but it may be 

 increased in the early summer months by cuttings inserted in pots of sandy 

 loam, covered with a glass, and placed in a gentle heat. At most the plants 

 — or rather the roots, for the stems are quite herbaceous — dying down annually, 

 will need only the protection of a frame in winter, at which period they 

 should have but little water, from excess of which they are more liable to 

 suffer than from actual cold. 



"We have grown, during the past summer, two new varieties of Tropceolum, 

 of which some of our readers may be glad to have an authentic account. One 

 of these is the T. Moritzicmum ornatum, a robust plant of rapid growth, with 

 large smooth peltate leaves, resembling those of T. majus, but with a more 

 sinuate margin, the blunt edges of which are tipped with ochreous yellow, to 

 which circumstance the name ornatum alludes. These tips are seen to the most 

 advantage when the plant is grown in the open air, as the leaves do not then 

 attain so large a size as under glass. The flowers are very similar in form 

 to those of the T. SmitJiii, figured at page 81 of the present volume, but 

 are not quite so large, and the spur is entirely green; the five sepals are all, 

 more or less, tinged with red, especially the two larger lateral ones, and 

 are streaked with red lines on the inside ; the petals are small, and like 

 those of Smithii, both in form and colour, being strorigiy veined with red, and 

 fringed at the edges ; they scarcely project from the mouth of the calyx, 

 which is however so wide that they present rather a pretty appearance, but 

 are certainly less showy than some other species. A seedling plant turned into 

 the open border, rather late in the season, grew considerably, but did not 

 flower; others kept in the greenhouse commenced blooming at the end of 

 summer, and will probably continue in flower some weeks longer. "We have 

 no doubt it will bloom in the open air, planted out sufficiently early, in 

 situations not too much shaded: and, as the roots are perennial, they would 

 also be likely to flower more freely the second season. It is but half-hardy, 

 and should therefore be potted in autumn. The original T. Moritzianvm differs 

 from this variety only in the absence of the yellowish spot on the margin 

 of the leaf. 



The T. Sheuermannianum or Scheuchzerianum (for we arc uncertain as to the 



