204 Notices of some of the Gardens and Nurseries 



white-washing, with a very thin coat, the whole under surface of 

 the glass. We think, ourselves, that such a practice would give a 

 more healthy and bright appearance to the foliage of Camellias, 

 than if the hot sun was permitted to shine on them all the winter ; 

 for whether it was to this alone, or to the general well appearance of 

 Mr. Buist's plants, his Camellias were in as flourishing a state as any 

 that we have ever seen. Perhaps ground glass, in a house devoted 

 wholly to Camellias, would be superior even to the best and clear- 

 est crown ; we should like to see the experiment tried ; it is well 

 known that they should be shaded from the sun from April to Sep- 

 tember ; and we have no doubt but their flowers would last much 

 longer, and preserve their colors better, were they so protected dur- 

 ing the whole winter. 



The arrangement of the plants throughout the whole range, is 

 highly creditable to Mr. Buist's taste ; and the general good order 

 which exists throughout his establishment, where propagation is con- 

 tinually going on, is to be much commended. Too little attention 

 is paid to neatness by many nurserymen. Commencing our walk 

 through the houses, we were first delighted with an elegant specimen 

 of the Erica rubella, in full bloom ; the flowers open at first a deep 

 red and gradually change to a light blush ; Mr. Buist valued this 

 plant very highly ; Metrosideros lanceolate. Acacia longiflora, and 

 other species were throwing out flower buds. We here saw the Ar- 

 butus Andrachne with its pretty flowers ; it is a very desirable spe- 

 cies of this elegant genus ; Brunia capitata, another plant admired 

 for its fine foliage and the graceful form of its pendulous branches. 

 What riveted our attention more particularly was several species of 

 the splendid genus Amaryllis, in full bloom ; among them was A. 

 psittacina, venusta, Johnsonia, formosa superba, &c. Mr. Buist has 

 a very fine collection, which he cultivates with greater success than 

 any we have ever seen. 



The second compartment is used as a stove, and is filled with 

 several rare plants. We here observed the Tropa;olum pentaphyl- 

 lum, the singular flowers of which so nearly resemble the shape of 

 the canary bird, as to give it the name of the canary bird flower. 

 It is now called Chymocarpus pentaphyllus, and made the type of 

 a new genus by Mr. D. Don ; it is a native of Buenos Ayres, and 

 was introduced into England in 1834 ; we believe it has flowered 

 for the first time in this country at two different nurseries the present 

 winter ; it is easily propagated by cuttings, and will no doubt soon 

 become common ; Petunia phoenicea, the most beautiful annual that 

 has lately been introduced, Mr. Buist has a fine stock of; Mimulus 

 Smithii, we here also observed, but the blossoms were not near as 

 large, or so distinctly and strikingly spotted, as those we saw at Mr. 

 Pratt's. The pots were standing on the stage whh other plants, 

 and their want of vigor may be attributed to their not having been 

 placed in pans of water. Fine plants of the Ficus elastica, Com- 



