104 Calls at Gardens and J^ur series. 



to open. It is a desirable plant, the flowers being somewhat similar in 

 form to the Brugmknsia. We here also saw the Pseonia Moutan 

 papaveracea var. Banksice, with twenty flowers expanded at once ! — a 

 most superb object. P. Moiitan puTpaverkcea. was just shedding its last 

 blossom: it had been brilliant with twelve flowers open at once. In 

 this house, the double white camellia, which was turned into the border, 

 made most luxuriant growths last spring. On a single plant, also set 

 in the border, Mr. Haggerston had just worked over a hundred inarch- 

 ings. It will be a curious object when in full flower. 



In the stove, the first objects that struck us were the pine plants; 

 these have grown so much as to completely fill the pit, in which they 

 are plunged, with one mass of foliage; many of them are of large size, 

 and wilTpi-obably produce fruit next season; they will all undergo 

 the operation of a fresh potting this month. The number of pine plants 

 is very great, and it is in the highest degree gratifying to see Mr. Gush- 

 ing entering so earnestly into their cultivation. He will be richly repaid 

 with an abundance of fruit. The new passion flower, so highly spoken 

 of, P. Kermesma, though a weak plant, was about opening a few flow- 

 ers. The hibiscuses, as usual, were displaying a profusion of blossoms. 

 Amaryllis vittata Johnsoni and formosisshna were splendidly in bloom, 

 and a large number of species and varieties were throwing up flower 

 spikes. Many of Mr. Haggerston's seedlings, which we have before 

 mentioned, and which are not yet two years old, are showing buds. 

 We are much pleased with Mr. Haggerston's system of managing the 

 A. formosissima, or Jacobtean lily: it is much better, where there is a 

 stove, than growing it in the open air. By his method the plants 

 bloom twice, and often three times, a year, and the flowers are of large 

 size, and remain in perfection several days. The plants are always re- 

 tained in the pots, and are liberally watered when in a growing state, 

 never allowing them to dry, as is usually done with the other species of 

 this tribe : we never saw finer specimens of flowers. 



One of the most elegant things we observed was the Bletia Tanker- 

 viWice, one plant of which had two spikes of flowers upwards of three feet 

 in height, and covei-ed two thirds of the distance with its blossoms: it 

 is truly a most desirable plant. The pretty B. /iyacinthoi^^es was also 

 blooming. Allamanda carthartica is a charming running plant, with 

 beautiful yellow, bell-shaped blossoms. Brexia madagascariensis was 

 showing a few flowers, but they are of no beauty. The fine Combr^- 

 tum purpureum was brilliant with its profusions of vivid crimson ra- 

 cemes of flowers; it has scarcely been out of bloom for nearly a year. 

 Psidiumjoryriferum was showing both flowers and fruit. Melastoma 

 atromelia, with its purple blossoms, and Ixora rosea, were both orna- 

 mental. Crinum amabile has lately opened a very large umbel of flow- 

 ers. Astrapfe^a Wallichw has been superb with three or four of its 

 pendulous umbels of blossoms. Some account will be found in another 

 page of a plant which has flowered in Philadelphia the present season. 

 Plumbago rosea has been very showy all winter with its rosy colored 

 blossoms; though not of so robust a growth as the capensis, nor do we 

 think quite as showy, yet it is sufticiently so to be a favorite in all stove 

 collections. One of the fine ipomseas, mentioned by us before, has un- 

 fortunately died. 



We had almost forgot to mention the grape vmes, in pots, and the 

 strawberry vines, in the stoves. The lormer are plants gro\yn from 

 eyes and from coils last season; the shoots are from six to eight feet 

 long, and are trained around sticks set in the pots; almost every eye 

 shows two or more fine clusters of blossoms, and we have no doubt 

 there will be a fine crop. The pots are standing upon one of the pits, 

 where there is a gentle bottom heat, the surface of the soil in them 



