694 



Calls at the Nurseries 



chines. These gardens are close to Groom's Florists' Garden, Walworth ; 

 and whoever goes to see the former ought to call and see the latter, 

 more especially in the tulip and ranunculus season, 



Gordon, Forsyth, and Co's Ninsery, Mile End, is the remains of an 

 extensive and highly respectable establishment, now, however, chiefly con- 

 fined to the seed trade. In an old green-house we were pleased to find 

 specimens of plants now neglected, but which were common about Edin- 

 burgh in the days of our youth ; such as Cluytia «laternoides, Cneorum 

 tricoccum, Camphorosma monspeliaca, Phylica mcoides, &c. 



Thompson's Nursci'y, Mile End, contains many fine large specimens of 

 magnolias, stuartias, illicinms, Gymnocladus, KoelreutenV/, Halesia, green 

 tea, maiden-hair tree, &c. &c., which we wonder very much no wealthy 

 amateur thinks of purchasing. The green tea thrives in the open air here 

 almost as well as the holly or the common laurel, and bushes, 6 ft. high 

 and 7 or 8 ft. in diameter, are now profusely covered with bloom. A plant 

 nearly this size was moved about a year ago, and seems to have suffered 

 very little by the change. In the green-houses are a number of large green 

 teas in pots, which we would strongly recommend for turning out into the 

 open air. Half a dozen of them would make a handsome present to the 

 Surrey Zoological Garden. 



The Haclmei) Botanic Garden, Messrs. Loddiges. — Some alterations 

 have been made in the arrangement of the palm house, and many of the 

 plants have been shifted into larger boxes ; the whole are in admu-able 

 health and vigour. The collection of ferns and that of Orchldese are every 

 year increasing ; the latter considerably exceeds 300 species. Some of the 

 ferns are magnificent specimens. We shall only notice the Aspidium 



Baromez, the Scythian lamb, as it 

 is called by Darwin and other writers. 

 The name is said to have originated 

 in the circumstance of its brown, 

 hairy, creeping root-stalks being 

 often found separated from the plant, 

 and turned upside down, so as to be 

 supported by the stumps of the 

 fronds or leaves. The appearance 

 of the plant, even in Messrs. Lod- 

 diges's collection {fig. ISl.), gives 

 a very good idea of how such an 

 apparent metamorphosis may take 

 place, and how easily the name may 

 have been applied in a country 

 where the lambs are small, and their 

 wool brown and hairy. Among the 

 Orchideas, Cymbidium sinense, Cae- 

 logyiie fimbriata, Cypripedium ve- 

 nustum, Zygopetalum crinitum, &c., 

 were coming into flower. Among 

 the palms, that most elegant spe- 

 cies, Euterpe globosa {fig. 125.), 

 which combines the foliage of the palm with tlie smooth deep green bark 

 and jointed stem of the bamboo, is growing rapidly. Of all the palms this 

 would be one of the best for filling the central dome of the botanic con- 

 servatory at Syon House. The camellias are full of promise. The arbo- 

 retum is become quite a forest. We find we were mistaken in thinking we 

 had seen Shepherdzff argentea in fruit, as stated on the cover of our last 

 Number : there are plants here, but they have never blossomed. There is 

 still, tiicrefore, abundance of room for the trees recommended by our 

 American correspondent, (p. 670.) The autumnal foliage in this arboretum. 



