i6o Notes and Gleanings. 



TiXNEA ^THIOPICA {Violet-sceiitcd Tinnea). — A beautiful plant; one of the 

 results of the recent explorations of Central Africa, being brouglit home by no 

 less than three of the expeditions. It is a bushy stove-plant, growing from four 

 to six feet in height. Flowers profusely produced all along the shoots, of a 

 purple-maroon, with light-green calyx, and having a delicious violet fragrance. 



DiCTYOPSis Thunbergii {Thttnberg^ s Dictyopsis). — A climbing plant of the 

 Smilax family, from Southern Africa, and well adapted for greenhouse culture. 

 Flowers drooping, white, and bell-shaped. 



DoMBEVA IVIastersii {Dr. Masta-s' Dovibeyd). — A small busli with bright 

 pale-green leaves ; native of Tropical Africa. The flowers are pearly-white, 

 about an inch in diameter, in drooping panicles. A curious fact has been ob- 

 served in the fertilization of this plant. The staminodes in the opening flower 

 curve downwards and outwards, so as to come into contact with the stamens, 

 whose anthers open outwardly, and allow their pollen to adhere to them. Being 

 thus provided with a freight of pollen, the staminodes uncoil, and bring their 

 points to a level with the stigmata, which curl round them, and thus receive the 

 pollen. 



We extract from an amusing article in " The Cottage Gardener "' the follow- 

 ing in reference to an orchard-house. It makes all the diflference possible 

 whether we look at the bright or dark side of the matter. 



" I shall beg to introduce to your readers my friend Mr. Potts, who has lately 

 built an orchard-house, as placing each dark reflection that arises in his mind in 

 juxtaposition with its corresponding white. 



'■'•Black. — I have built a large orchard-house. It has been a considerable 

 expense. The extras, including a tank, pump, and shelf for strawberry -plants, liave 

 exceeded by almost one-third the original estimate. My wife taxes me with extrav- 

 agance, and thinks that the money would have been better expended in adding to 

 my stock of household furniture, or providing an adequate supply of table-linen. 



" While. — Never mind its liberal dimensions. Size, if a fault, is one on the 

 right side : it argues in me, surely, a Sir Joseph Paxton largeness of mind. Be- 

 sides, it has been all paid for, and so is fairly my own ; which is more than can 

 be said of every coat on every man's back. Extras are an inseparable accom- 

 paniment of every grand design. I do not much mind what my wife says. She 

 really thinks that 'e'en my failings lean to virtue's side ; ' and I have as much 

 reason for charging her with a lavish expenditure when she rides her hobbies 

 as she me when riding mine. 



'■'■Black. — I cannot say that my house quite answers my expectations. I per- 

 ceive that several spurs have only blossom-buds at their extremities (barren 

 spray, Mr. Brehaut calls these) : a pretty kettle offish, after all my painstaking ! 

 Other lanky shoots have, indeed, a leaf-bud at the end ; but all the other buds, 

 both leaf and blossom, have clean dropped out, — effects of unskilful pruning, of 

 course. 



" White. — My house makes a capital lounge. I enjoy my weed in it immense- 

 ly. How jolly it is to bask in the sunshine when the east wind whistles outside! 

 I am rather glad I built it, after all. When that barren spray is clean cut out, 



