124 Notes and Gleanings. 



its stalked leaves being more than a foot in length. These are ovate-elliptic, with 

 a dark, glossy-green ground : in strong contrast with which occurs a series 

 of large obcuneate patches of pale-yellowish or grayish-green, close to the mid- 

 rib ; and these, being closely placed, form an irregularly-defined pale centre. 

 Exterior to these, and about midway to the margin, occurs another series of 

 bold, connected markings, of a lunate or scalloped outline, and of a transparent 

 yellowish-gray, giving the leaf a remarkably pictorial effect, either when seen 

 from above or beneath ; for the paler portions, as seen against the light, show 

 themselves to be quite transparent. The under side is of a rich vinous purple, 

 paler where the spotting occurs. The effect of this coloring is very rich ; so 

 that the plant is remarkably attractive, especially when it acquires mature size, 

 and has thrown out a spreading head of beautiful leaves." 



This plant has been referred by Dr. Hooker to Calathea. 



It can readily be seen from the description, and the beautiful shading of our 

 cut, how ornamental the plant must be. Yet this is but one of many which are 

 equally beautiful. 



An idea of the colors of the plant may be obtained by reference to Curtis's 

 "Botanical Magazine," t. 5535, where a colored illustration is given. 



The culture of these plants is very simple. They should be potted in rich 

 sandy loam, with an admixture of peat ; be kept at a winter temperature of not 

 less than sixty degrees, which, in summer, may rise to eighty or ninety. They 

 need liberal supplies of water when growing, and should never be very dry. 



Propagation is easily effected by division of the root. 



Manure Lawn-Trees. — Nature supplies yearly a renewal of food, by the 

 decay of leaves, to trees growing in the forest ; but, on the open lawn, no sooner 

 does a leaf fall than the careful gardener rakes it away. In the space of twenty 

 or thirty years, the decay of leaves in a forest would accumulate a depth of four 

 to eight inches, besides supplying yearly the trees with renewed food ; yet many 

 a tree is permitted to grow upon a lawn, year after year, the grass yearly taken 

 away, and not a particle of any manurial food applied to it. How, then, can we 

 be otherwise than occasionally annoyed and grieved if death or disease attack 

 some tree most valued on our lawn 1 Can we expect them to live, and thrive 

 vigorously, without food 1 A moment's thought will tell us no reasonable expec- 

 tation can thus be had. Let us prepare, then, to manure, or, more properly speak- 

 ing, furnish food requisite to enable our lawn-trees to give us this coming season 

 vigorous growths, and broad, rich, green foliage. Let us get our old leaves and 

 our old barnyard manure, and mingle them together ; let us apply some plaster 

 and some bone-meal, and mix the whole again with the fork; and, as soon as the 

 frost is out in spring, we will roll back the turf from around our trees a diameter 

 one-fourth greater than the extent of the branches, and taking off two inches of 

 the top soil, and laying it one side, we will tlien remove, say three inches of the 

 s<}il or earth below; then we will put four inches of our compost, and again re- 

 turn our two inches of top soil, and roll back our turf; and the first good rain, if 

 we wr.tch our tree, we shall see it laughing for jry as much as oui' children do at 

 the ;ri)ts of Old Santa Claus. F. R. E. 



