302 Notes and Gleanings. 



The cultivation of Cypripediiim insigne is extremely simple, and propagation 

 is readily eifected by small offsets at almost any Sc;ason ; but February and March 

 are, on the whole, the most suitable months. My plants are growing in common 

 loam, leaf-mould, silver sand, and broken potsherds, and are well drained. Even 

 in this common and generally-attainable compost, they thrive remarkably well. 

 During the early part of the season, this Cypripediiim requires plenty of heat 

 and moisture, and shade from excessively bright sunshine : it grows well under 

 the shade of vines, — as well as, if not better than, in an orchid-house. About the 

 middle of October, the plants may be introduced into a warmer atmosphere, that 

 of a warm sitting-room for instance ; and, by the first or second week in Decem- 

 ber, they will reward the cultivator with the sight of their exquisitely-shaped 

 blooms. , 



For the decoration of rooms I would not recommend too large plants to be 

 grown, but rather to divide them more frequently. Large plants are not, in gen- 

 eral, so suitable for the purpose as those of smaller size. — J. L., in Florist. 



Old Plants versus New. — " Have you any thing new?'''' is the question 

 most frequently asked of florists, and always answered in the affirmative, though 

 frequently the plants are new only in name. New plants in thumb-pots are 

 as plenty as the stars of heaven, and every spring brings fresh discoveries. 

 Florists are not to blame for this inundation of new plants ; they only cater 

 to the public taste, and strive to meet the demand : and so each year we have 

 new carnations, new verbenas, up to the costly screw-pines {Pandanus) and 

 rare stove-plants, which one year excite attention, only to be forgotten the 

 next. 



Old plants should not be neglected for new, — indeed, in many cases, should 

 have the preference ; as we value an old friend who has never failed us more 

 than an untried fresh acquaintance. A good rule is, to always have an eye to 

 novelty, but never to prefer it to quality. Were this adopted, how much dis- 

 appointment would be saved with vaunted novelties which experience proves 

 worthless ! 



True, there are good new plants in the classes of stove, greenhouse, bedding, 

 and garden : but we probably have more good old ones ; so old, indeed, that 

 most persons consider them new. 



Can we prove this better than by mentioning Daphne cneorum ? — a verj* old 

 plant, yet just coming into notice ; possessing every requisite, — perfectly hardy, 

 evergreen, free-flowering, brilliant in color, exceedingly fragrant, and of easy 

 culture. Iberis sempervirens, Sedum Siebodii, Spirea, or Hottya Japonica, are 

 all of the same class, yet were introduced twenty-five years ago ; and the list 

 might be increased tenfold. 



The well-known fraxinella {Dictaninus albiis, ox D.fraxinelld) is one of the 

 best hardy perennials, of fine habit, brilliant and fragrant, and keeping in good 

 foliage long after its season of bloom is past. A dwarf evergreen Alpine plant, 

 which we seldom see, is Saxifraga Pyramidalis, or S. cotyledon, suitable for edg- 



