FEBRUARY 207 



alexandrce in full bloom. My large, old-fashioned, sweet- 

 smelling white Azalea, which has been so faithful a 

 friend for many years, has failed this year either from 

 mere fatigue of being forced, or from being over-dried and 

 pot-bound last summer, which I think more likely. I 

 have a young plant of the same which is now in full 

 flower Azalea indica alba it is called in the catalogues. 

 But often other varieties are sent out under the same 

 name which have no scent at all, and are consequently 

 much less worth growing in a small greenhouse. My 

 old plant had the most delicious, delicate, and yet 

 powerful perfume. We have now broken it up and 

 re-potted small pieces, with the hope that they may grow 

 again. The large pots of Imantophyllums are looking 

 glorious. They are rather handsomer varieties, both in 

 size and colour, than the usual ones. I got them two or 

 three years ago from Veitch, who has specially improved 

 these most useful and showy of winter-flowering plants. 

 A small shrubby plant of the bright yellow Coronilla 

 gives another spot of bright colour by the blue-green 

 of the sweet-leaved Eucalyptus. We have brought the 

 forcing of the Polygonatum multiflorum (Solomon's Seal) 

 to most useful perfection ; and, put back in a reserve bed 

 after flowering, it is ready to force again after a year or 

 two. It is the easiest and most effective of the hardy 

 plants to bring on in a greenhouse. 



February %%nd. I brought back with me from 

 Ireland last year several plants of the Iris stylosa. The 

 white one has flowered, but not the blue ones, though 

 these were put in two situations some in good rich soil, 

 and some in poor ground. These latter perhaps may 

 flower later. One of the reasons why Irises should be so 

 much cultivated is that they have the merit, which can 

 never be too much appreciated, of flowering admirably in 

 water if picked in bud. A flower can hardly claim a 



