132 Notes and Recollections of a Tour. 



shoots, and causing their death ; it had very much injured 

 several of the Eastern varieties of pinuses. Mr. Gordon is 

 enthusiastic in his cultivation of the Coniferous tribe, and 

 has been successful in raising many plants from seeds sent to 

 the Society. 



The experimental garden contains a vinery, stove, hot- 

 house, orchideous house, &c. In the vinery all the varieties 

 of grapes are fruited, which are described in the catalogue ; 

 several new ones of late introduction were fruiting, and one 

 called the Admiral is the same as the Black Hamburgh ; the 

 Zibibbo of Sicily the same as Muscat of Alexandria; Dedo 

 de dame has a long bunch with oval berries ; Blussano, poor ; 

 Raisin de Calabre, a roundish white grape, distinct, but with- 

 out much flavor ; Rohergalabe, similar to the Black Maroc. 

 All these were lately presented to the Society as choice new 

 kinds. 



In the hothouse we saw Achimenes picta, in flower for the 

 first time ; it is a beautiful species, being more brilliant 

 than either of the others ; the flowers are rather large and 

 tubular, but not spreading, like longiflora, and of a brilliant 

 scarlet and yellow ; the foliage is also superb, being elegantly 

 blanded or variegated. Niphse'a oblonga, nearly allied to the 

 Achimenes, and so called in some of the Belgian catalogues, 

 has white flowers, and is a fine companion to the Achimenes. 

 ^ristolochia gigas, with its monstrous spotted flowers, had 

 several blooms expanded, which measured more than a foot, 

 across ; it had extended itself partly over the roof We saw 

 a very small plant of the celebrated Upas tree, so long noted 

 for its deadly poison ; it was in healthy condition, and about 

 one foot high. Clerodendron f411ax, a new plant, was pro- 

 ducing its heads of brilliant scarlet flowers. Many other 

 plants were also in bloom. 



The orchideous house had undergone an alteration, and 

 was now heated with one of Burbidge & Healey's boilers 

 and iron tanks. Mr. Gordon thinks this system will do well ; 

 by means of doors in the sides of the chamber, the house can 

 be steamed at any time. As all orchidacea3 like a moist at- 

 mosphere, this is well suited for that purpose. We have been 

 promised a full account of all the experiments in heating in 

 the Society's garden, or we should make some further remarks 



