G92 Calls at the Nurseries 



nursery. The white and striped show expanding blossoms. C. Sasanqua 

 is covered with bloom, and C. Kissi is, for the first time in this collection, 

 furnished with flower buds. Among the green-house plants at present in 

 flower, three distinct varieties of Lechenaulti« formosa raised here from 

 seed, Crowea saligna and latifolia, iotus jacobae'us, Jcacia discolor, 

 Tecoma capensis, five or six species of heaths, and as many species or 

 varieties of Pelargonium, ai-e the principal. Tecoma capensis, Mr. Chandler 

 finds to bloom most freely in a small pot, in which the plant does not 

 grow above a foot high, and shows flowers for months. Acacia discolor, 

 from seeds atid from 1 to 2 ft. high, produces a dozen or more spikes of 

 blossom on each plant, very fragrant. There is here a good collection of 

 chrysanthemums, some of which, in the open air against a wall, are very 

 splendid. Owing to the mildness of the season, i?hododendron daiiricum 

 atrovirens is now in bloom in this and in other nurseries, and will, with the 

 autumn-flowering mezereon and 6'yddniajap6nica, continue in flower all the 

 winter. iZhododendron fragrans, a hybrid resembling R. azaleoides, raised 

 in this nursery a few years ago, is a low shrub, much admired on account 

 both of its beauty and fragrance, and we are happy to observe that there 

 is now a good stock of plants. 



Surrey Zoological Gardens. — Speaking of these gardens as such, we are, 

 on the whole, highly gratified with them. Their chief defect, at present, is 

 a want of unity in the different scenes which come successively into view ; 

 that is, in proceeding along the walks, the different buildings and other 

 objects, to the right and left, meet the eye with nearly equal claims to 

 attention, and rather puzzle than delight the spectator. We call this a 

 defect, because it may yet be remedied by planting. The object, in such a 

 garden, ought to be, to lead the visiter to one scene after another, and to 

 keep every scene so far distinct, either from that which has been just passed, 

 or that which is next to come, as that its full unmingled expression shall 

 be produced. At the same time, there ought to be just as much indicated 

 of the coming scene as will excite curiosity and invite the stranger to pro- 

 ceed. The theory on this subject has been beautifully laid down by Morel 

 and Girardin. The extent of the ground here is 15 acres, of which nearly 

 3 acres are in water. The whole is the property of one individual, Mr. Cross; 

 and we must say that we cannot sufficiently commend and admire the 

 prompt and spirited manner in which he has set about executing the 

 different buildings requisite for the animals. The London Zoological 

 Society has certainly the merit of taking the lead in this description of 

 garden ; but Mr. Cross has not only proceeded more rapidly than they 

 have done, but has erected more suitable and more imposing structures 

 than are yet to be found in the gardens in the Regent's Park. What is 

 there, for example, in the latter garden which can be at all compared with the 

 circular glass building of 100 ft. in diameter, combining a series of examples 

 of tropical quadrupeds and birds, and of exotic plants ? In the plan of this 

 building {fig. 122. from memory), the animals (lions, tigers, leopards, &c.) 

 are kept in separate cages or compartments (a) towards the centre ; exterior 

 to them is a colonnade (6), supporting the glazed roof, and also for cages of 

 birds ; within this colonnade will be placed hot-water pipes for heating the 

 whole, and bej'ond it is an open paved area for spectators (c); next, there is 

 a channel for a stream of water, intended for gold, silver and other exotic 

 fishes (d); and,beyond, a border, under the front wall, for climbing plants (e), 

 to be trained on wires under the roof. It is singular that the elevation of 

 this building (j%. 123.) is almost a fac simile of the elevation which we 

 made in May last for the hot-houses of the Birmingham Horticidtural 

 Society's garden ; the only difference being, as it will afterwards appear, the 

 addition, in our plan, of exterior pits, and of pediments over the entrance 

 porches. The curvilineal sash-burs in Mr. Cross's building are of iron, by 

 Brown of Clerkenwell, and the glazing is beautiftdly executed by Drake of 

 the Edgeware Road. 



