328 



THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 



[September 22, 1888. 



be avoided, especially as the bulks have at times a 

 better and more attractive appearance than the 

 heavy samples. Of Festuca pratensis (Meadow 

 Fescue-grass) the quantities harvested this season 

 are reported to be much below those formerly brought 

 to market, and this applies to home-grown as well 

 as to the American seeds. In both countries the 

 low prices which ruled did not pay the growers, in 

 consequence the greater part of the seed growing 

 districts have been ploughed up to substitute other 

 produce. The crops of Festuca ovina (Sheep's 

 Fescue) and F. duriuscula (Tall Sheep's Fescue), 

 are decidedly smaller than usual ; while the quantity 

 of F. ovina tenuifolia (Narrow-leaved Fescue) har- 

 vested is so very small that the ordinary English de- 

 mand alone cannot nearly be supplied. F. elatior 

 (Tall Fescue) has been harvested in Germany in 

 small quantities, but the quality is very good ; the 

 value is to some extent discounted from the fact 

 that the New Zealand crops are heavier than hereto- 

 fore, but the seeds are wanting in quality, and 

 appear to be much affected with ergot — a disease to 

 which Rye is subject, but which is not at all uncom- 

 mon among other grasses. The quotations for this 

 grass are lower than heretofore, and a large demand 

 is anticipated. 



Poa pratensis (Smooth-stalked Meadow-grass) has 

 been harvested in good condition and in fair qnan- 

 ties, so there will be no lack of suitable seed. P. 

 nemoralis (Wood Meadow-grass) is, on the other 

 hand, again very scarce ; and desirable, true and un- 

 mixed samples are seldom to be met with. P. 

 trivialis (Rough-stalked Meadow-grass) will be about 

 the same as last year, and fine true seed can be 

 offered at reasonable prices. The demand for this 

 grass is increasing yearly. 



Of Anthoxanthum odoratum (Sweet Vernal- 

 grass) the crop of true genuine seeds will be of the 

 same limited quantity as last year. 



Cynosurus cristatus (Crested Dogstail-grass) will 

 be about the same yield as last year, but the seed 

 will be lighter in weight and darker in colour. 



Phleum pratense (Timothy-grass) will be a good 

 yield. 



Clover seeds have sustained serious damage by the 

 heavy rains, but Minette White and Alsike Clovers 

 have suffered most. What little has been harvested 

 is of poor colour ; and a good sample is scarcely to 

 be met with. It is yet too early to form a 

 definite opinion as to the yields of Lucerne and red 

 Clover seeds ; but, in consequence of the incessant 

 rains the plants show great rankness of vegetation, 

 without, however, apparent formation of flowers. So 

 it is feared a bad harvest of these will have to be re- 

 corded also. 



OPUNTIA FEUITS. 



Our illustration shows an example of independ- 

 ence and self-containedness not very rare among 

 plants, and especially among Cactaceoe. The 

 illustration (fig. 43) is taken from a specimen 

 exhibited by Mr. D. Morris before the Scientific 

 Committee in the course of the summer, and shows 

 how, from a fruit containing seeds in the interior, 

 roots were produced below, and young shoots from 

 the upper part after the fall of the corolla and 

 stamens. One single joint or internode in this case 

 thus suffices to form an entire plant equipped at all 

 points. The following extract from Masters' Vege- 

 table Teratology may be of interest in this con- 

 nection : — 



" The fruits of Opuntia Salmiana, 0. fragilis, 0. 

 monacantha, andofsomespeciesof Echinocactus, have 

 been observed to form small fruit-like branches around 

 their summits. M. Napoleon Doumet describes the 

 fruit as ripening as usual, but as being destitute of 

 seeds in the interior [seeds were abundant in 

 Mr. Morris's specimen] ; after a little while the 

 fruit begins to wither, and then a circle of small 

 buds, like those of the stem, may be seen at the top of 

 the fruit, each bud springing from the axil of a little 

 tuft of wool and spines found on the fruit. These 

 little buds elongate into long shoots, produce flowers 



the following year, which flowers exhibit the same 

 peculiarity. Gasparini and Tenore are said to have 

 recorded the same fact as long since as 1832. The 

 specimen from which the figure was taken produced 

 its fruits in the Royal Gardens at Kew, and is now 

 preserved in the museum of that establishment. The 

 adventitious growth in three cases appears to arise 

 from the tufts of spines, which, it has been suggested, 

 are the homologues of the sepals. There can, how- 



1 mm 



i ' ? /'K ■'< 

 /V/\ Kl\ 



Fig. 43. — FltUIT OF 0PUXTIA cut opex (see text). 



ever, be little doubt the outer and lower portion of 

 the fruit of Opuntia and its allies is a dilatation of 

 the flower-stalk." 



Trade Notice. 



NOVELTIES. 



The following new introductions appear in the 

 Catalogue of L'Horticulture Internationale of 

 Brussels : — 



Acalyfha triumphans. — Stove foliage plant. 



Aglaonema nebulosom, N. E. Brown. — Stove 

 foliage plant, Aroid. 



Alocasia gigas. — Stove Aroid. 



Alocasia Lindeni, — A New Guinea Aroid, with 

 handsome foliage, having ivory-colored petioles and 

 yellowish veins. 



Alocasia Luctani X . — A cross between A. Thi- 

 bautiana and A. Putzeyi. 



Alocasia marsarit.e. — Stove Aroid, with fine 

 foliage. 



Alocasia Villeneuvei. — Stove Aroid, with fine 

 foliage. 



Bolbophyllum grandiflorum. — Extraordinary 

 Orchid. 



ColocasiaDevansatana. — Stove Aroid, fine foliage. 



Crinijm Massaianom. — A Tropical African species, 

 with white flowers striped with crimson. 



Dendrobium strebloceras, var. Rossiana. — Differs 

 from the type in its white flowers. 



Dianthera BULLATA. — Acanthaceous stove plant, 

 with fine foliage. 



Galeandba D'Escragnolleana. — Brazilian Orchid, 

 segments yellow, lip yellow, spotted with rose. 



Kestia elbgantissima. — Elegant stove Palm. 



Labisia alata. — Ornamental stove shrub. 



Labisia Pothoina. — Ornamental stove shrub, 

 allied to Ardisia. 



Odontoglossum Boddjertianum. — Segments yel- 

 low, spotted with brown ; lip white, spotted with 

 purple. 



Paphinia Lindeniana. — Stove Orchid. 



Phryniuh variegatom. — Stove foliage plant. 



Piper rdbeo-venosum. — Stove climber ; leaves 

 green, marked beneath with rose-coloured nerves. 



Rodriguesia Bungerothii. — Stove Orchid. 



Schizocasia Regnieri. — A Siamese Aroid, with 

 ornamental foliage. 



Mr. George Bond has been appointed Manager 

 to the nursery and seed business at the Calne 

 Nurseries, Wilts, in succession to Mr. R. Brown. 



SHEUBLAND PARK. 



[See Sitpplementahy Sheet.] 



Sir George Broke Middleton was a man of 

 note, who had done good service to his country, a 

 man who well earned the respect and confidence he 

 won, but it is questionable whether, to the mind of 

 the ordinary gardener, Shrubland is not more inti- 

 mately associated with the names of Donald Beaton 

 and T. Blair than with that of the former proprietor of 

 this noble estate. And this is not the only paradox 

 about Shrubland. In a county not particularly 

 renowned for picturesque beauty, Shrubland offers 

 views of hill and dale, wood and water, which of their 

 kind, cannot be surpassed anywhere. The park is 

 extensive, the Spruces and Scotch Firs effective. 

 The mansion is a noble structure, reconstructed by 

 Sir Charles Barry, and the differences in level de- 

 mand the introduction of terraces and steps which 

 add great dignity to the mansion. AA r hat those 

 terraces were twenty years ago is detailed at 

 great length in our volumes for 1867 and 

 1868. At that time they formed one of the 

 finest examples of architectural gardening to 

 be found in the country. Looking through the 

 record it seems as though the style of gardening 

 then adopted, appropriate as it was in kind, was 

 overdone in degree, and this has led to its abandon- 

 ment or modification. How it looks now, when a 

 different but hardly so appropriate a system is 

 adopted, we are not in a position to state, our visit 

 having been paid in spring. The two views we now 

 give show what a fine feature a long, well-propor- 

 tioned, straight grass walk may become edged by 

 lofty Arbor-vita; and Cedars, which give the neces- 

 sary variation in outline, while the contrast between 

 the sombre Yews and the unfettered flowing festoons 

 of the Roses is delightful. It forms no part of our 

 purpose to attempt to describe Shrubland — descrip- 



