50 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER, 
[ July 18, 1878. 
base of the range from Kumaon to Bhotan, ascending to 
4000 feet elevation. In Sikkim and East Nepal I found it 
flowering in November. A variety is found in Kumaon with 
almost white pubescence.” —(Ibid., t, 6369.) 
CLEMATIS INDIVISA LOBATA. 
HYBRIDS so numerous and so beautiful of this fine genus of 
plants could scarcely fail in causing some of the less gorgeous 
species being comparatively overlooked, yet many of these are 
highly desirable for various purposes of garden and shrubbery 
decoration. ‘Several of the more free-growing species of 
Clematis,’’ says Mr. Thompson in his “ Flower Garden,” “are 
old favourites in our gardens, particularly the C. flammula, or 
white sweet-scented, which is of so rapid a growth that in a 
single season it will cover an arbour or trellis of some extent ; 
and the purple C. viticella, a still older species, which when 
Fig. 7.—Clematis indivisa lobata. 
well managed, is one of the most elegant and ornamental of 
hardy climbers. Among other interesting species worth cul- 
tivating are the C. crispa, recently introduced from North 
America, with pale fragrant blossoms; C. graveolens, from 
Chinese Tartary, with yellow flowers; C. montana, and its 
variety grandiflora; C. cirrhosa, an evergreen species from 
Spain, with whitish blossoms, produced very early in the 
spring ; C. Hendersonii, with flowers of a fine violet blue, one 
of the most desirable of the genus ; and C, austriaca, C. sibirica, 
and C. verticillaris, three species formerly known under the 
name Atragene, but now united to Clematis. Perhaps the 
most showy species yet introduced is the C. indivisa var. lobata 
(fig. 7), with pure white blossoms 3 inches across, and bright 
red anthers. In its native climate, New Zealand, it quite 
festoons the trees for 15 or 20 feet from the ground with its 
dense foliage and large panicles of flowers. It issaid to require 
a greenhouse, a statement we shall regret to see confirmed. 
Certain it is that some of the plants introduced into England 
from New Zealand require with us but little protection, unless 
in very severe weather.” 
We shall be glad to hear if this beautiful New Zealand 
Clematis has been successfully cultivated in British gardens, 
THE PRESTON SHOW. 
As far as the exhibits were concerned the Royal Horticultural 
Society’s meeting at Preston was undoubtedly a success. The 
Committee’s arrangements and system, however, were anything 
but perfect. I, for one, quite expected to see everything carried 
out in the well-arranged system followed at Kensington. More 
especially in the vegetable and fruit tent all was confusion at 
Preston, as no one knew where to stage. Luckily there was 
plenty of space allowed or matters would have been worse. Why 
not have adopted the simple plan followed at Kensington—ie.,. 
to have marked out the spaces allowed for each collection, and 
also for the single-dish classes? Again, why follow the nearly 
obsolete custom of placing numbered cards only to each ex= 
hibit, instead of following the Kensington system? At the: 
latter place the exhibitor has one number only throughout 
and receives a properly filled card containing name, address, 
class, &c., these are placed face downward with the exhibitor’s 
number on the back: to each exhibit the Judges make their 
awards, which are at once' entered, and in their presence an 
assistant places a simple prize card, turns over the exhibitor’s 
card, and the work is done. At Preston the prize cards had 
all to be filled up, &c., which entailed much work, and after: 
all was very imperfectly carried out. The Committee were very’ 
hard-working and obliging, but were far from being practical. 
It seems strange for the Royal Horticultural Society when 
holding provincial meetings to have so little to do with the 
management. In all probability the Local Committees little 
know what they undertake, or they would much rather leave 
to Mr. Barron and his men what to them is, if not a light, at 
all events not a difficult task —EXHIBITOR. 
SINGLETON ABBEY, 
THE RESIDENCE OF MRS. J. H. VIVIAN. 
AMONGST the many gentlemen’s residences which cluster 
round the great commercial seaport town of Swansea none 
possess more horticultural interest than Singleton, with its 
beautiful climber-covered walls, rare Coniferz, fine fruit, and 
splendid situation. The house stands about two miles and a 
half from Swansea, and commands a delightful view of the 
bay, and has a background of picturesque woods and hillsy. 
It is easily reached by road from Swansea, and the visitor wilh 
not have seen much of the place until it becomes evident that 
originally a very great amount of good taste and prudent fore=- 
thought must have been brought to bear on its construction, 
and it is pleasing to observe that all that has been done in the 
past is duly appreciated at the present time. 
The house itself is of modern construction, it haying been: 
built and the whole place made by the late Mr. Vivian. The 
front door is surrounded with a spacious yard or wide piece of 
grayel, and this is belted with trees and evergreens, amongst- 
which Chimonanthus fragrans and Viburnum Tinus lucidum 
haye grown into conspicuous specimens. On the south front, re-- 
presented in the engraving (fig. 8) there are many flower beds, 
grass terraces, and trees of numerous sorts. In some of the beds 
Tom Thumb and Flower of Spring Geraniums stand out alk 
the year round, and they look better now than plants that- 
have been protected. Magnolia conspicua and M. grandiflora. 
grow luxuriantly and flower abundantly as standards. 
The climbers growing against the house attract much at- 
tention. As if to throw all the others into the shade Pitto-- 
sporum Tobira has ascended 20 feet with the same width, and it 
produces its lovely scented flowers in great profusion. The 
yellow and white Banksian Roses have grown most luxuriantly,. 
as they are about 40 feet high and cover a large space. The 
Malmaison Rose has also grown about 20 feet, and so has the. 
Lemon-scented Verbena. Flower beds abound on both the. 
south and west sides of the house, and some of these are- 
effectively filled with Geraniums, Calceolarias, Verbenas, &c., 
but many of them contain old-fashioned Petunias, Heliotropes, 
Carnations, and other sweet-scented flowers. Magnolias are. 
forming fine standards on the west side of the house; M. con- 
spicua has attained a height of 25 feet and the same in width. 
Close to the flower beds attached to the house and elegantly 
draped with climbers is the conservatory, a structure 60 feet. 
in length. It contains some fine specimen Camellias, Tree 
Ferns, Orange trees, and many other plants ; but here there is. 
no need to go under glass to find rare specimens of vegetation, 
as they adorn every nook and corner in the open air. Several. 
of the Indigoferas are doing good service as climbers against 
the end of the conservatory, and so is the Climbing Devoniensis. 
Rose, which flowers very freely and is never pruned or restricted 
in growth in any way. Many of the finer sorts of Clematis: 
are also used asclimbers. On the westside of the conservatory” 
there are some splendid specimens of Camellias both growing 
in boxes and planted out in the ground, ‘The position is rather: 
