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JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ November 16, 1S76. 



the dissepiments. This must, no doubt, be a very showy 

 plant in its own country, as it is apparently very floriferous ; 

 but it is doubtful if it will be so valuable in these isles, when 

 the summer heat is not sufficiently powerful for perfecting its 

 growth and fully developing its flowers before our early autumn 

 chills affect it. The plant which has juBt opened its first 

 flowers in the open border at Glasnevin, and is somewhere 

 about 4 feet high and 3 feet through, with numerous lateral 

 branches, each, S3 well as the terminal branches, bearing a 

 flower bud at the point, was received by Dr. Moore only last 

 March, and then, we believe, a mere cutting. From this it 

 will be perceived it is a vigorous free grower. The flower that 

 has expanded is the one on the main stem, but it appears to 

 be doubtful, owing to the lateness of the season, if those on 

 the laterals will follow suit. The decorative value of this plant 

 for the mixed border will not be rightly tested until the 

 coming year, when it can be seen if, with the aid of the slight 

 protection which Dr. Moore contemplates, it will be sufficiently 

 bardy to stand our winters, and, with an early start, be able 

 to reach the flowering period while the sun is still powerful. 

 If so, it will be a valuable acquisition. 



We have felt constrained to go more into particulars with 

 regard to this plant than we otherwise would by reason of it 

 being so identified with three very distinguished Irishmen. 

 It was first described and the genus founded by the late Dr. 

 Harvey, Professor of Botany in Trinity College, Dublin. The 

 generic name commemorates one of the most gifted of our 

 countrymen — namely, Dr. Romney Robinson of Armagh, whose 

 fame is world-wide ; and the specific name that of the late Dr. 

 Coulter, also a professor in our University, and well-known in 

 all the scientific circles of Europe for his botanical attain- 

 ments, and after whom tie leguminous genus Coulteria is 

 named. It was he, too, who, during a lengthened residence 

 in Peru, made Cacti a special study, and sent thence to 

 the University Botanic Garden the largest collection of these 

 singular plants ever sent by one man to Europe. — [Irish 

 Farmers' Gazette.) 



HAKDY ANNUALS. 



I endsbse what " H. S. " says on page 401 respecting hardy 

 annuals for spring flowering, but I think that he is in error 

 when entertaining the idea that our pets are only cared for in 

 large establishments. They are growing in favour, and I ex- 

 pect they will continue to do eo. To those " H. S." enumerates 

 I add Collinsia grandiflora, for in the spring this lovely flower 

 will vie with any other spring-flowering annual. C. bicolor 

 does us good service, too, in bed and border ; the plants are in 

 their places now. Gilia tricolor stands well through the winter, I 

 and flowers early. Nemophila insignis is a useful plant for early 

 spring work. Limnanthes Douglasi is one of the hardiest of 

 the annuals, and is a fine plant when well grown. Sphterogyne 

 speciosa should have a place in all spring gardens. Linaria 

 bipartita does us good service as a hardy annual in the spring, 

 but in my estimation Veronica syriaca eclipses them all. I 

 set this down as the gem of gems for early spring work, and 

 no kind of weather appears to affect it. 



These annuals cannot be had without labour, but it is 

 pleasant labour to prepare for cheerful spring. To grow them 

 well they require sowing the latter end of August. When 

 ready they Bhould be pricked out, and subsequently be moved 

 with balls into their winter quarters as early in October as 

 possible. I find it good practice in very severe weather to 

 stick a few evergreen branches among them, taking away the 

 branches when the severity of the weather is past, and on dry 

 days stirring the surface of the gTOund among the plants is 

 very beneficial. — A Lover of Hakdt Annuals. 



PORTRAITS of PLANTS, FLOWERS, and FRUITS. 

 Anthcbium Bakebi. — " The vast genus Anthuriuni contains 

 upwards of 180 species (as enumerated by Schott in his ' Pro- 

 dromus ') , all natives of tropical America, and of which between 

 fifty and sixty were known to that author in a living state, 

 chiefly from specimens grown in the rich collection at the Im- 

 perial Palace of Schcenbrun (Tienna), and obtained principally 

 by himself. At Kew, which is also rich in tropical Aroids, 

 nearly one hundred species of this genus are cow in cultiva- 

 tion, forming one of the principal ornaments of the Aroid 

 house, where, for number of species, beauty and variety of 

 form of foliage, th6y dispute the palm with the Philodendrons. 

 They are plants easy of cultivation if supplied with shade, 



moisture, and a high temperature, and being remarkably free 

 from insect pests they are well adapted for stove culture. 



" A. Bakeri was imported from Costa Rica by Mr. Bull, who 

 presented it to the Royal Gardens, where it flowered firBt in 

 June, 1872."— (Bot. Mag., t. 6261.) 



Masdevallia ionochabis.— " M. ionocharis is one of the 

 smaller spscies of the genus, and is remarkable for the bright 

 colouring of the flowers that are abundantly produced in 

 autumn. It was made known by Dr. Reichenbach, who pub- 

 lished it from specimens discovered by Mr. Davis in Peru, and 

 flowered by Messrs. Veitch in the Royal Exotic Nurseries, to 

 whom the Royal Gardens are indebted for the specimens here 

 figured, which flowered in September, 1875." — (Ibid., t. 6262.) 



Libertia paniculata. — " A very elegant and free-flowering 

 greenhouse plant, which has been long cultivated at Kew, 

 having been raised from New South Wales seeds. It flowers 

 early in spring. The genus to which it belongs is confined to 

 Australia, New Zealand, and extra-tropical South America, 

 and contains only three or four species ; it is thus one of 

 several instancss of a close botanical relationship between 

 these distant countries." — (Ibid., t. 6263.) 



Fbitillabia becubva. — " In colour this is the finest of all 

 the Fritillaries, the red beiDg a3 bright as that of a Lily, 

 and intermixed, especially in the inside of the flower, with 

 bright yellow. It is a native of California, and belongs to the 

 small group of Fritillaries with Lily-like bulbs. It was first 

 described by Mr. Bentham from specimens gathered in 1848 

 by Hartweg on the mountains of Sacramento, and has Bince 

 been collected by Fremont, Jeffrey, and many others. We first 

 received specimens cultivated in Europe from Max Leichtlin , 

 Esq., in 1870. Our stock at Kew was received in 1875 from 

 Mr. Sargent of the Botanic Gardens at Harvard. In England it 

 flowers early in May, or at the latter part of April." — (Ibid., 

 t. 6264 ) 



Odontoglossuh l-eve. — " One of the earliest introduced 

 species of the genus, having been sent to England from Gua- 

 temala by both Mr. Skinner and Hartweg, and having flowered 

 in the Horticultural Society's Gardens early in 1842. 0. ljeve 

 has flowered at Kew repeatedly ; for the first time in June, 

 1864, from plants imported from Guatemala. It is very fra- 

 grant."— (Ibid., t. 6265.) 



Nectarine — Albert Victor. — "We are indebted to Mr. Cole- 

 man, gardener to the Earl Somers, at Eastnor Castle near 

 Ledbury, for the specimen of this remarkably fine Nectarine. 

 No man has shown himself more worthy of being listened to 

 when speaking of fruits and fruit-culture than Mr. Coleman, 

 and that he entertains a very high opinion of this Nectarine, 

 the following note, which he has kindly communicated to ac- 

 company the figure, will show : — 



'"This fine variety, raised by Mr. Rivers, is well worthy of 

 general cultivation. I have fruited it four years, and find it is 

 a good grower, a free setter, and swells its fruit to a large size. 

 In point of ripening, it comes in a few days later than Elruge, 

 and hangs a long time after it is ripe, when the flavour, always 

 good, becomes delicious. Planted out and trained under glass 

 or against a wall, I am of opinion that this will become one of 

 the finest Nectarines in cultivation, fit for the choicest dessert, 

 and indispensable to the exhibitor. — W. C " 



" This grand variety appears to have been raised by Mr. 

 Rivers from the Prince of Wales Nectarine, and is a large and 

 handsome fruit, belonging to the group with small flowers and 

 round glands." — (Flor. and Pom., 3 s., ix., 241.) 



NOTES AND GLEANINGS. 

 At the annual meeting of the members of the Darlington 

 Gaedenees' Institute the Secretary read the following re- 

 port, which was adopted : — In presenting the third annual re- 

 port of the Gardeners' Institute, the Committee congratulate 

 the subscribers on a satisfactory increase in their number, and 

 also in their income, though owing to the expenses incurred in 

 the removal of the Institute to more convenient premises they 

 are unable to report any balance in hand. They are glad, 

 however, to report that the subscriptions have fully covered 

 expenses. Papers have been read by the following gentle- 

 men : — Mr. Richardson, " What to Read and How to Read It ; " 

 Mr. Wrather, "The Cultivation of the Rose;" Mr. Waud, 

 "Tricolor Geraniums;" Mr. Casson, "Fumigation;" Mr. 

 Shaw, "The Strawberry;" Mr. Barrel!, "The Gladioli;" 

 Rev. C. King, " The Leaf— botanically, &a. ; " Mr. Helier, 

 " Stage Pelargoniums ; " Mr. Casson, " The Flow of the Sap." 

 The Committee are glad to report that those readings have 



