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JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. [ January 27, 1863. 



THE GOOD-GRACIOUS PANSY. 



I BEOEIVED my share of the remonstrance against this name 

 from Mr. P. H. Gosse in the spirit in which he gives it, and 

 thank him for it. It is true I did not invent the name as he 

 admitB ; and I trust he will believe me when I say, it is equally 

 true that if I had thought it an " unseemly name," I should 

 never have used it ; but I never did think so, nor do I now. 

 If there were no " essential difference " between Good Gracious 

 and " Good God," Bhould we say " Most Gracious Majesty ? " 

 -or " Her Majesty graciously condescended to accept a nosegay 

 of the Good-Graoious Pansy from her Grace the Duchess of 

 Sutherland?" 



The same objection was raised when the "Good-Gracious 

 Polyanthus" came out, by the lady who owned the Experi- 

 mental Garden, and who was sister-in-law to the late Bishop 

 Blomfield. The question was referred to his lordship, and his 

 very words were, " Cardinal Beaton is right :" therefore I would 

 not repudiate this name. — D. Beaton. 



HUTSHE'S VICTOKIA PEAE. 



There is, perhaps, no fruit so capricious in its periods of 

 ripening as the Pear. The above sort, for the most part, ripens 

 before Huyshe's Bergamot ; but this season it is keeping longer 

 than it. Mr. Huyshe writes me, that he has two or three 

 hundred specimens that are likely to keep well for three weeks 

 to come. What is still more remarkable, it is far superior in 

 quality to the Bergamot, which has hitherto been considered 

 the better Pear of the two. It may, indeed, be considered one 

 •of the most delicious Pears known. 



I ate part of one to-day, January 15, and compared it with 

 ■ Josephine de Malines (some of which have ripened prematurely), 

 a, standard of excellence, and was interested in the variation of 

 then- flavour, yet both delicious. The Victoria, with the melting 

 flesh and abundant juice of the Marie Louise, has a delicious 

 perfume, recalling that of Gansel's Bergamot. The Josephine 

 -de Malines, alike melting and juicy, has a flavour quite peculiar 

 to itself and equally gratifying. 



It would seem, from what I learn from the reverend gentle- 

 man who raised the Victoria and the Bergamot, that the latter, 

 this season, has been fine only from a south wall, so that it 

 probably requires a warm season to bring out its qualities. 



The Victoria is hardier and " is alnajs good," so that it may 

 be planted as a pyramid in any of our counties favourable to 

 Pear-culture. This very valuable Pear is likely to supersede 

 many of our winter varieties— such as Glou Morceau, Beurre 

 Diel, and others, not only because the tree is hardier, but from 

 its flavour being, like the Prince of Wales Pear (a new kind 

 raised by Mr. Huyshe, and recently reported on by him), quite 

 *' exquisite." 



Many Pears have ripened here prematurely this season. 

 Winter Nelis, Glou Morceau, Beurre Diel, and some others 

 ripened early in November, and were not up to their usual 

 quality. 



Mr. Scott does not give a true description, page 29, of the 

 Easter Bergamot, or Bergamotte do Paques. This Bort keeps 

 till April, and is always crisp, poor, and worthless. 



The Doyenne Goubault is also a crisp Pear, seldom or never 

 becoming soft, and keeping till June. This is, by some mistake, 

 wrongly described in the "Manual," and in one or two French 

 •catalogues. The Pear is large and nearly round, like its con- 

 gener, Bezl Goubault, and, like that, it will keep plump and 

 sound till Pears come again, and may then he thrown away. 

 — T. R. 



[A short time ago we were favoured with a small basket of 

 fruit of Huyshe's Victoria by Messrs. Lucumbe, Pince & Co., of 

 Exeter, to whom Mr. Huyshe presented the Btock of this valu- 

 able variety. In regard of flavour, we never tasted anything 

 more rich or delicious in a Pear ; and we can quite confirm the 

 statement of "T. R." when he says, " It may be considered one 

 of the most delicious Pears known."— Eds. J. oe H.] 



FORMING A EOOKEEY. 

 Your correspondent of last month will find on taking an 

 old rook's neBt from an existing rookery, and tying it securely 

 and neatly to the top of one of his own trees, that, probably, 

 •during the next building season, otherB wiil be added to it. 



I have heard that an old broom tied securely in a similar 

 manner will attract rooks. A nest to each, or every other tree if 

 many, as convenient, would be advisable, as I take it the knowing 

 ones prefer an inhabited spot to solitude. It is necessary that 

 the trees should be high and otherwise to their taste — Elm or 

 Beech are preferred. — Edwabd Worth. 



POETEAITS OP PLANTS, ELOWEES, AND 

 EEUITS. 



Soneeila gbandifloba (Large-flowered Sonerila). — Nat- 

 orcl., Melastomacese. Linn., Triandria Monogynia. — Native of 

 the Nilgherry Mountains. Introduced by Messrs. Low & Son, 

 Clapton Nursery. Flowers in October. Colour deep purplish- 

 crimson. — (Botanical Magazine, t. 5354 ) 



Tbicyetis hirta (Hairy, or Thunberg's Trieyrtis). — Nat. 

 ord., Uvularite. Linn., Hexandria Trigynia. — It has also been 

 called Uvularia hirta. Mr. Fortune found it in Japan. It 

 flowered in November at Mr. Standish's, Bag9hot Nursery. 

 Flowers pearly white dotted with purple. — (Ibid., t. 5355.) 



Pitcairnia PUNGENS (Spinose Piteairnia). — Nat. ord., Bro- 

 meliaceee. Linn., Hexandria Monogynia. — Native of the Andes 

 in New Granada. Flowers, or, rather, perianths, orange red. 

 " A very handsome greenhouse plant." — (Ibid., t. 5356.) 



Coeysanthes limbata (White-edged Corysanthes). — Nat. 

 ord., Orchidacete. Linn., Gynandria Monandria. — "This per- 

 fect gem " was introduced from Java by Mr. W. Bull, Nursery, 

 King's Road, Chelsea. Flowers in October. "Decidedly the 

 most exquisite little plant of its size, 4 inches high, that ever 

 came under our notice." Stem transparent, its solitary leaf 

 vividly green and white-veined ; petals rich purple edged with 

 white.— (Ibid., t. 5357.) 



Sedum Sieboldii (Siebold's Sedum). — A Stonecrop from 

 Japan. Introduced by Messrs. Henderaon, Pine Apple Place. 

 Leaves glaucous, tinged with purple. Flowers purplish-rose. 

 (Ibid., t. 5358.) 



Dammaea obientalis (Dammara, or Amboyna Pitoh-Pine). 

 — Nat. ord., Coniferte. Linn., Dicecia Polyandria. — Native of 

 Moluccas. " Perhaps the rarest of all the Conifers cultivated in 

 Europe."— (Ibid., t. 5359.) 



Teop.eolcm. Bali oe Fiee. — Raised by Mr. Harman, of Ux- 

 bridge. Profuse bloomer. Flowers intense scarlet. — (Floral 

 Magazine, pi. 129.) 



Pansies. — Raised by Mr. W. Dean, Bradford Nursery, Sbipley. 

 Imperatrice Eugenie, white, margined with bluish-purple. Har- 

 lequin, yellow, singularly marked with purple. Admiration, 

 and King of Italy. — (Ibid., pi. 130.) 



Variegated Solanum (Solanum cap9ica9trum). — Introduced 

 by Messrs. E. G. Henderson & Co., St. John's Wood. Leaves 

 almost entirely pale yellow. — (Ibid., pi. 131.) 



Chrysanthemums, Laege-eloweeed. — Two beautiful in- 

 curved flowers. Her Majesty, outer petals pale pink, inner 

 petals silvery white. Lord, Palmerston, dark rosy petals, silvery 

 tipped. Raised by Mr. Salter, Versailles Nursery, Hammer- 

 smith.— (Ibid., pi. 132.) 



Rose Andee Leeoy d'Angees. — A seedling from General 

 Jacqueminot. Raised by M. Victor Trouillard, of Angers. In- 

 troduced by Mr. Standish, Bajshot. Flowers large, cupped, 

 very rich deep velvety purple crimson. — (Florist and Fomologist, 

 No. 13.) 



Plum Golden Esperen. — Called also Drop a" Or a" Esperen. 

 Raised by Major Esperen, of Malines. First-rate dessert fruit ; 

 oval, golden colour, juicy, richly-flavoured, parts readily from 

 the stone. — (Ibid.) 



METEOEOLOGY OE 1862. 

 someeset. 

 I have no doubt you have many readers who feel much 

 pleasure in recurring to the thoughts and feelings as well as 

 the deeds of a year gone by, and who find it refreshing to be 

 able to fall back upon the daily remarks made in their journal 

 for the purpose of comparing notes with other individuals at 

 a distance, or to observe the changes made and their results 

 on the scene of their labours. How easy to retrace our steps 

 through the thicket or the jungle after leaving substantial land- 

 marks on our journey through ! And every one that makes his 

 daily memoranda is fixing landmarks that will not only point 



