446 



JOURNAL OF HOBTICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ December 7, 1871. 



fine Potatoes, not Lapatones, but a very fine kind of Flake. 

 And then it is said these hundred Potatoes were from a grain 

 of seed ; but Potatoes, like most other plants, do not oome 

 true to name from seed, so here, again, a doubt is thrown upon 



their being Lapstonea. Fine as this Potato ie, I have never 

 seen it anything like the example stated in productiveness, and 

 I should be glad to hear that it had gained in this point also, 

 — D., Deal. 



LATANIA BORBONICA. 



The subject of the present illustration, although usually 

 known by the above name, is, nevertheless, incorrectly so-called, 

 and, in fact, does not belong to the genus Latania. Its more 

 correct name is Livistonia chinensis, but as the former is bet- 

 ter known amongst 

 plant-growers, I havo 



retained it in this ^=f^ — 



place. It is a most ^^=^'"=— 



beautiful object for ~ 



decorative purposes, 

 cither in the stove, 

 the greenhouse, the 

 drawing-room, on the 

 dinner-table, or in 

 the open air during 

 the summer months. 

 Those who use it 

 for the last purpose 

 should endeavour to 

 place it iu such a 

 position that it may 

 be shaded during a 

 part of the day from 

 the direct rays of the 

 sun, and if properly 

 grouped I have no 

 hesitation in saying 

 that it will afford one 

 of the most pleasing 

 contrasts in the whole 

 garden. 



The genus Livis- 

 tonia, to which this 

 plant properly be- 

 longs, is characteris- 

 ed by terminal fan- 

 shaped leaves, divided 

 into segments round 

 the exterior, these 

 segments being di- 

 vided more or less 

 deeply in the various 

 species. The foot- 

 stalks of the leaves 

 are stiff and stout, 

 having their edges 

 armed, with strong 

 spines and their bases 

 enveloped in a dense 

 mass of coarse-netted 

 fibre. The plant may 

 be at once distin- 

 guished by its one- 

 seeded fruit, whilst 

 the genus Latania 

 with which it is so 

 commonly associated 

 is three-seeded. 



The plant is one 

 which I would like to see grown to a greater extent than it 

 hitherto has been ; indeed, there are an immense niimber of 

 Palms admirably adapted for the decoration of our apartments, 

 halls, and corridors which are entirely neglected for a class of 

 plants, which, as a rule, conduce but little towards beautifying 



a room. We are a progressive race, however, and I am pleased 



to see us awakening to the fact, that our houses are capable of 



being put iu better order in this respect. 

 Livistonia borbonica is a plant within the reach of nearly 



everyone, as it can 

 be purchased for a 



— _=^ few shillings, and, 



therefore, no excuse 

 can be made for neg- 

 lecting its culture. 

 iUthough a native of 

 the East Indies, it 

 may be grown either 

 as a stove or green- 

 house plant. In the 

 former case, as a 

 matter of course, it 

 will increase in size 

 much quicker, but 

 should this not be 

 desirable, then it will 

 be best to grow it in 

 the cool house. The 

 soil I have used for it 

 is a mixture ot two 

 parts peat, one of 

 loam, and one of sand, 

 and this I consider 

 best when the plants 

 are in the young 

 state, because they 

 will gro wmorequick- 

 ly in it. As they in- 

 crease in size, half 

 loam and peat will be 

 best, and if the plant 

 has arrived at such a 

 size that its rapid in- 

 crease would be ob- 

 jectionable, then use 

 nearly all loam. A 

 liberal supply of wa- 

 ter should be given, 

 and avoid over- pot- 

 ting, as the plants can 

 be used to much 

 greater advantage in 

 small pots. — ExptE- 

 ■ro Ckede. 



[The name Lata- 

 nia, as was observed 

 by the late Sh- J. E. 

 Smith, was barbar- 

 ously constructed by 

 Commerson from the 

 French word latte, 

 a lath, referring to 

 its slim straight 

 stem. Borbonica re- 



Litania boibonica. 



fers to the Isle of Bourbon, where it was first found. It was 

 first introduced to Europe in 1S16. M. Rothschild, of Paris, 

 has obliged us with the portrait we now publish. It is one of 

 the illustrations of "Les Promenades de Paris." — Eb^ 



SUNFLOWERS. 



Other countries have not been so backward a^ England in 

 recognising the useful properties of the Sunflower. In the 

 north-west provinces of India it is cultivated to a considerable 

 extent, and with much success, in swampy districts ; and it is 

 asserted that the Sanflower plantations exercise a beneficial 

 influence on the health of the neighbourhood, by tending to 



check the jnalariona fevers so prevalent in those parts. Tte 

 Agri-Horticultural Society of the Panjaub, in a recent report, 

 advocates the more general cultivation of the Sunflower for 

 utilitarian purposes, and also enumerates some of the advan- 

 tages which would attend it. We find that the flower leaves, 

 removed without deranging the seeds, may be used as fodder 



