200 



JOURNAL OF HOETi'CULTUKE AND COTTAGE GAEDENBB. 



[ March IG, 1S71. 



ceedings are in tbcHorticiiUnral Societv'a "Tr£n38c'drns," and 

 in the " ProuetJixiyo " of the Society. The plants he discovered 

 have been described by Mr. Bentham, and published nnder the 

 title " Plants HartwegianiE." In 1848 he was in California, 

 where ke found several new Conifers. Soon after that year 

 he returned to his native country. An opinion at the time 

 was entertained by some that he was dismissed from the Hor- 

 tioultaral Society's service hastily and uncourteously, on the 

 plea that he had not fully communicated his journals to the 

 Society. He probably thought at the time that the dismissal 

 was a misfortune, but, as is often the case, it was a veiled 

 benefit, being the origin of his success. He became one of the 

 gardeners of the Emperor of Austria, who originally enabled 

 him to come to England, and finally he obtained the appoint- 

 ment which we have noted that he held at the time of his 

 decease. 



PORTPaiTS OF PLANTS, FLOWERS, AND 

 FRUITS. 



Amaetllis Eatseei is identical with Hippeastrum procerum. 

 —(Bot. Mag., t. 5883.) 



AsisTASiA viOLACEA is probablv A. chelonioides. — (Ibid., t. 

 5882.) ^ 



Belopeeone cillata (Ciliated Beloperone). Nat. ord., A.eB.n- 

 thacejE. Linn., Diandria Monogynia. — Native of Peru and New 

 Grenada. Wowers reddish-purple and white.— (li/if., t. 5888.) 



Saslfeaga longitolia (Long-leaved Saxifrage). Nat. ord., 

 Sasifragacea. Linn., Decandria Digynia. — Native of the Pyre- 

 nees. Well suited for partially shaded roekwork. Flowers 

 white, in a dense thyrse a foot high.— (lifd., t. 5889.) 



XiPHioN JUi-CECM (Eush-like Xiphion). Nat. ord., Iridaeea:. 

 Limi., Triandria Monogynia. — Native of Algiers. Flowers yel- 

 low.— [Hid., t. 5890.) 



Massoxia odoeata (Sweet-scented Massonia). Nat. ord., 

 Liliaceffi. Linn., Hesandria Monogynia. — Native of Colesberg, 

 South Africa. Flowers white.— (ITiid., t 5891.) 



T11.LANDSIA lONASTHA (Violet-flowered Tillandsia), Nat. ord., 

 BromeUaces. Linn., Hesaudria Monogynia. — Native of Brazil. 

 Flowers pale violet.— (I6id., t. 5892.) 



Agave ixtlioidzs (Ixtli-like Agave). Nat. ord., Amarylli- 

 daceffi. Linn., Hexandria Monogynia. — Probably a native of 

 Mexico. Flowers yellowish-green ; anthers yellow, conspicuous. 

 —(Ibid., t. 5893.) 



Fig. — Eoyal Vineyard. — " One of the very finest Figs yet 

 brought into cultivation. Of late years considerably more 

 attention has been bestowed on Figs ; their cultivation is be- 

 coming better understood ; their high merits as dessert fruit 

 better appreciated; and many high-class varieties, before almost 

 unknown to us, have been introduced to our gardens and to our 

 tables. 



"The Eoyal Vineyard Fig is above medium size, of a long 

 pyriform shape, very prominently ribbed in longitudinal lines, 

 the surface warted or earbuncled. The skin is very thin and 

 tender, rugose or bristly; its colour a pretty reddish-brown, 

 darker towards the eye, and covered with a thick bluish bloom. 

 The eye is large, open, and prominent; the stalk long and 

 Blender, which, combined with the long pear-shape of the fruit, 

 gives it a very lengthened appearance. The flesh is of a clear 

 bright reddish colour, firm, yet very juicy and melting, with a 

 small central cavity. Every portion of the fruit, skin and all, 

 is eatable ; and the flavour is particularly rich and excellent— 

 indeed, it may be described as super-excellent. The habit of 

 the plant is free and moderately robust ; and the leaves are 

 large, and rather deeply-lobed. It is very prolific and a free 

 bearer, the fruit ripening about mid-season. 



" In many respects this Fig resembles the Brown Turkey, or 

 Lee's Perpetual. The habit and free-fruiting qualities of the 

 plant are much the same. The fruit is somewhat of the same 

 shape and form, but that of the Eoyal Vineyard is rather longer 

 than the Brown Turkey, and the "warm reddish tinge of the 

 former is very distinct from the dull brown or chocolate hue of 

 the latter. In flavour also the Eoyal Vineyard is infinitely 

 superior. It is, in fact, one of the highest-flavoured Figs in 

 cultivation, and willi succeed under the ordinary treatment 

 required for the Brown Turkey. 



" We are indebted for this acquisition to the Messrs. J. and 

 C. Lee, of Hammersmith, who found it without a name in their 

 extensive collection of Figs ; and since it has proved so distinct 

 and worthy, it has been named, after their nursery, the Koyal 

 Vineyard. The Messrs. Lee report on one special quality they 

 have noted in it— namely, ' the invariable persistence of the 



fruit, in growth, flowering, and ripening, scarcely an instance 

 of its casting its iruit having been observed.' " — [Florist and 

 Pomologist, 3 s. iv. 49.) 



DINNER-TABLE DECORATION.— No. 3. 

 I MOST not close these articles without adverting to another 

 novelty introduced upon the dinner-table, and that is a foun- 

 tain in play. To some, perhaps, this would suggest itself as 

 being neither more nor less than a toy ; but to how many olher 

 things in this world is the same term applicable ? A fountain 

 in play is one of the latest novelties that I have seen, and I 

 need hardly say it is one which creates a greater disturbance 

 in the order of things as they were, than any of the other in- 

 novations previously described, for water has to be laid on and 

 taken away again, passing up through the room floor and its 

 carpet, as well as through the table. The latter saeiiflce, 

 however, was a very slight one in our case, as a portable piece 

 of table, called, I think, a leaf, was made of a common de- 

 scription of wood, a hole was cut in that to fit the apparatus 

 to, and two tablecloths instead of one were used. The credit 

 or otherwise of such devices of course belongs to the machinist 

 who constructs them, but I must say that any of the forms in 

 which water is seen in larger fountains can be copied in a 

 small way. The two fountains which we have present seme 

 half dozen forms, which can easily be increased if desirable. 

 In extremely hot weather the sound and appearance of cold 

 water are agreeable, while as an object of ornament water is 

 capable of being made attractive as well, for the bottom of 

 the basin of one of the fountain decorations which we have in 

 use is a mirror, and round its sides is fixed a trough to be- 

 filled with flowers, &c., some of which are made to overhang 

 and lap into the water. Aquatic plants of small growth may 

 also be introduced, and occasionally the central pipes which 

 emit the water may have their bases concealed by miniature 

 roekwork with a suitable mixture of foliage, in which small 

 pieces of Fern are very appropriately used amongst broken 

 pieces of quartz, spar, granite, or other stone. Here, again, I 

 fancy some will exclaim " These are toys !" but if that term has 

 to be applied here, what is to be said of the ordinary roekwork 

 of gardens, for that is only a miniature imitation of Nature's 

 grand features ? Such a fountain decoration as that referred 

 to afiords ample space for the exercise of taste, and is capable 

 of being decked-out in a fresh garb every night, for the border- 

 ing afiords space for a good floral display, while the internal 

 fittings, as well as the working of the mechanical parts, can be 

 varied. The fitting-up, as well as the regulation of the force of 

 the water, ought to be in the hands of some very careful person, 

 for a delicate apparatus like this is apt to create a disaster if 

 tampered with ; in our ease, however, I have hitherto been for- 

 tunate, but there is more trouble than might be expected in. 

 arranging everything properly. 



As lists of plants suitable for table decoration have been given 

 in the pages of The Jouenal of Hoeticultuee, I have little to 

 add except that these lists are far more extensive than I have ever 

 had occasion to bring into use, and some I have never been able 

 to do anything with — for instance, bulbs of all kinds, for they 

 have not enough foliage, in my estimation, to be worth a place. 

 In my opinion the requisites in a plant to be used for dinner- 

 table decoration are, that it should not exceed 18 or 20 inches 

 in height from the tablecloth ; that it should have a uniform 

 head, and, if possible, recumbent foliage; also that it should- 

 not require a large pot. The number of plants conforming to 

 these requirements is not large, but I have used the following 

 — viz., Crotons of two or three species, C. angustifoUnm when 

 good being the prettiest ; Dracsnas both of the dark and green- 

 leaved section, D. cougesta amongst the latter being as good 

 as any, but nothing exceeds neat plants of D. teiminalis and 

 allied varieties. Coleuses, when the foliage is in good colour, 

 also look well, and the same may be said cf Iresine ; but 

 reject both when not in trim. Grevillea robusta, a very orna- 

 mental pinnated-leaved plant is also good, while as a change 

 the robust-looking Aspidistra elatior variegata is a strong con- 

 trast, but looks exceedingly well when a fairly-grown plant is 

 seen. Several Ferns are indispensable — none are more grace- 

 ful than some of the Maiden-hair section ; Lomaria gibba and 

 several others are also good. Latania borbonica is about 

 the best Palm I have tried, being very elegant. Now and 

 then a well-grown Tricolor Geranium is worthy of a place ; 

 and so are some of the Gloxinias and Gesneras, but I have 

 seldom had occasion to use them. Dwarf plants of Centanrea 

 gymnocarpa work-in well — better than the silvery Cineraria 



