May 25, 1871. ] 



JOURNAL OF HOKTICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEE. 



369 



I placed the V. odorata pendula, of New York, among the 

 singles ; it was an error, the variety is a double one. — A. E. 



ROMAN AND DOUBLE PINK VIOLETS. 

 A GKEAi deal of useful information has been siven lately 

 about Violets, but no one has spoken of Eoman Violets or of 

 the Double Pink. I brought some of the former from the ruins 

 of Caraealla's Baths in Eome about twenty years ago, and have 

 found them answer perfectly, producing masses of flowers in 

 March and April. They are excessively sweet, of a much 

 darker blue than the Bussian ; the flowers grow on slight round 

 stalks well above the leaves. They only require to be planted 

 in a border where they may be allowed to run and take care of 

 themselves, as they do not like being moved or divided. The 

 Double Pink Violets I think lovely, and they quite repay the 

 trouble of moving occasionally to fresh beds and dividing, 

 which like many others they require. Their leaves are very 

 apt to be variegated with white veins when not attended to, or 

 in very dry weather. — B. St. J. 



EDWARDSIA MICROPHYLLA. 



NoiwiTHSTANDiNS the severe winter we have passed through, 

 a plant of this shrub growing against a south-west wall has more 

 flowers upon it than I have known before, although it did not 

 receive the least protection and is fully exposed to the weather 

 — growing, iu fact, against the rounded corner of a building. 

 I attribute its flowering well this season to the dry situation it 

 occupies and its wood being well ripened last summer, for it 

 seems to have suffered much less than Ceanothus papillosus on 

 -one side of it and a Myrtle on the other, both of which are very 

 much injured, especially the latter. 



The singular beauty of the flowers of this Edwardsia entitles 

 it to mole attention, for individually they are mnch larger than 

 those of most of the Leguminous order, to whichit belongs, while 

 •the neatness of its foliage is also in its favour. As a flowering 

 plant I hardly suppose that it will ever be made to present a 

 sufficient quantity of bloom to render it a favourite with the 

 plant-exhibitor, but in a favoured place against a south wall it 

 •deserves a site. It certainly never has so gorgeous an appear- 

 ance as Clianthus puniceus, but is assuredly hardier than that 

 plant, and its bright yellow bloom contrasts strongly with the 

 eliiaters of crimson on the Clianthus. Both plants do better 

 cut of doors than in-doors when a favourable position can be 

 iound for them ; and as the Edwardsia has passed through 

 the past winter scathless, I would advise its being tried in 

 ■other places. — J. Eoeson. 



VEGETABLE PROTECTIVE RESEMBLANCES. 



I MUST own that I prefer the use of the general term " pro- 

 tective resemblance " to the special term " mimicry," as the 

 'latter seems to imply a certain amount of intelligent volition, 

 which in the instances cited by Messrs. Wallace, Bates, and 

 Trimen, I believe does not apply, whereas there are, I believe, 

 cases where instinct does come into play, not acting physiologi- 

 •cally as Mr. Bennett would seem to assert, but in the construc- 

 tion of disguises. 



Protective resemblances appear to me to be capable of being 

 roughly classed as general and special, though both run into 

 ■each other. Of general resemblances there are so many that I 

 hardly think it worth while to enumerate instances, I shall 

 therefore confine myself to some examples of special protective 

 resemblances which I have noted. 



As to plants I believe protective or useful resemblances are 

 i&v commoner than some writers seem to think. 



That excellent observer Dr. Burchell, in his "Travels," vol. i., 

 p. 10, remarks : — " On picking up from the stony ground what 

 was supposed a curiously shaped pebble, it proved to be a plant, 

 and an additional new species to the tribe of Mesembryantbe- 

 •mum, but in colour and appearance boie the closest resem- 

 blance to the stones between which it was growing. On the 

 same ground was found a species of the Gryllus tribe amongst 

 the stones, and so exactly like them in colour and even in shape 

 that it could never have been discovered had it not been ob- 

 served just at a moment when in motion, and as if more com- 

 pletely to elude notice it seldom stirred, and even then but 

 slowly. 



" The intention of Nature in these instances seems to have 

 been the same as when she gave to the chameleon the power of 

 accommodating its colour in a certain degree to that of the 



object nearest it, in order to compensate for the deficiency of its 

 locomotive powers. By their form and colour, this insect may 

 pass unobserved by those birds, which otherwise would soon 

 extirpate a species so little able to elude its pursuers, and this 

 juicy little Mesembryanthemum may generally escape the notice 

 of cattle and wild animals." 



I may here remark that a great number of Karoo plants have 

 tuberous roots of similar form and colour, and it is especially 

 curious to notice that, amongst the Asdepiadeje, many species, 

 such as Eaphionueme, which are found in the grassy country, 

 have their tubers hidden beneath the soil, whilst others, which 

 occur in the stony Karoo, such as Brachystelma filiforme, have 

 them above the soil, and so perfectly do they resemble the 

 stones amongst which they are found, that, when not in leaf, it 

 is almost impossible to distinguish them. 



Of imitating plants I may mention Ajuga ophrydis, the only 

 species of the genus iu South Africa, which bears a striking 

 resemblance to an Orchid, as also does Impatiens capeusie, 

 another solitary species. I mention these especially because 

 they are very striking, although I am not aware that they are 

 in any way specially useful, noting, however, that the latter 

 plant is much frequented by insects, often by similar species to 

 those which frequent AngrjEcum and Mystacidium, plants alifeot- 

 ing similar localities. 



I would remark how long it often is before frugivorous birds 

 discover fruit not indigenous to the country. 



In the drought of 1865 I was much struck by this. We had 

 a solitary Damson tree, which had not previously borne much 

 fruit, but which that year had abundance. The mousebirds 

 (Coleus) and the Ead-wing (luida moria) had devoured the 

 Almond and Peach blossoms and the Figs. With two double- 

 barrelled guns we could not keep them from the latter. Mean- 

 while the Damson tree was never touched, but ripened its fruit 

 beautifully. On the morning of Christmas Day my friend in- 

 tended taking them to his sister-in-law. Two hours later there 

 was not a Damson on the tree ; the birds had just found them 

 out, and had strewn the ground with their stones. — J. P. 

 jjANSEL Weale, Brooklyn, near King William's Town, Kqffraria,. 

 {Nature,) 



NOTES AND GLEANINGS. 



We have received from Messrs. Eivers, of Sawbridgeworth, 

 flowers of P^onia Wittmanniana, a species of this highly 

 ornamental genus, which we believe to be little known and 

 not much in cultivation. It is remarkable as being a yellow 

 Pa3ony, and although smaller in the flower than the other 

 species usually found in gardens, and single, it is nevertheless 

 a pretty and interesting plant. This is one of the very nume- 

 rous plants first received in the country by the Horticultural 

 Society, of which now there is no. trace in the garden. It 

 came from Mr. Hartwiss, Director of the Nitika Garden in the 

 Crimea, and was discovered by Mr. Wittmann in the Taurian 

 Caucasus. 



Messes. Sdtton & Sons, Seedsmen to the Queen, 



Reading, will have their Annual Root Show, at Reading, on 

 Saturday, November 18th. This show, which is open to the 

 United Kingdom, was established by, and has been conducted 

 solely at the expense of Messrs. Sutton, and is one of the largest 

 in the kingdom. Upwards of £70 are offered this year for the 

 best specimens of Swedes, Turnips, Kohl Eibi, Mangel, Pota- 

 toes, &c., including no less than 20 guineas in plate and money 

 for twenty-four specimens of Suttons' Improved Cbampion 

 Swede ; and a £5 5s. cup is given by Messrs. Griffin, of Wolver- 

 hampton, for the best collection of roots. Full particulars may 

 be had on application to Messrs. Sutton & Sons. 



Crystal Palace. — The additions to the permanent depart- 

 ments have been during the past year principally in regard to 

 natural history. The science of marine zoology is to be ex- 

 emplified, and means for the proper exhibition of living 

 animals in their natural condition have been provided. The 

 most complete aquarium that has ever been constructed on 

 scientific principles is prepared, and will shortly be opened. 

 It is in a special building 300 feet long and 50 feet wide. There 

 are sixty tanks in all, supplied constantly with fresh sea water, 

 of which 700 tons (150,000 gallons) are used for the purpose. 

 The largest tank has a capacity of 4000 gallons. In these re- 

 ceptacles the natural conditions of the bottom of the sea are 

 to be reproduced, and a practically unknown wondrous world of 

 life will be open to our inspection, as it has never been before. 



A Rose show will be held on June 2Ith. A show of dogs is 



