478 



JOURNAL OP HORTIOULTTJBE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEB. 



[ December 20, 1877. 



with drier soil. I will now briefly describe the varieties 

 grown : — 



Dickson's First-and-Best was first by a few days, and is a 

 good early, equalling any of the Ringleader type; William I. 

 is, however, decidedly the best yet tried here for early work. 

 This variety is strongly recommended for late sowing by a 

 well-known vegetable grower, aDd I was informed by a gentle- 

 man who had tasted this Pea in October that it equalled in 

 flavour any Pea he had ta6ted through the season. Next 

 spring I intend sowing this variety on turves under glass to 

 be subsequently planted in the open border, and seed saved 

 from the produce will be sown for late work. Early Matty, an 

 old variety sent me by a friend who had grown it for thirty 

 years, closely followed William I. for earliness. It is remark- 

 ably vigorous and productive and of fair flavour. 



Dickson's Favourite was grown this Beason as a second early, 

 but will in future be discarded in favour of Dr. Maclean. This 

 variety has become very popular, especially as an exhibition 

 variety. It is a very useful Pea, being dwarf (2 feet 6 inches), 

 and very prolific, the pod long and well filled, but with us not 

 quite so well flavoured as expected. Hair's Dwarf Mammoth 

 is not unlike Dr. Maclean, but not so good. It is very useful 

 as a second early, and also for late work, but will be discarded 

 in favour of tbe Doctor. Huntingdoninnis an excellent second 

 early, height 4 feet, a good cropper, and the flavour unsurpassed. 

 It is a type of the Champion of England, but it is in everv way 

 superior to and will be grown in preference to it. G. F. Wilson 

 for flavour and size of Peas was unsurpassed, but both this 

 and Laxton's Fillbasket could not stand the dry weather, 

 •coming into bearing prematurely. I shall give them another 

 trial. Veitch's Perfection still ranks as a first-class Pea either 

 for main or late crop. Giant Emerald Marrow (Sutton) is a 

 very distinct and fine Pea. It is very vigorous and productive, 

 but as tbe Duchess of Edinburgh (Sutton) comes into bearing 

 about the same time, and is a better quality Pea, it will be 

 grown in preference to it. The last-mentioned Pea is decidedly 

 a fine Pea, and may be described as an improved and early 

 Ne Plus Ultra. Williams' Emperor of the Marrows is another 

 excellent Pea, and both this and Calverwell's Prolific Marrow 

 ought to be grown for late work. The former is the earliest, 

 but for quality and appearance I give the preference to the 

 latter. Ne Plus Ultra completes the list, and is the best for 

 very late work. All five of the last-mentioned Peas are tall; 

 some of thern, notably Williams' Emperor, reached 7 feet. 



Many acres of Peas are annually grown for market in this 

 neighbourhood. The crop sometimes proves very remunera- 

 tive, and, what is still better, the picking gives employment to 

 numbers of women and children. The varieties grown for 

 early picking are principally Sangster's No. 1 and Caractacus, 

 the latter being considered the best. Laxton's Supreme, 

 Yeitch's Perfection, Yorkshire Hero, and Blue Seimetar are all 

 largely grown, and some of the more enterprising growers are 

 raising a stock of Dr. Maclean and other new varieties. — 

 W. Igqulden, Orsett Hall, Essex. 



POETBAITS OF PLANTS AND FLOWEKS. 



Lilium neilgherrense. Nat. ord., Liliacea;. Linn., Hex- 

 andria Monogynia. — " This is the only Lily of the mountains 

 of Southern India. It inhabits the Neilghc-rries and Pulnies 

 at an elevation of about 8000 feet above sea level. It is olosely 

 allied to L. Wallichianum of the Himalayas, L. philippinense 

 of the Philippine Islands, and L. longiflorum, japonicum, and 

 Brownii of China and Japan. It was introduced by Mr. Thomas 

 Lobb in 1862, but failed to become established, and has lately 

 been imported again in considerable quantity by Messrs. Veitch 

 and othtrs. "—(Bot. Mag., t. 6332.) 



Alloplectus peltatus. — "Introduced by Messrs. Veitch 

 from Costa Rica, where it was collected by the late M. Endres, 

 and flowers from July to the present month (November) in 

 our stoves. This is another of those Gesneriada remarkable 

 in having one leaf of each pair permanently rudimentary." — 

 (Ibid.,t. 6333.) 



Stenosperiiatium Wallisii. Nat. ord , Aroidea?. Linn., 

 Icosandria Monogynia. — " One of Mr. Wallis's important dis- 

 coveries in tropical America, introduced to cultivation by 

 Messrs. Veitch ; exhibited two years ago in flower, and described , 

 together with an excellent woodcut and detailed analysis, by 

 Dr. Masters in the Gardeners' Chronicle about the same time. 

 The pure ivory-white nodding spathes freely developed amongst 

 the clustered dark shining green )pa?es render this plant onr> 

 of the moBt valuable of our stove Aroida fur ornamtnial cul- 



ture. It belongs to a small genus consisting altogether of but 

 four or five species peculiar to Columbia, Paru, and northern 

 Brazil."— (Ibid, t., 6334.) 



Gladiolus Eckloni. Nat. ord. ,Iridacese. Linn., Triandria 

 Monogynia. — " This is a most distinct and beautiful species of 

 Gladiolus, marked by its comparatively dwarf habit, ensiform 

 leaves, and, as compared with the best-known Cape species, 

 small flowers, with innumerable minute spots of bright red- 

 purple on a pale groundwork. It is widely spread in South 

 Africa, extending from Uitenhage northward through Kaffraria 

 to Natal, and inland to Basutaland and the TranBvaal. As it 

 ascends to a height of 3000 or 4000 feet on the Katberg we 

 may fairly expect it to be as hardy in England as any of the 

 Cape species. For the specimen figured we are indebted to 

 Mr. Elwes, who flowered it at Cirencester in October. He pro- 

 cured it from Mr. Wilson Saunders, who had it from Mr. 

 Thomas Cooper from the Drakensberg. We confidently ex- 

 pect it will prove a popular favourite." — (Ibid., t. 6335.) 



Ebanthemum laxifloruii. Nat. ord., Acanthacese. Linn., 

 Diandria Monogynia. — "For this very desirable addition to our 

 autumn-flowering Acanthads we are indebted to Messrs. Yeiteb , 

 for whom it was introduced from the New Hebrides. Speci- 

 mens are also in the Eew Herbarium from the Fiji Islands, 

 collected by the late Dr. Seemann, where, he Btates, that it is 

 frequently cultivated by the European settlers as an orna- 

 mental plant. It is a shrub or half-sbrub, attaining from 2 to 

 4 feet in height, wholly glabrous." — (Ibid., t. 6336.) 



NOTES AND GLEANINGS. 



The annual dinner of the Durham. Northumberland, and 

 Newcastle Horticultural and Botanical Society was held 

 at the Alexandra Hotel, Newcastle, on the 17th inst. The 

 chair was occupied by the Mayor, Mr. Thomas Robinson, in 

 the absence of Col. Joicey, the new elected President for the 

 forthcoming year. This Society had for some years only a 

 feeble existence, but it has suddenly increased to prodigious 

 dimensions, chiefly through the indomitable exertions of the 

 Hon. Sees., Messrs. Taylor and French. The members now 

 number about four thousand, while the income has been for 

 the last year nearly £2200 ; during preceding years it scarcely 

 ever exceeded £300. The Society has made window gardening 

 a chief feature, and has assisted the flower missions in the 

 district. It was a successful meeting of a flourishing Society. 



We are glad to observe from an advertisement in another 



column that the Council of the Royal Horticultural Society 

 have decided to appoint an Assistant Secretary, and we trust 

 they will be successful in securing the services of a gentleman 

 possessing the necessary technical qualifications together with 

 the business aptitude requisite for the efficient performance 

 of the important duties pertaining to the office. 



How valuable Orchids are forwinter decoration, writes 



a correspondent " L ," the fine display in Mr. B. S. 'Williams' 

 nursery at Holloway affords sufficient evidence. Amongst 

 those now in beauty are Calanthes Veitehii, vestita luteo- 

 oculata, and rnbro-oculato. CypripediumB comprise Dayanum, 

 venustum spectabilia, Crossianum, Harrisianum, and insigne. 

 Odoutogloasums are represented by Insleeyi, Alexandra?, rn- 

 beseens, Andersonianum, luteo-purpureum, Rossii, and Roesii 

 m8Jus ; Oncidiums by oruithorhynchum, tigrinum, and papilio ; 

 Vaudas by tricolor flava, tricolor superba, and tricolor insignia; 

 LaBlias by autumnalis and praBBtans ; and Dendrobiums by 

 nobile and bigibbum. Cymbidium Mastersi, 'Zygopetalon 

 Mackayi, Saccolabium giganteum, Rodriguezia secunda, Max- 

 illaria picta grandiflora, and Masdevallias igneaand polysticha 

 also contribute to the display. Griffinia hyacinthina is also 

 flowering, and is extremely attractive. Amongst the orna- 

 mental-foliaged plants Croton falcatum is highly effective by 

 its fine leaves, which are nearly 2 feet in length and brilliantly 

 coloured. 



A Cheshire correspondent states that Ageratums are 



still unir jured by frost in his garden, and he has potted a 

 number of plants, which will yield flowers for cutting for the 

 next two monthB. Scarcely any plants "lift" better than 

 Ageratums, and few flowers are more valuable during the 

 winter months for vase decoration. 



The Hon. and Rev. J. T. Boscawen states that the 



Indian Strawbekry (Fragaria indica) has become naturalised 

 in Cornwall. It is a diBtioct species, with pretty yellow flowers, 

 and was introduced to tbis country in 3 805. 



" W. P. J., ilortlal'e" writes apprcviDgly of Williams' 



