November 6, 1889.] 



Garden and Forest. 



533 



and the plants are more easily protected from careless 

 overhead watering, which is apt to destroy or diminish the 

 scurvy powder which covers the under surface of the 

 fronds, and is one of the chief attractions of many species 

 of Gymnogramme. 



This plant, in common with nearly all Ferns, needs a 

 copious supply of water during the summer or growing 

 months, and should not be allowed to become dry during 

 any season of the year. Thorough and sufficient drainage 

 is essential to its well-being, with sufficient shade during 

 the middle of the day to protect the fronds from too direct 

 influence of sunlieht. 



would be as effective in autumn as tlie old s-ardcn Crocuses 

 are in early spring. Gcrbcra Jainesoni, a new Composite from 

 the Cape, has all the characters of a Hrst-rate garden jjlant. 

 It is good for pot culture, and it is also a beautiful border 

 plant. Such, at all events, it lias proved to be this year at 

 Kew, where it has made its d^but, and where it is Howering 

 in the open border now. It has the aspect of a Dandelion, 

 leathery leaves and scapes a foot long Ijcnring flower-heads 

 foiu- inches across, Mutisia-like and colored rich salmon-scar- 

 let, most brisjht and beautiful. Each head lasts at least a fort- 

 night. Another pretty Cape Composite which is in full beauty 

 outside now is AgatJava coelcstis, the " Blue Marguerite." Sev- 

 eral circular beds of it are now thickly studded with its erect 

 blue-purple flowers. This plant is well worth planting outside 



Fig;. 140. — Gymnogromme scliizophylla. — See page 



Foreign Correspondence. 

 London Letter. 



OCTOBER is not generally favorable to flowers in the open 

 air, but we seem to look much gayer this month than is 

 usual, this year. Bedding plants are healthy and full of bloom, 

 that king of simimer plants, the Scarlet Geranium, being still 

 all aglow. No nipping frosts have come to blacken the face 

 of summer, and the Belladonna is in full glory on the sunny 

 border under the shelter of the Orchid-house, where also the 

 beautiful Schizostylis flourishes with its spikes of crimson 

 cups, and the Zephyranthes with its large, white, Lily-like 

 flowers. Autumn Crocuses are in their best array. They 

 have been in flower since the middle of last month, and they 

 will last until next month ends, unless a severe frost occurs. 

 There is material in these autumn flowering species of Crocus 

 out of which might be developed a race of plants which 



for autunni effect alone. It is scarcely a foot high, and is of 

 spreading, branching habit, witii elegant spathulate leaves. 



Chrvsanthemums have begun in" real earnest. Of course 

 we have had flowers of these plants since July, and there is 

 the prospect of our soon having them all the year round. 

 But October and November are the richest season, and will 

 continue to be so whatever the breeder may accomplish. The 

 last meeting of the Royal Horticultural Society brought Mr. 

 Cannell and' others with some new kinds of Chrysanthemums 

 of much promise. A handsome, rette.xed Japanese variety 

 named Doric was selected for a certificate.- The flowers are 

 rich vellow, full, of good form and medium in size. Etoile de 

 Lyon, also Japanese, with flowers of immense size, the broad, 

 flat florets of light rose color ; Avalanche, a very fine flower, 

 and one of the best of the Japanese varieties, being white, 

 good in form and of large size ; the habit of the plant is dwarf 

 and compact. The famous yellow flowered kind, IVIrs. Haw- 

 kins, a sport from that good old Chrysanthenmm, Wormig, 



