March 4, 1891.] 



Garden and Forest. 



101 



Indeed, it is probable that it has been often confounded 

 with the more common species. It is Lycium Chmense, 

 a native of China, and in every way a more desirable 

 plant than the first. It produces weak stems ten or twelve 

 feet long- which, unless they are attached to a support, lay 

 prostrate on the ground and are never strong enough to 

 support themselves. When trained, however, to a post or 

 pillar or over , an arbor, they assume an upright position 

 and soon cover a large space. The branches develop 

 stout lateral spur-like branchlets, and are more or less 

 armed with stout spines. The leaves are bright green and 

 are produced in great profusion ; they are ovate, acute, 

 an inch or two inches long, and remain fresh and 

 bright until destroyed by tevere freezing. This plant 

 begins to flower in the late spring, and continues to pro- 

 duce its abundant flowers until growth is stopped by cold 

 in the autumn. The flowers are rather larger than those 

 of the Matrimony Vine, and are bright purple. The fruit, 

 however, is its great beauty. This begins to ripen in early 

 autumn and loads the branches until winter. It is oval or 

 oblong, nearly an inch long, and bright scarlet. As it 

 ripens at the time the plant is covered with green leaves, 

 the contrast between the dark green foliage and the scarlet 

 fruit is extremely beautiful, and there are very few hardy 

 plants which can be grown in the climate of the northern 

 states which are more beautiful in autumn or which are 

 more desirable when fruit-effects are desired. It is per- 

 fectly hardy, it grows with the greatest rapidity, and can 

 be readily propagated by division, as it suckers freely, or 

 seedlings can be easily raised. It is not particular about 

 soil, and is admirably suited to cover rough banks or rocks, 

 where it may be allowed to grow without support, or to 

 train over fences and other structures. 



The character of the Chinese Lycium in fruit is shown 

 "by the illustration on page 102, made from a photograph 

 of the end of a branch taken late in the autumn. 



Cnicus Hillii. 



"DROBABLY the oldest botanical name of our eastern pasture 

 -*- Thistle is that of Muhlenberg, Cnicus odoratus. It is the 

 Circium pumi/u/n, Spenger, and Cnicus piimilus, Torrey. It is 

 found from eastern Massachusetts to Delaware, and, while not 

 of great size for a plant of the genus, is noticeable for its large, 

 showy and fragrant flowers. While low it is stout, having large, 

 sparingly branched roots of nearly even thickness. I have not 

 found that any of these were hollow. The involucral scales 

 are unmarked, or marked rarely with a light glutinous line ; the 

 anthers have very little acumination, and the tips of the pappus 

 are mostly spatulate and ciliate. 



In the year 1867 the late Elihu Hall collected, near Athens, 

 Illinois, specimens of a Thistle which he referred to the above. 

 This passed under the eye of Dr. Gray while making up his 

 account of the genus for the Synoptical Flora. His note in my 

 herbarium shows that he saw that it was different from the 

 eastern plant, although he did not mention it in the Flora. 

 Last year that observant botanist, the Rev. E. J. Hill, collected 

 specimens on the sandy borders of Lake Michigan, and sent 

 me excellent notes which seem to show that it is specifically 

 distinct from the eastern plant. He had previously collected 

 it at Cankakee, Illinois. 



Just as these notes were in hand I have received Mr. Hitch- 

 cock's excellent Catalogue of the Plants of Ames, Iowa. A 

 reference to page 505 will show that our plant extends to that 

 point. It may reasonably be looked for in other localities. 



From Mr. Hill's notes I have the impression that the western 

 plant flowers some weeks earlier than the eastern one. 



A comparison of the foregoing with the following descrip- 

 tion will serve to show the points of difference. 



Cnicus Hillii : general appearance much as in C. odoratus, 

 but the whole plant of smaller and more simple habit (fifteen 

 to twenty inches high), rarely with more than one head ; root 

 perpendicular, fusiform, very slender and hollow (teste Hill) 

 for two to six inches below the crown, then enlarging and 

 tapering to the end, the whole eight to twelve inches "long ; 

 leaves smaller, less spiny and less divided than in C. odoratus ; 

 scales of the involucre having a dark, glutinous line on the 

 back ; pappus usually slender-pointed, but occasionally a few 

 with narrow spatulate tips ; anthers more or less acuminate. 

 From central Illinois to central Iowa. „,.„. 



Wilmington, Del. William M. Canby. 



Foreign Correspondence. 

 London Letter. 



The exhibition at the last meeting of the Royal Horticul- 

 tural Society was of more than ordinary interest. Orchids, 

 Chinese Primroses, Cyclamens and other plants were repre- 

 sented by exceptional specimens, both in regard to their cul- 

 tural excellence and in their rarity and beauty. The winter we 

 have had here has been all against good horticulture. No 

 one would have been surprised if Mr. Cannell had declared 

 that his Primulas had all gone wrong because of the fogs and 

 darkness. But Mr. Cannell's marvelous exhibition of these 

 plants last Tuesday told a very different tale. The " Swanley 

 strain " of Primulas spoke for itself and spoke loudly through 

 these plants, which were nearly two feet across, a foot high, 

 and many of them with a dozen large many-flowered trusses 

 of blooms as large as a florin, of extraordinary substance, the 

 margins elegantly crisped and the colors superb. Some of the 

 new varieties are almost scarlet, and Mr. Cannell declares that 

 before long he will produce a Primula by the side of which 

 the soldier's coat shall pale. Swanley Blue is a pale violet- 

 flowered variety, and Swanley White is an excellent kind. The 

 largest plants shown were two years old, and had flowered 

 freely and also borne a crop of seeds in their first year. "All the 

 result of common-sense cultivation, aided by our special ma- 

 nure, which is really capital stuff," says Mr. Cannell. But his 

 common-sense treatment for Primulas is specially constructed 

 houses, with hot-water pipes close to the roof as well as 

 below the stages ; careful ventilation in damp weather and 

 very careful selection in the matter of varieties. 



A group of Cypripediums, mostly hybrids, was exhibited by 

 Messrs. Pitcher & Manda, of Swanley. Fifty-nine kinds were 

 represented, and whilst the flowers of many of them were 

 attractive the majority had no special charm beyond that of 

 novelty ; but to many collectors of Cypripediums novelty 

 alone is asked for. Messrs. F. Sander & Co. showed a 

 beautiful group of Orchids, among them a grand plant of 

 Odontoglossum Edwardii, with two long, branched spikes of 

 purplish flowers; Oncidium Brunleesianuvi, a pretty little spe- 

 cies of the 0. sarcodes section. When introduced and first flow- 

 ered in England six years ago this plant produced a spike of no 

 less than 150 flowers. Each flower is half an inch long and 

 wide, the sepals primrose, the petals yellow barred with brown, 

 whilst the three-lobed lip, which is folded behind and tongue- 

 shaped in front, is colored deep maroon. A portion of the 

 original plant was sold for 150 guineas. Dendrobium Luchi- 

 anum and the pure white-flowered variety of Coelogyne cris- 

 tata, known as Hololeuca, were also among the plants sent 

 from St. Albans. 



Phajus grandifolius, an old favorite in gardens, was shown 

 exceptionally well by B. S. Williams & Son. It was in a twelve- 

 inch pot and bore no less than fourteen spikes, averaging a 

 yard in height and crowded with flowers. Old though this 

 plant is, it does not occupy as prominent a place, among 

 popular Orchids as it merits, for, in addition to its massive 

 beauty, it is as easy to grow as a Gladiolus and as certain to 

 flower. Cattleya amethystoglossa (Prinzii) was shown with 

 stems over a yard high and an enormous head of its large, 

 richly spotted, amethyst-lipped flowers. 



The following plants obtained certificates : 



Cattleya Trian^e, var. plumosa, remarkable in having a 

 line of crimson down the middle of each of the rose-colored 

 segments, and a lip colored rich maroon. 



Cypripedium Creon. — A hybrid raised by Messrs. Yeitch 

 from C. lenanthum super bum and C. Harrisianum superbum. 



Odontoglossum triumphans, Whiteley's variety, a large 

 and richly colored variety, much superior to the typical plant, 

 handsome though this is. 



Iris Danfordi^e. — A dwarf plant with dull yellow flowers 

 spotted with green. It was scarcely worth a floral certificate. 



Chorizema Lowii. — A pretty seminal' variety of what is 

 known in gardens as C. varium splendens, itself a good, use- 

 ful greenhouse plant, but a long way inferior to its offspring, 

 which was raised in Messrs. Low & Co.'s Enfield Nursery. 

 As shown, it was one and a half feet high and formed a com- 

 pact, many-branched elegant plant, every branch terminated 

 by a raceme of richly colored flowers, half as large again as 

 those of the parent and much brighter in color. This is a 

 really pretty addition to a genus of greenhouse plants which are 

 far less difficult to manage than the majority of hard-wooded 

 plants, with which Chorizemas are classed. 



Hamamelis Zuccariniana is a dull-colored variety of the 

 well-known Witch Hazel, H. arborea. The last-named is 

 now a beautiful picture in one of the shrubberies at Kew. 



