2o8 MORE POT-POURRI 



'Rosarum Monographia,' by John Lindley (London, 

 1820) . On the title-page is this nice little motto : 



E guadagnar, se si potri, quel dono, 

 Che state detto n' h, che Rose sono. 



The letterpress is far more interesting and instruc- 

 tive, but the actual artistic treatment of the plates is 

 less beautiful and delicate than Redout6's. 



February 9th. — Where people suffer much from the 

 birds eating out buds, as I do, I strongly recommend 

 picking some of the branches of Prunus Pissardii when 

 in bud, and sticking them into Japanese wedges or into 

 ordinary glass vases. This, in so far as house decora- 

 tion is concerned, defeats the bullfinches, and the buds 

 come out very well in the room. This is the same with 

 all the early -flowering blossoms. The pink Almond and 

 Pyrus japonica are far more lovely flowered in water in 

 a warm room than left on the trees exposed to the cold 

 nights and the nipping east wind. 



February 10th. — On this day last year, I went to one 

 of the Drill Hall Horticultural Shows, and was 

 especially delighted with Amygdalus davidiana ; it is 

 one of the earliest of the flowering shrubs. I immedi- 

 ately bought a plant, and on my return this year I 

 found it in full flower, every branch wreathed with the 

 lovely delicate white flowers. I only wish I had bought 

 three or four plants instead of one. I shall certainly do . 

 so next autumn. The branches I ventured to cut have 

 lasted over ten days in the room in water, and those left 

 on the plant have turned brown from the frosty nights. 



I went to a neighbour to-day, and found the house 

 filled with pots of Genista prcecox. They came from 

 Waterer's, and a more charming effect in a large room I 

 never saw. The plant was beautifully grown and one 

 mass of pale lemon -coloured bloom — sweet -smelling, 



