223 
New Grenada, was distributed as Salmia laucheana by its 
| Messrs. Sander & Co., of St. Albans, from whom the 
Kew plant was received. Its spadix has a curious appearance, due 
to the enn. white, filiform staminodes, four of which are present 
in each of the numerous female flowers. Hidalgoa meter 
chiefly differs from the only two species hitherto known in the 
more compound leaves. In its climbing habit and brilliantly 
coloured flowers, it- resembles some Mut tisias; but it is really 
closely allied to Dahlia. Kew received the plant fig 
n Lewis Childs, of: New York, who recently introduced 
it pe cultivation from Costa Rica. Begoni 
discovered by enry in Yunnan. It is a new species and is 
remarkable in being the only known representative of the 
genus in the Old World with palmatipartite leaves. - Rhödodendro 
modestum is an exceedingly pretty new-species from the Sikkim 
Himalaya. It appeared at Kew amongst some young. plants, 
raised from seed received from Calcutta as R. pendulum; but it 
is quite non reati from that species, a is probably nearest allied 
to: R. barbatum 
- New Works.—During the past year the important although not 
showy task of putting the working departments of the establish- 
ment into efficient order has been vigorously prosecuted b 
vas taken in the preceding year, and the results were recorded in 
the Kew Bulletin (1898, pp. 338, 339). 
The following is a list of what has since been accomplished :— 
I. Melon Ground.—This derives its name from its former use 
when the frame ground of the Royal. Kitchen Garden, which was 
abandoned by Her pape: in 1846 and annexed to the. Royal 
Botanic Garden. It i w the principal propagating depart- 
ment. No. XVIII, +5 boy entirely rebuilt on the present Kew 
system of steel and wood Venere It was originally a Peach 
House, and a section of it is figured in Philippar’s Voyage 
Agronomique en ds lee (1830, ib. xvi., ide 2, p. 141). The 
lean-to roof has now been converted into a three-quarter span. 
Although FOR dilapidated, much of the massive timber used in 
its construction was still perfectly sound. Some cf the Memel 
Pine (yellow deal) was still perfectly sound, although it had 
probably been in position eet less than a century. 
pine of this kind and of great age is not now procurable. tan 
house is divided into three compartments: one serves 
hospital for restoring to health stove plants out of condition ; vb 
other two are forcing houses for supplying the Conservatory 
No.I 
Besides this the Mess-room and Tool-sheds used by the labourers 
bos: in the northern part of the establishment have been 
moved from the back of Museum No. III.,a position € remote 
he the working centre for economy of labour A commodious 
office for the Gera of the decorative department | ite been 
erected. Minorappliances are an unheated span frame (84 feet 
long), a dil he artificial manures, another for trucks and 
barrows, and bins for different kinds of soi 
3857 B2 
