THE PHILADELPHIA FLORIST. 207 



, ticultural Society for a display of indigenous flowers, but there is lit-^j 

 Mtle or no competition. cT^ 



How little, for instance, is known of our native orchids; the Orchis, 

 the Habenaria, the Oypripedium, or the Spiranthes and Goodyera; — 

 we see the Cheirostylis marmorata and Anechtochilus argenteus im- 

 ported from foreign nurseries at respectable prices; but who cultivates 

 Goodyera pubescens, equally beautiful in flower and foliage 1 The 

 native Cvpripedia are among the most beautiful of this beautiful ge- 

 nus, yet I do not believe that a single plant of C. spectabile is to be 

 found in this country. Peter Collinson thought " it must be a fine 

 sight to see the White Calceolus near three feet high ;" but very few 

 gardeners in this neiphborhood have ever seen it in flower. 



Looking over a catalogue of one of the largest nurseries in Europe, 

 I find advertised Anemone multifield and virginianu; Thalictrum ane- 

 monoides; Silitche/la repens; Lobelia cardinalis and syphilitica 7 Clay- 

 tonia virginica; Penstemon pubescens ; Spigclia murilundica; Podho- 

 payllu3I peltatum, and hundreds of other natives which are unknown 

 to or entirely neglected by us. 



Any one walking now into the fields and woods, or by the brooks 

 and marshes, would be delighted with the number of beautiful Asters, 

 Solidago, &c., w r hich he would see in bloom. It would seem, sir, that 

 to be valued at all, a plant must have its credentials from Mr. Van 

 Houtte, or from the Messrs. Henderson, and cost few or many francs 

 or shillings. 



A moderate sized bed in your garden might be planted with natives 

 so as to have a continued succession of bloom from early spring until 

 frost; and they have the additional merit of flourishing best when left 

 to take care of themselves. Very few visitors will know when look- 

 ing at your beautiful variety of herbaceous plants in bloom, that they 

 are only "wild things/' except perhaps a few of your lady friends — 

 and those only of them who go to the country in summer, instead of 

 improving their health at Newport or Cape Island. 



At another time I will have more to say on this subject, when you 

 can afford me space in your pages. Philarvnsis. 



A 



Retrospective Criticism. 



Cultivation of Cacti. — In the first part of your contributor's 

 "notes," he recommends when seeds are sown, to cover the pot with 

 a piece of glass. In the majority of cases, 1 think that the plants 

 would damp off as they came up, although they might come up sooner. 

 I see that the London Horticultural Society offer a premium at their 

 spring show, for six tall Cacti in flower, which our Society would do 

 well to imitate. 



Achimenes. — We hope that next September we will see several 

 collections rivalling the growth of throse shown by Mr. lngersoll's 

 gardener, which were certainly better than any ever exhibited in this 

 city, although in timber rivalling the Calceolarias Mr. Buist saw at 

 the London show. 



Window Gardening. — Few plants seem to succeed as window plants; / 

 r ^ chiefly, perhaps, from the want of proper light. Fuchsias get very cO 

 [2 leggy, indeed they seem to endeavor to turn into climbers. The Cm 



