HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 183 



the Florist really falls short, beautiful as it is, of the real excellence of the 

 plant. It is for, sale by several of our Philadelphia nurserymen. 



Coleus Blumei. — Another variegated plant, figured in the January 

 number of this year. It has not yet bloomed here, to our knowledge, but 

 the foliage is in itself very attractive. The purple marking which occupies 

 the central portion of the leaves sparkles in the sunlight like what the ladies 

 and dry goods people call a changeable silk. 



Begoxia xaxthixa. — This is decidedly the most beautiful species of this 

 very variable genus yet introduced. The foliage is large, pubescent and 

 deep green above, reddish purple underneath. The flowers on long pedun- 

 cules are of a beautiful golden yellow. We see a notice of a variety raised 

 from this with marbled leaves, which must be an improvement. 



Dipladexia crassixoda. — This beautiful plant, which, although for some 

 time introduced to this country, is not often seen in collections. A plant 

 of it in bloom at Mr. Knorr's shows a fine bloom of its peach-colored blos- 

 soms, blotched with a deeper shade, and with a yellow throat. 



Boudelelia speciosa. — A cinchonaceous shrub, a native of Cuba, with 

 handsome Lantana-like terminal umbels of scarlet flow T ers, with yellow eye 

 and throat. A well-grown specimen in bloom would be a very handsome 

 plant. 



Siphocampylos coccixeus.— A species with handsome foliage, and long, 

 upright scarlet flowers. Bather showy, but not so much so as several other 

 species in cultivation. 



Eriocxema aenea. — A handsome melastomaceous plant, with woolly 

 leaves, coppery above, bright red underneath, with umbels of inconspicuous 

 flowers. This promises to be an addition to the stock of plants with showy 

 foliage. 



The Potato question seems likely to assume a new form. Baising from 

 seed has failed to preserve the plant from disease, and so has the importa- 

 tion of sets from Peru, as well as a selection of varieties. No one can say 

 that a cure has been found among the many nostrums which have had their 

 admirers ; artificial manures, pickles, and steeps are exploded ; even pecu- 

 liar modes of preparing the tubers have been more or less unsuccessful, and 

 such improvement as has taken place in the health of the plant is either due 

 to better cultivation or to a gradual wearing out of the affection. We now 

 find, in the " Bevue Horticole," an account of another kind of Solarium, 



