700 



FLOWER GARDEN. 



a passing word. This genus is seldom met with 

 in so satisfactory a state as its merits deserve. 

 From being somewhat difficult to flower, it has, 

 like so many others of its compeers, been aban- 

 doned. This being a native of the warmer parts 

 of South America and Brazil, it follows that the 

 temperature of the greenhouse is too low for it, 

 while, as in general treated, the perpetual ex- 

 citement to which it is subjected in the general 

 stove is equally unsuited. Give it the necessary 

 excitement of abundance of water and a high 

 temperature while in the vigour of growth, but 

 gradually withdraw these as its season of rest 

 approaches, and allow it to remain dormant 

 during three months at least in winter. The 

 want of sufficient excitement at the proper time, 

 and the want of rest for a period yearly, is the 

 cause why that splendid plant G. hyacinthina is 

 seen so seldom in flower. 



The Cape species, which rank in the natural 

 orders Iridese, Oxalidea?, Asphodelese, Amaryl- 

 lidese, Hypoxideae, &c, and they are very 

 numerous, are of the most easy cultivation. 

 The coldest division of such a structure as 

 we have described is a very fitting habita- 

 tion for them. If grown upon a more limited 

 scale, a low pit will be found eminently calcu- 

 lated for them ; and without this, with a glass 

 covering and slight degree of artificial heat at 

 particular seasons, especially when in a grow- 

 ing state, and a due observance of a season of 

 rest, no hopes need be entertained of seeing 

 them in their fullest perfection. 



In addition to the genera we have mentioned 

 suitable for such structures and similar manage- 

 ment, we may add those of Gloxinia, Sinningia, 

 Gesnera, Codonophora, Pentaraphia, &c. These, 

 however, being for the most part from the West 

 Indies, South America, and Brazil,require accom- 

 modation in the warmer compai'tment, and, like 

 the others, require their stated season of rest. 



Insects and diseases. — The white or mealybug 

 is frequently imported attached to bulbs, and 

 also sometimes makes its appearance on such as 

 have been years in cultivation. Syringing with 

 water at 130° will destroy them, and dipping the 

 bulb in water at the same temperature previous 

 to potting, will act as a preventive by destroy- 

 ing any insects in a young state that may exist 

 upon them. Bulbs are subject to few natural 

 diseases. They are, however, sometimes at- 

 tacked by gangrene or rottenness, arising from 

 wounds, too much cold, and damp. When such 

 appears, the decaying portions should be care- 

 fully pared away with a sharp knife, and the 

 wound dusted over once or twice a-day with 

 powdered charcoal or caustic lime in powder, 

 kept dry till the disease disappears; or, as has 

 been already suggested, the diseased part, when 

 washed clear of putrescent matter, may be 

 painted over with collodion. 



§ 4. — ORANGERY. 



The cultivation of the orange tribe has been 

 much less attended to in Britain than that of 

 any other class of exotic plants. Why this is 

 so, it is difficult to say. The plants make slow 



growth certainly, and nurserymen cannot, in 

 this country at least, afford to sell them cheap. 

 The supply of small plants, until within these 

 few years, was chiefly from Genoa, Naples, 

 Florence, &c, the chief importers being the 

 Italian warehousemen. Little regard was paid 

 to selection of sorts, and the plants themselves 

 were, in most cases, of the worst possible de- 

 scription. Of late years, plants of a much better 

 description have been imported, chiefly from 

 France and Belgium, and may be purchased of 

 all respectable nurserymen at very moderate 

 prices. The genus Citrus are chiefly natives of 

 Asia ; the principal sorts in cultivation are 

 Citrus Medica, Median Lemon ; C. Linetta, 

 Lemon Bergamos; C. Limonum, Lime; C. 

 Aurantium, sweet orange ; C. vulgaris, com- 

 mon Seville; C. decumana, Shaddock; C. no- 

 bilis, Mandarin. The Maltese orange is a much 

 esteemed fruit, and distinguished by its red 

 pulp ; and the navel orange of Bahai is both 

 singular and excellent, the skin being very thin, 

 the pulp almost devoid of seed, while the apex, 

 or crown of the fruit, terminates in a sort of 

 crown or navel — whence the name. We be- 

 lieve this to be a rare variety in Britain, and 

 have lately received two trees of it from its 

 native country. There are a great many other 

 varieties, the Paris nurserymen cultivating about 

 forty sorts, about one-half of which appear in 

 our English catalogues. 



The largest collection in Britain is that at 

 Hampton Court Palace, where two large apart- 

 ments on the ground-floor, having only large 

 glass windows in front, are filled with magnifi- 

 cent specimens. There are also some very large 

 trees in the Royal Gardens at Kew, kept in an 

 equally sombre apartment. These trees are 

 annually removed to the open air during sum- 

 mer, and arranged along the terrace-walks, after 

 the manner followed over most of the Continent, 

 and especially so in the gardens at Versailles and 

 the Tuileries. Although, from these examples, it 

 will be seen that the orange tribe is capable of 

 withstanding a considerable degree of cold and 

 a long period of diminished light, it does not 

 follow that they would not prosper better if 

 afforded a more transparent accommodation. 

 Plants growing under the brightness of an 

 Italian sky, and exposed to the heat and sun- 

 shine of an Asiatic climate, would be in a far 

 more natural position if placed in our light and 

 airy conservatories than in the apartments to 

 which we have alluded. We have referred to 

 this, vol. i. p. 399, and given a design of what 

 we consider an eligible orangery, fig. 550. 



The orange has also been successfully culti- 

 vated as a fruit-bearing tree, in several parts of 

 Britain ; and where a judicious selection of the 

 best varieties of the sweet-fruited sorts is made, 

 and duly attended to, they may readily be grown 

 to as great perfection as they can arrive at in 

 their native countries. And for this end they 

 should be planted out in prepared borders, and 

 trained to trellises similar to the peach; and 

 perhaps no better arrangement can be offered 

 than that of fig. 227. The soil, in such a case, 

 should be rich, light, and open, and rendered 

 thoroughly dry below. Those who have sue- 



