MARCH. 



43 



Stenogastra concestna.— November 12, Messrs. Veitch & Son, Chelsea. — A pretty- 

 little miniature stove herb, forming a tuft of small ovate leaves, and numorous light 

 purplish- lilac flowers. 



Vaccinium vitis-idjea foI/. variegatis. — September 2-4, Mr. Salter, Hammersmith. — 

 A neat, dwarf, hardy shrub of evergreen character, with small roundish leaves edged and 

 mottled with white ; well suited for the outsides of clumps of American plants. 



Woodwardia orientaxis. — November 12, Mr. Standish, Bagshot. — A very beautiful, 

 hardy, Japanese Fern, with bi-pimiatifid coriaceous fronds, and elegantly acuminated 

 segments, the fronds producing very freely on the upper surface little proliferous buds or 

 bulbils. 



CAYENNE PINES. 



So much has been said and written in commendation of these Pines, from their intro- 

 duction into this country until the present time, that they have been eagerly sought after" by 

 most Pine growers, under the impression that they are the best sorts in cidtivation. 



In the answers to correspondents in one of the Numbers of the Florist, you say, " The 

 Smooth Cayenne Pine is as good as a Queen in summer, and much better than that variety in 

 winter ; it is a- free grower, very handsome in appearance, and has been grown ten pounds and 

 upwards in weight. There is no Pine possessing so many good qualities as this variety. The 

 Prickly-leaved, when well-grown, will equal the above in weight, but is more acid in flavour, 

 and apt to decay in the lower part before the top is thoroughly ripened." Do these varieties 

 of Pine deserve all that has been said of them ? Have they, then, no bad properties ? 



Our own experience of these varieties is very considerable, being a large grower of them 

 for many years ; indeed, the greater part of our stock consisted of them at one time. 



The result of our experience is, that we consider them scarcely worth cidtivating, more 

 especially the Prickly-leaved variety. Methinks I hear some exclaim, What ! Cayenne Pines 

 scarcely worth growing !" Yes, wc are serious, when we repeat that they are not worth 

 growing. That they have many qualities which may recommend them to some people we readily 

 admit ; but they have also some properties, which in our opinion, to some extent counter- 

 balance these. Both varieties are very free growers; the Prickly-leaved particularly so. 

 Indeed, we believe they are the, freest growing kinds in cidtivation ; this quality makes them 

 favourites with many. "With good management, when they show fruit at a good season, they 

 will bear very fine, handsome fruit. We have grown most beautiful fruit of both kinds for 

 years, and have obtained many prizes with them. Still, our candid opinion is against them 

 for the following reasons : — First. When they show fruit during the autumn or winter 

 months, even when the greatest care has been taken with them whilst in bloom, there will 

 oftentimes be some defective pips ; and, when this occurs, the fruit will begin to decay in 

 those parts before they are ripe. With fruit that has started during the winter, it will often 

 happen that the lower part will begin to decay before the top is ripe. The Prickly-leaved 

 sort is, however, the worst in this respect. Secondly. When the fruit are ripe, they only 

 keep for a very short time ; they very soon begin to decay. This, we think, is a very bad 

 quality ; for it will sometimes happen the fruit may not be wanted just when ripe, and if 

 wanted a short time after, they will not be fit for use. Any variety of Pine that will not keep 

 a few weeks after it is ripe, however good its other qualities may be, is not worth cultivating, 

 either for private supplies or the market. 



For summer use, there are none better than the Eipley Queen ; and for winter, none 

 better than the Black Jamaica, Both kinds will keep in good condition any time in the year 

 for a considerable time after they are ripe. The Black Jamaica is only a delicately rooting 

 Pine, and that is one reason why many neglect it and run after free-growing and strong- 

 rooting kinds, like the Cayennes. A few Cayennes, Providences, Envilles, Otaheites, 

 Trinadads, &c, may, in very large collections, be grown for the sake of the size and variety. 

 Being a successful Pine grower for many years, and having grown most of the leading sorts 

 in cultivation, the result of our long experience is that for summer use the Eipley Queen, 

 and for winter the Black J amaica, when well-grown, are the best, most useful, and pro- 

 fitable sorts in cultivation. M. S. 



POTS yeesus BORDERS. 



The question of fruit trees in pots versus open borders having been discussed lately 

 in the columns of a contemporary, less with regard to the principles involved than a desire 

 by the discussionists, to attack each other, I offer you a few observations on the subject.' 

 The fact as to which plan will produce the most certain crops of the best quality is one 

 .much more dependant on treatment, than whether the roots are inside a pot or in the open 



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