FEBRUARY. 



25 



A VISIT TO THE ROYAL BOTANIC GARDENS, KEW. 



When the heavy fog is hanging ahout our city streets and our gas-hill is getting enor- 

 mously long (for one cannot see to read or write without artificial light), and when our Mends 

 from the country tell us of bright sunshine and fresh air existing within an hour or two's ride 

 of us, it is difficult to sit still and not try a few miles run by rail. We were getting quite 

 low-spirited the other day, and this induced us to increase the finances of the South- Western 

 Eailway by the addition of a unit to the middle money column of their great account-book. In 

 return for this we were ushered into a second-class railway-carriage, and hurried off to Kew. 



Soon the beautiful wrought- iron gates were in front of us. Wo entered the first house — a 

 square one — and found the four angles filled with gigantic tree Ferns — Cyathea medullaris. 

 I)icksonia antarctica, and Alsophila australis. These are waiting for the better accommoda- 

 tion they will receive as soon as the great winter garden is finished. Gunnera scabra lias 

 been found such an effective plant for out-of-door decoration on account of its gigantic rhu- 

 barb-like leaves, that young specimens have been planted in several conspicuous places. We 

 found them covered with a hand- glass, over which, on frosty nights, a mat is thrown. 



The great tropical fernery has this season been painted and repaired. The plants are looking 

 as well as ever, but they are terribly crowded ; this is a very good fault, and one which will 

 soon be amended. In front of the old fernery, and between the show-house and that devoted 

 to Heaths, a new house is in course of erection ; in this the larger tree Ferns and some other 

 large-growing kinds will be arranged. The house will not be much more than 30 feet 

 square, the walls about 15 or 18 feet in height, having four upright lights on each side, 

 and the intervals filled up vrith ornamental brick piers. It is span-roofed, and in the 

 middle will give sufficient head-room for the tree Ferns for some time to come. To return to 

 the old fernery. We noticed that thebeautiful set of filmy Ferns has recently been increased by 

 the additions of some very beautiful and interesting species of Trichomanes from Trinidad. 

 The most showy, perhaps, are Trichomanes anceps, making broad flat fronds 18 inches or 

 more in length, the little cups bearing the sporangia hang from the under side like minia- 

 ture bells. T. floribunda has long pinnatifid fronds which are almost transparent ; 

 T. trichoidea, growing on an old stem, has fronds divided into haii-like divisions. Hymeno- 

 stachys elegans is very like a Trichomanes, but it is put into another genus because the fertile 

 fronds are unlike the sterile ones. They are narrow, and bear a line of cups on either side ; the 

 veins in the sterile fronds are reticulated, while in Trichomanes they are always free. In a 

 little glass case near the centre of the house we noticed some new importations from Ceylon ; 

 they were Hclminthostachys dulcis, a Botrychium-like Fcm, common in the East Indian ricc- 

 fields, and a very pretty little tree Fern called Cyathea sinuata, the stem of which is not thicker 

 than a man's finger. We give also the names of a few others, all of which are very distinct 

 from anything already common, and all well worth growing— Cyrtomium caryotideum, and 

 another species from China, not yet named ; Gymnogranrma trifoliata, Cibotium princeps and 

 C. Cummingii, Polystichum squarrosuni, Microlepia hirsuta angusta, Litobrochia podophylla, 

 and many others. 



In one corner of the Heath-house wo noticed a collection of plants recently imported 

 from Japan; most of them have not yet flowered, and therefore then specific names have not 

 yet been attached to them. Serissa fcetida, a very pretty variety of this well-known old 

 plant, having a narrow margin of white, and a white line along the centre of the leaf; it is 

 called marginata. Spilanthes oleracea, a yellow-flowered composite, used in Japan as a pot- 

 herb. A new species of Ehyncospermum, having smaller narrower leaves, than the old 

 R. jasminoides. Several kinds of Oak, which may prove to be new. A very dwarf kind of 

 Canna, which has its flower within a foot of the surface of the soil ; will be very useful for 

 many purposes. A new kind of Ardisia, the fruit of which is of a brighter colour than that 

 of the specks usually cultivated. Some young plants of Rhus succedaneum, the Japanese 

 Wax tree. Ihujopsis dolobrata, whichis nowbecoming a general favourite ; and the variegated 

 variety, which, from the distinctness of its marking, will stand even higher in public estima- 

 tion. In one of the other houses we noticed a very prettv variegated Podocarpus, and a 

 JJammara, the oval leaves of which were striped with pure white : the latter is a particularly 

 beautiful plant, and will be invalable for the decoration of a cool conservatory. Ectinospora 

 obtusa, is a lovely little Thuja-like Conifer ; and there were some other members of the family, 

 which are at present too young for us to £>rm an opinion of them. 



The show-house we found quite as gay as could be expected at this time of the year, 

 there were Chrysanthemums, both of the large-flowered and Pompon varieties, Salvia 

 splendens, Primulas, Amaranthus, Lantanas of several kinds (very useful at this time of the 

 year), Bauvardias (the same may be said of these, they are seldom properly grown ; the best 

 way is to plant them out in spring, keep them pinched during summer, and" lift and pot in 

 autumn) ; Solanum pseudo-capsicum, very gay with its bright red fruit ; Veronica Andersonii, 

 V. violacea, and some other kinds ; Ageratums ; Tritonia aurea, very striking ; and a few 



