THE FLORAL MAGAZINE. 
contrasts well with the paler-tinted kinds. Pelargo¬ 
nium “ Duchess of Bedford ” is a floriferous and robust- 
habited variety bearing large trusses of white, pink- 
spotted flowers, each petal being elegantly frilled. As 
a market plant, or for decorative purposes, it will be 
most valuable. Mr. R. Dean has originated a charm¬ 
ing race of seedlings from Primula cortusoides amoena, 
the colours varying from white to deep purple. Certi¬ 
ficates were awarded to P. cortusoides purpurea, a 
distinct variety with bluish purple flowers. P. cortu¬ 
soides maxima, a large-flowered variety, the broad 
petals being rosy purple behind and white in front. 
P. cortusoides coerulea is a white variety, delicately 
suffused with sky blue. Polyanthus “Duke of Wel¬ 
lington ” is a nice addition to the gold-laced varieties, 
and is well worth culture in collections of the showy 
old-fashioned flowers. Tulipa Griegi, one of the most 
gorgeous of all early flowering Tulips, has also been 
certificated, and now it and its congenors are in bloom, 
we may remind hybridisers that seedling or cross-bred 
varieties of such a noble plant would be most acceptable 
to all lovers of showy spring flowers. 
GRAFTED CACTI. 
Few plants are more easily gi’afted than Cacti, 
although until recent years the practice in this direc¬ 
tion has almost entirely been limited to the production 
of the little Epiphyllums, so useful for conser¬ 
vatory decoration during the winter season. Mr. 
Croucher has recently exhibited some interesting 
grafted examples of Echinocacti, Mammillarias, and 
other succulents, these being worked on the stout 
stems of a strong growing columnar Cereus, at a 
height of two or three inches above the pots in which 
they are grown. So treated, these plants look much 
more attractive than when their bases are rotten or 
discoloured by contact with the damp soil. One of 
the most singular examples was a small branched plant 
of Pereskia aculeata, on which had been engrafted no 
less than six other species belonging to three distinct 
genera. These were Cereus peruvianus monstrosus 
Opuntia microdasys, 0. clavaroides, 0. ovata, and two 
dissimilar species of Rhipsalis, namely, R. paradoxa 
and the white-berried mistletoe-like R. funalis. It is 
interesting to know that wherever large established 
plants of the scandant or columnar Cerei are growing, 
they may be made very interesting by grafting, since 
they may thus be studded with silvery-spined Mam¬ 
millarias, winter flowering Epiphyllums, Echinocacti, 
Rhipsalis of sorts, while here and there the rat-tailed 
Cereus may be made to drape the taller stems with 
excellent effect. 
NARCISSUS CALATHINUS. 
Beautiful fresh specimens of this rare plant have 
been sent to us by M. Blanchard, of the Naval Hospital 
Garden at Brest, where it is successfully cultivated in 
a cold frame. It is the rarest of all the species and 
two forms of it are known, a yellow-flowered variety 
from Portugal, and a nearly white-flowered form from 
the Isle Drenec, one of the Isles de Glenan, situated 
southward off the coast of Finisterre, in Brittany. 
Both forms are well represented in ‘ Redoute, Liliacese/ 
and our engraving (originally derived from Redoute's 
drawing) gives a good idea of the flowers of the paler 
form from Brittany. In its native habitat the plant 
grows on the sea-shore on short greensward patches, 
and is kept continually moist by the spray carried 
inland by the wind; the soil being a rich combination 
of heath mould and sea-salts. It cannot endure either 
a dry atmosphere or frost, but might possibly be suc¬ 
cessfully grown on our southern shores in peculiarly 
warm and sheltered situations. 
CATALOGUE RECEIVED. 
The Illustrated Guide and Seed Catalogue for 
Amatew Gardeners, Spring, 1877. Daniels Brothers, 
Norwich. 
This well compiled and profusely illustrated Cata¬ 
logue will be of great service, especially^ to amateurs, 
for whom it is more especially designed. In both 
the Kitchen and Flower departments, besides an 
excellent monthly Calendar of operations, clear de¬ 
scriptions and full cultural directions are given under 
each Flower and Yegetable. 
