220 
MISCELLANEOUS. 
rudest health downwards over the rock work to the 
water's edge, and displaying a profusion of its 
bluish rich purple-blotched ringent flowers. 
Intermingled with exotic Ferns and Lycopods, 
beneath the shade of Arums and sub-aqueous Endo- 
gens of ample growth, many a barren and formal- 
looking in-door Aquarium might be made to smile 
with exotic forms and tints, and thus be rendered 
what all such objects should be — rare as well as 
beautiful. 
Jacaranda mimosifolia. We recently saw this 
beautiful Bignoniaceous plant in bloom in a very 
dwarf state at Messrs. Knight and Perry's Exotic 
Nursery, Chelsea, and we are only surprised that 
such a really fine old plant (which has been intro- 
duced from Brazil thirty years at least,) should not 
be more generally met with in a blooming con- 
dition. 
Alluding to the comparative merits of the beau- 
tiful old Rdhania squarrosa exhibited at the July 
meeting of the Horticultural Society, Professor 
Lindley happily connects neglected " old plants " 
generally with the simile of " old wine and old 
nobility," and we think he does so most appro- 
priately. The Mimosa-leaved Jacaranda may be 
included in the much-overlooked, nay, almost dis- 
carded phalanx of " old plants " that are now, it is 
gratifying to witness, about to receive the homage 
due, but long delayed, to long neglected merit. 
We are not unmindful that much of the neglect 
which has befallen the interesting subject of our 
notice has arisen from the general but erroneous 
impression, that much room for root and branch- 
extension is indispensable to its successful manage- 
ment, and to flower it well ; but a greater mistake 
with respect to the treatment of this plant could 
not be committed, than to dispose it in too deep or 
too fertile a soil. 
Planted out in the border of a warm conserva- 
tory, with plenty of head-room, it will undoubtedly 
attain a tree-like size ; but to flower it well under 
such circumstances, it must be skilfully treated, 
the rooting medium must be circumscribed in 
extent, sterile in quality, and rendered tolerably 
dry in the winter season by thorough drainage, and 
a limited supply of moisture. It is a good plan to 
commingle plenty of lime rubbish, broken bricks, 
&c., with the soil to assist in preserving porosity 
and ensuring dryness ; treated thus, and care taken 
that it does not become too dry in summer, this 
fine old neglected plant will assume a most attrac- 
tive appearance by displaying its azure blue panicles 
of Penstemon-like flowers in profusion, and amply 
repay the "trouble" besto^'ed upon it. 
On the other hand, as if consulting the con- 
venience of small structures and less ample means, 
this accommodating plant will succeed admirably, 
grown in pots of a limited size and a soil not over 
rich ; turfy loam and sandy peat commingled with 
an equal quantum of coarse gravel and good bottom 
drainage, suit it well, when placed to grow in a 
rather warm greenhouse or heated pit with a 
sufiieient drought in winter, and a plenitude of 
moisture at the root during the active season ; 
if thus judiciously treated, it will copiously un- 
fold its delicate flowers of "soft cerulean blue" 
by the time it is 18 inches or 2 feet high. The 
former was the height of the plant we saw in flower 
at the Exotic Nursery, Chelsea ; and we confidently 
commend Jacaranda mimosifolia to the fostering 
care of "specimen" plant cultivators especially, for 
nothing would afibrd us greater pleasure than to 
meet with it in a respectable state at the exhibitions 
of future seasons, 
Ruellia. Of the above, a new and pretty species 
was produced at the July flower-show of the Horti- 
cultural Society by Messrs. Veitch of Exeter, who,_ 
with scarcely an exception, introduce novelties 
possessing a greater or less degree of merit to 
public notice at every Metropolitan Exhibition ; a 
worthless new plant, indeed, being scarcely ever 
" brought out " by these gentlemen. 
The subject of our notice is a kind of half shrub^ 
with bluish violet flowers, produced solitarily in the 
axillae of the opposite, entire, rich green foliage. 
The flowers, which are freely produced, are an inch 
or more across, with a deep purple throat and much 
resemble a Petunia in appearance. A kind of half- 
stove or warm greenhouse suits it best. Introduced 
by the Messrs, Veitch from Peru. Also from the 
same gentlemen's Nursery at Exeter, a fine plant of 
the beautiful Saccolabium Blmneii, displaying five 
or six of its lovely pendant flower scapes, 
Messrs, Yeitch also exhibited at the same meet- 
ing a collection of new hardy Conifers in pots, 
consisting of Ta^odimn Horsfieldii, Abies Bruno- 
niana, Pinus Gordoniana, P. Winchesteriana, 
Thuja Doniana and Dacrydmm Franklerii, all of 
which (although much too young to form any correct 
estimation of their ultimate appearance) appeared 
very ornamental, and doubtless if quite hardy (as 
was stated to be the case) will prove desirable 
additions to the Pinetum, With the foregoing 
was a new species of that exceedingly ornamental, 
hardy coniferous genus Cryptomeria, sent home 
from Japan, by their collector Mr. Lobb ; the 
habit of which although not very strikingly difler- 
ent from the common form of Cryptomeria (whilst 
it appeared to us equally as branchy and luxuriant 
though not so glaucous), seemed more sturdy and 
robust in all its parts. 
Gloxinia Wortleyana. A remarkably fine plant 
of this very lovely Gloxinia we recently noticed 
in the collection of Mr. Glendenning, Nurserymanat 
Chiswick, displaying its pure white and beautifully 
tinted flowers in profusion. The same specimen 
was produced at the last Chiswick Exhibition and 
excited universal attraction amongst the visitors, 
many of Avhom we heard commenting very en- 
comiastically upon its delicate beauty. Also at the 
Chiswick meeting, from the same gentleman's Nur- 
sery, a collection of new hardy ornamental shrubs 
in pots, comprising the evergreen plum from 
California {Cerasus ilicifolia), several species of 
Ceanothus {C. dentatus, 0. rigidus, and C. pappil- 
losa), together with Rhamnus Oleifolius and a new 
species of the same genus. 
The above will be found interesting subjects for 
the Arboretum or the Conservative wall. 
Petunia " Count Zicliy" This is a very beau- 
tiful Petunia and well adapted for pot cultivation, 
training over a wire trellis, &c. The flowers are of 
intermediate size, the ground colour deep rosy 
crimson, clouded towards the limb-margin of the 
