331 
HORTICULTURAL NOTES. 
somewhat remarkable, perhaps, that double- 
flowered Rhododendrons should be so rare, 
when we have double varieties of the nearly- 
related green-house Azaleas ; and in many 
of the single varieties of these, there is a ten- 
dency to change the stamens into supernu- 
merary petals ; but doubtless the matter will 
now excite attention, and we may get them in 
considerable variety. — 21. 
New Calceolarias. — It is gratifying to 
see, that, in the Calceolaria, a flower which 
has, perhaps, fallen rather into distaste, there 
is much improvement going on. Some of 
the seedlings of this season are of excellent 
properties, though the majority of them still 
run on those oddly and thickly chequered 
colours, of which the variety called Stan- 
dishii furnishes a familiar example. Mr. 
Kinghorn, of Twickenham, seems to be taking 
the lead, both this season and last. His 
Exemplar, shown last season, was a striking 
variety, with yellow markings on a crimson 
ground. This season he has produced some 
of very remarkable merit ; exhibiting, in 
conjunction with large size, even outline, and 
clear and distinct colouring, that fulness on the 
facewhich is indispensable, to a first-rate variety. 
Those especially referred to are Masterpiece, 
which received the first prize, both at Chiswick 
and the Regent's Park : this has yellow 
dashes on a rich maroon ground. Puissant 
is another fine variety, with dark-orange 
dashes on a reddish-maroon ground ; and 
Julia is cream-coloured, with crimson dashes. 
Emperor and Oscar, both of which received 
prizes at the Regent's Park, have dark maroon 
grounds, with yellow dashes. These are all 
raised by Mr. Kinghorn, and are desirable 
even in limited collections. Mr. Gaines, also, 
appears to be paying attention to these plants. 
Several of his, shown last year, were of fair 
average merit ; but not so remarkable as the 
last named. Lord Hardinge, shown this year, 
is bright maroon with yellow dashes ; and Lady 
Smith has lemon-coloured ground, with dark- 
crimson markings. Marmion and Marquetry 
of Mr. Kinghorn's batch this year are also 
very good dark- chequered varieties. Mr. 
Standish had some good varieties last year, 
with a pale-creamy or whitish ground, with 
rosy and purple dashes, which are distinct 
among the yellow-chequered flowers, which 
are rather common. Matchless and Orinda 
in this way are good. Any one who is bu3 r ing 
Calceolarias now, must not omit Mr. Plant's 
carnation-striped varieties, which though nei- 
ther very perfectly marked, nor possessing 
any of the properties of fine flowers, are yet 
a step in a right — and that a novel — direction, 
as regards colour. There are those who 
deem a decidedly shrubby habit indispensable 
in a first-rate variety ; but in this .1 cannot 
say that I can individually concur ; and, in- 
deed, the point seems to be omitted by those 
who raise these seedlings. I consider the 
general habit of those varieties which are 
classed as half-shrubb}', to be the most prefer- 
able ; the stems are always stronger, and 
the flowers more numerous and better ar- 
ranged ; and they have not — at least as a class 
— the objection which attaches to some, if not 
all the truly herbaceous kinds, of being diffi- 
cult to cultivate. — M. 
Double Stocks. — Few hardy plants are 
more valuable than the different varieties of 
Brompton, Queen, and Ten-weeks Stocks, and 
at the same time there are few plants upon 
which there, is so much uncertainty. I shall 
endeavour to point out the surest means of 
obtaining double flowers, and at the same time 
show how they should be treated, so as to 
have plants in bloom from April to November, 
and even in very mild winters all the year 
round. In commencing, first procure, if pos- 
sible, seeds of a good kind (that is, from some 
place where more double than single ones are 
produced from the seed), for in so doing 
you may save yourself much disappointment. 
They are exceedingly easy of cultivation, 
merely requiring to be sown in a rich loamy 
soil, not very retentive, and at different sea- 
sons, so as to produce a succession. The 
Brompton and Queen Stocks should be sown 
at two different times ; one about the end of 
June, and again in the end of July, in a bor- 
der or bed not very rich or confined, merely 
screened from the mid-day sun. If such a 
situation is, however, not convenient, sow in 
the open ground, and put a few twiggy 
branches over the beds, placing the branches 
flat on the ground, which will be quite shade 
enough, removing them again as soon as the 
young plants begin to show their first rough 
leaves, otherwise they become drawn, and con- 
sequently never flower well. 
In sowing the Brompton and Queen Stocks, 
always sow rather thinly, and on ground 
which is somewhat firm ; for if sown on very 
loose fresh-dug ground, and if the soil is rich, 
which it should be, the plants grow too rapidly, 
become soft, and are very liable to be de- 
stroyed in winter, if the latter should prove 
severe. When large enough, which will be 
by the beginning or middle of August, trans- 
plant them into a moderately rich soil, and 
water freely after planting, if the weather is 
dry, but if possible defer planting until show- 
ery weather. In making a selection for trans- 
planting, first reject all the very strong grow- 
ing plants, because they are almost sure to be 
single ones, and also those with a single tap 
root, preferring only the smaller stunted plants, 
with horizontal fibry roots, as those in most 
cases produce double flowers. 
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