36 
FLORICULTURE OE THE TAST YEAR. 
ings and variegations. It is a Java species, 
and is epiphytal. 
Vriesia speciosa, Hooker, is a bromeli- 
aceous shrub, with narrow leaves banded with 
black markings. and bears its "whiteflowers on a 
scape, which is furnished with large imbricated 
rich scarlet bracts ; it flowers too in winter. 
Zausciinekia californica, Presl, is a 
very free growing hardy perennial, having a 
very diffuse and branched habit, and bearing a 
great profusion of scarlet flowers, which 
greatly resemble those of some fuchsia. 
These all are desirable plants for cultivation, 
either on account of their beauty or curiosity, 
or from some other feature of interest which 
they possess. 
FLORICULTURE OF THE PAST YEAR. 
BY GEORGE GLENNY. 
There has been a considerable advance in 
the progress of some flowers, while others 
have remained stationary, if not altogether re- 
ceded: that is to say, been neglected. Suppose 
we take them all seriatim, and begin at the 
Rose. TVe may be told that the novelties of 
the year are by no means numerous; but if it 
were shown that there had not been a single 
new variety, we should nevertheless "say it 
had greatly advanced, inasmuch as, if nothing 
good has been added, many bad ones have been 
rejected ; the properties are better understood; 
the points which add value to them are more 
highly appreciated, and there cannot be a 
better preparation for a permanent advance. 
But there are new ones to let out, and others 
under proof: that is to say, possessed by the 
dealers, who will grow them a season, with a 
view of proving their qualities. The sum- 
mer Roses : that is to say, the numerous varie- 
ties which flower in June, or thereabouts, and 
give us their flowers for a month, are no 
longer valued; so many magnificent flowers 
which equal and surpass the best of the summer 
varieties may be now selected from the perpe- 
tuals and continuous bloomers, that nobody of 
taste cares to encumber the ground with the 
sorts which flower but one month in the year. 
Dealers are obliged to keep them all, because 
they are asked for ; but the best of the rose 
nurserymen discourage the sale of the sum- 
mer varieties altogether, and if any one were 
to order a hundred, and leave it to the choice 
of the vender, he would select such as bloom 
three-fourths of the summer. Of course, 
there are exceptions. Those who provide 
themselves with a stock of everything, would, 
perhaps, let the most conspicuous varieties 
go, without considering the one great object, 
a prolongation of the bloom. Again, there 
are persons who, in laying themselves out for 
an exhibition three or four times a-year, 
would procure all the best formed flowers, 
and summer roses will afford them great help 
in June; for even the old cabbage would be 
desirable in a collection of fifty in June, and 
many others would be important additions. 
At the Hammersmith Nursery, they reject 
nearly all the flimsy-petalled kinds, and I 
acknowledge thickness of petal to be a most 
important desideratum. This example must be 
followed ; but some of the catalogues are very 
faulty in this particular, and contain many 
varieties which, as described, would tempt, and 
as surely disappoint, those unacquainted with 
the qualities of the things they order. The 
Rose, which formerly occupied the undivided 
attention of a few leading men, now becomes 
a most important portion of the stock in all re- 
spectable nurseries. At the late Mr. Girhng's, 
Stowmarket, this queen of flowers was grown 
in high perfection, and immensely long walks, 
neatly formed, and graced on each side with 
a double row, the front dwarf or half standards, 
and the back whole standards, took up more 
than two thousand of the finest sorts ; these 
now pass into other hands. It is, however, 
very curious to see most of those who have 
adopted the Rose as a leading article, differing 
so much in their estimate of the best ; but 
certain it is that most of them, after we men- 
tion about fifty, which all appear to like, have 
a different set of favourites. A very excel- 
lent list has already appeared in the Horticul- 
tural Magazine. These were the adopted 
favourites at the Headenham Rosery. At 
the same time there was a catalogue with a 
very novel arrangement belonging to another 
nursery. We cannot too strongly impress on 
all who have gardens, to first secure all the 
distinct varieties of the China and hybrid 
China sort with good flowers, and make up 
with such others as are continuous in their 
bloom, or, at least, have two or three seasons 
of flowering; and it should be recollected, 
that a garden without a collection of roses, is 
a complete anomaly ; it is a house without a 
chimney ; it is a dining-table covered with 
plates and dishes, but nothing to eat. The 
Rose is the finest of all florists' flowers, with 
the richest qualities, the greatest contrasts, 
the most lasting beauty, and is withal the 
greatest favourite among all classes, even the 
most indifferent. The Tulip has moved a 
little in the country; but costly as it is to 
keep up a fine collection, and seldom as it is 
* IMS. 
