101 
A STROLL THROUGH THE GARDEN MAY. 
equal stamens as long as the calyx surround 
the pistil ; the filaments are violet blue, the 
two-lobed anthers are bright blue. The style 
is yellow, filiform, and three-cleft. The 
fruit is a three-parted capsule, generally con- 
taining a single seed in each of the divisions ; 
the capsules separate on the ripening of the 
pistils ; they have three tubercles at their 
under side. A brown-coloured seed fills the 
fruit entirely with its two large fleshy seed- 
lobes, which also, on the ripening of the fruit, 
become separated. 
M. C. Moritz discovered this species, which 
is distinguished by its elegant form from all 
of the beautiful genus to which it belongs. 
" We were glad," writes Dr. Karsten, 
"when, emerging from the thicket of entangled 
trees and bushes, we approached the open 
borders of the woods, where the easy wind- 
ing paths are overhung with melastomes, 
laurels, and myrtles, which also twine and 
net themselves together over the running 
Avaters, the flowers bending to every passing 
breeze. The harmonious union of the lively 
purple on the emerald-green ground-work, 
with the white and blue of the overhanging 
flowers, produced a very agreeable effect, and 
brought to mind the state of rest and motion 
which here seemed to be expressed in the in- 
teresting forms and the calm silence of the 
situation." 
This beautiful species Dr. Karsten has 
named in honour of an individual who is a 
distinguished patron and cultivator of the 
interesting family. 
Tropceolum Deckerianum comes near 
T. Moritzianum in regard to the form of the 
leaves and flowers, together with the absence 
of the thick tuber-like, or fleshy roots ; the 
leaves, however, are stronger or more vigorous, 
and seven-lobed, and the flowers are differently 
coloured. In T. Deckerianum the fruits 
(seed) are more deeply furrowed ; it is, more- 
over, prominently distinguished from all 
other known species by the peculiar twisting 
of the flower-stalk. In regard to the form of 
the leaves, it has something common to T. cre- 
natiflorum ; but the difference in this respect 
is less as compared with T. Moritzianum. 
The position of the flowers, and the colouring 
of the calyx in T. Deckerianum, strongl}'- re- 
mind us of Chymocarpus pentapkyllum. 
" We found this plant growing in the colony 
Tovar, [in Venezuela,] beside the Schwerinia 
superba and Bruckca grandifolia. I found it 
blooming during the whole year, which cir- 
cumstance permits us to hope that it will 
ornament the conservatory with its brilliant 
flowers for a considerable time. It likes a 
damp warm atmosphere about 16°, [= 68 Fahr.] 
and should have partial shade." All the Tro- 
pasolums flourish in light rich loamy soil. 
A STROLL THROUGH THE GARDEN, 
BY A TUTOR AND HIS PUPIL, IN THE MONTH OF MAY. 
What can surpass a garden in this cheering 
month ? The hyacinths are hardly out of 
bloom, and the tulips are gorgeous in the ex- 
treme. Observe, although the day is actually 
sultry, how cool we are under this awning. 
The sun is no longer permitted to shine on 
the flowers, which nevertheless open freely 
and show their magnificent forms and colours 
to the greatest advantage. When the sun 
has set, the evening being mild, the cloth will 
be thrown open, or rather drawn up, so that 
they may all have a little air. The early- 
planted ranunculuses are rapidly coming into 
flower, and, as their blooms increase in size, 
they want constant attention in watering and 
shading. The man whom you observe so 
busy among the pansies is stripping off any 
small side shoots that can be spared from the 
plant, on purpose to strike them under a hand 
glass for the purpose of supplying a succession, 
to come into flower as the older beds decline; 
at present they are beautiful. Those vigorous 
looking plants in the frame are dahlias ; a 
good stock has been struck, so that we need 
not trouble ourselves about the remainder 
of the old roots ; th^y may be cut into as many 
pieces as there are eyes, and these pieces 
may be planted in the ground. The auriculas 
have declined blooming, and are placed, as 
you see, in a situation partially shaded ; there 
they may have the weather as it may choose 
to come. You see the men trimming off all 
the side branches from the rose stocks except 
the top shoot, which will be the stronger for 
the removal of the rest. 
The gravel walks are all fresh turned over, 
and the gravel rolled smooth ; this gives an 
appearance of freshness that nobody could 
believe till they saw it. Here are pans of 
various seeds not long sown ; most of these 
are the fancy kind of pansies, pinks, carna- 
tions, picotees, and other perennials. Those 
stakes, which are firmly driven into the ground 
at such regular distances, are intended for 
dahlia supports. The plants will, about the 
middle of the month, be planted out singly 
against each post ; but these stakes, which 
are slighter and further apart, are for the 
seedling dahlias, which are quite large enough 
to put out now ; these will be planted close, 
and lines from one stake to the other will do 
to support the whole row. The annuals are 
