434 
FLOWER GARDEN AND SHRUBBERY. 
"W. Hooker, the Director of the Gardens of 
lvuw, remarks as follows: — "Among the 
many novelties sent by our collector for the 
Royal Botanic Gardens, from the Sierra Ni- 
vada do Santa Marta, in New Granada, is 
the accompanying highly interesting plant. 
The leaves ai'e peculiarly beautiful, of a rich 
velvety dark green, with a tinge of purple, 
spotted with white, as in Begonia argyro- 
stigma. We will not deny that (partly from 
the consciousness that the plant was a true 
Achimenes) very great expectations were 
raised as regards the beauty of its flowers. 
Their first appearance no doubt disappointed 
us ; but as the racemes increased in length, 
and more blossoms expanded, the plant be- 
came a general favourite, and is likely to con- 
tinue so ; for the flowers bid fair to continue 
the whole summer months. They are white 
or cream colour, spotted with red. The plant 
requires the same treatment as others of this 
family ; and we find it best, after rearing it 
in a moist and hot stove, to remove it to a 
cooler place. Thus treated, the bloom and 
foliage continue in beauty a great length of 
time. It will be readily increased, we cannot 
doubt, by its scaly, caterpillar-like tubers, as is 
the case with the original Achimenes coccinea, 
of which this is unquestionably a true congener." 
In cultivation, this plant will require similar 
treatment to the other members of the family 
now so widely dispersed, and contributing to 
ornament so many green-houses in the sum- 
mer months, after having been grown in a 
warmer atmosphere. From its small size, and 
the permanent interest and beauty of its 
foliage, it is well suited for culture in a 
Warclian case. 
PRACTICAL GARDENING. 
OPERATIONS FOR OCTOBER. THE FLOWER GARDEN AND SHRUBBERY. 
This is the most important month in the 
year for all planting operations, and especially 
the removal of all deciduous shrubs and trees. 
Vegetation, in their case, has done its work ; 
the leaf falls, and although from that period 
until the time that the buds begin to swell 
will answer every purpose, if there be one 
month better, it shall be October. All alter- 
ations of the flower-garden and shrubbery 
should therefore be commenced, and the trees 
and shrubs of any important size be selected 
and marked ready to be taken np when re- 
quired, and not before. The evergreens may 
be left later without any prejudice to their 
well-doing. The first step towards forming 
or altering a garden, is, that of marking out 
the edges of walks, and the mai'gins of beds ; 
and the next is, the trenching, as deep as the 
soil will allow of it, all the portions to be used 
as beds, or planted with shrubs and trees. 
As the autumn months are frequently very 
wet, and intervals only will do for the prin- 
cipal operations, no opportunity of working 
should be lost in fine weather. The ground 
works more freely, and is in better order after 
it is worked, than if done while it is wet; for, 
as the digging admits a good deal of air into 
the soil, as deep as it is disturbed, solid lumps 
of earth, and especially in stiff land, trodden 
together, and turned in in that state, become 
hardened; and it is long before repeated dig- 
gings can pulverize it, and render it fit for the 
reception of plants. The spaces to be planted 
having been trenched, order home, or procure 
from other parts of your garden, the trees and 
shrubs required. If from a nursery of stand- 
ing, they need no caution about taking up ; 
but if, on the other hand, you find rough 
labourers about, show them the necessity of 
retaining all the fibres of the roots undamaged, 
and pay them a little extra for taking pains. 
The planting of all kinds of subjects requires 
pretty nearly the same care. Dig the holes 
large enough to take the roots spread out, 
and let the loosened earth at the bottom rather 
form a cone, than be deepest in the middle, 
which is so common an error, that, unless seen 
time after time, as we have seen it, one can 
hardly believe it. Trees properly managed 
in the nursery, have not tap roots, but fibres 
spreading all round; and if they be not so, 
the buyer loses great advantage. Indeed, 
so important is it to have what the gardener 
technically calls good stuff, — that is, trees with 
well-formed roots, — that we recommend all 
purchasers of full-sized plants of any kind, to 
go and select two or three of the finest plants, 
and have them taken up, to see the nature of 
their roots, before they order any quantity; 
for better is it to get a three-feet high plant, 
with well-formed roots, than equally handsome 
ones of six feet, where the roots have been 
neglected; the one starts and becomes hand- 
some in a year, the other is checked so much 
by the unavoidable loss of its straggling feet, 
that it goes back rather than forward in 
appearance the first two or three seasons, even 
if it ever recover its mutilation. One neces- 
sary condition, however, of all planting, where 
the roots have been cut, or broken, is, that 
bruises, or ragged ends, and split or broken 
pieces, be removed with a sharp knife, and a 
clean cut; and another is, that the plant itself 
must be cut in, and curtailed of a propor- 
