Plate 131 . 
COLEUS — “DUCHESS OF EDINBURGH” i 
We believe it is no secret that this first-rate novelty is American, and not of British 
origin, and that Mr. W. Cliitty, of Stamford Hill, London, who at present possesses the 
entire stock, is indebted to his brother, of America, for the importation of the plant to Great 
Britain. Whether this richly-tinted plant will eventually be suitable for our open beds time 
can only show ; at present it is of necessity somewhat scarce, and grown in the greenhouse, but 
the Coleus being a native of the South Pacific Islands, it, of necessity, requires stove heat in the 
winter. In America Coleus Duchess of Edinburgh has been described by Professor Thurber as 
a plant of the first class, and it has twice this year been exhibited at the meetings of the 
Royal Horticultural Society. It is now many years ago since Messrs. Veitch, and also Mr. 
William Bull, of Chelsea, introduced several richly coloured varieties of this plant to 
England, and since that time many hybrids, highly suitable for decorative purposes, have 
been in the market. Whether considered as a dinner-table plant, a striking ornament for 
the conservatory, or a plant for bedding purposes, the Coleus in all its varieties stands almost 
unrivalled. Duchess of Edinburgh, is likely to maintain a foremost place from the fact of the 
extreme beauty and novelty of its coloration, for we believe no Coleus ever yet raised has 
had the brilliant and almost dazzling magenta splashes which form so prominent a feature in 
the foliage tinting of this plant. There is immense diversity of colour in the Coleus (some 
forms being almost black) and leaf-form (some leaves being deeply fringed), in the different 
varieties under cultivation, but we are of opinion that Duchess of Edinburgh is second to none. 
Mr. Cliitty informs us that a little charcoal mixed with the soil in which it is grown greatly 
aids in bringing out the rich magenta colour of the foliage. 
Plate 132 . 
RHODODENDRON — “ FAIRY.” 
We have great pleasure in publishing a figure of this new Rhododendron from Mr. 
William Bull’s collection at Chelsea. We can hardly imagine a finer effect than would be 
produced by growing this new Rhododendron in company with Messrs. Veitch and Sons’ 
Duchess of Edinburgh as figured by us last May. As regards colour Fairy is a totally different 
plant from Duchess of Edinburgh, but as to first-rate quality they are equal. Rhododendron 
Fairy is a charmingly beautiful hybrid, with a free and compact habit, stout and ample foliage, 
and belonging to the greenhouse group of Rhododendrons. The flowers are produced in 
very large trusses or clusters, and the individual blossoms are of tubular shape, with large, 
broad, well formed lobes of great substance, and of a rich pink or rose colour. Altogether it 
is one of the most pleasing and desirable of the pink-flowered section, and, as it flowers 
freely, must prove a great acquisition. Nothing more can be said of the magnificent set of 
plants coming under this genus than we have said in former volumes, and the cultivation of 
greenhouse Rhododendrons is now so well known that it need not be again referred to by us. 
Few plants, indeed, have so many points in their favour as Rhododendrons, for they possess 
extreme beauty of form and habit, refulgent and varied colour, a profuse continuance of bloom, 
delicious odour, and glossy handsome foliage. Nor should the charming variety in size of 
the different species of this large -genus of Ericaceae be forgotten, for we have prostrate forms 
with branches only a few inches long, and other species attaining the dimenions of trees fifty 
feet high, with trunks eighteen inches through, and leaves more than a foot and a half long. 
