10 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ January I, 18^. 
of the brain as a thinking organ, if continued in, must be bad in effect. 
It is impossible for any of us to escape these results. 
A word as to the passing of spare time throughout the winter months, 
It is possible to have too much reading, and instead of making it a study, 
allow it to degenerate into mere cramming, for it is not so much the 
amount of study we are able to undertake that is of value, but the assimilat¬ 
ing of our studies and making the results a part of ourselves. That is what 
is of advantage ; all other is waste matter. Making notes of the principal 
points of our reading will be found of great value ; we thereby condense 
the main features of a book and fix them firmly in the memory. Both 
freehand and geometric drawing is of much value, and many hours may 
be pleasantly passed in these pursuits. As an old labourer used to say to 
me when a young man, “ Can-do is easy to carry about.” Then singing 
is an accomplishment everyone not physically incapacitated should culti¬ 
vate. A study of theoretical music is of absorbing interest, while those 
who attack the mysteries of the violin give to themselves occupation for 
all odd hours. I can say from experience that nothing rests the mind 
more than an hour’s music, be it instrumental or vocal, and as a family 
recreation singing holds a first place. Much more crowds on me that I 
would like to say, but I have already said sufficient.— Sylvanus. 
NOTES ON MONTBRETIAS. 
This genus may be cited as a very good example of the 
neglect into which, with a few exceptions, half-hardy bulbs have 
fallen; but fortunately there are signs of a renewal of the interest 
taken in these plants, and younger plantsmen may have the oppor¬ 
tunity of becoming acquainted with many of those gems from the 
Cape more especially, which now know only imperfectly from de¬ 
scription or herbarium specimens, and occasionally see with 
longing eyes in the plates of the “ Botanical Magazine.” The 
Montbretias are placed by Mr. Baker in his “ Syatema Iridace- 
arum” in that section of Iridaceae which has irregular flowers, 
and its two best known relatives are Gladiolus and Babiana. Its 
members are, with one exception, natives of Cape Colony and 
the adjacent districts, M. laxifiora being also found in eastern 
tropical Africa. Fourteen species are mentioned in the work 
just alluded to as being known, only one of which, M- rosea, is, 
as far as is known to the writer, in cultivation at present. My 
intention now is rather to draw attention to those which are at 
present in commerce, one of the most effective having been 
introduced from South Africa since the publication of the 
Monograph in question. 
M. CROCOSMiEFLOitA. —This beautiful plant is the result of 
the fertilisation of M. Pottsi by the pollen of Tritonia aurea, and 
is certainly one which, when better known, will be most popular. 
It possesses to a considerable extent the characters of both 
parents. The flowers are of a bright orange tint shaded with 
vermilion, often freely spotted with purple, and are borne in 
long branching spikes, usually opening in July and continuing 
in bloom for at least two months. Jts propagation is a very 
simple affaii’, as long rhizomes bearing bulbs are thrown off from 
the parent bulb in all directions, soon producing a colony of 
young plants, which if taken off and potted soon reach the 
flowering stage. A first-class certificate was awarded to this 
plant on its first appearance before the Floral Committee in 188 i. 
It is said to be hardy, but as to this I cannot say anything from 
personal experience. It forms a very useful plant if potted in 
light rich soil very early in spring and occasiona ly indulged 
with a little liquid manure during the growing season. Thei’e 
are now four good varieties in cultivation—viz., 
M. CROCOSMiEFLORA aurea. —Differing from the type by its 
greater height and more expanded flowers of a rich golden yellow 
M. CROCOSM2EFLORA elegans. —Similar in habit to the type, 
but having the flowers set more closely on the spikes, which are 
also produced more liberally. The unexpanded Bowers are of a 
bright vermilion. This has also received the honour of a first- 
class certificate. 
M. CROcosMiEFLORA pyramidalis. —The three outer seg¬ 
ments of the perianth are reflexed, and the colour also is peculiar, 
being rich apricot shaded with salmon. 
M. CROCOSMiEFLORA sulphurea. —Very large flowers, also 
having a greater general resemblance to M. Pottsii than any of 
the preceding; flowers of a dark chrome yellow. 
M. Pottsii. —At present the most widely known and appre¬ 
ciated of the genus. Introduced from the Cape a few years ago 
amongst an importation of Tritonia bulbs, and being quite hardy, 
has soon attained a position of favour amongst cultivators. The 
plant grows about 3 feet in height, having branching spikes, each 
bearing from fifty to eighty flowers, orange and crimson, slightly 
spotted. 
M. rosea. —Although this species has been much longer in 
cultivation, it is not so well known, and, indeed, although a 
pretty plant with its rose-coloured blooms, it does not deserve 
so large a share of praise as the others would be entitled to. In 
conclusion, let us trust that we may soon see some at least of 
the remaining species in general cultivation.—G. Guthrie. 
CHRISTMAS ROSES. 
The increasing popularity of these Christmas flowers is far from being 
undeserved ; indeed, they have never lacked intrinsic worth and beauty 
to ardent lovers of hardy flowers. Until recently the Christmas Rose wa3 
never regarded as of any commercial value, but now some acres are 
devoted to the cultivation of the varieties of Helleborus niger to supply 
the markets. The question of which is the most floriferous amongst the 
varieties is an important one, because the difference both in this and 
in the time of flowering among the varieties grown in gardens is wider. 
For instance, the typical H. niger, though not to be despised as a good 
flowering plant, is inferior to H. angustifolius and H. altifolius, both for 
number and quality of blooms. H. angifttif flius, however, is our especial 
favourite, and its free distribution of late has considerably lessened the 
difficulty of procuring it in quantity. It commence* floweriDg about the 
middle of December, and continues well over Christmas. It has also the 
advantage of being the purest coloured of all, seldom being tinged with 
rose, which forms the principal feature in the others. 
An ordinary garden soil suits Hellebores very well, provided liberal 
feeding and top-dressing be given when the flowers are being formed in 
the late summer and autumn. The mulching given in the autumn should 
be left on until the following spring, when it may be pointed in, a 
process which will require great care to avoid disturbing the roots. A 
moist and shaded situation is, moreover, essential to their well-being, and 
they will be all the better for being near to a wall or building having a 
north or west exposure. 
H. abschasicus owing to the recent very mild weather is also opening 
its flowers; they are beautifully speckled with dark purple spots, and 
exceedingly handsome, though not to be compared with the peerless white 
of H. angustifolius. It cannot be depended on to flower so near Christ¬ 
mas unless, indeed, the weather be mild.—M. S. 
CHARLTON HOUSE. 
The rapidly extending area of the suburbs of London is fad; extin 
guishing the once sylvan beauty of the surroundings of the few remaining 
ancient baronial residences. The same is going on, more or less, around 
all our large towns, and the fate is sealed of many a flue old mansion and 
paik. Such in a great measure is, and will eventually be, the fate of the 
once beautiful village of Charlton and its manor house. Evelyn, who 
wrote two hundred years ago (and who is considered no mean authority 
on landscape beauty), describes this village and its surroundings as “ a 
prospect, doubtless, for city, river, ships, meadows, hills, woods, and all 
other amenities one of the most noble in the world and this only seven 
miles from London. It is far different now. It was doubtless owing to 
the scenery that the accomplished and scholarly Sir Adam Newton was 
attracted there, and induced him to build the present ancient and noble 
mansion in 1G07, in order to conduce to the better accommodation and 
reception of his royal pupil, Prince Henry, son of James I., to whom 
Sir Adam was tutor. 
This stately edifice occupies a commanding position and possesses an 
extensive range of view of the Thames, and far beyond its opposite shores 
in!o Essex, as well as for miles across the counties of Kent and Surrey. 
As will be seen from the engraving (fig. 2), the house is built in the form 
of an oblong square, in a most substantial manner with red bricks and 
massive stone facings, projections, and balustrades, and although built so 
long ago, is still in an excellent state of preservation. It will not be out 
of place to describe in passing a few of the many beautiful objects that 
are so full of interest in the interior. Specially noteworthy is the mag¬ 
nificently ancient carved panelling around the principal rooms. The 
principal staircase, too, is built in massive Chestnut, with arabesque 
balustrades of the Tuscan, Corinthian, and Ionic orders. In the drawing¬ 
room may be seen a splendid marble chimney-piece, which is so highly 
polished that the surrounding scenery is reflected therein to a great extent; 
indeed, a tradition is preserved anent this to the effect that a certain 
noble lord whilst looking at this one day saw a robbery being committed 
on a neighbouring hi 1, whereupon he sent out his servants and captured 
the thieves. The massive doors with their ponderous bright iron hinges 
and fastenings are the same as were in use in Sir Adam Newton’s time. 
Ancient armour, as might be expected, abounds in most of the principal 
rooms. Sir Adam Newton did not long survive the completion of this 
stately mansion, being succeeded by his son, Sir Henry Newton, after 
whose decease it eventually came into the possession of the Wilson family, 
who have ever since held both the house and manor of Charlton. Several 
of the present baronet’s ancestors have figured conspicuously in history, 
and one of them, Sir Thomas Maryon Wilson, Bart., was a botanist of 
high standing during the early part of the present century, as well as a 
great patron of horticulture. The many beautiful trees and shrubs, as 
well as arrangement of the flower and pleasure gardens, owe their 
existence to his skill and good taste. He was passionately attached to 
hardy plants, and caused a great number of such as were available in his 
day to be planted in the beds and borders. 
The park, which is upwards of 100 acres in extent, contains many 
splendid examples of ancient Oaks, Elms, and other British trees, and 
with which the landscape is beautifully diversified. There is also a noble- 
avenue of Elms which for size and grandeur will compare with the finest 
examples in Britain. These must have been large trees in the time of 
