350 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ May 1,1884. 
Calceolarias. —Mr. Henslow reported on the monstrous Calceolarias 
brought by Mr. Smee at last meeting. They both consisted of two flowers 
combined, but while in one case the two “ slippers ” were distinct, in the 
other the two adjacent sides of the two slippers were coiled up into a 
spiral, and thrust into the common interior of the two petals. 
Ferns Grown in the Dark. —Mr. Henslow showed several petioles of 
fronds (the lamina not being developed) grown in total darkness in a 
temperature varying from 60° to 90°. They were of a pale green coleur, 
while Peas germinated with them were void of chlorophyll. 
Whip Made of Seaweed .—He also showed a whip made by twisted 
fronds of a Fucaceous Seaweed, probably a Laminaria, and a pipe made in 
the Hartz Mountains—the stem of a branch of Pinus, a head carved formed 
the bowl, with a head composed of Usnea barbata, and tassels of fruit of 
Alder. 
Ornithogalum, sp. —Hon. and Rev. J. T. Boscawen sent a spray of 
handsome species, with large white scented flowers. It was referred to 
Mr. Baker for determination. 
THE MILDNESS OF THE SEASON. 
For the following remarkable particulars as to the temperature of the 
past quarter at Greenwich, as prepared by Mr. Glaisher, we are indebted 
to the Editor of the Gardeners' Chronicle. 
The mean temperature of January was 43.9°, being 7.4° and 5.3° above 
the averages of 113 years and 43 years respectively. Back to 1771 there 
have been but only two instances of a mean temperature for January 
being as warm as 43.9°, and in 1796 45.3°, and 1834 44.4°. 
The mean temperature of February was 41.9°, being 3.2° and 2.4° above 
the averages of 113 years and 43 years respectively. Back to 1771 there 
have been twenty-four previous instances of a mean temperature being as 
high as 41.9°—viz., 
1775 
.. 41.9° 
1849 
.. 43.9° 
1867 
.. 44.7° 
1779 
.. 45.3° 
1843 
.. 43.4° 
1868 
.. 43.0° 
1794 
.. 44.7° 
1849 
.. 43.2° 
1869 
.. 46.3° 
1809 
.. 44.1° 
1850 
.. 44.7° 
1871 
.. 42.4° 
1817 
.. 42.6° 
1856 
.. 42.0° 
1872 
.. 44.8® 
1822 
.. 43.3° 
1859 
.. 43.1° 
1877 
.. 43.5° 
1826 
.. 42.2 U 
1861 
.. 42.1° 
1873 
.. 42.2° 
1833 
.. 42.4° 
1863 
.. 42.1° 
1883 
.. 42.6° 
The mean temperature of March was 44.5°, being 3.4° and 2.8° above 
the averages of 113 years and 43 years respectively. Back to 1771 there 
have been eleven previous instances—viz., in 
1777 
.. 44.6° 
1822 .. 
47.3° 
1871 
.. 44.9° 
1779 
.. 47.0° 
1830 .. 
45.8° 
1872 
.. 44 6° 
1780 
.. 42.2° 
1841 .. 
46.2° 
1882 
.. 46.0° 
1815 
.. 45.0° 
1842 .. 
44.9° 
^ The mean temperature for the quarter ending March was 43.4°, being 
4.7° above the average of 113 years, there being only three instances of a 
mean temperature of a quarter aB high as this—viz., 1882, 43.5°; 1846, 
43.6°; and 1872, 43.6°. 
The mean temperature of the six months from October, 1883, to March, 
1884, was 44.2°, being 3° above the average of 113 years, there being six 
instances only of a temperature as warm or warmer—viz., 1819, 44.3°; 
1882,45.5°; 1834, 44.2°; 1846,44.7°; 1849,44.2°; and 1877, 44.6° 
AURICULA MRS. HORNER. 
At page 328 a mistake occurs in the report of the National Auricula 
Society. Mrs. Horner, violet self Auricula, is stated to be raised by Mr. 
Turner; it is one of Mr. Horner’s seedlings, and is, I think, a great 
improvement on any other in this colour. For many years Charles 
James Perry, raised by Mr. Turner, was the best flower in this class until 
a few years ago, when the variety Mrs. Douglas was raised and sent out 
by Mr. Simonite. This is a flower of greater substance than C. J. Perry, 
and holds a place in the winning collections. Mrs. Horner promises to 
be a better flower than either. The petals are what the fanciers term 
““rose-leaved,” the pips flat and smooth, with a circular paste. Mr. 
Horner is the raiser of another very nice violet-blue, Sapphire by name ; 
it is in several collections, and is very distinct; there is more blue in the 
•composition of this flower than there is in any other. These new violet 
and violet-blue flowers quite do away with such varieties as Formosa 
(Smith), Metropolitan (Spalding), Meteor Flag (Lightbody), and others. 
—J. Douglas. 
[The error was a misprint not detected in time for correction last 
week.] 
THE NAMES OF HARDY PLANTS. 
In answer to the note from “ Specialist ” on page 186 allow me to say 
that I fully understand that his motive in giving such a list was good, 
but I cannot agree with him, as my object would be to chronicle names 
which are purely synonymous, such as the plants have been described 
under by the various botanical authors. The following plant will well 
express my ideas on this point—viz., Alyssum podolicum (Besser), syn , 
Schivereckia podolica (Andrz.). It is left to our judgment which name 
to accept. If we desire to recognise very fine differences we are justified 
in acknowledging the plant as a Schivereckia. “ Specialist ” says he has 
kept a list of the different names under which he has received common 
plants, and no doubt he knows which is the correct name. When we 
receive a plant under a wrong name, and we are anxious that it should 
be distributed under its right one, the best course would be to convince 
the sender of his error. This proves a hard task sometimes, but it is one 
of the safe methods to lessen the much-felt inaccurate naming of plants, 
and I am sure that all reasonable persons would gladly welcome such an 
intimation. If we know a plant thoroughly the difficulty of convincing 
individuals of an inaccuracy is much reduced. 
The pseudo names mentioned by “ Specialist ” I consider very mis¬ 
leading in many cases ; for instance, Eupatorium sessilifolium. We may 
almost infer that if we write to a firm for this plant we may expect to 
get E. ageratoides ; and further, I suppose if I already possess E. agerat- 
oides I need not trouble about getting E. sessilifolium, for if I procured 
such it would only tend to extend my duplicate collection instead of 
adding another species to my list. These two plants I presume are not 
very generally in cultivation, but they are so distinct from each other 
specifically, that if we once become acquainted with them we ought never 
to forget their differences. E. sessilifolium has somewhat narrow lance¬ 
olate leaves, sessile, 4 to 5 or more inches in length, 1 to 1^ inch broad, 
and rather irregularly but sharply serrated. Flowers white, in large 
rather lax terminal corymbs. Eupatorium ageratoides has heart-shaped 
leaves coarsely serrated, about 4 inches in length and 3 inches in dia¬ 
meter, with a stem (petiole) 1 to 1] inch long. Flowers white, in large 
terminal corymbs ; the clusters of flower-heads forming the inflorescence 
are more compact than those of sessilifolium. The above two plants, 
which are almost as distinct from each other as regards their leaves, 
have seen growing at Kew, and undoubtedly correctly named. 
“ Specialist ” asks me to point out the differences between Campanula 
lamiifolia and C. alliarimfolia, dealing with the plants as they exist under 
cultivation. C. lamiifolia I do not grow now, but I have had it. It is 
considerably dwarfer than C. alliarisefolia, and with the stems much 
branched. The flowers, which are a yellowish colour, are invariably 
secund, and almost as pendent as those of C. Yan Houttei, but only about 
an inch in length. The leaves are broadly heart-shaped—indeed, the 
width materially exceeds the length, and may be described as reniform- 
cordate, with doubly crenate margins, supported on petioles 1^ to 2 or 
more inches in length. The upper leaves gradually diminish in size and 
in the length of their petioles, but the prominent doubly crenate margins 
are always present. The leaves, I may add, are decidedly thicker than 
those of alliarisefolia and copiously tomentose beneath, as also are the 
branches throughout the whole plant. C. alliarisefolia grows almost 
twice the height of C. lamiifolia, the inflorescence is not so secund, neither 
are the flowers so pendent. The leaves are narrower in proportion to 
their length, their margins are not crenated but are finely serrated, the 
upper leaves are more decidedly sessile, longer in proportion to their 
width, and much more taper-pointed than those of C. lamiifolia ; also the 
leaves throughout the whole plant are thinner in texture, and only very 
slightly tomentose. 
With reference to the Androsaces, it may be well to note that I have 
grown both species—A. lactiflora or coronopifolia and A. septentrionalis. 
They are of annual or biennial duration. A. septentrionalis, if allowed 
to have its freedom, will, if in a suitable place, come up as spontaneously 
as a weed, and it appears to me feasible that the plants at Kew have cast 
their seeds behind the label of A. lactiflora and taken possession of the 
place. It is a plant likely to crush out the less flexible-constitutioned 
A. lactiflora. The leaves of both are very similar in outline, but A. lac¬ 
tiflora makes much the larger rosettes. The stem supporting the central 
umbel is quite erect, the surrounding ones bow outwards from the base, 
and then gradually curve inwards, displaying a bow-like peduncle. This 
character is anything but'conspicuous in A. septentrionalis, which makes 
a rosette of leaves much smaller than A. lactiflora. Also A. lactiflora has 
larger umbels, and the individual flowers are much larger, and hence 
more conspicuous than those of A. septentrionalis.— PRACTICAL. 
RHODODENDRONS AT DAYLESFORD. 
In your number for April 10th, page 283, mention is made of a 
remarkably fine specimen of Rhododendron Nuttalii, now growing at 
Daylesford, but nothing is said of the history of the plant. Is it known 
by whom it was introduced ? Is it possible that it is one of the rare 
India plants brought there by Warren Hastings, who bought Daylesford 
in 1788, and took exceeding pains with the gardens? He certainly 
collected plants from the Himalayas, and sent an envoy on one occasion 
close to the Sikkim district, which I believe was not again visited by any 
Englishman for many years. 
In 1774 Warren Hastings sent Mr. Boyle to Thibet on a mission to 
the Teshu Lama, hoping to open up trade with the country, and Boyle 
passed through the Himalayas, close to Sikkim. Among the private 
commissions given to Boyle by Warren Hastings he was told to send any 
curious or valuable seeds or plants, and any curiosities, whether natural 
productions, manufactures, or what else might be acceptable to persons 
of tasjte in England.—H. W. 
HARDY FRUIT GARDEN. 
Peaches and Nectarines .—Notwithstanding the cold weather the fruit 
of Peaches and Nectarines have set fairly well, and are slowly swelling. 
The outer foliage of most of the trees is sadly blistered by the cutting 
north east winds, and no shoots will be removed until the weather be¬ 
comes warmer. Under the most favourable circumstances we never begin 
disbudding until the fruit is set and swelling freely, and in so ungenial a 
