June 19, 1884. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER . 
4E7 
Mr. Stephen Castle, The Vineyard, West Lynn, writes : 
*' By parcels post I send three trusses of the double pink variegated 
Pelargonium Chelsea Gem. I cannot think how it is that this very 
beautiful useful variety is so seldom noted. I have ajrow in 48-pots 
sn a cool vinery, and they have been covered with blooms the past two 
months, and are now as full a3 ever. I am very partial to this plant i 
the foliage being as striking as the flowers. It is of a very robust 
habit, making a fine exhibition plant. I have them in flower from 
thumb pots upwards in good condition. Fancy a row of five dozen in 
full beauty ! I have never failed to strike every cutting of this variety. 
It is also good for bedding.” The variety is certainly a beautiful one, 
the trusses large, and the colour a bright pure pink. The leaves are 
neatly formed and evenly margined with white. 
- The same correspondent finds “ Lobelia Ebor very good 
indeed, the colour being a fine dark blue, and very true from seed. Great 
stress is always laid upon raising Lobelias from cuttings, which is right 
when cuttings can be had in plenty, but for my own part I would as 
soon have a batch of seedlings if the strain is good. I think great credit 
is due to Messrs. Cannell & Sons for sending out so true and good a 
sample of seed.” 
—— Part 5 of the “ Illustrated Dictionary op Gardening ” 
continues the subjects from Asmina to Aubergine, with several woodcuts, 
Very full lists of Aspidiums and Aspleniums are given, with figures c f 
the most distinct species. 
The Melon, Chalfont Park Favourite, shown by Mr. 
N. Herrin at Kensington last week, is a variety of some promise. It 
is true that Melons are now so numerous that it is not easy to obtain 
one that is really distinct and meritorious enough for the honour of a 
certificate, but the one in question possesses some qualities that re¬ 
commend it to notice. In the first place the fruit is of moderate size, 
round, even, and beautifully netted—no mean recommendation. In the 
next the flesh is of good depth, and when in its best condition of a rich 
flavour. The juice of the fruit tasted by the members of the Committee 
was, however, found to be a little thin. A good indication of its merits was 
afforded at the Fruit and Vegetable Show held at Kensington on the 
27th alt., when in a class of twenty-one exhibitors Mr. Herrin was placed 
first with a good fruit of this variety. 
-- Californian Conifers.—T he forests frequently extend to 
the river banks, and are made up of many [species, coniferous and 
deciduous trees being everywhere founddn proximity. Among the cone- 
bearing trees, the Yellow Pine, Pinus ponderosa, the Incense Cedar, [Libo- 
cedrus decurrens, and the grand Silver Fir, Ficea grandis, are the most 
frequently seen on the valley floor. There are also noble specimens of 
the Douglas Spruce, Abies Douglasii, and Sugar Pine, Pinus Lambertiana, 
though these trees seem to prefer a higher latitude, and are found in 
abundance on the slopes and mountains abjut the valley. On the 
heights may be found, in addition, Jeffrey’s Pine, Pinus Jeffreyi, the 
remarkable Tamarack Pine, Pinus contorta, the great forests|of the lovely 
Silver Fir, Picea amabilis, the most regularly beautiful Conifer of the 
Sierras. Many people have an idea that the Sequoia is found at 
Yosemite. This is a mistake, for though the] Big Tree, Sequoia 
gigantea, is a habitant of the Sierras, the nearest trees are found at the 
Mariposa Grove, thirty miles distant, with the exception of some isolated 
specimens on the Big Oak Flat road ; while the Redwood, Sequoia 
sempervivens, is confined exclusively to the coast range. — ( Vick’s 
Magazine.') 
-“ The European Butterflies and Moths,” by W. F. 
Kirby, is the title of a new serial work just commenced by Messrs. 
Cassell & Co. It is to be issued monthly, the first part containing eight 
pages of letterpress and two plates, one being coloured and representing 
several familiar species of butterflies. 
-- The Plague op Caterpillars] in South Wales. —A Cardiff 
correspondent writes that the great swarms ofjcaterpillars which have 
suddenly appeared on the mountains in South Wales jhave produced an 
extraordinary sensation in that part of the country. The insects measure 
about 1| inch in length, are of a brown colour with!,black stripes. The 
head, which is furnished with a pair of mandibles, is of a dark yellow 
colour. The insects are remarkably lively, and eat all the green herbage 
in the vicinity. Many of the farmers have fired the mountains with the 
view of destroying the insects, but [the] visitation is too wide-spread to 
allow of this expedient succeeding. The whole of the mountains l)ing 
between the greater Rhonda and Maesteg, a distance of twelve miles, are 
literally swarming with] the insects, as well as] the ranges of mountains 
and valleys intervening. Millions of the insects are found buried in the 
peat holes, gutters, and mountain brooks in some of the localities. The 
crows feed on them, and it is feared that this will result in the pest being 
carried to the fertile valleys, and will there attack the young grain. Anxiety 
is felt lest the insectivorous pests should get into the wool of the sheep, 
and the flocks are being driven from the mountains to other districts. 
NOTES AT KEW. 
In May and June, provided the weather be not excessively 
dry, the Royal Gardens at Kew can be seen to better advantage 
than at any other period of the year, and the people generally 
appear to be aware of this fact, for the 84,000 visitors there on 
Whit Monday were certainly not all botanists or gardeners. 
That so large a number of persons should elect to spend their 
holiday there is also a satisfactory indication of the increasing 
appreciation of beautiful gardens, for no attraction of the essen¬ 
tially popular character, not even a band, is provided or needed. 
The visitors are apparently content with admiring the bright 
handsome or curious flowers, the fresh green foliage of the 
trees, and in enjoying the varied walks with the park-like scenery 
of the pleasure grounds. Anyone can, indeed, pass a pleasant 
afternoon there at this time of year; but the plant-lover will find 
abundance to interest him, and one of the first places he should 
direct his steps to is 
The Rockeky —This is now becoming well furnished, and the 
appearance of newness being worn off, it is much more natural 
and pleasing. Especially prominent on a high mound near the 
northern entrance are some hundreds of Foxgloves, self-sown, of 
varied colours, and forming a little forest of flower stems that 
have a charming effect from many positions. Judiciously 
employed, Foxgloves are most valuable plants in gardens, par¬ 
ticularly in such positions as the above—near woodland drives, in 
shrubberies, or wherever their pinnacles of flowers can be seen 
rising above other vegetation. On the Kew rockery it is un¬ 
doubtedly the happiest feature at the present time. Worthy of 
particular notice also is a fine clump of Aubrietia Hendersoni, 
which has been covered with large deep purple flowers for the 
past three months, and seems likely to continue so for some time 
to come. It is not only one of the largest flowered varieties, but 
its colour is rich and constant, and the floriferous character is an 
especial recommendation. Why old comparatively insignificant 
forms of Aubrietia deltoidea should be grown for spring bedding, 
when so gi’eat an improvement as this can be obtained, it is hard 
to understand. The graceful dwarf Campanula pulla, which 
occupies a spacious nook, will soon be in its best condition, the 
small pendulous purple bells being fast expanding. Of the small¬ 
growing Campanulas this deserves more attention than it has 
yet received in gardens, especially where a rookery is prized. 
Hosts of other plants demand a note, but their claims must be 
unrecognised at present. 
The herbaceous ground is similarly filled with attractions, 
nearly all the natural orders being represented by abundant 
flowers. The Ranunculus and Poppy relatives still contribute 
largely, amongst the latter being the massive rich Papaver orien¬ 
tate and the diminutive but pretty yellow P. nudicaule. The 
last-named, with its varieties miniatum (deep orange) and album 
(white), forms a trio of attractive little plants that are invari¬ 
ably much admired. It is a great stride from these to the Labiate 
family, but there are found the next effective flowers amongst 
the Anchusas and Ecliiums. E. italicum is lovely now with 
hundreds of its brilliant blue flowers, forming quite a floral cone. 
The Iris garden is in excellent condition, and the plants seem 
quite satisfied with their position, judging by the vigorous manner 
in which they are growing and flowering. The charming Iris 
neglecta is flowering profusely, its blue-tinted and varied blooms. 
The strangely coloured I. squalens is attractive. I. variegata and 
many others prove how beautiful these plants are when well 
grown. To insure their success, however, well-prepared borders 
are necessary; and though in few gardens, perhaps, could such 
elaborate preparation be made as at Kew, yet there is little diffi¬ 
culty in providing a well-drained position and a good depth of 
soil. Except that valuable town plant Iris germanica and its 
varieties, few of the Irises receive the attention they so well 
deserve. 
The ferneries are always worth a visit, and an improvement 
quite recently effected in the cool house is likely to increase the 
health and beauty of the Filmy Ferns considerably. Everyone 
admires those delicate little gems of the Hymenopliylluin and 
Trichomanes genera, and the Kew collection is so rich in rare 
