94 
r JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
August 2, 1883. 
they were in such a state. Mr. Bridge condemned the Apples and 
ordered them to be instantly destroyed, advising the purchaser to sue the 
salesman for his money. 
- Me. John Foebes, Buccleuch Nurseries, Hawick, N.B., sends 
us several dozen handsome Pansy blooms, chiefly varieties of the 
Fancy type, but including some of the ordinary Show section. All are 
good, but we can only name a few of the most distinct. First, how¬ 
ever, the superb new Viola Bronze Queen deserves notice, as it is a 
variety of great promise, the flowers large, rich bronzy-purple in 
colour—a most distinct shade, with a gold eye ; the flowers are borne 
on stout footstalks well above the foliage, and the habit is dwarf and 
compact. Some of the best of the Pansies were Prince of Orange, 
rich golden orange ground, three lower petals dark maroon edged 
with orange ; Mrs. Barrie, clear bright yellow ground, lower petals 
exceedingly dark crimson-purple ; Miss Berry, white or pale sulphur 
ground, lower petals rich violet; Rev. Robert Young, white ground, 
lower petals violet margined with white, upper purple ; Jubilee, very 
distinct, violet edged with purple, large ; and Conquest, bright violet, 
shading to light purple, edged with white. 
- In the rare and singular species, Masdevallia Roezlii, 
just now in flower in the Glasnevin collection, we have in the size 
of its flowers, quaintness of form, strange colour and texture, a rival 
to the aptly named M. chinuera, than which there are few productions 
more singular among the grotesques of plant life as set rorth in so 
many species of this most interesting genus. The triangular divisions 
of the flowers of M. Roezlii, including their curious tail-like extensions, 
measure a span of fully 6 inches, the colour and membranous aspect 
being like that of a bat’s wing, while the little exquisitely moulded 
shell-like lip is rosy-tinted. This is a recent introduction, and as yet 
rare even in the choicest collections.— (Irish Farmer's Gazette.') 
- Me. T. S. Waee, Tottenham, sends us a choice selection of 
Bobdeb Caenations, remarkable for the rich, delicate, and pure 
colours which distinguish the blooms ; the floriferousness of some of 
the varieties is also very noticeable. Illuminator is one of the richest 
and brightest scarlet seifs in cultivation, free, and of good habit; 
Sambo is a dark crimson scarlet self, exceedingly profuse ; Corsair, a 
lovely soft rose self; Mrs. Reeve, a pink and purple bizarre of good 
substance ; John Allum, a very distinct and finely formed flower 
streaked with dark crimson on a lighter ground ; Zuleika, dark scarlet 
with a few darker streaks, flower well formed ; Cinderella, a very 
delicate and pretty variety, pale pink or blush dotted with crimson, 
bloom full; Perdita, grand colour, white margined with dark crimson 
in streaks and dots ; Redbraes, a charming variety, a heavy purple- 
edged Picotee, colour bright, and flower good in substance and form. 
Three beautiful white varieties were also represented—namely, W. P. 
Milner, one of the best, pure, neat in form, and free ; Gloire de Nancy, 
very large, full, pure and fragrant like the Clove; and White Clove, 
clear white, fragrant and profuse. All are admirable for borders, and 
furnish a most bountiful supply of blooms. 
- Miss Oemeeod's Repoet upon the injurious insects that 
were particularly noticeable during the year 1882 has much of its space 
devoted to the wireworms (Glater lineatus and obscurus), which did 
considerable harm to cereals, also to Swedes, Turnips, Potatoes, and in 
a few instances to Hops. It is shown by various observations how 
important it is, after any crop has been infested, to adopt methods of 
cleansing and manuring the land which are likely to starve out the 
species, and prevent any further deposition of eggs. The Pea weevil, 
Sitona lineata, destroyed some very promising crops of Peas ; and the 
Apple blossom weevil, Anthonomus pomorum, was more mischievous than 
usual in some districts of Kent and Middlesex. From several districts 
there were also reports of harm done to Apples by the caterpillars of the 
winter moth, Cheimatobia brumata ; but the most damaging insect of 
the season seems to have been the aphis of the Hop. The report contains 
many interesting facts concerning other insects of our gardens. 
Mr. Leo H. Grindon gave a lecture at the Manchester Botanical 
Gardens last week upon poisonous plants. Of the 100,000 known flow¬ 
ering plants it was stated that ten thousand might he considered dele¬ 
terious, all being more or less energetic in their action, and of these 
probably fifty were deadly. The famous Upas Tree of Java does not 
affect the atmosphere as is commonly supposed, but its juice is the part 
which does the harm. Large tracts of land in Java are barren owing to 
certain poisonous vapours rising out of the earth, and the early Dutch 
settlers attributed the barrenness to the influence of the Upas Tree* 
which was of course a mistake. The Manchineel, a plant of the West 
Indies, gives off a vapour which is poisonous, and in consequence is never 
cultivated in this country. The Dumb Cane, also of the West Indies, 
is very energetic in action, and will produce lockjaw on being applied to 
the lips. Some of the other poisonous plants described by the lecturer 
were Aconite, Atropa Belladonna, Veratrum viride, Ricinus communis, 
and Manihot utilitissima. It was incidentally mentioned by the lecturer 
that it was the intention of Mr. Findlay to have in the gardens a house 
specially set apart for poisonous and other economic plants. This would 
certainly be an advantage to students of botany, and a still greater 
advantage would be to have a museum like the one at Kew for the recep¬ 
tion of the products of plants from various parts of the world. 
-The last issue of L'Illustration Horticole contains an excellent 
coloured plate of Dipladknia pbofusa, a most charming variety, which 
it will be remembered was introduced to this country by Mr. B. S- 
Williams a few years since. It is regarded by some botanists as a 
variety of Dipladenia splendens or Echites splendens of Hooker, but is 
unquestionably one of the brightest-coloured and most freely flowering 
forms we have. In the same periodical are coloured plates of Vriesia 
heliconioides, a striking Bromeliad, with large bracts, rosy-crimson at 
the base and yellowish green at the upper part ; and Panax fruticosuro 
var. Deleauana, which has digitately divided leaves, and is compact and- 
sturdy in growth. 
ORNAMENTAL TREES AND SHRUBS. 
Magnolia iripetala. —This is a low-growing tree, ours being 
about 15 feet high and evidently aged, flowering freely from 
the points of the current year’s growth ; the flowers being white,, 
large, and deliciously scented. It is deciduous, the leaves vei’y 
much re-enabling those of M. grandiflora, and is very striking 
from its bold foliage and conspicuous flowers, which are pro¬ 
duced during July, when few other trees blossom. As a lawn 
tree of moderate proportions it is worth note. 
Populus canadensis aurea Van Gcerti, The Golden Canadian 
Poplar, has very beautiful golden foliage effective at a distance, 
ancl is amply clothed, growing quickly, soon forming a hand¬ 
some specimen. It does well in moist soil, like all Poplars, bub 
this does not preclude its growth in any good soil. The head is- 
spreading, ours being worked standard high, which enables a 
better and quicker head to be formed than when worked low. 
It is highly probable that this, like the other Poplars, would 
do well m smoky districts. 
Cornus siberica variegata, The Variegated Siberian Dogwood- 
lias small acuminate leaves deeply margined with creamy white. 
The centre of the leaves being green gives this shrub a very 
striking appearance. Indeed, it is one of the most beautiful 
variegated plants, and being of close compact growth is very 
suitable for lawns, forming beautiful pyramids. It has bright 
yellow flowers early in spring, borne abundantly. 
Cornus mascula variegata. —This has bolder foliage than the 
Siberian Dogwood, is even more beautifully variegated, forming 
really handsome pyramids, and will grow anywhere, but prefers 
a moist soil. Bearing pruning well, this and the preceding can 
be kept of any desired form without much increase of size, and 
are therefore suitable for positions where unrestricted trees are 
undesirable. Both do well in smoky districts, and are, of" 
coui'se, deciduous, which ought not to be any drawback to their 
employment, as shrubberies and lawns are now stereotyped 
with evergreens to the exclusion of many light, flowing, and 
changing forms presented by the deciduous. 
Sambucus nigra aurea. —This is very much more golden than 
the old Gold-variegated Elder (Sambucus nigra variegata), being- 
quite yellow in the matured growths, and which it retains to 
the close of the season. It is of very free growth, and though 
Elder may be common it is fit to take rank with the choicest 
of variegated shrubs, not the least of the merits of Elders being 
that of their thriving in the vitiated atmosphere of manu¬ 
facturing localities, and they do well near the sea; in fact, 
screens of Elder are the best as screens or shelter from sea 
breezes for choicer plants—choicer simply because less free- 
growing and less common. The Silver-variegated Elder (Sam¬ 
bucus nigra argentea) is not nearly so effective as this; still 
it is a desirable shrub or small tree, and especially as it will 
grow anywhere. 
Acer colchicum rubrum and Acer virginicum rubrum .—These 
are very handsome, having bold Plane-like foliage, making 
