JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. c A n gue t 17 , isss 
bulbs after the growth dies in autumn, for if this is neglected the 
growth becomes crowded and weak. 
A few of the tall-growing aquatics tell well among a collection. 
Nymphaeas, Nuphars, Villarsias, and Aponogetons are all good, 
but none of them rise much above the surface of the water, and 
have rather a tame appearance alone. It is well, therefore, to 
introduce among them with the Arrowhead a few plants or 
groups of Typha, Richardia, Ranunculus, Butomus, and Lythrum. 
One frequently sees Lythrum roseum superbum strongly recom¬ 
mended for ditches and pond margins, and it is so brilliant as 
to be worthy of a conspicuous place in any moist ground. I 
have it just now most beautiful mingled with Typha minima in a 
shallow stream ; but L. Salicaria answers well in a foot of water, 
and either of them may be lifted with impunity when in full 
bloom and dropped carefully in any part of a pond that is not 
over 20 inches deep. Typha minima answers best in the moist 
banks of the stream ; planted out in a foot or two of water it 
becomes so coarse and vigorous as to lose much of its beauty. 
This is a matter worthy of our best attention, not only in its 
relation to this particular plant, but as affecting all others worthy 
of culture. As an illustration I may mention a bold mass of 
Calk palustris clustering cosily at the foot of a vigorous clump 
of Iris pseud-acorus. The Iris quite fills the channel of the stream 
which supplies the aquatic plant pond with water, and the Calk 
spreads outwards from it to a soft semicircular outline just far 
enough into the pond to fill with its pretty greenery what would 
otherwise be an unsightly angle.— Edward Luckhurst. 
NOTES ON THE BOTANY OF HONG KONG. 
The botanical aspect of Hong Kong is much more interesting 
than the horticultural aspect. The total number of species 
enumerated in Bentham’s “ Flora Hongkongensis ” is 1056, but 
the discoveries since that work was published has added nearly 
200 additional species, 75 of which are enumerated in Dr. Hance’s 
Supplement to the Flora. The remainder have been described 
when the species were new, chiefly in the “Journal of Botany.” 
Every year adds something to the already wonderfully rich flora, 
and, judging from the number of additional species which have 
been discovered of late in localities which had been well ransacked 
by botanists, we may expect many more interesting “ finds.” 
Recently I have had the pleasure of discovering a new Otanthera, 
which has been named by Dr. Hance Fordii ; a new Sonerila, 
Asplenium lunulatum, and two or three other species which 
are not yet accurately identified. The chief botanical con¬ 
nections with other countries are with Japan, a few with Aus¬ 
tralia, and many with Assam, Sikkim, and Nepaul, and the Khasia 
Mountains in eastern Bengal. When the opposite mainland of 
China becomes better known doubtless such plants as those which 
are exceedingly rare and only known in Hong Kong will be dis¬ 
covered. Amongst these interesting plants peculiar to Hong Kong 
are the beautiful Rhododendron Championi, Rhodoleia Championi, 
and Symplocos decora, and the interesting Woodwardia Harlandi; 
Ainslaea Walkeri, several species of Calamus, and many others. 
There are nearly a dozen species of Oaks and several Hollies, some 
of them ornamental evergreens, but none with spiny leaves like 
the favourite English species of the genus Ilex. Of Ferns there 
are about a hundred species, and about the same number of Grasses, 
a large number of which are very common and numerous in 
individuals, besides being extremely beautiful. 
To return to the Oaks, I might mention that the acorns of one, 
Quercus cornea, are edible, and when once extracted from their 
shell, which is extremely hard and about a quarter of an inch 
thick, are very sweet and palatable. 
Hong Kong furnishes but few edible plants amongst its nume¬ 
rous indigenous ones. The fruit of the Myrtaceous Rhodomyrtus 
tomentosus is tolerably good and enjoyed by the natives;'it is 
hunted for like the Blackberries in England, chiefly by the boys. 
Then, again, the fruit of an Anonaceous plant called Uvaria 
purpurea, although it contains many seeds, is by no means to be 
despised, and has sometimes supplied me with refreshment when 
I have been botanising in the woods on the south side of the 
island. The bunch of fruit looks more like a small bunch of 
Bananas than anything else I can think of. 
A very large number of plants are used in medicine by Chinese, 
herbalists’ shops abounding in every part of the town. Perhaps 
the most sought for is China-root, Smilax sp. A great number 
of plants are used in fever cases and other diseases, but in a great 
many instances with very doubtful results. 
Besides medicinal plants Hong Kong yields but little for econo¬ 
mical purposes if we except the grass growing on the hills, 
chiefly Spodiopogon obliquevalvis, which, when full grown, is 
industriously cut by women and used for fuel. The hills have 
a very treeless appearance in most places, which defect, however, 
is now rapidly and happily being overcome by the large planta¬ 
tions annually made. I have just completed the plan of forest 
operations for 1881, which will enable us to plant upwards of 
800,000 trees, covering an area of about six hundred acres. The 
tree chiefly used for this purpose is Pinus sinensis, which grows 
rapidly and stands exposure well. For the great strides in 
afforestation in Hong Kong, we have more particularly to thank 
the present Governor, Sir John Pope Hennessy, who, when he 
arrived here, was so enlightened as to see at once the great 
importance of tree-planting, and to obtain the necessary funds 
for carrying out an effective scheme for that object.— C. Ford, 
Botanic Gardens, Hong Kong. 
TWO NATIVE GEMS. 
Those who are fond of native plants should not neglect to 
cultivate two of the neatest and prettiest, which I mention to¬ 
gether, because the same conditions suit both, and because in 
North Wales they often grow mixed up in the same sod. The 
names are Anagallis tenella (Bog Pimpernel) and Campanula 
hederacea (Ivy-leaved Bellflower). On leaving Conway station 
in the direction of Bangor you pass two or three hundred acres of 
level uncultivated ground, lying between the railway and the sea, 
known as Conway Marsh. The soil is sea sand mixed with fine 
humus, and its very small elevation above the sea level secures con¬ 
stant moisture rising from the subsoil, though water never stands 
on the surface. Over a great part of this the ground is quite full of 
these two plants growing amongst the fine grass. They flower 
together through the month of July. Unless examined the flowers 
are so similar in size and form that they might be taken for diffe¬ 
rent colours of the same flower. The colour of the Pimpernel 
varies from clear rose to pinkish white ; that of the Campanula is 
more constant, being very pale blue. The Bog Pimpernel is 
found in most parts of England, but I have nowhere seen it so 
abundant as it is in all suitable spots in North Wales ; and I 
lately crossed some old pasture fields in the neighbourhood of 
Holyhead where it literally covered the ground in such a way ns 
to give the prevailing colour to the surface. These fields could 
not be called boggy, being apparently dry, and w 7 ere situated on a 
hill side: but probably the subsoil contained water at a small 
depth. The Ivy-leaved Campanula is more local, and is often 
found in drier spots than the Pimpernel; but it likes a moist 
climate, and is tolerably common in Wales and the west of Eng¬ 
land. I have seen and will mention several ways of cultivating 
these plants, and I have had both of them growing in my garden 
for two or three years. A plan which suggests itself to the inex¬ 
perienced—to dig up a sod containing roots of both the plants and 
transfer it to a moist part of the garden—generally fails. The 
fine grass becomes coarse, hidden weeds spring up, and the delica'e 
plants are hopelessly smothered. It is, however, difficult to extri¬ 
cate the fine roots and delicate hair-like stems of the Campanula ; 
the operation requires clever fingers and patience. When it has 
been performed the plants should be carefully planted in small 
pots of sandy peat soil and kept under a handglass, and well 
watered. When you see that they are growing choose a moist 
sunny spot. Fine sandy soil which neither cakes nor dries up is 
indispensable. The edge of a tank, where the Anagallis is grown 
at Kew, is a good place ; the base of a rockery where watering is 
not neglected is also good ; but if there is an exposed bog bed in 
the garden, that is the best of all. Lay a few stones about the 
size of half bricks, and raise the surface a few inches with riddled 
peat soil and sand, and both plants will grow luxuriantly in it, 
and will make a show which you may safely take your most 
fastidious gardening friends to see. I found the Campanula hard 
to establish, but when once that is accomplished it lasts. Both 
plants may be grown in pots standing in a tub of water to within 
3 inches of the rim. I have seen the Anagallis doing well in 
this way at Kew, but I think the Campanula is not grown there. 
—C. WOLLEY DOD. 
PHALiENOPSIS VIOL ACE A. 
Though one of the small-flowered species of this beautiful 
genus P. violacea possesses considerable attractions for culture in 
baskets, for its violet purple-tinted flowers are produced very / 
freely, the neat bright green leaves and dwarf habit also being 
additional recommendations. In shape and size the flowers are 
rather suggestive of P. Luddemanniana, though they have not the 
distinctive markings of that species, the sepals and petals being 
oval in form, whitish towards the tips, but deep violet purple at 
the base, the column being of a similar tint. They are borne 
several together on short racemes, but the latter are produced so 
