July 15, 1880. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
43 
15th 
Tu 
Sale of Orchids at Mr. Stevens’ Rooms, Covent Garden. 
16th 
F 
Aylesbiuy Horticultural Exhibition. 
17 th 
S 
National Rose Show, Manchester ; Sale of Plants at Westwood, 
18th 
SUN 
8th Sunday after Trinity. [Upper Norwood. 
19th 
M 
20th 
TU 
Leek Rose Show. 
21st 
W 
Royal Horticultural Society’s Evening Fete, South Kensington. 
A WEEK OUT.—No. 1. 
SS^MPLOYERS lose nothing by giving their gar¬ 
dener a week out; and if, as in my case, they 
desire him to extend the time, and are also 
willing to defray the cost, the result is of 
mutual advantage, for while I am benefited by 
the change, I am bound by every means in my 
power to render my services in the greatest degree 
satisfactory To those who have such claims on 
my efforts. My primary object in visiting the metro¬ 
polis was to see a [London show—the Summer Show of 
the Royal Horticultural Society. I found it a good one, and 
as it was fully described in the Journal I will only say that 
the Cattleya gigas, a single, not a “ made-up " specimen, ex¬ 
hibited by Sir Trevor Lawrence with a dozen spikes, some of 
them with six flowers, was worth a journey of nearly three 
hundred miles to see. 
As the notes I’took during my “ week out ” may possibly be 
of interest to your readers, I commence by narrating what I 
saw at 
KEW GARDENS. 
Upon application at the Curator's office I was affably granted 
admittance early in the forenoon of June 9th. The regis¬ 
tration of name, residence, and object of visit gave free access 
to the finest collection of plants in the world. The privilege 
of a morning visit cannot be too highly valued by those from 
a distance, especially gardeners. In the grounds Abies Smithi- 
ana struck me as particularly fine, having a graceful drooping 
habit; it is one of the most handsome of the Firs. Cupressus 
nutkaensis (Thujopsis borealis), here, as everywhere that I 
have seen it, one of the finest and hardiest of Conifers, of 
stately pyramidal habit. AEsculus carnea (rubicunda) was in 
grand flower, and deserves to be more extensively planted. 
Cladrastris tinctoria, with bright green foliage and fine round 
head, would be useful in ornamental planting. The Guelder 
Rose (Viburnum Opulus), with its balls of white flowers was 
very effective. Yucca recurva was apparently much injured 
by frost, also Laurus nobilis (Sweet Bay), but starting freely. 
Sequoia sempervirens, injured by frost, but the contrast be¬ 
tween the present and last year’s growth was very noticeable. 
Abies Douglasi was also remarkable for the contrast between the 
old and new growth. Jasminum revolutum was fine as a wall 
plant, profusely flowered, yellow, and very fragrant. Prunus 
triloba, very free-flowering and vigorous, in a similar position. 
Euonymus radicans makes a fine wall plant, and there may be 
seen what can be done with Ivies as pillar plants, Hedera 
canadensis aurea maculata being very fine. 
Aquatics. —Villarsia nymphceoides with fine floating leaves, 
to be succeeded by flowers by-and-by, was very distinct. Cala- 
diuru canadense with arrow-head-shaped leaves, and petioles 
spotted with black, very fine ; and not less so was C. virgini- 
cum, with pale yellow leaves in both instances rising above the 
water. Typha stenophylla and T. angustifolia, fine Bamboo¬ 
like plants, had a telling effect. Lysimachia thyrsiflora had 
yellow spikes of bloom, very fine, and much frequented by 
humble bees. Littorella lacustris, very pretty, grass-like, fine for 
margin of shallow water. Juncus communis effusus, with cork¬ 
screw-like leaves ; very distinct. Potentilla Comarum, purple 
Burnet-like heads of flowers ; effective. Equisetum limosum, 
of stately habit, leaves finely ringed ; grand. Acorus japonicus 
variegatus, of stately growth, leaves banded with white ; having 
a beautiful effect. Iris sibirica alba, white flowers ; very fine. 
The Cotton Grass (Eriophorumpolystachyon), fine. Aponogeton 
distachyon was in flower. There were, of course, Nuphars and 
Nymphaeas, but only having a display of leaves. Among bog 
plants grown in pots or pans the following were noticeable :— 
Primula luteola with long serrated leaves, Cowslip-like flowers, 
yellow, very pretty; Epilobium longipes, very beautiful; 
Darlingtonia californica appearing quite happy, as also the 
lovely Sundew (Drosera rotundifolia) ; Sarracenia purpurea, 
fine in flower; S. flava, quite yellow flowers ; Ranunculus 
Flammula, yellow starry flowers, pretty ; Mentha aquatica with 
purplish leaves, very distinct; and Lysimachia rivularis, of 
creeping habit. 
Herbaceous Ground. —Polygonum molle, with fine heads 
of bloom, forming a plant a yard high, flowers white ; fine for 
any purpose. Polygonum sachalinense, grand foliage plant; 
leaves broad and distinct, growing 8 to 9 feet in height; fine 
for lawn. Glyceria maritima, fine tufty Grass, effective from 
its flowers. Hablitzia tamnoides, a fine pillar plant of Hop¬ 
like appearance. Aristolochia Clematitis had pale green foliage 
with yellow flowers ; the Spiderwort (Tradescantia virginica) 
having effective blue flowers. Polygonum alpinum, white, 
showing how fine it is for decorative purposes. Rain com¬ 
mencing to fall sharply I had only time to notice among the 
hardy Orchids Orchis maculata, Habenaria bifolia, white and 
sweet-scented flowers, and the fine purple-flowered Nigritella 
angustifolia. 
Cape House. —Gladiolus Colvillei alba in fine flower, and 
fine for decorative purposes ; Arthropodum cirrhatum, grassy 
tufts with white Ixia-like flowers ; and the broad-leaved Crinum 
latifolium with large white flowers, and sweetly scented. Of 
Cape Pelargoniums P. tricolor, with white and purple flowers, 
dabbed black, was very striking ; P. sanguinea, with beautiful 
red flowers ; P. glauca, bright, shining, distinct foliage and 
white flowers; P. apiifolium, finely cut Parsley-like leaves, 
and white and red flowers—very pretty, and would make a 
useful small decorative plant; P. fragrans having very pretty 
white flowers and delicately scented. Oxalis carnosa, very 
pretty from the profusion of yellow flowers. 
In the stoves were Eranthemum Cooperi with pretty foliage, 
Ophiocaulon cissampeloidCs, a fine creeper, having green 
flowers and variegated foliage ; Peperomia resedasflora, having 
fine Mignonette-like spikes of flowers, white and very fragrant ; 
Scutellaria violacea robusta, sky-blue heads of flowers, con¬ 
trasting finely with S. Mocciniana (scarlet) ; Eranthemum 
tuberculatum, with tube-like white flowers, very fine ; Pavonia 
multiflora, having terminal corymbs of flowers, bracteoles 
No. 3 .—Vol. I., Thed Series. 
No. 1659.—Vol, LXIV., Old Series 
