January 14, 18f6. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER, 
25 
as “ a reliable Rose,” there is every reason to expect that it will become 
very popular. 
The bloom represented in our woodcut (fig. 6) was forwarded to us by 
Messrs. Paul & Son, and faithfully represents the form and markings. 
A GLIMPSE OF AFRICAN VEGETATION. 
The following extracts from a most interesting book called “ The 
Kilima-Njaro Expedition,” which i9 just published, and which should be 
read by all who can obtain it, may interest some of your readers. I may 
first say that “ Kilima-Njaro ” is a huge mountain mass in Eastern Africa, 
cansisting of two giant peaks and many smaller ones. It is situated 
below the third parallel south of the equator, and is distant about 175 
miles in a straight lines from the coast. The highect peak is called Kibo, 
and is 18,880 feet above the sea. The lesser peak is K’mawenzi, and 
Heaths begin to appear, and the Orchilla Lichen covers nearly all the forest 
with a grey-green veil. Between 8000 and 9000 feet the giant Senecios 
are met with, and continue upwards till near the borders of the snow. 
Gorgeous crimson Gladioli, pale pink and mauve, and ccerulean blue Irises 
grow to great altitudes ; indeed, some of the flowers of the grassy 
uplands between 10 ; 000 and 14,000 feet, are particularly brilliant in 
colour. There are vivid blue Cynoglossums, the blush-pink Everlastings, 
the yellow Euryops, the strange straw-coloured Proteas, with red bracts 
and red leaf-3hoots, the small coloured Lobelias (L. Deckeni), and many 
others which it would be tedious to catalogue.” 
After an altitude of 14,000 feet “ one is left with a few Artemisias 
(Southernwood), Heaths, and Everlasting Flowers, until at length they too 
disappear, and there remain little red and greenish Lichens, expanses of 
yellow sand, lead-coloured rocks, black boulders, and snow.” 
“ To tbe ordinary mind, even of an unreflecting traveller, there is 
something very wonderful and imposing in the aspect presented by such a 
Fig. 6.—Pride of Reigate. 
attains an altitude of 16,250 feet. Both ascend above the snow line, and 
are craters of extinct volcanoes. 
Much more interesting matter concerning there grand mountain peaks 
is given in the introduction to the book, but space forbids quotation here. 
I would, however, hope that room may be found for the following. 
“ The Flora of Kilima-Njaro is naturally interesting, as may be 
imagined from the extraordinary range of climate between the eternal 
snows of the summits and the hot tropical plains at the base.” 
“ The lower slopes of Kilima-Njaro are exquisitely green, and scarcely 
a patch of earth remains uncovered, but the general aspect of vegetation 
recalls our English Devonshire and not the tropics. Bushy trees crown 
the hilltops, or choke the narrow valleys. The grassy downs are covered 
with patches of Bracken and scented with low-growing Mint. 
“The native lanes are bordered with Brambles and magnificent Ferns, 
some of which belong to common European genera. There are, besides, 
other plants more properly African which do not mind the colder climate 
of the uplands, such as Dracasnas, Aloes, Strychnias, Balsams and ground 
Orchids. In some of the stream valleys the Musa Ensete, a wild Banana, 
grows luxuriantly up to about 6000 feet and down to 3000 feet, or a little 
lower if there is water.” 
“ At a height of 7000 or 8000 feet Tree Ferns may be met with belong¬ 
ing to the species Lonchitis pubescens. Then above that the arborescent 
region as Kilima-Njaro. The summits clothed with virgin snow, the 
upper regions bearing the humble plants of temperate climes, the Heaths, 
the Hound’s-tongues, the Forget-me-nots, the Buttercups, Clematises, 
Anemones, Violets, and Geraniums, the Bracken, Polypodies, and Male 
Fern that are always associated with the Flora of our chilly lands ; and 
then, descending through rich forests of Tree Ferns, Dracaenas, and Moss- 
hung Mimosas to the vegetable wealth of the equatorial zone, to the wild 
Bananas, the Palms, the Orchids, the India-rubber Creepers, the Aloes, 
and the Baobabs that are among the better known of the myriad forms of 
vegetation clothing the lower spurs and ramparts of Kilima-Njaro. 
The book, which is a handsome one, extending to over 550 pages, is 
copiously illustrated from sketches by the author, and teems with interest¬ 
ing descriptions of plant life, scenery, insect, animal, and human habits 
and customs. The natives, though living in such beautiful surroundings, 
seem to have their full share of human weaknesses, war being fiercely 
carried on by one tribe against another. Our author nearly came to grief 
among their quarrels. But it is to Mr. Johnston’s descriptions of. plant 
life that readers of the Journal will most naturally turn, and I think no 
one will say after reading them that Kilima-Njaro is likely soon to be 
excelled in the way of a mountain wonderful, beautiful, and interesting 
from base to summit.—J. Thomson. _> 
Note.— The book is published by Kegan Paul, Trench & Co., Pater- 
