40 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ January 21, 1886. 
Of the 1100 Cape types about 200 (Bulbine and the four genera 
of Aloinese) are succulents, the Asparagacese, Anthericeae, and 
non bulbous Iridaceae (such as Aristea, Witsenia, and Bobartia) 
are about 150 species, leaving a balance of 800 species, in which 
the rootstock is either a bulb, corrn, or tuber. 
Turning to the Encyclopaedia nearest at hand, I find the 
physical geography summed up as follows —“ The general 
character of the scenery is rocky and arid; mountains, naked and 
uncultivated, stony valleys without a tree, a prevailing monotony, 
absence of shade and verdure and water. For the whole region 
the coldest months are June and July, the warmest December 
and January. For Cape Town the annual mean temperature is 
62 J Fahr , the minimum in the shade being 34°, and the maxi¬ 
mum about 100°. All along the south coast there is very little 
variation in temperature. On Table Mountain, which is nearly 
400 feet above sea level, snow lies sometimes for two or three 
days. At Cape Town the annual rainfall is 24 inches ; north¬ 
east of Cape Town the annual rainfall sinks to 12 inches. Along 
the south coast it increases as we travel east and reaches 33 inches 
at Graham’s Town. Parallel with the south coast the land 
rises in three successive terraces. The highest of these, the 
great Karoo, has an elevation of 3000 feet, a length from east to 
west of 300 miles, and of 80 miles from north to south. For 
nine months of the year the soil is quite bare, and even in the 
rainy season the vegetation is very scanty. The highest peak of 
the Graaf Reinet Mountain, the Snivbergen is about 10,000 feet 
above the sea level, and here the snow lies for three or four 
months. The highest peak of the eastern range of hills, the 
Wintterbergh, is 7000 feet above sea level.” 
RELATION OF CAPE FLORA TO THAT OF TROPICAL AFRICA' 
( I should like to say a woi'd about the relationship of the 
Cape flora to that of tropical Africa. If would seem that just 
as in Europe there was a glacial epoch, and when a warmer 
climate set in the cold-loving plants were pushed out to the 
north mountain tops, so in Africa there has been, since the pre¬ 
sent vegetable genera were differentiated, an era of universal 
cold, and the plants that then flowered over the whole continent 
have been pushed out to the Cape and up to the mountain 
summits of the intertropicai zone. As I previously pointed out, 
fifty-one genera out of 102 are confined to the Cape, but of 
characteristically Cape genera in these three orders alone out¬ 
lying representatives of twenty-seven are found high up 
amongst the intertropicai mountains. 
FLOWERING SEASON OF SOUTH TEMPERATE TYPES. 
In conclusion, as a subject for discussion this evening, what 
I want to ask you as an assembly of experienced horticulturists 
is this, How far is it possible by cultivation to change the 
natural flowering time of these south temperate plants ? In the 
three great floras of the south temperate zone there are probably 
not less than 25,000 plants, say 25 per cent, of the whole vegetable 
kingdom Which are the plants, or if that be too comprehensive 
a question, which are the types of the natural orders about 
which we are speaking, for which we can alter the natural flower¬ 
ing season so as to grow them in the open air in the English 
climate, and which are the types for which we cannot do this P 
Upon what does the difference depend, and in the case for which 
it is possible to effect a material change, what are the means 
by which it can be accomplished most successfully. 
[In the course of a discussion which followed the reading of 
this paper. Dr. Masters and Messrs. G. Paul, Watson, and G. 
Nicholson stated many interesting facts respecting the culture 
and usefulness of Cape Bulb3.] 
CHOICE AND USEFUL PALMS. 
There are few plants grown in our glass houses more useful than 
Palms. Their foliage and habit are most graceful, and they are 
capable of being employed in decorations which no flowering plant 
would fill In the case of house decoration choice flowers are very 
pretty, but they lack the impressive effect of noble Palms. They are 
particularly appropriate in church decorations, and when confined to 
stoves and greenhouses they give these structures a more tropical 
aspect than any other plants I could name. Most of them assume 
large proportions in small-sized pots, or in sizes at least which are 
admissible on the dinner table and in rooms, and in winter especially 
they are excellent subjects for requirements of this kind. There are 
some exotic Palms which require much heat, but some of those only 
requiring a greenhouse temperature are as beautiful and graceful as 
any, while they pi ssess the advantage of greater hardiness. 
Amongst these cool-growing Palms Seaforthia elegans takes the 
lead. It grows very fast in a cool house, has a clean stem and a 
gracefully drooping head. The stems become 6 feet, 8 feet, and i 
10 feet in height, with leaves as much in extent ; and then for large 
rooms or spacious conservatories nothiug could be more effective. 
Another point in favour of this Palm is that it possesses a graceful 
habit from the first, and little plants 18 inches or 2 feet in height 
have all the beauty of a huge specimen. I also find the Seaforthia 
grows in a semi-dark p’ace and bears confinement in entrance halls 
and rooms better than any plant I can name. We have a plant house 
here which is only a room with a large window in front, and the 
Seaforthia grows better in this place than any plant. 
Latania borbonica is another fine Palm for general use. Its leaves 
are broader and stiffer than the preceding, but it is very handsome 
and easily grown. Corypha australis is very hardy and rather stiff in 
aspect, but it is exceedingly useful, especially when 3 feet or 4 feet in 
height. Chamserops humilis is perhaps regarded as the hardiest of all 
Palms, as it may be grown in the open during the summer season, but 
it develops best under glass, and when submitted to greenhouse treat¬ 
ment it is very pretty. Phcenix dactylifera, Pritchardia filamentosa, 
and Sabal umbraculifera are other cool house Palms of merit, but a 
quantity of one sort will be found as useful as a number of different 
species, and the one above all others which deserves to be grown in 
quantity is Seaforthia elegans. All the Palms named thrive best in a 
mixture of loam, sand, and charcoal. Manure is not required in the 
soil, but when rooted freely in small pots liquid manure, if applied 
once a week or so, is very beneficial.—J. M. 
NOTES ON SOWING EARLY PEAS. 
I quite agree with “A Kitchen Gardener ” that nothing is gained by 
sowing Peas in November, but my experience is quite different with Peas 
sown under glass and transplanted to the open ground. For several years 
I have sown Peas on a south border in November, I have also sown some 
each year in January in frame?, but when the weather has been too 
severe they have been sown in boxes and put into a vinery, and as soon 
as the seedlings are up, and the weather permits, they are put into a 
frame and haidened. When they are about 3 inches high in the boxes 
or frames (and the weather is favourable) they are carefully planted on 
a south border by the side of those sown in November and others sown 
in January. High ridges are drawn with the hoe on each side, about 6 or 
8 inches from the row ; this and sticks about a foot high, put in very 
thickly, help to protect them from winds, frost, and birds. I have always 
been fortunate in getting good weather after planting, and they have 
never appeared to receive any check, but they seem to take to 
their new quarters, and in a few days quite an improvement has been 
noticed in their growth. 
I have never seen much difference between the November sowing and 
those transplanted, as to which comes into flower first; but the great 
difference (and which can be seen at a distance) is the evenness, strength, 
and crop in favour of the transplanted ones, so much so that I am this 
year for the first time depending entirely on those sown under glass for 
the first crop. These are generally a week or ten days earlier than 
January-sown Peas.—J. L. 15., Leicester. 
PHYSIANTHUS ALBENS. 
I was much interested in the notice and most excellent drawing 
of the Physianthus albens which appeared on page 6 of the 
Journal of Horticulture, but I think you would like to know that the 
specimen sent to you by Mrs. Crowley was fruited in our conservatory 
here. The seed from which this plant was raised was received by 
me from Cannes, where it was growing on a wall in a nursery 
ground. I raised the plant about three years ago, but it was only 
after planting it out in the ground that it thrived well, and has this 
season grown very freely, and now has about twenty fruit still 
hanging, but none has ripened. I ma 3 r mention that I have another 
plant at my house at Woodford, which flowered this summer, but no 
fruit has been perfected. Of the fruit here, there have only been 
two or three twin specimens. I may mention that as it has flowered 
very freely it has been greatly admired as a useful climbing plant.— 
Compton Warner, Woodlands, Hoddesdon. 
PYRUS JAPONICA NIVALIS. 
The Japanese Quince is represented in British gardens by several 
varieties, one of the best known being P. japonica Maulei, an extremely 
handsome deciduous shrub with rich scarlet flowers and unsurpassed by 
any other form. P. japonica princeps is also a fine variety, bearing large 
flowers, but not quite so abundantly as Maulei. There is one called 
coccinea, another atropurpurea, and a third rosea, all differing in the tint 
of the flowers as expressed in the names. Several white varieties have 
similarly been obtained, those termed alba and albo-cincta having been 
the largest known. An improvement upon these for snowy whiteness and 
wax-like substance of flower is nivalis, of which a spray is shown in 
fig. 8. This is especially useful for early-flowering in pots, as it can 
be easily forced and had in flower by this time; and by growing a number 
