February 4, 1886. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
95 
compartment Angrmcum sesquipedale is very fine, also Phalfenopsis 
Schilleriana showing a spike with fifty-five or sixty flowers, Dendrobiums 
in variety in large numbers, with fine well-ripened growths. In this 
house Vanilla aromatica is quite at home, showing about a dozen bunches 
of fruit. We must not omit to mention some fine examples of Coelogyne 
cristata Lemoniana, several being fully 2 feet across ; also quantities of 
Oalanthe Veitchii and vestita, very bright. There are some remarkably 
strong Lapagerias rosea and alba, which are intended to cover the roof; 
the red and white are planted alternately, and are throwing up stout shoots. 
Thyrsacanthus rutilans is flowering freely. The plants are in 5-inch pots 
suspended from the roof by thin wire, presenting a novel appearance, 
the racemes of red flowers hanging considerably lower than the pots. An 
extremely fine healthy example of Stephanotis covers the roof of one 
house, and the platform is filled with healthy Gardenias for succession. 
These are chiefly in 6-inch pots. Useful table plants and Euphorbia 
jacquiniaeflora are well grown. Palms and winter-flowering Begonias 
receive much attention. There is a pretty aquarium, well furnished with 
Nymphaeas and other aquatic^, with ornamental fish in abundance. One 
house is filled with a useful collection of Camellias flowering freely; 
another with Tree Carnations of the most popular varieties, which have 
almost completed their work for the season. Roses, however, will soon 
take their place. Hoya imperialis and Allamandas planted out cover the 
roof in another house, where some fine Bananas are also grown, besides 
Gardenias just commencing to flower. 
The houses containing fruit trees are numerous. The first is a floe 
structure, 100 feet in length, filled with Cherries trained to the rafters, 
with pyramid Peaches between ; a fine stock of Figs in pots is grown also, 
all in the best health. Vines in pots are promising well; when finished 
they are taken to the conservatory to furnish pillars. There are also 
some promising Tea Roses. A house is devoted to Figs planted out, but 
much confined at the roots, as Mr. Stanton, the able superintendent, con¬ 
siders that he gets much better flavoured fruit in larger quantities by 
this means. In the same range is a late vinery newly planted with 
Black Hamburgh and Buckland Sweetwater. An early vinery contains 
Muscats and Gros Colmau, and another contains late Vines. Spaces to 
answer for shelves are left in the brickwork of the back walls of the 
whole of these houses for Strawberries, Violets in pots, &c. Peaches are 
in flower in the next house, and there are some find Shaddocks on the 
back wall. There are other vineries, but I specially noted a Peach house m 
which are some fine specimens of Eupatorium odoratum about 4 feet high 
and as much in diameter. In one large hou e the roof is also covered 
with Cherry trees, all the best varieties being grown there. Lady 
Downe’sis much prized as a late Grape, of which Mr. Stanton has a fine 
lot in bottles. A few Alicante are yet left, and some Muscats. A col¬ 
lection of Grapes for trial is grown with Peaches beneath running 
across the border, having quite a novel appearance, and seem to be very 
healthy. Roses are grown on the back wall of this house. Quantities of 
other plants for early flowering may be found in all the vineries in 
different stages. The fernery is placed beneath the conservatory, and is 
very charming, mirrors being so arranged as to make some very pretty 
views. 
A very noticeable feature is a fine hedge of Thuja borealis dividing 
the fruit garden from the space allotted to the glass. The fruit garden is 
very complete ; handsome trees trained in various ways clothe the wall, 
all available space being covered with fruit of some description, cordons 
being used on the small spaces round the houses, offices, &c.—J. P. 
STIRLING HORTICULTURAL ASSOCIATION. 
The members of this Society assembled on January 28th in considerable 
numbers at Dowdy’s Temperance Hotel, Stirling, to hold their anniversary 
meeting. As has been usual on such occasions, they took tea together and 
afterwards discussed topics relating to horticulture. Mr. M. Temple, Car- 
ronhouse, a new member, was requested to give an address on any subject 
suitable to such an audience. He took up points in relation to the progress 
and retrogression of horticulture during the last quarter of a century. 
Nothing was advanced as being derogatory to practitioners at the present 
time, but much sympathy was expressed for the men who were almost 
crushed out of their calling by the great reduction of gardening establish- 
m nts, and the scanty allowance of means to maintain many gardens which 
at one time were among the leading places in the kingdom. England had 
suffered severely in this respect, Scotland was now following suit, and Stir¬ 
lingshire was not exempt, numbers of the older places having been reduced 
to a nominal position so far as gardening was concerned, many being let, 
others standing tenantless. A high compliment was paid to many of the 
cultivators around Stirling, especially as cultivators of Orchids, some of the 
finest private collections in the country being in that district. Horticultural 
writers of the present time were complimented as men who wrote from their 
own practical experience, and many of them had shown what they could 
do by placing examples of their work on exhibition tables. Writers in 
times gone by often put voluminous matter before the public which was not 
from their own practical experience. 
Exhibiting had its share of comment ; and while large collections of 
plants of smaller size now occupied the tables at leading shows, large speci¬ 
mens of stove and greenhouse plants were scarce. Reference was made to 
certain growers of these whose names were once household words ; but 
now few of the men who thus distinguished themselves were to the fore, and 
such plants as they cultivated are rarely seen. Among the specimens from 
the stove were huge Allamandas, Dipladenia", Stephanotis, and Ixoras, with 
perfect foliage and loaded w r ith bloom. Greenhouse plants, too, were re- 
orted as being equally fine, Pimeleas, Aphelexes, Boronias, Lesehenaultias, 
apagerias, Chorozemas, Azaleas, and Heaths having honourable mention 
as being among the princes of plant specimens. Those which have supple¬ 
mented these had special notice, numbers of foliage plants being among 
them. 
Referring to the florists’ flowers, it was stated that improved taste in 
many respects had been the means of crowding out such flowers as the great 
breadths of Dahlias which were once so common in the north. Roses had 
improved much both in varieties and cultivation, but many of the old 
favourites still held their own. The reintroduction of herbaceous plants and 
the exclusion of a large portion of tender kinds, which give much labour 
and short duration of bloom, was considered wise, and allowed the cultivator 
time to attend to other matters. Cut flowers and plants for indoor decoration 
had for some years taken much labour and expense, but owing to the depres¬ 
sion of trade and the misfortunes attending agriculture many places had 
been reduced. A comparison of marketmen’s advantages in the production 
of flowers over that of private growers was made a strong point, reference 
being made to a once large establishment which gave supplies in immense 
quantities, such as Mr. Temple had seen in no private gardens. Means were 
simple, but most efficient for its purpose, and each class had quarters to 
itself and treated as they required. Gardenias, both as market plants and 
stock for cut blooms were minutely described, and said to be easily kept free 
from insects. Steam from the manure linings is a powerful agent in 
maintaining free growth and keeping insects in check. 
Vegetable-growing came in for its share of consideration. Vegetable 
exhibiting was much improved within the last score of years, but the 
majority of kitchen gardens had suffered from a reduction of labour and 
means in general. Skill and energy of cultivators had not deteriorated. 
Fruits, both hardy and forced, had not made much progress. Black Ham¬ 
burgh and Muscat Grapes in first-rate condition were not proportionately 
so numerous as they were twenty years ago, but the larger, coarser, and 
“keening” varieties were cultivated to a much greater extent now than 
formerly. Among other branches of horticulture landscape gardening had 
a special attention. It was pointed out that this had been much neglected. 
Reference was made to the work of Capability Brown at Blenheim' 
Burleigh near Stamford, and elsewhere, and that of later date by the 
Fig. 17.—Cephalotus follicularia. 
veteran Mr. Marnock, who received high commendations, and wa3 con¬ 
sidered one of the most distinguished of Scotch landscape gardeners. Severe 
criticism was made on the twisting of sheets of waters (such being carefully 
avoided by the two men referred to) and calling them “ lakescutting up 
lawns, calling such flower gardens ; shutting out tracts of fine country, 
&c.; and the calling heaps of stones rockeries. Mr. Temple received a very 
hearty vote of thanks at the conclusion of his address.—J. R. 
CEPHALOTUS FOLLICULARIS. 
This pretty and interesting little plant is a native of Australia, where 
it was first discovered by Labillardiere, who described and figured it ; 
subsequently Mr. Robert Brown also found a specimen during his voyage 
with Captain Flinders. It was first cultivated in Eogland about 1822, 
and is now by no means a rarity. The plant is remarkable in several 
ways, for it is the only species of the genus, and is considered sufficiently 
distinct to constitute a natural order (allied to the Polygonums), and we 
thus have the peculiarity of a family composed of one individual. In the 
leaves, too, we find another singular feature—some are flat and elliptical 
in form, while others are converted into extremely neat and pretty little 
pitchers or ascidia, somewhat resembling those of Nepenthes, only much 
