140 
THE FLORIST AND POMOLOGIST. 
[June, 
book consists of three parts, of which the first is general and introductory, the 
second embraces descriptions, alphabetically arranged, of the most suitable plants, 
and the third offers selections for various purposes. Sub-Tropical Gardening is 
an expression which means simply the employment of plants with bold and hand¬ 
some leaves and graceful habit, instead of the mere masses of colour to which we 
have long been familiar, and its adoption has shown us how great a mistake it 
was ever to have omitted such subjects in our planting arrangements. The author 
thinks that we ought not to adopt the system in its entirety, and in this 
we agree with him, since it would be manifestly unwise not to profit by 
experience. He, however, does not improve his argument by the cavilling 
tone in which the sub-tropical gardening at Battersea Park, where so much 
has been accomplished, is mentioned ; and, moreover, he seems to forget 
that not little of the knowledge which enables him now to eliminate many unsuit¬ 
able subjects, has been gained by observation of the experiments in this style of 
gardening which during the past few years have been carried out there, by Mr. 
Gibson. The notes on the various plants recommended for this style of garden¬ 
ing will be found extremely useful, and this is, in reality, the most important 
part of the book. As a very useful hint to everybody, it is well said that dis¬ 
crimination is necessary between those plants which should be put out young, 
and those of which old plants are preferable. “ A large plant of Polymnia grandis , 
for example, would, if placed in the open air in early summer, speedily become a 
far from attractive object, while a young plant of the same, put out the same 
day, would soon produce and carry to the end of the season a mass of fresh and 
noble leaves.” It is just hints of this sort, pointing out the special considerations 
necessary in the case of particular plants, which the book supplies, and for which 
it will no doubt be often taken down from the shelves of the garden library.—T. M. 
AURICULAS IN 1871. 
f ROBABLY few flowers have been more admired than the Auriculas at the 
Spring Shows of the Royal Horticultural Society, a greater number of 
? them having been exhibited than for many years past. Among those brought 
forward may be noted the following fine varieties :—Turner’s Colonel 
Champneys, Headley’s George Lightbody, Leigh’s Colonel Taylor, Traill’s Prince 
of Greens, Turner’s Buckstone, Lightbody’s Richard Headley, Turner’s Mr. 
Rucker, Headley’s Alderman Wisbey, Turner’s Exhibitor, Oliver’s Lovely Anne, 
Lee’s Earl Grosvenor, Headley’s Arabella, Smith’s Ne Plus Ultra, Martin’s Mrs. 
Sturrock, Fletcher’s Ne Plus Ultra, Cheetham’s Lancashire Hero, Lightbody’s 
Robert Traill, Turner’s Cheerfulness, Spalding’s Bessy Bell, Campbell’s Robert 
Burns, Turner’s Ensign, Read’s Miss Giddings, Chapman’s Sophia, and Heap’s 
Smiling Beauty. Generally the flowers have not been so fine as they have been 
in other years, the trusses not having been so large, nor the colours so well 
defined, which may no doubt be attributed to the late, very hot, dry summer. 
