[ January, 
14 
THE FLORIST AND POMOLOGIST. 
THUJA AUEEA—AS A ROCK PLANT. 
’HE Thujas, it is understood, delight to grow, and always succeed best, upon 
i]} what are called moist soils. Such, in fact, has been the inference in the 
past, and without intending to do more than suggest the probability that 
we err somewhat in this respect, I would draw attention to a simple fact 
which has occurred here, and the evidence of which, indeed, exists here at this 
moment. The only seedling-plant that has come forth spontaneously, and from 
seeds produced upon a somewhat aged plant, and nature-sown—nature-sown, that 
is, if what I surmise to have been the work of a bird-sower may be considered as 
such—has germinated and formed a thrifty young plant of two or three seasons’ 
age, upon the top of an old brick wall, the said brick wall, being under the 
branches of a lofty elm, whose bole, being within a dozen feet of it, sends forth 
such an abundance of roots as invariably maintains the site and its surroundings 
in the driest possible state. Thuja aurea is known to produce seeds freely amongst 
us, but it^is somewhat remarkable that the only seedling that has grown up should 
exist on the apex of an arid wall. Taking into consideration the fact that we 
enjoy on the hill here in Essex a maximum annual rainfall of 19 in. to 20 in. 
only, I hold the above-named fact to be important, since it seems to me to prove 
that we have here a rockery-plant of the first order, whether planted in clefts or 
upon exposed positions, with the main stem at any conceivable angle, where it 
will yield us much original and pleasing effect.— William Earley, Valentines. 
INSECTIVOROUS PLANTS.* 
HiS extremely interesting work deals in many cases with the habits and 
manners of plants after a fresh fashion. Thus we have 277 pages of closely- 
printed matter—of itself a nice-sized volume—on the structure and habits 
of the Sundew, Drosera rotundifolia.^ a plant of the size of one’s thumb-nail. 
The author says that Drosera can flourish in extremely poor peaty soil,—in some 
cases, where nothing but Sphagnum moss grows (p. 17). Now this admission is 
important, in view of the flesh-eating character given to the Sundew. We know, 
indeed, that in moist moss Drosera grows flowers and fruits, and if we are asked 
where it gets its supplies from, we can show its roots feeding on the decaying 
portion of the moss, so that in fact the rotten moss is its food, and the green moss 
its support. Surely there need be no mystery about a tiny herb getting its 
support from rich peat, that is capable of supporting Oalluna by the acre a yard 
or more in depth. 
Our author has, however, created a want, and must needs supply it. Nitrogen 
must be had, and where is it to come from but by the plant baiting its trap for 
winged game ? Strange to say, no bloated specimen flesh-fed to double the normal 
size has ever been observed. The heaths around Manchester abound with this 
plant, but they are all small; and in the case of Drosera in an Orchid-house, 
* Insectivorous Plants. By 0. Darwin, Esq., M.A., F.B.S. London: Murray. 
