1S75. ] 
THE CULTURE OF WALL-FRUITS.-CHAPTER III. 
121 
ECHEVERIA PEACOCKII. 
WITH AN ILLUSTRATION. 
Jjf^OR tlie opportunity of figuring this very handsome species of Echeveria, 
GKv we are indebted to J. T. Peacock, Esq., of Sudbury House, Hammersmith, 
by whom it was imported, after whom it is named, and by whom it was 
first flowered in this country last July. It will be seen from our figure 
that it is one of the most remarkable of the family to which it belongs. It was 
originally described by Mr. Baker, in the Gardeners' Chronicle (1874, ii., 258), 
under the name of Cotijledon Peacockii , and from this source we glean the 
following further particulars respecting it. 
This well-marked new species, which was discovered by M. Benedict Roezl, in 
New Mexico, comes nearest to the familiar and now widely-spread Cotyledon 
pumila , and rivals it in the intensely glaucous colour of its leaves and the per¬ 
sistence of their waxy coating, but it may be readily recognised at a glance by its 
larger size, much broader leaves, and spicate not ramose inflorescence. 
It is stemless, with about 50 obovate-spathulate leaves, forming a rosette about 
G in. broad and 4 in. high, the outer leaves 2-2-^ in. long, mucronate, slightly red 
towards the tip, densely persistently glaucous on both sides, the face in the outer 
spreading ones flat, in the inner rather concave, the backs faintly keeled. The 
flower-stem is lateral, slender, terete, reddish-brown, rather glaucous, a foot in 
height beneath the flowers, furnished with a few lanceolate appressed bract-like 
leaves; the spike itself is scorpioid, a foot long, the bright red flowers distant below, 
close-set above, with glaucous lance-shaped bracts having two spurs at their base. 
The calyx-segments are linear, unequal; the petals lanceolate acute, united at the 
base into a turgid hemispherical cup. 
We believe the stock imported by Mr. Peacock lias passed into the hands of 
the Messrs. Rollisson, of Tooting. The same plant has been recently exhibited 
under the name of E. Eesmetiana. It has obtained a First-class Certificate both 
from the Royal Horticultural and Royal Botanic Societies.—T. M. 
TIIE CULTURE OF WALL-FRUITS. 
Chapter III.— Roots. 
S EFORE leaving the subject of the Roots, I would call attention to another 
instance of the manner in which the condition of the branches of fruit-trees 
is apparently very much influenced by that of the roots, under a system of 
natural development, where the hand of man has not interfered to turn 
aside their original tendencies. Thus, supposing the seed of any of our stone- 
fruits, or the pip of an Apple or Pear, to be placed in a favourable position for 
growth and future development, we shall find that after it lias become sufficiently 
acted upon by the moisture in the earth, one of its first indications of vitality is 
to strike a tapering or tap-root directly downwards, and seeing that this is unat¬ 
tended by any simultaneous upward development at first, it is evidently of design, 
3rd series. —VIII. m 
