MISCELLANEOUS NOTICES. 
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deira, so that there can he no doubt of its being plentifully distributed throughout the whole of this region, both 
north and south of the Amazon.” In addition to this we may add, that at the July meeting of the Botanical So¬ 
ciety of Edinburgh Dr. Balfour read the following extracts from a letter of Dr. Campbell of Demerara, which 
accompanied seeds of the Victoria :—“I enclose seeds of Victoria regia, brought from the Essequibo a few days 
ago by an itinerant collector, who seems to know their value, as he charges a dollar (4s. 2d.) a dozen for them. 
I am afraid they will not germinate after their voyage across the Atlantic; but this at least you must bear in mind 
if you intend to try the experiment, that the plant will not live in an atmosphere within the influence of the sea 
breeze, nor grow in soil or water, where there is the slightest saline principal existing. Such at least is the result 
of experiments tried here. I visited the locality of the plant in the Essequibo, above 100 miles from the sea, in 
1846, and it appeared to me a small lagoon, rather than a lake, over which the river flows in the rainy season. 
It is surrounded on all sides with a dense ‘ bush’ (natural forest), through which we had great difficulty in drag¬ 
ging a small corial (wood-skin boat) in which we embarked on the lagoon, which is a most gloomy spot, the 
favorite resort of caymans, where the sun can scarcely penetrate even at noon, and with an atmosphere oppressively 
damp and hot. So far as I could judge by sounding and examining the stems of the plant, it appears to grow at 
a depth of 12 or 14 feet, in an oozy, slimy muddy sort of compound, with which I presume sand must he mixed, 
for higher up the river there are immense tracts of loose sand in the bed of the river, which must he swept along 
with the torrent every rainy season.” 
Hydrangea involucrata var. flore plena. —All the species of this beautiful genus are welcome in our gardens. 
Every one knows the Hortensia (Hyd. Hortensia), the first species introduced to Europe. This elegant 
shrub was received from China, at the royal garden of Kew, in 1790, and from thence plants were obtained by 
some French cultivators, by whom it was soon extensively distributed. The plants produced at first only small 
and few flowers, in consequence of its proper treatment being imperfectly known. But when subsequently they 
were grown in a peaty soil, and freely supplied with water in the period of their vegetation, they soon assumed 
a very different appearance, and their real beauty was discovered. This fact alone might teach us to abstain from 
pronouncing a decided opinion on the merits of a newly introduced plant before the proper method of treating 
it has been proved by experiment. Many species of the same genus have since then been introduced, but these 
are not so beautiful as the old one. Their umbels are smaller, and the blossoms are less highly coloured; more¬ 
over, with the newer sorts, the large unfertile flowers are less numerous than in the old species, the umbels of 
which are almost compact. This monstrosity is apparently the result of long experimental culture in the 
Chinese and Japanese gardens, and it is scarcely to be doubted that ultimately the smaller flowers will he made to 
bloom as large and as profusely as the others. The beautiful species which has called forth these observations, 
would seem to confirm this supposition. Its unfertile exterior flowers are double, of a bright rose colour. Ac¬ 
cording to Siehold, who, however, does not appear to have introduced living plants of it, it grows on the highest 
mountains of the island of Niphon and Sikok, (Japan), where it flowers during the months of July and August. 
It is grown plentifully in the gardens of these parts, and forms a handsome plant, with a stem about three feet 
high. According to some travellers, there are four varieties of it; one lilac, the others with flesh-coloured, 
yellowish, and rose-coloured flowers. The leaves are opposite, rounded at the base, or nearly heart-shaped.— Van 
Iloutte’s Flore des Serres. 
lilium pumilum. —This forms a very desirable plant, although seldom seen in collections ; it is very graceful 
and delicate, a little stiff, but very pretty on account of its ribbon-like leaves, which are narrow, shining, and 
deep green. The flowers are delicate, of a turban form, and lively red colour; the bud is agreeably shaded with 
brilliant purple, and marked with three green lines. Its native country appears to be Daourie (Asia) ; but 
M. Dietrich, in his Synopsis Flantarum , thinks it is Peru. M. E/unth, in his revision of the genus Lilium, 
places L. pumilum in the division of Martagon with leaves distant; he describes its flowers as fragrant. Per¬ 
haps the descriptions generally given of this Lily might bear some modification in regard to what is stated of 
the corolla being entirely glabrous at the interior. It is certainly not hairy, hut there may be seen at the throat 
some small hair-like points, appearing like papillee, which in other species become so large, and in which, 
after all, only hairs growing together are to he seen. “ Here there is atrophy of these organs.” It is grown in 
a rich vegetable soil in the open ground. In Daourie it grows in the prairies, and at the bottom of mountains. 
Daourie is a vast territory in Russia in Asia, at the east of the lake Baikal, inhabited by the Tartars. This 
region is called SaJcamennaia by the natives, and is partly watered by the river Amur. On the banks of the 
Amur this Lily is frequently met with. The temperature of Daourie is that of the Alps, and vast forests of 
Pines are common throughout the country. These facts leave little doubt in respect to the hardiness of the Lilium. 
It may, however, be as well to take the bulbs out of the ground when the leaves are perfectly dry, and preserve 
them in a dry house during the cold season. They should be planted out in February. The flowers appear in 
May and June.— Ann. de Gand. 
Carrotte rouge a collet vert , (Green crowned red).—As far as may be judged, after the short time it has been in 
cultivation, this variety appears quite interesting ; it is very long, almost cylindrical, and appears to be productive. 
In colour it is a little paler than the Carrotte rouge pale de Flandre , and comes nearer orange than red. From a 
desire not to give it a fresh name we have retained that by which it is known in Belgium, although, in some 
respects, it conveys but a very inexact idea of its colour.— Revue Horticole. 
