Plate 273 . 
SWAINSONIA MAGNIMCA. 
New Holland, so rich in flowers belonging to the class to 
which Swainsonia belongs, has already contributed some very 
beautiful plants of this genus, one of which we figured in our 
former volume (p. 106), and we have now the pleasure of adding 
this very delicate and bright-coloured species to our illustra¬ 
tions ; for the opportunity of doing so, we are indebted to 
Mr. B. S. Williams, of the Victoria Nursery, Holloway. 
The seeds of Swainsonia magnified were received by Mr. 
Williams from Australia with some other miscellaneous seeds, 
and first flowered with him in 1863. It was then considered 
sufficiently good to merit a further trial ; and when it flowered 
in 1864, proved to be quite distinct from any other Swainsonia 
known. “ The flowers are large as Clianthus magnificus, while the 
soft graceful growth of the Swainsonia adds greatly to its beauty. 
It produces its long pendent racemes of delicate bright-coloured 
pink flowers very abundantly, and is well adapted for a cool 
greenhouse, either grown as a specimen plant, or planted out 
in a border for pillars and trellis-work.” When grown from 
seed, it is better to soak the seeds slightly in warm water, if 
they have been kept any time; but if sown as soon as ripe, this 
will be unnecessary; they should be placed either in a stove 
or slight hotbed. The soil which is best suited to these young 
plants (which should be potted off as soon as sufficiently strong 
for the purpose) is half-fibrous loam and half peat, together 
with a good proportion of silver sand. 
We think that there can be but little doubt that the 
Swainsonias, and many of these Australian plants, would suc¬ 
ceed in some of the sheltered nooks of Devonshire and Corn¬ 
wall in the open air, against a south wall, as we have seen 
