January 20. 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER, 
313 
WEEKLY CALENDAR. 
M 
D 
D 
W 
Weather near London in 
1853. 
Sun 
Rises. 
Sun 
Sets. 
. 
Moon 
R.&S. 
Moon’s 
Age. 
Clock 
af. Sun. 
Day of 
Year. 
JAN. 26—FEB. I, 1854. 
Barometer. 
Thermo. Wind. 
llain in 
Inches. 
26 
Th 
Obisium trombidioides. 
29 . 737 — 29.651 
40—26 
E. 
_. 
50 a 7 
36 a 4 
6 17 
27 
12 52 
26 
27 
F 
Obisiura ortliodactylura. 
29 . 791 - 29.739 
40—36 
E. 
04 
49 
38 
7 23 
23 
13 4 
27 
28 
s 
Obisium muscorum. 
29-S33—29-/41 
42 — 37 
N.E. 
— 
47 
40 
sets. 
@ 
13 16 
28 
29 
Sun 
4 Sunday after Epiphany. 
29-815—29.827 
43—85 
N. 
— 
46 
41 
5 a 33 
i 
13 27 
29 
30 
M 
King Cuas. I. Maetyr 1649. 
29 . 795 — 29.716 
43—25 
S.W. 
13 
44 
43 
7 o 
2 
13 37 
30 
31 
To 
jChrlifer Latreillii; bark. 
30.204—30.086 
47—24 
N. 
— 
43 
45 
8 23 
1 3 
13 46 
31 
1 
W 
Podura plumbea; stones. 
30.192—30.160 
32—28 
N. 
— 
41 
1 47 
9 40 
4 
13 55 
32 
Meteorology of the Week.— At Chiswick,from observations during the last twenty-seven years, the average highest and lowest tem- 
peratures of these daysare 44.7 and 32 J respectively. The greatest heat, 57°, 
26 th in 1827 . During the period 101 days were fine, and on 88 rain fell. 
occurred on the 26th in 1834 ; and the lowest cold, 16 ° 
on the 
NEW PLANTS. 
Didmocaelus Humeoddtiana ( Humboldt's Didymocarp, 
or Twin-fruit). 
This genus is closely allied to Strcptocarpus and Chirila, 
and the species before us so closely resembles Chirila 
sinensis in habit, that it not improbably will be added to 
that genus. It is not the same as I), primulifolia, if the 
description of the latter be correct, which assigns to it a 
downy stem, and no radical-leaves, for D. Humboldtiana has 
no stem, and radical-leaves only. It is a native of the 
mountain districts of Ceylon, at an elevation of about 5,000 
feet. It belongs to the Natural Order of Gcsnerworls, and 
to Didynamia Angiospcrmia of Linnoeus. The flowers are 
usually pale purple, but sometimes white, and open here 
during October in a warm greenhouse. — ( Botanical 
Magazine, t. 4757.) 
Erythrochiton Brasiliense (Brazilian Red-Tunic, or 
Erythrochiton). 
Tile name of the genus refers to the red calyx, and that of 
the present species to its native country, whence it came in 
1842. It has a palm-like, branchless stem. The flowers 
are white, large, handsome, and come in succession through 
many months of the year. These qualities render it a very 
desirable ornament of our stoves. It belongs to the 
Natural Order of Rueworls, and to Pentandria Monoyynia of 
Linmeus.—( Botanical Magazine, t. 4742.) 
Scheeria Mexicana (Mexican Schceria). 
It so closely resembles Achimenes that it is very fre¬ 
quently known as A. Schecrii. There are two kinds, the 
purple and the blue-flowered, but which is the species, and 
which is the variety, is undetermined. It is a native of 
Chihuahna, one of the northern states of Mexico, whence it 
was received in 1850, by E. Scheer, Esq. It bloomed at 
Kew, in the autumn of 1852, and Sir W. Hooker says— 
“ We have no hesitation in predicting that in a few years it 
will be found in every garden.” ( Botanical Magazine, 
t. 4743.) It is a Gesnenoort, and belongs to Didynamia 
Angiospermia of Linmeus. 
Beebeeris concinna (Neat Berberry). 
This is a very agreeable addition to our list of evergreen 
Berberries, and the more so from its dwarf habit. “ It is 
allied to the B. Sibirica, also a single-flowered plant, but 
readily distinguished by the long tripartite spines, slender 
pedicels, and glaucous leaves; the latter, however constant 
a character in both our wild and cultivated specimens, is 
not a constant one in other species of the genus, and hence 
may prove variable in this. The seeds were gathered from 
small bushes growing in the Laclien valley of the Sikkim- 
Himalaya, at an elevation of 12,000 to 13,000 feet; it there 
formed a small low bush, one to three feet high, with 
spreading almost prostrate branches, thickly covered with 
small leaves of a deep green hue, and polished above, 
snowy-white and glaucous below ; these colours, the large 
oblong scarlet berries, and red branchlets giving the shrub 
a singularly neat and pretty appearance when in fruit. The 
specimens in the Royal Gardens at Kew have come up per¬ 
fectly resembling wild ones, and flourish luxuriantly in an 
open border.”— (Botanical Magazine, t. 4744.) 
Htemanthtjs insignis (Showy Blood-Flower). 
This bulbous-rooted plant is a native of Natal. It flowered ; 
during the August of 1853, at Kew, in a cool frame. It 
belongs to the Natural Order Amaryllids and Alexandria 
Monogynia of Linnoeus. Elowers in large umbels, orange j 
and crimson-coloured.— (Botanical Magazine, t. 4745.) 
For the very valuable monogram of The Garden Pea 
and its varieties, which we now commence, we and 
our readers are indebted to Mr. Robert Hogg, author of 
“ British Pomology,” and other works. 
Among the curiosities of garden literature in the 
present day are the seedmen’s catalogues. Of all 
shapes and sizes, from the great broadsheet to the bulky 
pamphlet and the stamped “ price current,” they are as 
far in advance of those of the last century as the new 
■edition of the “Encyclopedia Britannica” is of the first. 
But while they have so increased in volume, and im¬ 
proved in appearance, the question arises—Have they 
CCLXXVIII , Vol. XI. 
