372 THE COTTAGE GARDENER. February 13. 
from tlie pot, the side-branches not more than six inches 
long, and ending with clusters of bloom as large, nearly, 
as the clusters of Spircea Lindleyana, just like loose 
clusters of golden Grapes. This brauch must have been 
cut from a large tree, to show the extraordinary richness 
and abundance of the flowers of this Acacia, Dealbata, 
when it comes to a large size ; it is of the same section 
as Affinis, or “ Green Wattle Mimosa,” of the Australian 
settlers, but differs from it in having a white, powdery 
appearance all over the wood, and the leaf-stalks being 
resupinate, or turned upside-down, so that one might 
think that all the foliage of this Acacia was turned the 
wrong way. 
Mr. Fleming sent a host of plants all the way from 
Trentham, just as if he were next door, beginning with 
three seedlingsof Cactus (Epiphyllum) truneatm ; the one 
discovered in Brazil, by Gardiner, and which he called 
Rnsselliana, after his patron the late Duke of Bedford ; 
Violacea, a richer tint, but in the way of Rnsselliana, and 
elegans, the best of the three, which I think 1 described 
three or four years back, as anew seedling, exhibited by 
Mr. Snow, gardener to Earl do Grey, who raised it. 
Also three finely-bloomed Chinese Azaueas, as good as 
at a May show; but he was beaten by three superior ones 
from our new friend, Mr. Todman; Optima, Press tans, and 
a half-double rose-coloured one. The Messrs. Rollinson 
sent three other kinds in the very height of bloom and 
beauty, Purpurea rosea, elata, a rose-colour, and Semi¬ 
duplex maculata, a very good new one of the hall-double 
rose. There were also, from Mr. Fleming, two plants of 
a variegated Chinese Azalea, with fine, marked, large 
flowers; a beautiful white seedling Epacris. If a 
gardener was pulled out of bed in the middle of a 
dream, and pushed in among these flowers, you might 
almost convince him that he was in that dream for the 
last three months, and that it was time for “ bedding- 
out,” instead of dreaming away his time for months. 
But are there no gardeners who have boen dreaming 
these twenty years and more, and would not believe 
their own eyes if they were to see one-half of them ? 
Just follow me to the next table, and hear what Messrs. 
Henderson and Son, of the Wellington Nursery, had 
risked out in the midst of snow and slush, without bell- 
glasses or any protection , as you used to see in July ; only 
seven kinds of Ancetochilus, to begin with ; Setaceus, 
Setaceus cordatus, a darker kind than the first; Setaceus 
Roxburghii, greener-purple than ditto ; Setaceus interme¬ 
dins, the darkest purple of the set; Lowii, the largest 
and strongest; Lobbii, dark green ; and Zanthophyllus, 
with a “ millky way” in pure gold along the centre of 
each leaf; all as healthy as Powder beaux, as we used to 
call border Auriculas when I was a boy. Then, large 
pots and pans of Mr. Adkins’ new seedling Cyclamens, 
and Cyclamen count, all in bloom ; and “ fine-leaved 
plants,” as Paretta borbonica, Pandanus javanicus, with 
fine, long, silvery leaves, as if the *■ Gardener’s Garter ” 
grass were turned into a slender Pine-Apple plant 1 —a 
beauty. A variegated Pine-Apple-, a Dumb Cane, 
Dieffenbachia maculata ; two kinds of variegated Hoyas ; 
and a Cahgynecristata Orchid, with five spikes of beautiful 
white bloom ; altogether making a beautiful collection ; 
and there was another collection to match it, from the 
same firm, on the next table, beginning with tree 
Lycopods, now called Sei.aginella, by Spring; a name 
which is adopted by the best authorities in this country ; 
Selaginella Qaleotiana, flexuosa, stolonifera robusta, a 
dense sort; stolonifera microphylla, a very slender kind ; 
densum and ambrosum, the prettiest of the lot, and if there 
is a link between Ferns and Lycopods, this is it. If you 
want to represent the two orders in your collection, 
you ha"ve only to buy Selaginella ambrosum. Cupania 
Jilicifolia will give the idea of a Jacaranda, with most 
delicate Fern leaves, spreading out like the growth 
of Jacaranda mimosifolia, Dracccna nobilis, and ma¬ 
culata, Croton variegatum, and pictum, with Maranta 
lineata, with the noble looks of Rhopal/i corcovadensis, 
magnijica, and complicata, the last of all these groups. 
After them were two plants in bloom of Oenetyllis 
fuchioides, from an order of plants (Fringe Myrtles) 
which is very rare indeed in this country, but common 
enough in the wilds of New Holland, in the shape of 
little bushes of various aspects. This Oenetyllis is not 
unlike an Epacris or some Diosma in growth. The 
purple flowers are bell-shaped, and as big aa an English 
Acorn, hanging down like a Fuchsia flower. 
From the Messrs. Henderson, of Pine-Apple Place, 
we had another collection of very beautiful plants, of 
which Dammam Brunonii is one of the best seen. It 
was near five feet high, and wide in proportion. The 
thick, leathery, shining leaves put you in mind of blunt 
leaves of a Japan Lily. Brownea erecta, with longer and 
narrower leaves than those of the old Brownea grandiceps, 
Rhopala magnijica, and corcovadensis, and others with 
Billbergia Leopold,ii, in fine bloom ; and the new bulb¬ 
like plant introduced by Mr. Backhouse, and which the 
Messrs. Lee exhibited last spring, when Dr. Lindley 
named it Valotta miniata. Sir W. Hooker afterwards 
named it Imatophyllum; and Mr. Henderson had his 
plant named Olivia; but the three names are quite 
wrong; for this plant differs very materially from the 
three, or supposed three genera; and if the great men 
had seen the seed pods, as 1 did, through the kindness 
of Mr. Charles Lee, they would see the difference. But 
Olivia miniata, or Valotta miniata, or Imatophyllum 
miniata, is a charming plant, and as easy to manage as 
an Agapanthus. It blooms in winter, in spring, and all 
the year round. Until we get another Herbert to settle 
the name, I would prefer Olivia as the name which gives 
the nearest idea to gardeners of its aspect when out of 
bloom. 
On another table was a collection of plants from the 
Garden of the Horticultural Society, consisting of three 
Epacris: Candida, Delecata, a blush sort, and Densi- 
flora, another blush sort; four kinds of hybrid Begonias, 
in fine flower; that between Manicata and Hydrocotg- 
lifolia was very fine; another, between Crassicaule and 
Manicata, had large flesh-coloured flowers in the style 
of Manicata, from a strong stem inherited from Crassi¬ 
caule ; another, still finer, was a cross from Incarnata 
and Crassicaule, with a long, thick stem, and branching 
out with gay, pink blooms all the way up. This ought 
to flower all through the summer. Two Heaths, 
Hyemalis and Lebana, with the red and white-berried 
Ardesia crenulata; the latter is new, and a very de¬ 
sirable variety. D. Beaton. 
ANCHUSA CAPENSIS.* 
This is, properly speaking, a biennial, but not quite 
hardy in our climate, unless in sheltered places. If the 
seeds are sown under glass, in March and April, and the 
seedlings transplanted, they will blow towards autumn, 
and frequently produce seeds. If sown in July and 
August, and protected in winter, they will blow early 
the next season. The flowers are blue ; the plants low- 
growing, about twelve to eighteen inches in height, and 
a little rough-looking, like a Borage. 
BULBINE FLORIBUNDA. 
This is a pretty, bulbous flower, growing about a foot 
in height. The flowers are yellow and green. They 
come very near in appearance the flowers of the genus 
Anthericum, another beautiful division among Lily- 
worts. This Bulbine has often been confounded with 
Anthericum Jloribundum , a plant with white flowers, 
* The following ia in answer to “A Reader,” who asks, tl Where the 
seeds should be sown, and what flowers the plants bear? ” 
