THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
June 27.] 
only improvement that I can suggest on the mode of 
planting is that each bed should be of a different Kind 
of plant, to make a greater variety, as in that case there 
would be eight scarlet flowering plants, instead of the 
two already mentioned. Instead of the four beds ot 
Dindematum rubescens, I would have only one of it; and 
in the cross corner opposite I would plant Diademtttum, 
which would exhaust the scarlets in that breed , and in 
the other two opposite corners I would have Lady Mary 
Fox and Rouge et Noir. The last is the strongest of 
the four; and if it threatened to rise higher than its 
fellows, I would partly train it down to the ground. In 
the other division, where Tom Thumb is used, it would 
be more difficult to get four low kinds of the true scarlet 
breed. Any of the many dwarf seedlings belonging to 
the Frogmore section would only be a repetition of Tom 
Thumb itself; but my own seedling called Judy would 
make a good match for Tom Thumb, and though a shaded 
scarlet, is sufficiently high-coloured for the purpose. 
These two would be planted cross-cornered, and tiie 
other two corners with a well marked Horse-shoe kind, 
or kinds, if two such could be had of so dwarf a habit 
as to match the height of Judy and Tom Thumb, but I 
do not know any seedlings of such marked characters. 
Perhaps some one will be so good as to let us know of 
such a one. And for the fourth bed, rathei than lepeat 
Tom Thumb or Judy, I would use one called Lucida, 
which would answer well for height and colour, but the 
leaves are much crumpled, and the shoots streaked with 
a light colour; but the height and the colour being pre¬ 
served, that would only add to the variety produced. 
Most gardeners would prefer the present arrangement, 
which is the easiest mode; but ladies who visit their 
own gardens daily would prefer my plan, which has a 
greater variety of plants; and, with the single exception 
of keeping on good terms rvith the cook, there is 
nothing more judicious for a gardener than to MIoav 
out such fancies as ladies prefer in the flower-garden. 
Whatever tune they like best he should learn to 
whistle it, and that would cany him safely over many 
scrapes. 
The other colours used in this garden were all re¬ 
presented in low growing plants, and one peculiarity, 
which I have often insisted on in these pages, is well 
carried out here, namely all the central beds throughout 
the two compartments are of subdued colours, or nearly 
neutral. Those who have been in the habit of planting 
the centre beds of regular figures with the highest colours, 
should see and study the much better effect produced 
here by a contrary arrangement. 
Altogether, I was much pleased with the planting of this 
new flower garden. The garden itself is not yet finished, 
and therefore not open to criticism on the design; 
besides I am not fond of that kind of ciiticism, and 
never indulge in it, unless it is forced upon me. I wish 
they had allowed a couple of acres for a complete flower- 
garden on the other side of the large conservatory, in 
sunkpannels, as the American ground is now laid down, 
so that we might have owe national flower-garden worthy 
of this great gardening country. They say the Botanical 
Garden and Collection there are better than anywhere 
else; fine news no doubt to a few half crazy philosophers 
who'see as much beauty in a toad-stool as I see in Mr. 
Hoyle’s new seedling geranium Ajax, —the finest thing to 
my’ eye that Mr. Hoyle has yet produced; but what 
interest can the great body of the people who -visit Kew 
take in hard names, masses of weedy-looking “herbaceous 
plants ” in clumps, and beds of strange forms ? How 
many ladies go there to study “ the beauties of nature ” 
in the botanic arrangement? Not one of the ten thou¬ 
sand who will spend an hour taking notes of the few 
ornamental plants in the new flower-garden, small as 
^ * S ' D. Beaton. 
187 
GREENHOUSE AND WINDOW 
GARDENING. 
Gloxinias—Culture in a Greenhouse Vinery. —As 
a sequel to the article on Begonias, we beg to recommend 
the addition of these still more compact and beautiful 
plants—and plants, too, that will require even much less 
trouble than the Begonias. In -such a situation as a 
greenhouse in winter, changed into a vinery in summer, 
and the vines made the principal thing for that period 
the hardier plants being either removed to turf or other 
pits, or placed out of doors,—tho Gloxinias will be just 
in their element,—will blossom more freely than in a 
regular moist plant stove, and if their leaves are not so 
luxuriant as when placed in a stove, they are free from 
that shrivelled, woe-begone appearance which they are 
apt to assume when placed on the airy shelf ot an un¬ 
shaded greenhouse. The less airy situation, the higher 
temperature, the shade of the vines, in such circum¬ 
stances just suit our little favourites; and for those of 
our readers who wish to combine in their small houses 
the. floral and the horticultural, there can be no com¬ 
parison between a compact plant of Gloxinia densely 
covered with its pretty blossoms, and a lanky geranium, 
or a spindly balsam, or even with any except the 
prettiest and dwarfest of the achimenes, while the trouble 
required is not greater than that required for the latter, 
and much less than that requisite for either of the two 
former. In such circumstances, under vines, geraniums, 
and balsams, &c., &c., will get drawn, and loose then- 
sturdy look; but if the shade is not too dense it will be 
the very thing for the Gloxinia. We frequently use 
them for ornamenting a cool glass-covered verandah, 
and there they stand for months during summer, but 
then there is the opportunity of shading during bright 
sunshine. In a range of forcing houses with upright 
glass, in front, upon a narrow shelf close to the front 
glass, we have a row of Gloxinias, and even here, not¬ 
withstanding the shade of the vines, we deem it ad¬ 
visable to size two or three squares from the bottom of 
the upright sash, as mentioned lately, that the bloom 
may be longer preserved. Of course, under such circum¬ 
stances the Gloxinia can only be cultivated during 
summer; in winter we must be content if we possess its 
tuber—its flowers must be given up to the possessors of 
regular plant stoves. 
Like many more of our most beautiful and accomo¬ 
dating plants, the Gloxinia belongs to the group of 
Gesner worts, and received its name in compliment to 
Gloxin, a celebrated botanist. The flowers are more 
like, and are more nearly allied to, a Foxglove, than any 
other of our common plants. The blossoms, therefore, 
are not only beautiful, but the four stamens are arched, 
joined, and key-stoned together by the anthers. All of 
them are Ioav herbaceous plants, with bulbous tuberous 
roots, with some special exceptions, for some varieties of 
Gartoni will grow to a height of several feet, and so will 
the old species of Maculata, while Maculata and Tu- 
bijlora (if synonymous with Gesnera tubijlora) have not 
bulbous, but scaly imbricated tubers. None of the species 
or varieties have much or any scent, with the exception 
of Maculata, Avhich has a very pleasing scent resembling 
that of mint. 
Rest Period. —The main points of culture, as respects 
all the species, are identical; embracing chiefly a period 
of rest and a season of growth. During the rest, the 
tubers are allowed to become dried, but not shrivelled. 
Hence the propriety of keeping them in the pots in 
which they grew during the previous season. _ Alter 
starting water must be given, gradually increasing its 
quantity until the plants are in lull leal, \yhen they will 
require a large supply. With the exception ot garden 
hybrids, most of the species are natives of South Ame¬ 
rica. Exposing the tubers, therefore, to a low tempera- 
