THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, December 8, 1857. 
CCELIA MACROSTACHYA. 
Received some years since from Mr. Hart- 
weg, who collected it in Guatemala ; and also 
from Mr. Skinner. 
The expectations respecting the ornamental 
appearance of this plant have not been realised. 
It has been found in a wild state with a close 
flower-spike as much as a foot long, and its 
blossoms are reported to be deep red; but m 
cultivation it has hitherto gained no such size, 
and the colour is only a pale rose, without any 
brilliancy. 
It produces ensiform leaves from one to one 
and a half inch broad, and nearly eighteen 
inches long; and the flower-spike should stand 
at nearly the same height. At the base of the 
spike are a few broad concave, lanceolate, 
brownish bracts ; and mixed with the flowers 
themselves are many long, narrow, reflexed 
bracts, whose dull, pale-brown colour forms a 
disadvantageous contrast. 
In the accompanying sketch a piece of the 
flower-spike is represented of the natural size, 
with some magnified details of the structure. 
1, Shows the column and lip, seen from the 
side, the sepals and petals having been re¬ 
moved ; 2, Is a view of the slipper-shaped lip, 
seen from above ; 3, Is a front view of the 
column ; and 4, the pollen masses. 
It is best treated as the half terrestrial kinds 
are, and grown hi rather a shady part of the 
house. It requires but little moisture or heat; 
and a light loose material to grow in. 
It is a plant of little value.—( Horticultural 
Society's Journal.) 
149 
NOTES FROM THE CONTINENT. ‘ j 
No. 15. 
PILNITZ. 
About eight miles up the Elbe, from Dres¬ 
den ; a most delightful little trip by the steam¬ 
boats that are ever plying; with a sloping hill- 
! side rising on the left, covered, first with pleasure 
gardens, and then, as we proceed, dotted with 
villas that peep out between the trees and little 
vineyards; and on our right, a campaign covered j 
with fields of waving grain, and sprinkled with 
occasional villages ; we come to Pilnitz. It is 
an old rambling town, of no great size; and 
would have little interest for us, except that by 
the river-side we find the palace which is the 
summer residence of the King of Saxony. 
Several hills rise abrutly behind the palace, and 
the town ; the principal one, standing more for¬ 
ward, starting up more abruptly, and frowning more darkly 
than the others, is named the Porsberg. It is rather more 
than 1100 feet high, and from its summit a prospect, ex¬ 
tending from Dresden on the one hand, to the rocky eminences 
of Saxon Switzerland on the other, spreads itself before the 
spectator. The palace, which is in the form of a large quad¬ 
rangle, enclosing a large flower garden, was built in 1818. It 
is decorated in the Chinese style ; with what degree of taste it is 
not my business to decide. The pleasure grounds are extensive 
and pretty, though with no features worthy of remark ; except 
that in one case, I saw a large group of shrubs, which, I was 
sure, could not grow there improtected. They consisted of 
Laurtis sassafras , Althaeafrutex, Sterculia platanifolia, JBrug- 
mansia , Figs, the Cork Oak, the Camphor tree, Portugal 
Laurel, and some very large Camellias. I found upon inquiry, 
tliat a wooden house is erected over them in winter, having a 
few lights inserted at intervals in the sides and roof. A small 
furnace is erected in one corner, and an earthenware pipe 
flue carried round the building. As the lights are, during hard 
weather, covered with thick straw mats, this flue is found 
2 
Coelia macrostachya. 
sufficient to keep out the frost. Shelves carried round the 
house are found convenient for the wintering of Scarlet 
Geraniums, Fuchsias, Hydrangeas, and such other things as 
can be kept nearly or quite dry. Leaving this behind us, we 
passed through a little valley, where we found a beautiful 
sheet of water well supplied with enormous carp: these fish 
are very tame, and the feeding of them is a favourite amuse¬ 
ment with the King. Weeping Willows droop over the water, 
and are backed by some noble copper beeches ; while at one 
end stands a classical summer-house of white marble, with a 
gilt dome. Before reaching the plant-houses, we passed 
through the bowling green, which was formerly the play¬ 
ground of the young Princes ; and the little gardens which they 
cultivated are still kept in the same way as their childish fancy 
had planted them :—a bed of Strawberries and Raspberries, 
alternating with beds of flowers. 
There is a considerable number of old-fashioned, lean-to 
houses ; the occupants of all, except the st oves, were, of course, 
placed out of doors. The plants were just such as one might 
expect to find in a botanic garden, where the curator’s ideas 
