THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, August 16, 1859. 
289 
smooth, three-nerved, acute, downy; leaves of involucre acute, 
edged. 2 ft. Pink. July. Algarvia. 
A. ijttoiu us (seashore). Scape rounded, smooth; outer leaves 
of involucre lanceolate, acute, as long as the head; leaves 
linear, flat, fringed. 1 ft. Pink. July. S. of Europe. 
A. pinifolia (Pine-leaved), 1 ft. Pink. June. Portugal. 
A. plantaginea (Plantain-leaved). Scape rounded, roughish; 
outer leaves of involucre oblong-ovate, acute; inner leaves 
oblong, obtuse; leaves lanceolate, flat, three-nerved. 1 ft. 
Red. June. S. of Europe. 
A. scorzonerjefolia (Scorzonera-leaved). Scape rounded, 
smooth ; outer leaves of involucre elliptical, mucronate; leaves 
lanceolate, flat, acute, three-nerved. 1 ft. Scarlet. June, j 
S. of Europe. 
A. vulgaris coccinea (scarlet, common). Scape rounded, 
smooth; outer leaves of involucre acute ; leaves linear, flat, 
obtuse. 6 in. Red. September. Gardens. 
This is a beautiful, almost-neglected tribe, well worthy of a 
place in every garden, requiring to be grown in a well-drained 
sandy-loamy soil. Many of them are rather tender, especially in 
low, damp situations : hence it is desirable to keep duplicates in 
pots, and give them the shelter of a cold pit through winter. 
Propagated by dividing the plants in April, and planting .the 
divisions in a shady place in sand till established. Also by 
seeds sown in spring, and transplanted when large enough where 
they are to bloom. If put in patches of three together they will 
make the finer display. 
ARUM. 
Nat. ord. Aroidese. Linn. Monoecia Polyandria. 
Generic Character. — Spathe one-leaved, convolute at the 
base. Perianth none. Spadix with germs at the base, naked 
above. Berry one-celled, one-seeded. 
Arum atro-rubens (dark-purple streaked). Stem none ; leaves 
ternate, ovate, half as long as the spadix. 1ft. Brown. July. 
N. America. 
A. bitlbiferum (bulb-bearing). Stem none ; leaves decompound, 
bulb-bearing; spadix oblong, ovate, shorter than the obtuse 
veiny spathe. 3 ft. Purple. April. Bengal. 
A. dracontium (green dragon). Leaves pedate, entire; spadix 
longer than spathe , which is oblong, convolute. 1 ft. Green. 
June. N. America. 
A. dracunculus (common dragon). Leaves pedate, entire; 
spathe ovate, flat, smooth; spadix lanceolate, shorter than 
spathe. 3 ft. Brownish-purple. July. S. of Europe. 
A. Italicum (Italian). Stem none; leaves hastate-sagittate, 
veins white ; lobes auricled, divaricating; spadix club-shaped, 
shorter than spathe. 2 ft. Light-yellow. June. Italy. 
A. orientate (oriental). 1 ft. White. June. Tauria. 
A. palmatum (hand-shaped). 2 ft. Brown. June. S. of Europe. 
A. pictum (painted). Stem none; leaves heart-shaped, veins 
coloured white; spathe stalkless ; spadix club-shaped, dark 
purple. 2 ft. Brown. May. Corsica. 
A. PROBOSCIDEUM (proboscis-like). Stem none ; leaves hastate ; 
spathe bent downwards, subulate. 1 ft. Purple. July. Apennines. 
A. tenuipolium (slender-leaved). Stem none; leaves linear- 
lanceolate ; spadix subulate, longer than lanceolate spathe. 
1 ft. Brown. June. S. of Europe. 
A. triphyllum (three-leaved). Stem none; leaves ternate, 
entire; spathe ovate, acuminate, flat-stalked ; spadix club- 
shaped, shorter than spathe. lft. Brown. June. N. America. 
A. -- zebrinum (zebra-like). 1 ft. Striped. Brown. 
N. America. 
This tribe is more curious than beautiful; yet, on account of 
their broad, cap-like spatbes and pistils, with stems curiously 
spotted, they are worthy of a place in a garden. 
Propagated by taking up the roots when the leaves decay, and 
cutting them into divisions of two or four, retaining roots to each 
division. The best soil is one of a sandy-loamy nature, and deep 
in quantity; for the roots run deep, or they will not flower. 
The A. zebrinum is the best of them. T. Appleby. 
( To he continued.) 
Kew Gardens. —A drinking fountain or two, for these splendid 
and extensive pleasure-grounds for the people, are now, from the 
very great numbers flocking to them, very much required; till 
such a needful want is supplied, a delicious glass of pure spring 
water may be bad (gratis) by all visitors, of the official attendant 
iu livery in charge of the lower room of the New Museum, 
opposite the Palm-house in the Botanic Gardens. 
TENDER GARDEN PLANTS. 
There are few terms used in horticultural pliraseology more 
likely to mislead the inexperienced than the w'ord “ tender,” for 
in the general intercourse of life the term is used to indicate 
something delicate or of feeble growth ; whereas, in the garden¬ 
ing world, many plants said to be tender excel in robust growth 
I most of our indigenous plants. For instance : the Potato, which 
is, perhaps, as susceptible of cold as anything, will outgrow most 
other garden vegetables when under favourable circumstances. 
Whilst in the field, Buck Wheat, and this newly introduced cattle 
food, Sorghum saccharatum, are both robust growers ; and we 
all know no flower-garden plant thrives more luxuriantly than the 
Heliotrope, and none shows the effects of frost sooner. In fact, 
delicacy of constitution is a widely different thing from robust¬ 
ness of growth; many tropical plants thriving well out of doors 
in the summer season with us, which are difficult to keep through 
the winter even with the aid of warm glass structures. But now 
and then there are instances of tender plants surviving mild 
winters. The roots of Scarlet Runner Beans have been known to 
do so, but they seldom do much good; and the frail winter Scarlet 
Geraniums, killed down by frost in November, have in some places 
shot up again. While beds of Sweet Marjorum, usually con¬ 
sidered an annual, have lived through and look as green and fresh 
as Thyme or Sage. But it is often the cold of spring which 
proves fatal to plants, the same as it does to fruits ; and it is not 
unlikely that many of the plants which have stood over the winter 
may be either killed or very much injured by the late frosts, so 
almost certain to come when the Apple is about bursting into 
bloom. For 6° frost are more fatal at that period than double the 
amount at an earlier season. 
Returning, however, to tender plants, or such as are considered 
so in the kitchen garden, we have the Scarlet Runner and Dwarf 
French Beans, Nasturtium, severalkinds of sweet herbs, Potatoes, 
and Tobacco. Besides which some hardy plants are irrecover¬ 
ably injured by frost when they are subjected to it at an early 
period of theft growth. A crop of Turnips exposed to frost when 
in the seed-leaf receive a cheek which invariably results in their 
running to flower instead of forming a bulb. This is difficult to 
account for on any other principle, than that the exposure to 
unusual cold precipitates the plant into its original wild condi¬ 
tion, which was little better than that of a weed ; and we know 
that all cultivated plants have a tendency to return to their 
original condition where not restrained by skilful culture; and no 
family is more prone to return to theft wild state, or what is 
equally bad, a useless hybrid one, than the whole of the Cabbage 
family. Well-directed skill, however, has prevented this from 
becoming a serious evil, except in certain cases ; and therefore wc 
shall only refer to the evils which a sharp frost does on the first 
crop of out-door Turnips. As • every one is anxious to have 
them as early as possible, seed is often sown much earlier than 
it ought to be, and in mild seasons it comes up before the late 
spring frosts are over, and is caught in one; and though the 
vitality of the plant remains uninjured, it is possible it may he 
sharpened—its usefulness is at an end, for it will invariably turn 
blue hi the centre, and start and run to flower at once. 
To prevent this, I know of no better plan than to cover up the 
Turnip-bed on cold nights, and, as a further precaution, sow suc- 
cessional crops. The covering for such a crop may be of any 
homely construction. A few boughs laid on the ground and 
mats spread over, or if the boughs are leafy they will do without 
mats : the only thing is to prevent the frost setting on the plant, 
and a very slight protection will prevent this. It is needless here 
to mention, that besides the above care in their early growth, 
young Turnips require other attention as well, not the least being 
a good tliiiming in sufficient time to ensure the plants that are 
left a robust growth. Good ground, of course, we will suppose 
they have already, as the value of an early Turnip entitles them 
to every consideration that way, not the least being a good 
watering with manure water if the weather continues very dry. 
Sharp frost on the young growth is also fatal to many other 
plants. Kidney Beans are, of course, quite killed with it; and 
Potatoes, if not killed outright, have to begin theft growth afresh, 
and are, in consequence, much later: while, on the other hand, 
the absence of frost in winter encourages the growth of Cabbage, 
