THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, January 3, 1S60. 
211 
Tom Thumb's rival sprang, of which we have heard so much the 
past season. The Nasturtium is equally plentiful in a yellow 
condition as in a scarlet: and why not have a yellow one as well 
as the much and deservedly admired Tropceolum Lobbianum 
elegans ? Assuredly a clear yellow may be obtained in some way 
as a sport; and, being once obtained, there would be no more 
difficulty in keeping it than the scarlet variety. "YVe all know 
this class of plants flowers best in the dry hot weather which is 
so punishing to the Calceolaria. I throw out the hint to our 
flower-gardening friends; and I hope they will not be long in 
obtaining a variety with shorter leafstalks than the common 
Nasturtium, so as to show the flowers clear above the foliage, and 
one with flowers more conspicuous than the old Tropceolum 
Canariensis, which is far from despicable as a flower-garden 
plant even now, especially as “yellow's” are scarce; but it has 
not all the good properties wanted in a close compact bedder, 
and I shall be anxious to hear of some other variety being an¬ 
nounced nearer that standard of perfection so much aimed at. 
While on this subject I should like to hear the opinion of such 
of our readers as have tried Gazania splendens as a bedding 
plant. I confess being a stranger to it; but if it is not a great 
improvement on G. rigens and G. uniflora, both of which I have 
occasionally used for the last twenty years, I fear it will not be 
much of a favourite. The most interesting feature I could see in 
G. uniflora was the whiteness of the under side of its foliage, 
which showed very much on a windy day. There never w r as 
sufficient flower to entitle it to a placo in the front rank of 
bedding plants. The past season it has not improved its position 
with me ; but the new one may bo better, and I should like to 
hear from those who have grown it what its merits are.— 
J. Robson. 
TWELVE OF THE BEST ORNAMENTAL 
FOLIAGED PLANTS FOR 1860. 
Now that plants are generally in a dormant state, and leisure 
is afiorded us to devote a few thoughts upon the coming cam¬ 
paign, it will, perhaps, be interesting to some of your readers to 
give the enumeration of twelve of the best and most attractive 
foliaged plants for the ensuing season, with a few condensed prac¬ 
tical hints for their management, in the hope that the period is 
not remote when the habits of this beautiful and useful class of 
plants will become better known and more largely enjoyed. 
Pernios argyrea. —A native of Borneo, delights in a mixture 
of turfy peat, sharp silver sand, and a little sphagnum chopped 
very fine ; start in March, on a bottom heat of 70°, and with an 
atmospheric temperature of from 75° to 80°. A shady part of 
the house should be selected for this gem of Arads. 
Anasctochilus Veitchii. —A native of Borneo, should be 
grown in shallow pots half filled with broken potsherds and small 
pieces of very fibrous good brown peat, mixed with pieces of 
charcoal broken fine, and sharp silver sand. The top of the soil 
covered with sphagnum chopped fine, and the plant covered with 
a bell-glass, maintaining an atmospheric temperature ranging 
from 70° to 85° from March, and shading from the intensity of 
the solar rays. 
C van 01 >ri yjvlu M magnificum. —A native of Madagascar, re¬ 
quires a mixture of turfy peat and loam (a fourth of the latter), 
and potsherds broken fine, with charcoal and silver sand, care 
being taken that good drainage is secured. The plant to be 
shifted in March, and plunged close to the glass in a bottom heat 
of 70°, with a steady atmospheric medium of 75° to 80°. 
Dieffenbachia macueata. —A native of the Tropics, and is 
semi-aquatic, delighting to have its spongioles in water heated to 
about 80°, and potted in a mixture of fibrous peat, strong turfy 
loam, one-quarter leaf mould and silver sand, with a good pro¬ 
portion of drainage. It is possible to obtain a good specimen of 
this truly gorgeous plant in the absence of an aquarium, by 
saturating the atmosphere of the house with moisture two or 
three times a-day daring the growing season—viz., summer 
months. 
Ananassa sativa variegata. —A native of South America, 
requires similar treatment to that of the ordinary Pine Apple 
Potted in rough fibry peat and loam, with leaf mould one year 
old, and plupged in a steady bottom heat of 80° to 85°. 
3? and anus J avanicus variegata. —A native of Sont h America, 
of easy culture ; a mixture of rough peat, loam, and silver sand, 
with a bottom heat of 70° to 75°, with water, as in the case of 
the preceding, slightly diluted with liquid manure, are the chief 
of its requirements. 
Begonia argentea.— Continental hybrid, delights in a mix- 
ture of fibry peat, loam, leaf mould, with silver sand and pounded 
charcoal, and plunged in a bottom heat of 65° in March, with 
an atmospheric temperature of 75°, and watered with diluted 
liquid manure, but sparingly till the growth has attained its 
maximum; at which season it is a great absorbent, and requires, 
like many of the fine-foliaged plants, a good supply of water to 
prevent exhaustion, which is the agent whereby the foliage be¬ 
comes impaired and unsightly. 
Begonia Marshallii. —A garden hybrid. For treatment see 
the preceding. 
Caeadium Chantinii. —A native of the banks of the River 
Amazon. This is a bulbous-rooted plant, starting into growth 
about February or March, but which is much regulated by the 
period it emerges into dormancy. As soon as indications are pre¬ 
sented of activity, the bulbs should be potted and plunged into a 
bottom heat of 75°, with a humid atmospheric temperature of 
80°. For potting, a mixture of peat, loam, leaf mould, and a 
little dry cowdung grated among the soil should be used, securing 
an efficient drainage. As soon as the expansion of the foliage 
commences, an application of clear liquid manure should be given 
every two or three waterings ; and as the season advances, increase 
the temperature and the humidity, as a dry and arid temperature 
is fatal to the beauty of these natives of tropical reeking swamps. 
Caeadium argyrites. —From the same locality, and should 
be treated like the preceding. 
Maranta Porteana. —A native of Brazil, requires the finest 
turfy peat, well mixed with pounded charcoal, potsherds, and 
silver sand, securing a good drainage. About the middle of 
March, partly plunged in a gentle bottom heat of GO 0 to 65°, 
with an atmospheric temperature of 70° to 75°, with a fair degree 
of humidity. This genera delights hi shade, and is very im¬ 
patient of strong solar light. 
Maranta regaeis. —From the same climate, and should be 
treated like the preceding.—J. Ransley Tanton, Gardener to 
H. O. Ncihercote, lisp, Moulton Grange. 
FRUITS ADAPTED TO THE VARIOUS 
LOCALITIES OF GREAT BRITAIN. 
(Continued from page 197.) 
PEARS. 
Thompson’s. — Fruit medium sized, obovate. Skin 
pale yellow, and considerably covered with a coating and 
dots of pale cinnamon-coloured russet. Eye open, set in 
a shallow basin. Stalk an inch and a quarter long, in¬ 
serted in an uneven cavity. Flesh white, buttery and 
melting, very juicy, exceedingly rich and sugary, and 
with a fine aroma. 
One of our best pears. Ripe in November. The tree 
is quite hardy, an excellent bearer, and succeeds best on 
the pear stock. 
Tielington. —Fruit about medium size, short pyriform, 
rather uneven in its outline. Skin smooth, greenish- 
yellow, covered with a number of light brown russet dots. 
Eye open, scarcely at all depressed. Stalk short, fleshy, 
and warted at its insertion. Flesh yellowish, tender, 
buttery and melting, not very juicy, but brisk and vinous, 
with a peculiar and fine aroma. 
This is an excellent pear, ripe in October, the fine 
piquant flavour of which contrasts favourably with the 
luscious sweetness of the Scckle, which comes in just 
before it. 
Tombe tie 1’Amateur. See Nouveau Poiteau. 
De Tonneau. See Uvedale’s St. Germain. 
Tres Grosse de Bruxelles. See Uvedale’s St. Germain. 
Triomphe de Hasselt. See Calebasse Grosse. 
Triomphe de Jodoigne. —Fruit large, obovate, regular 
and handsome. Skin yellow, covered with numerous 
small russety dots and patches of thin brown russet. Eye 
open, set in a slight depression. Stalk an inch and a 
quarter long, curved, and inserted without depression. 
Flesh yellowish-white, rather coarse, melting, juicy, 
