265 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, J akuahy 25, 1850. 
VARIEGATED STOVE PLANTS. 
. Plants with variegated leaves have, with some cultivators, 
always been esteemed, though others have looked upon them 
as plants that were in a state of disease, whilst some writers 
have as soundly maintained that variegation is as consistent with 
perfect health and long life, as such as have entirely green 
foliage. Be that as it may, one fact is certain, that plants with 
various-coloured leaves are now highly esteemed, and very largely 
grown in many places. They are also a very important item at 
various exhibitions, both at the metropolitan shows and also at 
the most distant provincial exhibitions. Eor decorative purposes 
also, wherever there is a stove plant-house, they are found in 
considerable numbers. There seems, indeed, to be at various 
epochs a kind of mania for certain plants or flowers. There 
was once a rage for Tulips, and that to such an extent, that it 
was named Tulip mania, or Tulip madness. In pot plants, Heaths 
once were fashionable, then Orchids, then Eems, and now these 
variegated plants are the fashion of the day ; combined with 
plants that have beautiful, or singular foreign-looking foliage. 
Inquiries have been sent to the Editor of The Cottage Gar¬ 
dener, for information on the culture and the names of variegated 
plants, which inquiries have induced me to undertake to write 
a paper or two about them ; and the information that I am able 
to give will, I trust, be useful to, at least, new beginners to 
cultivate them. I do think many of them exceedingly beautiful, 
fitid that persistently. Many stove plants are beautiful when in 
Hov ver, but the greater part of these various-coloured leaved 
plants are most lovely objects all the year round—a great recom¬ 
mendation, sufficient to induce growers to cultivate them largely. 
A collection of stove plants, indeed, is now considered defective, 
if variegated species are absent. 
lit lily younger days, some thirty years ago, the species of 
Variegated stove plants was very limited indeed. Loudon, in his 
“Encyclopedia of Gardening,” classes many kinds of stove plants, 
but entirely omits these. Yet nurserymen then, and for years 
previously, esteemed variegated plants highly. It was thought 
quite a hit to obtain a new variegated Elm, Oak, Ash, Sycamore, 
or any other tree, either by seed or a chance spray, with coloured 
foliage. Whenever such a case happened, the lucky plant, or 
branch, was immediately propagated by budding or grafting. So 
it was, also, with shrubs, evergreen or deciduous. In the common 
Holly, they were eminently successful, as we all know ; but in the 
Laurels and Sweet Bays, no permanent success was achieved. 
The Aucuba Japonica came to hand from Japan, with leaves 
already spotted, and a most useful plant it has proved. I have 
seen some plants of it with leaves nearly green, but such were 
invariably grown in rich soil, in the shade. This is, indubitably, 
a natural variegation, and the plants are as healthy as one could 
wish. There are, also, some herbaceous plants with leaves very 
prettily variegated. This variegation of plants is an exceedingly 
curious and interesting subject. How is it obtained?—what 
causes it ? What process can wo take to cause plants, hitherto with 
green leaves, to change and give us parti-coloured foliage ? We 
arc quite in the dark on this subject. One point is curious enough. 
Plants with fine variegated foliage have, with very rare exceptions, 
insignificant flowers — instance the Holly, the Aucuba, the 
Croton, and even the far-famed Farfugiwm grande. The flowers 
are inconspicuous, and, to use a common phrase, are not worth a 
button. It seems as if nature, having given these plants beautiful 
leaves, thought fine flowers a superfluity ; indeed, plants that 
have sweet, largo, showy flowers, would not be thought improved 
if they had variegated i'oliage. We should certainly be shocked, 
and think it unhealthy, if a Rose tree produced variegated leaves, 
or even a Camellia, or Tulip, or Carnation. In fruit-bearing 
plants, also, we should not be struck with admiration, to see a 
variegated-leaved Apple, Pear, Cherry, Peach, or Plum tree. 
Should any one sport into variegation, it would be looked upon 
as a monster, no longer valuable for its fruit. It would be 
kept, if kept at all, merely as a curiosity. Thus, we see there 
are limits even in obtaining variegation to be consistent with 
good taste. 
I am, I fear, running on too far with these preliminary re¬ 
marks, yet the subject is so eminently curious, that my head 
transmitted the thoughts to my pen, and I jotted them down as 
they occurred to me. On this occasion, I will conclude with 
giving a selection of twenty-four of the most beautiful varie¬ 
gated stove plants, and intend shortly to enter fully into their 
culture. 
The following will suit “ An Inquirer,” provided he has a 
house heated to from 70° to 80° in summer, and from 60° to 65° in 
winter:—Anooctochilus Lobbii, A. setaceus, A. zantliophyllus ; 
Ananas sativus variegatus ; Begonia Griffithsii, B. Rex, B. splen- 
dida argentea, B. Thwaitesii; Cissus discolor; Croton august i- 
foliurn pictum, C. pictum, C. variegatum ; Cyanophyllum mag- 
nificum; Dieffcnbachia seguina picta ; Dracaena terminalis 
versicolor, D. nobilis ; Graptophyllum hortense pictum ; Iloya 
carnosa picta; Maranta lineata alba, M. pardina, M. regalis; 
Pandanus Javanicus variegatus; Pavetta Borbonica; Sonerila 
margaritacea. 
These twenty-four species of variegated plants have their foliage 
persistent—that is, they do not die down in winter. The first 
three require to bo grown in chopped sphagnum, with some half- 
decayed Oak leaves upon the drainage, which drainage should 
occupy at least one-third of the depth of the pots. They must 
be kept constantly covered with clear bellglasses. 
The following have large, very ornamental, foliage, but die 
down in winter. During that state of rest they must be kept 
moderately [dry. Any light soil will suit them Caladium 
bicolor, C. discolor, C. pictum, C. rubricaulc, and C. tricolor.— 
T. Attieby. 
MILDEWED PEACH TREE SHOOTS. 
What is it that has affected the enclosed Peach shoots ? The 
tree they are taken from, is one of seven growing in the border of 
an orchard-house, trained to a galvanised wire trellis. The 
disorder appeared about a week ago, as a white mould, on the 
ends of all the shoots on one tree. The others are unaffected 
at present.— A Constant Reader. 
[The shoots are mildewed. Probably they are from a Royal 
George, which is very subject to have its shoots affected with 
mildew, in the autumn. As your tree seems to be severely attacked, 
its roots have, probably, entered into the subsoil, which is un¬ 
favourable. The tree should be carefully taken up and replanted, 
spreading its roots as near the surface as possible in doing so. It 
may then be pruned, and washed over with the mixture recom¬ 
mended by Mr. Errington,—soft soap, soot, lime, and sulphur, 
made into the thickness of paint,—and every shoot covered with 
it. The other trees may be painted with the same composition, 
with the best possible effect; for the mixturo often prevents the 
attacks of the Peach aphides—green and brown—in early spring.] 
SELECT ERUITS ADAPTED TO THE VARIOUS 
LOCALITIES OF GREAT BRITAIN. 
(Continued from page 250.) 
CHERRIES. 
Royal Duke ( Donna Maria). —Large, oblate, and 
handsomely shaped. Skin deep, shining red, but never 
becoming black, like the May Duke. Stalk an inch and 
a half long. Flesh reddish, tender, juicy, and richly 
flavoured. Middle of July. 
Royale. See Jeffreys Dulce. 
Royale Hative. See May Duke. 
St. Margaret’s. See Tradescant’s Heart. 
Seize a la Livre. See Heine Hortense. 
Shannon Morello. —Above medium size, round, and 
flattened at the stalk. Skin dark purplish red. Stalk 
long and slender. Flesh tender, reddish purple, juicy, 
and acid. August. 
Sheppard’s Bedford Prolific. See Black Tartarian. 
Small May. See Early May. 
De Soissons. —Medium sized, roundish, inclining to 
heart-shaped, and somewhat flattened at the apex. Skin 
dark red. Stalk not more than an inch loDg. Flesh 
red, tender, and juicy, with a brisk and pleasant sub¬ 
acid flavour. A good cherry for culinary purposes. 
Ripe in the middle and end of July. 
Spanish Heart. See Black Heart. 
