THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, June 22, 1858. 179 
On the bark of Njssa aquatica, Prinos verticillata, and Acer 
1 ‘ubrum. Extremely common in South Carolina.—Rev. M. A. 
Curtis. 
It may be remarked, that Mr. Thwaites found a very 
similar production, only with hyaline threads, mixed up with 
Coccochloris Brebissonii , growing in dripping places near 
Bristol. The fructification and the whole structure are very 
similar. At present it has not been found by itself, so as to 
enable him to ascertain its habit and colour when freely de¬ 
veloped. The spores are dark brown, and have a pretty effect 
on the colourless filaments. This may be called Glenospora 
T/maitesii , but we have not thought it necessary to give 
specific characters, as we have scarcely sufficient information 
for this purpose. The spores of G. Curtisii , it may be ob¬ 
served, when viewed by transmitted light, have a lilac tinge, 
as have also the threads in portions of the stratum, but not 
constantly.— {Horticultural Society's Journal.) 
NOTES EROM CUMBERLAND. 
In Cumberland, about ten miles from the Scottish border, 
from whence I ought to have dated my letter, Primula cortu- 
soides is perfectly hardy. I plant it out in October, and, im¬ 
mediately after flowering, remove the plants to a shady border 
till the following autumn. I always have a glorious spring 
bed in May. My soil is light. 
If possible, to avoid your alternative respecting the British 
Queen Strawberry, I last summer, after fruiting, cut all the 
plants down, to weaken them ; and all that I can say at pre¬ 
sent is, that they show threefold more blossom than I ever 
had before. 
Where is seed of Boronioum Austriacim to be had ? I never 
can get any.—A Subsceibee. 
[You will have seen what was said last week relative to 
Strawberry culture.— Ed.] 
NOTES EROM THE CONTINENT-No. 25. 
BRUSSELS. 
Fkom Cologne, through Aix-la-Chapelle (or, as it is called 
here, Aachen) to Brussels, is, in fine weather, a most de¬ 
lightful journey ; the country passed over being a thickly- 
populated, mining, and manufacturing district, with fine 
scenery ; but under the combined influence of a cold north¬ 
east wind, and a drizzling rain, it loses much of its interest, 
and I must confess, that I was by no means sorry when the 
journey was completed. 
It was late at night when I reached Brussels; and, as my 
stay was to be very limited, I started early next morning 
for the Zoological Garden, combined with which is M. 
Linden’s celebrated establishment. There is a small 
Botanic Garden in the town, but, from the reports I had 
heard of it, I was induced to visit the first-mentioned place 
in preference, and I was very glad afterwards that I did so. 
The Zoological Garden is prettily laid out, and contains a 
good collection of animals (but cannot in this respect bear 
comparison with that of London). It is a favourite resort 
of the citizens, and a band of music performs there several 
times a week, besides the grand concerts on a Sunday. The 
price of admission is one franc (tenpence). The plant- 
houses are placed altogether in one part of the grounds, and 
are built upon the most approved principles. The Orchids, of 
which there is an admirable selection, occupy several of these 
houses ; they were in the best of health, though, as might 
be anticipated, but few were in flower at the time of my 
visit. Among other inmates of the stoves, were many 
specimens of fine-foliaged plants, which are either new or 
rare. Most conspicuous among them were several species 
of Theophrasta , and the allied genus Clavija, the best being 
T. imperialism T. speciosa , T. macrophylla , T. Jussieui , and 
C. longifolia. There is also another, of dwarfer habit, called 
J T. ocanensis, or minor. In one of the smaller houses, I 
i noticed a great number of seedlings of the Bread-fruit 
tree, Artocarpus incisa; a new kind of Alligator Pear, 
Persea zitolensis; and of the Milk-tree, Galactodendron 
utile, as well as a number of young Palms, and two new 
Cycadaceous plants— Zamia Ghiesbreylitii and Z.Miguelia)\a, 
I shall never forget the glorious display of foliage made 
in one of the cool-houses, by the various kinds of Aralia, 
Didymopanax, and Orespanax. There were more than 
thirty species of these genera, and I tried hard to choose 
out a few which might be called the best, but utterly failed 
in it, for every plant was perfection in its own style. Some 
of them have drooping, lanceolate leaves, two feet or more in 
length, like A. leptophylla (or, as it was here called, reti¬ 
culata) ; others palmate, like A. Sieboldii , and 0. Lindenii; 
others, again, digitate, as O. diversifolia; while others have 
large ovate leaves, like 0. nymphoefolium. These are often 
grown in stoves, but they do equally well, if not better, in a 
cool-house ; in fact, they are just the thing to plant out per* 
manently in a conservatory. On the front shelf of the same 
house, were a number of the pretty little, free-flowering, 
Melastomaceous plant, not unlike a Centradenia in habit, 
called Monochcstum ensiferum. 
There was an immense stock of the beautiful Begonia 
Bex, already described; the very pretty B. rosacea , and 
another called B. lazuli, in the way of Xanthina, with 
copper-coloured leaves, sprinkled over with pellucid dots, 
giving it, when seen sideways, a slight bluish tinge—hence 
the name. But decidedly the most beautiful of all the 
novelties this garden possesses, is the Gesnera cinnabarina. 
The plant is like the old zebrina in habit, but with more 
orange in the colour of the flowers. It varies greatly in the 
tint upon its velvety leaves, some being bright orange, 
others pink, and some deep vermilion. No person, there¬ 
fore, should purchase this without selecting the plant for 
themselves. 
I will briefly notice a few other plants which struck me as 
being new. Tapina splendens , like an Episcea, with bright 
scarlet flowers. A very brilliant AEchmea, called spectabilis, 1 
I believe. A new purple-veined species of Cypripedium, 
and the beautiful Anoectochilus Eldorado. Spigelia aurea, 1 
dwarf in growth, with white flowers, and brown and white 
leaves. A purple-leaved Composite, Isotypus rosiflorus. 
And among the Ferns, of which there was a good collection, 
was a new species of Angiopteris } with fronds much divided, 
and many others,— Kael, 
EARLY SWARMS, 
As one of your correspondents is desirous of learning the } 
periods at which early swarms of bees have occurred this 
year, and as I observe that the earliest you are aware of was 
on the 26tli of May, I beg to state, that I have but three 
hives at my residence, in the neighbourhood of Reading, 
Berks, each of which produced a swarm in May,—two on the 
13th, and one on the 29th.—M. H. 
I had a swarm of bees on the 12th of May, and a 
second swarm from the same hive on the 23rd of May.— 
Heney Mooee, Stretford. 
QUERIES AND ANSWERS. 
PLANT TO HIDE HOT-WATER PIPES. 
“ Do you know of any evergreen, climbing, compact-growing 
plant, suitable for covering the hot-water pipes in a conserva¬ 
tory ? T have just had a small hothouse and conservatory 
built, one leading out of the other. It was intended for the 
hot-water pipes in the conservatory to be laid under the floor, 
and kept out of sight; but, from some mistake in the plan, 
this could not be done. So the pipes are carried round under 
the shelf, which, being narrow, leaves the pipes much exposed. 
In my opinion they are very unsightly, and, as they will only 
require to be occasionally heated in the winter, I thought they I 
might be covered by some creeping plant. It must be of t 
compact habit, so as not to interfere with walking round.”— 
A Lady Subsceibee. 
[If your conservatory was at all warm,—or you wanted to 
conceal the pipes in the hothouse,—nothing would be so | 
compact and neat as the Ficus stipulata , made to run over 
a wooden trellis, though it would like a rough wall better. It 
will also do in the conservatory, but not grow so fast. It de- 
