186 
THE FLORIST AND POMOLOGIST. 
[ December, 
there is something very remarkable in the rich 
apricot-like flesh, although deficient in the 
peculiar and delicate aroma of the pale-fleshed 
sorts. On the dessert-table the golden brown 
and brilliant yellow hue of the skin form an 
agreeable and handsome contrast. Although 
not of high rank enough to devote a trellis to 
its cultivation, it is quite worth a place among 
the pot-trees of an orchard-house. The Craw¬ 
ford’s Early Peach is hardly to be distinguished 
from the Golden Rathripe. In appearance and 
period of ripening the two are twin Dromios, 
but the Golden Rathripe is perceptibly superior 
in flavour. The American orchardists have 
adopted the name Rareripe to indicate early 
ripening, preserving in “ rare ” the old English 
word “ rathe.” 
“ Bring the rathe primrose that forsaken dies.” 
—Lycidas. 
—T. F. Rivers, Sawbridgeworth. 
[We are indebted to Mr. Rivers for the 
materials whence our plate is derived.— Ed.] 
VILLA GARDENING! FOR 
DECEMBER. 
E may be said to have subsided into 
the dullness and rest cf winter:— 
“ Through leafless boughs the sharp winds blow, 
And all the earth lies dead and drear.” 
But the winter never brings entire respite from 
work for the gardener ; even when ice-bound 
and snow-bound, there is always some genial 
work to do, and some necessary lesson to learn. 
Stove and Warm Greenhouse.— -It is sur¬ 
prising how gay some foliaged plants are at 
this season of the } r ear, and especially Crotons 
and Dracaenas. Quite young plants of the 
former take on a superb colouring at this 
period, and their richly-marked leaf-tints are 
all the more acceptable, because flowers are 
somewhat scarce even in heated structures. 
These, if placed among green-leaved plants, 
have a charming effect. The pretty red 
Sonerilci margaritcicea is a sweet plant for 
flowering in a stove during December and 
January, and there are two or three varieties 
of it, with well-marked leaves, that are useful 
also. Calanthes and the chaste Odontoglossion 
Alexandra will bloom well now; the latter 
will bear cool treatment. Salvia splendens , 
Euphorbia jacquiniceflora , Eranthemuvi pul- 
cheUum , Plumbago rosea , Euchciris amazonica , 
and others will be in flower; and Azaleas , 
Roses , Cinerarias , and other winter-flowering 
plants that have been properly prepared will be 
coming on to succeed them. There is now a 
large choice of winter-flowering plants, and the 
villa gardener, with limited accommodation, 
can make a selection to suit him. In an inter¬ 
mediate house, Ileaths. Chmese Primroses, berry- 
bearing Solamnns, Zonal Pelargoniums , &c., 
can be made very pretty. The following rules 
have been laid down for amateur gardeners to 
observe in their stoves during the dullest month 
of the year :—“ Examine the plants thoroughly, 
and spare no pains to have them thoroughly 
clean and free from insects. By judicious alter¬ 
nation of flowering and foliaged plants, the 
house can be made nice and gay. Pick off any 
decaying flowers and leaves. Tie and train 
plants. Keep the house dry and clean. Water 
thoroughly when wanted, and always in the 
forenoon. In mild weather give fire-heat 
sparingly ; the night temperature should not be 
allowed to fall below 60°.” 
Cold Greenhouse. — Chrysanthemums in pots 
are now yielding excellent service, and being 
late on the whole, they are coming in well to 
succeed the out-door flowers so mercifully pre¬ 
served to us beyond their usual time. For a 
cold house, it is usual to disbud Chrysanthe¬ 
mums freely, when the leading buds get well 
into flower ; the side-buds rarely expand. The 
cold nights and short dull days are having 
their effect on Abutilons , Pelargoniums , &c., 
and they are gradually ceasing to flower. Now 
comes into play the berried Solamnns , with 
their bright coral-red fruits, invaluable to the 
villa gardener for their pretty effect, and their 
usefulness for placing on the table. These 
Solanums will hold on till the end of January, 
and then some of the earlier Bulbs , Primroses , 
&c., will be coming in to take their place. Mice 
will sometimes play sad havoc with Solanum- 
berries, and their attacks should be guarded 
against. 
The beauty and usefulness of Chrysanthemums 
can be prolonged by giving the pots a slight 
dressing of some patent manure ; a guano will 
answer the purpose. A little should be spread 
over the surface, and washed down to the roots 
when water is applied. Plants should now be 
watered very carefully, doing it in the forenoon 
when the sun is out, to dry up the shelves and 
stands quickly. Give air in fine genial weather, 
but do not allow cold currents of air to pass 
into the house. Flowering plants should have 
the warmest and sunniest place. Keep the 
house as clean and tidy as possible, so that 
chances of harm from damp may be minimised. 
Flower Garden. —Slowly but surely the 
bloom and beauty of the flower garden is re¬ 
ceding before the approach and attacks of 
frost and damp. What is to be done with 
the beds that have been wholly filled with 
tender plants ? If there is nothing to put in 
their place, the best thing to do is to dig 
