MAY. 
107 
Princess Victoria f (Wills).—A new and distinct style of Verbena, very 
dwarf and close in habit, having cut leaves, and dark rose-coloured flowers. 
Rosy Circle f (Wills).—Close-habited and free-flowering, the flowers of a 
deep purplish rose, with a straw-coloured eye. 
Snowball (Turner).—A blush, of very fine shape. 
Spark # (Turner).—Flowers crimson, with straw-coloured eye. This comes 
very near Lady Binning, but is somewhat lighter in colour. Both are useful as 
bedding sorts. 
Velvet Cushion t (Wills).—A free-blooming dwarf, purple rose. 
Some other varieties, which were much affected by the hot dry season, 
were not in a condition to be reported on. 
OPEN-AIR CULTURE OF LILIUM GIGANTEUM. 
The hardiness and endurance of this noble Lily are certainly much greater 
than generally admitted. It has now flowered without protection in several 
places in this northern division of the kingdom, and, I think, may therefore be 
classed as a hardy bulb. In one instance a number of seedlings, in consequence 
of want of room, were turned out in the open ground, and allowed to remain 
undisturbed; some of these have flowered and ripened seed, thus proving that 
the climate of Scotland is sufficient from the earliest stage of the plant’s growth 
to do all that is required. We have here a Lilium giganteum which was planted 
in the spring of 1861, and which produced last summer a flower-stem 7 feet 
9 inches in height, with eleven flowers upon it. Several pods of seed were also 
formed. 
The strength, vigour, and stately appearance of this Lily in the open air in 
the earliest stages of its growth are very conspicuous and interesting, and still 
more so is its rapid growth in the early months of spring. The effect, too, when 
planted out of doors is much more pleasing than when the plant is grown under 
glass. This is the second instance of its flowering in Morayshire ; the first 
occurred in the garden of a lady amateur in the cold summer of 1860. 
With these facts before us, I think there need be no hesitation in recommend¬ 
ing Lilium giganteum as a hardy border plant, and if put into a warm sheltered 
situation there can be little doubt of its succeeding. 
Gordon Castle. J. Webster. 
OUR CONTEMPORARIES. 
L’Horticxjlteur Fran^ais for February, has for its plate a representa- 
• tion of Erythrina ornata , a new variety of Coral Tree, raised by M. Bellanger. 
It is a shrub not exceeding 2 feet in height, and will even flower when 8 inches 
high. The racemes are long, and closely set with large dark vermilion 
flowers, with a reddish crimson keel. This is stated to be a very early-flower¬ 
ing variety, blooming a fortnight or three weeks before the other Erythrinas, 
and continuing in bloom till autumn. Cuttings inserted in March or April 
frequently flower in the end of July ; and it is also said to be a good pot plant, 
the buds never dropping. Madame Bellanger is another dwarf free-flowering 
variety obtained by the same raiser; the flowers are described as being of a 
velvety, dark reddish crimson, with a darker keel. The same publication for 
March contains a plate of Huernia Thureti , one of a genus of succulent plants 
separated from that of Stapelia. The plant has numerous branches, generally 
four-sided, of a lively glaucous green, and bearing flowers on the lower parts. 
