2.26 
THE FLORIST AND POMOLOGIST. 
place being kept cool and well ventilated, there is a tolerable certainty of their 
keeping well, other things also being favourable. 
As every one is agreed that perfect cleanliness and sweetness are indis¬ 
pensable requisites in a fruit-room, the situation ought to be so chosen as to 
insure these as far as external circumstances will do so, but a full southern 
exposure is not good. The best fruit-room I ever remember to have seen was 
at Knowsley, the princely seat of the Earl of Derby, the internal fittings being 
so good; broad shelves surrounded the building, and in the centre there was 
a tier of shelves with drawers in the bottom compartment, the whole affording 
ample space to get round, and the shelves were not too crowded. The means 
for ventilation were ample. Some other useful fruit-rooms that I have seen 
are lean-to’s against the north wall of a garden, the great defect in these being 
the want of ventilation, which, in part at least, ought to be at top, and is 
rarely thought of in a lean-to shed. The sides being low, the exhalations from 
the fruit cannot well be all carried off; it is better, therefore, to leave an 
opening at top to allow them to escape, otherwise the fact of being behind a 
wall is an advantage rather than otherwise, and more so if it be isolated, and 
not form part of a series of buildings, as by that means end ventilation could 
be more easily accomplished. I have also seen a very useful fruit-room half 
underground; but this is only advisable on a dry, gravelly, or sandy soil. I 
have also seen one under the shade of a tree, not in a dense wood, which is 
bad, and it answered very well. The main thing to stipulate for is plenty of 
space and ventilation, and to use the latter on all occasions, except, perhaps, 
in damp, warm weather, and the probability is that fruit will keep as long 
as it is required to do. -p 
OUR CONTEMPORARIES. 
The Botanical Magazine for August and September contains repre¬ 
sentations of the following plants :— 
Kleinia fulgens. —A small succulent plant sent from Port Natal by Mr. 
Plant to W. Wilson Saunders, Esq. It grows about 2 or 3 feet high in this 
country, and produces vermilion orange heads on peduncles from 4 to 8 inches 
long. 
Fremontia californica. —A Malvaceous shrub, discovered by Col. Fremont 
in 1846, whilst on an expedition to the Rocky Mountains, and of which some 
particulars were given at page 155. The first plant in Europe was in pos¬ 
session of the Royal Horticultural Society, but this was disposed of to Messrs. 
E. G. Henderson, and subsequently died; but the species was re-imported by 
Messrs. Veitch, and flowered with them in June. “ It is,” says Dr. Hooker, 
“ undoubtedly the choicest early-flowering shrub introduced of late years, and 
more than rivals the Forsythias in many respects.” It is a woody shrub, 
attaining a height of 10 feet in its native country, and resembling a Fig tree. 
The flowers are produced in abundance, are 2^ inches in diameter, and of a 
bright golden yellow colour. 
Fernandesia robusta. —An Orchid originally discovered in Guatemala by 
G. U. Skinner, Esq., and reintroduced by Mr. Salvin. The flowers are borne 
on drooping peduncles, supported by upright stems a foot in height, and are 
bright yellow, barred and spotted on the lip with red. It is by no means 
showy. 
Sempervivum Paivce. —A species of Ilouseleek discovered in Gomera, one 
of the Canary Islands, by the Rev. R. T. Lowe. It forms a low, straggling 
shrub, with a short erect stem, and long, weak, slender, crooked branches, 
