88 
THE FLORIST AND POMOLOGIST. 
[ April, 
will be in ten days or a fortnight, commence to thin, according to size of berries, 
and the time they will be required to hang. All late-keeping varieties should 
be well thinned ; if not, the air cannot have free course through the bunches, 
and then moisture will gather, and decay will take place. 
Great care must be taken that no insects become established. Mildew, 
spider and thrips are the chief enemies to the vine. Sulphur must be applied for 
mildew, and fumigation with tobacco-paper must be adopted for the others.— 
G. Forbes, Thoresby Gardens. 
MAGNOLIA CONSPICUA. 
k)UST now, and for a month hence, one of the most attractive plants it is 
possible to behold, where it has attained anything like the size to which it 
fjff is capable of growing, is the Magnolia conspicua. It is certainly one of 
the most prolific of flowering plants grown, and one of the most showy. On 
the east side of the west wing of Hatfield House is growing a most magnificent 
specimen of this Magnolia. The girth of its stem close to the ground is nearly 
four feet. It covers a space about 35 ft. in height and over 20 ft. wide, and is 
covered with blossoms from bottom to top, so thickly placed that I can count over 
50 flowers in a square yard. Considering that the flowers are white or nearly so, 
and of the usual size of Magnolia flowers, one can imagine what a picture this 
plant will be while in bloom. I think Mr. W. Paul, of Waltham Cross, saw it 
in bloom last year, and pronounced it truly grand. If it has a fault, it is that 
of flowering before the foliage makes its appearance, for I think its beauty would 
be heightened considerably by a judicious mixture of its own foliage, which is of 
a lively shining green colour. I see by the Cottage Gardeners' Dictionary that the 
plant has been in this country about 80 years. The one I allude to must be at 
least 50 or 60 years old. I know it is growing in a thoroughly well-drained 
soil, but of what nature I am unable to ascertain, as the surface is paved with 
flagstones up to its stem. I am very much afraid that in these sensational 
times, gardeners—many of them, at any rate—are committing an error when 
planting, by not assigning a place to some of these old servants, and especially 
to this beautiful and noble-looking species of Magnolia. — Thos. Record, Hatfield 
House , Herts. 
CROTON YARIEGATUM MULTICOLOR. 
| MONG the many fine Crotons now to be found in our gardens, it is difficult to 
say which is the best and the handsomest; but without attempting to do 
w so, and without criticizing their individual style of beauty, we have no hesi- 
cj tation in stating that the one of which we here give a figure, belongs to 
the best set, its rich colouring and somewhat grotesque form being alike pleasing. 
The Messrs. Yeitch and Sons, by whom it was sent out, themselves describe it as 
“ one of the most distinct of the many fine varieties of Croton found by the late 
Mr. J. G. Yeitch in the South Sea Islands. The leaves attain a length of 7 in. 
