810 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
August 20, 1887. 
the Cardinal Monkey Flower, and imply that it means 
anything more than the scarlet Monkey Flower, 
referring to the scarlet cloak of a cardinal. A much 
better instance of mimicry is furnished by Masdevallia 
troglodytes, which resembles the face of an ape in a 
remarkable manner. The lip resembles the mouth, and 
other parts of the flower the eyes and nose. M. 
porcellieeps compared to a little pig is, however, much 
more fanciful. The spider is imitated by several 
Orchids, such as Ophrys aranifera, Maxillaria arach¬ 
nites, Dendrochilum arachnites, and the spider’s web 
by Sempervivum arachnoideum. The long slender 
generally curved segments of some of the foregoing 
give a not inapt impression of a gigantic spider. 
Orchis hircina is the Lizard Orchis, and the similarity 
is drawn from the long, curiously shaped, dull-coloured 
lip of that flower, and the specific name has been 
taken from the detestable disagreeable smell resembling 
that of a goat. Frogs, toads, tortoises, weasels, pigs’ 
heads, birds’ heads, and dragons’ heads, are also 
called into requisition to convey an impression of the 
ideas and simulative faculties of man’s fertile brain. 
The Snapdragon, notwithstanding its striking similarity 
to the mouth of some life-destroying monster, is no 
deterrent to insect visitors in quest of food, from which 
we may conclude that they have become familiar with 
the deception, or see no evidence of the monster 
depicted by the human intellect. On the other hand 
the jaw-like process merely closes the entrance of the 
flower to exclude uninvited '"guests, that from their 
small size would rob the flower of its contents without 
rendering it any service. Many other animals, or 
parts of them, are burlesqued in a more or less fanciful 
way, but considerable interest is attached to the Man 
Orchis, the sepals and petals of which simulate a man’s 
head, while the four-lobed lip constitute the arms and 
legs. We have yet a great deal to learn if we reckon 
according to the sentiments of some of our best 
naturalists that all these structures have their uses in 
the economy of the plant, which is not improbable. 
There is little doubt, moreover, that all these similarities 
are purely of man’s invention, and serve no purpose to 
the needs of the plant in that respect, or from that 
point of view. Mythical beings are represented by 
Adonis, dragons, nymphs, satyrs, angels, and others, 
while human beings are implied by such appellations 
as monks, cardinals, and soldiers, such as Dendrobium 
stratiotes, water soldier, and opera girls. The latter 
plant botanically is Mantisia saltatoria—the generic 
name in reference to insects called Mantis, and the 
specific name from a fancied resemblance to a well- 
known theatrical figure. The head, arms, shoulders, 
and gay dress worn by opera girls are represented by 
various parts of the flower and its. various lively 
colours.— J. F. ( To he continued). 
-- 
THE WEATHER. 
After many weeks of drought and great scarcity of 
water, we had a nice genial rainfall on Tuesday night, 
and early on Wednesday morning a copious downpour, 
so much so, as to very materially add to our domestic 
comforts, in giving a good supply of rain-water in our 
tanks, which had been quite empty and dry previously 
for several weeks ; even the plants, shrubs and all 
vegetation already assume a different aspect, and appear 
grateful for the long-wished-for boon, and whilst I am 
writing occasional showers are gently falling. Surely 
there cannot he a living creature but what feels truly 
thankful for these timely aids to health and industry, 
n whatever sphere they may move. 
I may now say, that on the night of the 14th and 
the morning of the 15th inst., great destruction was 
caused by frost in this neighbourhood. One very large 
grower for Covent Garden, of all kinds of vegetable 
products, estimates that as regards his Yegetable 
Marrows, he has lost in them alone nearly £40 in 
value ; one large plantation being almost, if not 
completely destroyed by this unexpected and untimely 
visit of the Ice King. For years we have been familiar 
with all kinds of fluctuations of the atmosphere, but I 
do not remember Marrows cut off in the middle of 
August before. Some of your readers may, perhaps, 
inform us if they have experienced frost at the time I 
mention, for, most likely, the low temperature was not 
confined to this locality, but may have been general, 
and, if so, tender and succulent growing plants may 
have been injured, if not altogether destroyed.— George 
Fry, Lewisham. 
At last rain has come, and not before it was sorely 
needed. In the district round London very little had 
fallen for three months, and the country had at last 
assumed the aspect of a vast field of stubble, scarcely a 
green blade of grass being visible ; the thick hedges in 
many places were burnt up, and in the garden every¬ 
thing was parched, even the Phloxes, Pyrethrums and 
other strong-growing things being dried up and flower¬ 
less. During a great part of Tuesday night, however, 
a steady downpour of rain took place, which will bring 
relief to suffering vegetation, and also to anxious 
gardeners who not only have to regard the present but 
the future crops. Advices I have from Worcestershire 
and other parts seem to say that heavy thunderstorms 
and rains have been general. On Wednesday evening 
London and its environs was visited by a heavy 
thunderstorm which will do much good, for already the 
fields look green.— J. B. 
On Wednesday afternoon, low peals of thunder were 
heard over the western part of London and suburbs ; 
but about six o’clock the storm became most terrific, 
and raged heavily for about an hour and a-half, with a 
copious downpour of rain and hail, doing much good 
to thirsty vegetation, although the dusty or hard soil 
refused to take in the moisture for some considerable 
time, so that the fields looked like sheets of water. 
Altogether, the storm lasted for fully three hours, and 
the much-needed rain already shows its effect visibly. 
So great was the downfall in the Metropolis that sewers 
were flooded, and the traffic suspended on the Metro¬ 
politan Railway owing to the same cause. Heavy 
rains also fell over many of the southern and Midland 
counties.— B. B. _ 
On Sunday morning (the 14th) our thermometer 
registered 2° of frost ; and many places in the neigh¬ 
bourhood that are situated lower than us registered 4°. 
In these lower places, Dahlias, French Beans, and 
tender plants generally, are spoiled. This is a sad 
disappointment after the severe drought we have been 
experiencing, as many were looking forward to a grand 
display of autumn flowers, in the event of the elements 
favouring us with copious rain, of which we stand 
much in need. — W. G., Edgend. 
- *»*<- - 
ARDEN1NG fflSCELLANY. 
Olearia Haastii.— It may be interesting to any 
who may not know this shrub, of which you gave an 
illustration last week, that it has stood uninjured in 
this neighbourhood for the past four winters to my 
knowledge. The most severe frost during that time 
was on the morning of December 18th, 1886, when we 
registered 17°, and that did not appear to injure it in 
the least. Some of your readers who live in northern 
districts may think that such a frost is not worth their 
notice ; but Brocolis, &c., were much cut up by it, the 
Bay Laurel also presented, unless in sheltered positions, 
a shabby appearance, and another thing, as far as my 
experience goes, we have not anything to equal autumn 
sun to ripen the growths as in England. I have it in 
an exposed situation, and I know of others equally so. 
As a dwarf compact free-flowering evergreen shrub it 
has much to commend it for the outside of shrubberies. 
Your illustration does not exaggerate its floriferousness 
in the least, as I searched last week to find a shoot with¬ 
out a flower, and could not.— E. Dumper, Limerick. 
Seedling Fuchsias. —Some Fuchsia-blooms of 
seedlings raised by Mr. James Lye, Clyffe Hall, 
Market Lavington, have reached us. No names 
accompanied them, from which we presume they have 
not yet received any. Compared with the older sorts 
which still linger in cultivation, and which have been 
popular in their day, we have no hesitation in saying 
there is a marked improvement, as far as the flowers 
are concerned. The habit of the plants is described as 
good and the growth free. A dark-coloured variety 
was notable for the size of its flowers, the soft rosy 
scarlet sepals being over ljin. in length, and the broad 
erect petals over 1J in., thus falling very little short of 
the former. The petals are also of a rich violet-purple 
veined with scarlet at the base. Of three light-coloured 
varieties sent, one was conspicuous for the dimensions 
of its pure white tube, which measured 1 in. in length 
clear of the fruit, and | in. thick. The sepals were 
also white, and the short stiff petals were of a lively 
rose colour suffused with scarlet towards the margin. 
Similar to this was another form with a short thick 
tube, and the white recurved sepals faintly tinted 
with blush, which might be the result of fading, as the 
flowers had suffered through carriage. The petals were 
decidedly suffused with scarlet all over. A botanical 
curiosity consisted in the short stamens being scarcely 
protruded from the corolla. The third variety was 
characterised by a long slender tube, long reflexed 
sepals, and erect petals, similar to those of the last, 
but twice the size. 
British Artillery Plants.— Much interest and 
curiosity is attached to the bursting of the anthers of 
the exotic weeds, Pilea muscosa and Pellionia Daveau- 
ana ; while some of our native weeds belonging to the 
same, that is, the nettle family, are equally wonderful 
in their mechanism. The reason of this is that exotic 
plants introduced to gardens are more likely to come 
under the eye of gardeners than our native weeds, which 
seldom or never find their way into cultivation, except 
in botanic gardens. The common Nettle, LYtica 
dioica, and Pellitory, Parietaria officinalis, are equally 
good if not better than the so-called Artillery plant. 
The filaments are incurved in bud and so constructed 
that they jerk backwards with considerable force when 
mature and when released by the expanding calyx. In 
doing so the anthers scatter their pollen like a little 
cloud of smoke, exactly the same as happens in Pilea 
muscosa. The process may be very conveniently 
observed in the early part of the day when the sun 
brightens up and warms the atmosphere. If the 
weather has been dull and moist for some days 
previously to the observations being made and then 
clears up, little showers of pollen may constantly be 
seen flying off like clouds of smoke, resembling so many 
miniature guns at work. 
Oxalis Double Rose. —We have a very pretty 
double-flowered Oxalis of a charming rose colour, much 
resembling the double Hepatica, and of the same hue. 
I first saw a single specimen of it many years ago, and 
thought it a sport ; but more recently I have found a 
bank about two miles to the west of my house, where 
in April and May a few may be found mixed with single 
ones, the entire habitat not being more than 10 yds. 
square. My brother found another place at a greater 
distance (six miles) last year, where they seemed to be 
plentiful; so on the Queen’s birthday I was out all 
day visiting this fresh locality, but not one was to be 
seen. It certainly is very pretty, and would be much 
prized by growers of neat greenhouse plants in Great 
Britain I am sure.—A. Rallack, Port Elizabeth, South 
Africa. 
A Large Double White Camellia. — In 
your issue for August 6tli I read of a large double 
white Camellia 17 ft. high and 17 ft. through, at 
The Henburys, in Birmingham, and you say it 
would be interesting to know if there are many more 
such plants grown under glass in England. During 
the four years that I had charge of the Molineux 
Grouuds, "Wolverhampton, I had in my care a large 
Camellia (alba plena) somewhat answering to the 
description of Mr. Bluck’s, and it was treated in the 
same manner, except that I occasionally syringed the 
tree with a solution of Gishurst compound, by which 
means it was always clean and healthy. I cannot 
recollect the number of blooms it produced, but I 
annually handed over to my employer from £15 to £20 
received for blooms cut from it. The tree was also 
advertised as being open to public inspection, and it 
made quite a grand display during the winter months. 
It was planted in a tub set in the middle of a stone 
case in a glasshouse, and just before leaving there 
during the summer of 1883, owing to the break-up of 
the garden portion of the place, we had a large plant 
sale, everything being sold except the large Camellia, 
which on account of its size and the fear of moving it, 
the box having become rotten, did not find a purchaser. 
I have oftentimes since wondered what had become of 
the plant, and now surmise that Mr. Bluck’s must be 
the same.— J. E. B. 
Plumbago capensis.— I can fully endorse the 
remarks of your correspondent, Mr. Gaut, concern¬ 
ing the value of this beautiful climber, but I cannot 
agree with him that it is not a fit subject for pot- 
culture. My object in writing is to encourage those 
who may be desirous of growing it, and have not 
facilities for doing so in boxes, where the roots may 
ramble at will. To such I say, do not be deterred, 
for although they will not be quite so good as the plant 
