THE GARDEN ALBUM AND REVIEW, 
69 
hygrometric property of contracting in drought 
and expanding in moisture for several years. 
These properties, however, are not confined 
to the true Rose of Jericho only. They also 
exist in a plant of a totally different kind—in 
fact, in the plant that is being sold at the 
present time under the resounding titles at the 
head of this note. This plant is known 
as the “ Resurrection Club Moss ”—the 
botanical name being Selaginella lepidophylla . 
It is a native of the New World, and is dis¬ 
tributed from Texas to Peru. In a dry state 
the stems, with their small imbricated scale¬ 
like leaves, curl inwards, but when the plant, 
dead or alive, comes in contact with water, 
they unroll and spread outwards into a flattish 
mass. 
The circular alluded to is most misleading, 
as it confuses the Old and New World plants 
in many ways—evidently under the impression 
that the non-flowering Selaginella from America 
is identical with the true Rose of Jericho from 
Arabia and Syria. Thus it is stated that the 
Selaginella is “ said to have been discovered by 
the European Crusaders on their military 
crusade to recover the Holy Land ; and there 
is a legend that it was touched by the Virgin 
Mary on her flight into Egypt.” Obviously, a 
plant imported from Western America cannot 
be the plant referred to in the circular. And 
this is made perfectly clear by the two illustra¬ 
tions of the Selaginella which are given. 
The plant, of course, is a vegetable curiosity 
owing to its hygrometric properties. It is a 
pity, however, that those who place it on the 
market do not give it its correct name and 
history, and not confuse it with a totally 
different plant. 
j- 
HERBACEOUS CALCEOLARIAS. 
These magnificent members of the Foxglove 
family owe their gorgeous colouring and 
development entirely to the art of the gardener. 
By crossing and inter-crossing such natural 
species of Calceolaria as C. arachnoidea, C. 
corymbosa, and C. crenatiflora, and their pro¬ 
geny, the modern herbaceous Calceolaria has 
at length been evolved, and has probably 
reached the limit of its development. Coming 
originally from Chili, the herbaceous Calceolaria 
is not perfectly hardy in the open air in our 
climate. It is usually treated as a cool green¬ 
house plant, and when really well grown never 
fails to excite the admiration of all who behold 
it. To bring the plants to perfection, however, 
a good deal of attention to details is necessary 
from the time the seed is sown until the plants 
are safely brought to the flowering stage. 
Experience seems to indicate that the finest 
plants are those raised from seed sown in June 
in southern localities, and about the middle of 
May in northern parts. The seeds being very 
small should be sown carefully on the surface 
of the soil. This should be rich and sandy, and 
made firm and even for the purpose of their 
reception. The pots or pans used, must be 
particularly well-drained, as anything in the 
way of stagnant water in the soil is fatal. 
After sowing, the seed should be gently watered 
in but not covered with soil. A sheet of glass 
placed over the pot or pan will be advantage¬ 
ous, as it keeps a moist atmosphere over the 
surface. A moist,shady part of the greenhouse, 
with not too high a temperature, is the best 
place for the seed to germinate. 
Pricking Out.— The young plants appear 
in the course of ten days or a fortnight. When 
the second leaf has developed, the seedlings 
should be pricked off about one inch apart 
into a compost consisting of three parts of 
leaf soil to one of rich loam, the whole being 
leavened with a fair sprinkling of silver sand. 
It should be borne in mind that it is not always 
the strongest looking seedlings that make the 
finest plants eventually, or produce the best 
blossoms. The grower should therefore make 
a judicious selection from what at first appear 
to be the weaker plants, as the chances are that 
they will turn out far superior to their stronger 
looking brethren in the long run. 
A cold frame or old hot-bed will now be 
useful for the plants. They should be kept 
shaded for a few days until they “ pick up,” 
and also be sprinkled over-head occasionally to 
check evaporation from the tender leaves. 
Potting.— When the plants are becoming 
crowded, they are then ready for putting singly 
into 2^'m. pots, after which they are again 
shaded for a few days and sprinkled as before. 
When the pors become filled with roots, the 
plants must be moved into larger sizes, until 
they are fit for the final potting about March. 
The best compost to use generally is rich loam 
and leaf soil in equal proportions, with a fair 
quantity of silver sand. In the flowering pots, 
however, a mixture of three parts loam, one 
part leaf soil, with a sprinkling of coarse 
charcoal and crushed oyster shell will be found 
to give excellent results. 
Winter Treatment.— During the winter 
months too much heat must be avoided. Just 
a growing temperature should be maintained, 
and abundance of air should be given on all 
occasions except when cold, frosty, or uncon¬ 
genial weather prevails. 
The chief pests of the herbaceous Calceolaria 
are green-fly and slugs. Fumigating is a safe 
cure for the first, and hand picking for the 
second. 
Watering. —This requires care and judg¬ 
ment. Anything in the shape of too much 
moisture, or too much drought, is dangerous to 
the plants. It is therefore essential to give 
water only when the soil is getting on the dry 
side, and never when it is moist enough to 
carry the plant till the next time of watering. 
On the other hand, when the soil has become 
perhaps a little drier than usual, it should be 
thoroughly soaked, and not have the surface 
merely wetted.—J. H. M. 
