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LATE MOSS LOSES. 
African Lachenalia, which appeared to differ in nowise from L. tricolor. Among orchids was a small 
orange-flowered D endrobium, from Mr. Blake, which, if flowered in masses, might prove to be 
ornamental. Muza zebrina , and a species of Nepenthes, were contributed by Messrs. Rollisson; the 
former is a species of Banana with the leaves blotched with brownish purple; the latter a small 
species of the pitcher-bearing family, which may prove distinct. A very interesting collection of 
variegated-leaved plants came from the same nursery. There were some good collections of British 
Ferns in pots. 
At Chiswick the principal novelty was Medinilla Sieboldiana, from Mr. Cole, of Dartford; this is a 
neat-growing and apparently a free-blooming species, with pale purplish flowers. Then Messrs. 
Yeitch has a new Leptosiphon from California, with pretty sulphur-coloured flowers, orange at the 
centre, with a red spot at the base of each segment; and with it was a Collinsia named bartsicefolia, 
too like C. bicolor. They had also cut specimens of Draccena indivisa, a large-growing New Zealand 
species with panicles of whitish flowers. Both Messrs. Rollisson and Messrs. Henderson showed 
JEchmea miniata, a very pretty Bromeliaceous plant, with the leaves dull purple on the under surface, 
and producing rather dense panicles of vermilion-coloured flowers, the petals of which are at first 
greyish blue, and afterwards change to pink. It is well worth growing. Mr. Carson had a new 
small-flowered greenish-yellow Epidendrum; and a useful, though comparatively small-flowered, white 
Achimenes called margaritce, came from Messrs. Lane. There were some small examples of ornamental 
evergreen trees. One of them Abies jezoensis, and another Cephalotaxus Fortuni, are very distinct 
and elegant, and quite hardy trees ; they came from Messrs. Standish and Noble. The other, Arau¬ 
caria Cookii or columnaris, is rather tender, but very elegant ; this came from Messrs. Henderson. 
Among other noticeable collections, were some groups of variegated plants from Messrs. Lee, of Ham¬ 
mersmith, and Messrs. Rollisson, of the Tooting Nursery. 
The patronage extended to Roses by the two leading societies, has not yet been productive of re¬ 
sults such as might have been anticipated. Neither the Rose-garden in the Regent’s Park, nor the 
Rose-house at Chiswick, have so far presented anything of that fairy aspect which one especially looks 
for in a garden of Roses ; and, indeed, it is difficult to conceive how beds filled with tall bare-stemmed 
standards in the one case, or crowds of small dwarfs of the delicate tea kinds sunk in a dark 
wooden house in the other, can be expected to bear a very attractive appearance. There is much room 
for improvement in the trials that have been made in both cases.—M. 
LATE MOSS ROSES. 
JR MIDST the splendour of our exhibition tents of later days, we are, it is to be feared, in danger of 
AA losing sight of some of our old favourites. Admitting the extraordinary beauty of many plants 
of modern introduction, which of them, it may be asked, may be allowed to set aside the Moss Rose, 
the Lily of the A alley, or the Mignonette ? Nevertheless, such is the influence of fashion, and the 
ardent thirst for novelty, that one really feels as though an apology is necessary in attempting to 
offer advice about such venerable acquaintances. 
My object is to draw attention to the length of period during which the old Moss Rose may be 
obtained in perfection, by the application of retarding principles, or a process of arrest; and surely no 
lady would refuse to introduce a Moss Rose in her bouquet, merely because it is out of season ; rather 
the reverse, it may be presumed. I pass by the fact, that the Moss Rose may be obtained, by a forcing 
process, in January; and that a succession can be thus carried out until the end of May, when in most 
parts they can be obtained in the open border, and thenceforward until the early part of July, when, 
unless particular means are resorted to, they fall away speedily. 
As I have been in the habit of retarding them for many years, I may detail my practice. The 
bushes are never winter-pruned, they remain perfectly unmolested in the wood until the bud begins to 
swell in April, when the shears are passed over them lightly, merely removing the sprouting points. 
This proceeding checks them for about three weeks, when other buds in succession begin to sprout; 
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