182 
THE FLOKIST’S JOURNAL. 
CALCEOLARIA. 
We have now many genera and species of plants which, on 
their first appearance in our collections, did not promise to be 
capable of much improvement by culture, but which have, never¬ 
theless, become some of the principal ornaments of our green and 
hot houses. No stronger instance of this assertion can be brought 
forward than the genus whose title stands at the head of this 
article. The first species described, and introduced into Europe, 
from Chili or Peru, was in the year 1773, and it then ranked as a 
greenhouse annual. The next, a herbaceous perennial, was 
introduced in 1777 ; from which last date no other species made 
their appearance until the year 1822, when no less than four new 
species, two of them undershrubs, enriched our collections. From 
the very curious structure of their flower, and the facility with 
Which they are propagated, they soon became favourites, especially 
after the seedlings began to vary in the colour of their flow r ers. 
Their property of having the flower and foliage very much 
amplified by judicious treatment, and their susceptibility' of 
unlimited change of colour, has advanced them to a high place in 
the estimation of florists ; and that they are worthy of such 
estimation will not be denied by any one who has seen the plate 
in the April number of the “ Journal,” representing Mr. J. 
Green’s five new seedlings. These beautiful varieties show such 
a wonderful departure, both in size and colours, from the originals, 
that it must be considered a most signal triumph of fioricultural 
skill, as well as a most conspicuous instance of the versatility of 
vegetable membrane. Amplitude is the natural consequence of 
richer, or more suitable soil ; and variety and intensity of the tints 
are also attributed by some florists to the same cause. Hence 
composts for both bed and stage flowers are commonly made of 
the richest animal materials that can be procured, in the shape of 
dune, gelatine, bruised bones, Ac. mixed with the soil, or steeped 
in the water with which the plants are supplied. And although 
these common matters are easily obtained, and generally used for 
the specific purpose of improving the colours, and enlarging 
the blossoms, and is a practice founded on experience — the best 
of all preceptors—it is not every florist who can tell what those 
peculiar qualities in the substances used are which effect his pur¬ 
pose. Chemists tell us that those substances contain oxygen, 
