OSEDTEIBE 98} 
of thestwo “octagons,*iniwhich the main body of the building’ is to 
terminate) Hegin to makeotheir appearatice above ground. Satisfactory 
progress may therefore now be hoped for in’ this! matter, ‘avhich has 
hitherto ‘moved ibut slowly. |0 The building is to be situated closé to. the 
side of ‘the noble vista; or rather! wide’ straight erassy aventie, which 
les hetween ‘the Pagoda and the great! Palm-house; and; when finished, 
may he expected to'addia conspicuous featire'to that’ part'of the crounds, 
gintthe Palm-house little alteration has''taken ‘place’ since our last 
reports The plan of sinking the tallest specimens'into the floor, 'so as 
tegive them more headroom, has proved an’ excellent one, not only as 
respects its effects on the’ healtly of ‘the ‘plants, but also’'as révards 
appearances. °° The beds in which the plants grow have been constructed 
with taste! “Attention ‘seems also’ to'be! turned ‘to the more efficient 
décorationoof the side shelves; which have hitherto worn a dry and 
unconifertable / aspect: | A’ sportion -of these has been’ edged with 
_Tiyeopodium ‘denticulatum, whieh’ gives ‘them a neat and refreshing 
appearance): Let «us/hope that-improvements of this kind ‘may meet 
with) that én¢ouragement which they deserve. 
Imsthe Victoria house; the ‘mosteonspictuious’ object at’ present is the 
charmimg Cissusdiscolor, which surrounds the tank in glorious profusion 
and beautyy! At every! few feet vapart it runs up ‘supports from pots 
halfiidimersedeinawaterto the roof, the whole being gracefully united 
together near the:base by'means*of chains as it' were of the same fine- 
foliaged’ anidshowy#planty> Occupying the centre is the Royal Lily, for 
whieh the house was-built ; not iv good ‘health, however, and surrounding 
itparelordinary blue, redj and white Water Liliés. Here and there, the 
roofiand portico at the entrance'are decorated with ‘Snake Cucumbers 
and orhamental Gouids; whose strange forms and colours seem to interest 
the public’even niore than the water plants themselves. : 
~Among flowering plants’ in‘ other houses’ we observed some fine 
varieties of Tydeea\of which these) gardens apparently possess a fine 
collection ; and when well grown and flowered, as these were, they 
present anveffective and ‘striking appearance. . A few’ Orchids were also 
in‘bloom ;andoweare! lad to find that! since these have been placed’ 
under the carerof a new cultivator; which they recently have been, 
they bevin tolexhibit better health than they have for some time enjoyed. 
Theyohave“all, or ‘most of them, been’ repotted, and since then they 
have made good roots; of which some of them were before nearly destitute. 
There is'alsomt marked improvement in’ the collection of Pitcher plants, 
which must, injustice, be /set down however to the eredit of the grower 
whorpreviously had the ‘care of them.’ “These are at the end of a small 
stove, whose centre is occupied by a tank for water plants. Among 
the latter 'was Victoria Regia; but, judging from present appearances, 
it will not flower this season neither here nor in the Victoria house. 
In this tank there was, however, finely in flower the large blue 
Nymphea gigantea, a valuable acquisition to, tender water plants, 
and one which has the good property of keeping its flowers longer open 
than most! Nympheeas: Fresh importations of this’ from Australia are 
reportéd: to heen their way to’England.~ ” Pa cAlial 
With the grand collection of Ferns which this great national establish- 
