306 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER, 
April  7,  1898. 
Amongst  Mexican  Orchids  are  Cattleya  citrina,  Chysis  bractescens, 
Laalia  anceps,  Lselia  majalis,  Lycaste  aromatica,  and  Odontoglossum 
citrosmum.  Succulent  plants  found  growing  on  rocks  include  Echeveria 
retusa,  E.  secunda,  and  many  Cactuses.  Other  native  plants  are  Aphelandra 
aurantiaca,  Achimenes  patens  and  picta,  Bouvardias,  Coboea  scandens, 
Ciiphea  piatycentra,  Habrothamnus  elegans,  H.  fasciculatus,  Lobelia 
fulgens,  L,  splendens,  Lophospermum  scandens,  Dahlias,  Fuchsias,  Mina 
lobata,  Poinsettia  pulcherrima.  Salvia  patens,  S.  splendens,  Sericographis 
Ghiesbreghtiana,  Tigridia  pavonia.  Zinnia  elegans,  and  Pentstemons.  One 
peculiarity  of  Mexican  plants  is  their  love  of  full  exposure  to  sunlight. 
Monstera  deliciosa  is  found  where  its  roots  can  reach  water  in  Mexican 
forests. 
Brazil  has  no  really  rainy  or  dry  season  ;  the  rainfall  of  its  capital,  Rio 
de  Janeiro,  is  75  inches,  and  at  other  stations  100  inches  is  registered.  In 
the  Departments  of  Ecuador,  Guayil,  and  Rio  Amazon,  the  annual  fall 
is  276  inches.  The  air  is  continually  humid  from  the  vast  forests  in  the 
plains  of  the  Rio  das  Amazonias,  where  the  mighty  river  Amazon  flows  ; 
the  winds  blow  alternately  daily  from  land  and  sea,  and  it  has  a  coast 
line  of  4000  miles.  Brazilian  Orchids  include  Cattleya  labiata  varieties, 
Chysis  laevis,  Lselia  elegans  varieties,  Lselia  purpurata  varieties,  Miltonia 
spectabilis  varieties,  Oncidium  flexuosum,  O.  sarcodes,  and  Zygopetalum 
Mackayi  varieties.  Amongst  Palms  are  Cocos  flexuosa  and  C.  plumosus. 
On  trees  and  rocks,  as  epiphytes,  are  found  many  Bromeliads,  such  as 
.(Echmeas  and  Vriesias,  Besides  these  there  are  such  flowering  plants  as 
Dipladenias,  Begonia  manicata,  B.  agyrostigma,  Epiphyllum  truncatum, 
Francisceas,  Gesnera  zebrina,  Hippeastrum  aulicum,  and  Manettia 
bicolor.  Adiantura  cuneatum,  and  Philodendron  Lindeni  are  indigenous. 
On  the  Organ  Mountains  are  found  Streptosolen  Jamesoni,  Pleroma 
elegans,  and  Lasiandra  macrantha,  and  at  very  high  altitudes  Sophronitis 
grandiflora. 
Central  America,  including  Guatemala,  Venezuela,  Costa  Rica,  and 
Colombia  or  New  Grenada,  have  two  rainy  and  two  dry  seasons  annually, 
the  average  rainfall  being  from  40  to  60  inches.  Indigenous  Orchids  are 
Cattleya  Trianse,  C.  Mendeli,  C.  chocoensis,  Miltonia  vexillaria,  Odonto¬ 
glossum  crispum,  Lselia  albida,  Lycaste  Skinneri,  and  Sobralia  macrantha. 
Utricularias  are  found  as  aquatics,  and  Anthurium  Scherzerianum  in 
swamps.  Other  native  plants  are  Anthurium  Andreanum,  Centradenia 
floribunda,  Thyrsacanthus  rutilans,  Amasonia  punicea,  Achimenes,  and 
Oestrum  aurantiacum.  Peru  has  a  rainy  and  dry  season,  and  its  flora  is 
distributed  over  the  sierra  or  mountain  slopes  and  valleys  of  the 
Cordillera  of  the  Andes.  Bilbergias  are  epiphytal  here,  and  amongst 
native  plants  are  Daturas  or  Brugmansias,  Heliotropes,  and  Urceolina 
pendula. 
Passing  from  the  torrid  to  the  temperate  zone  we  find  the  rainfall  is 
spread  over  the  whole  year,  China  proper  has  a  very  extensive  range  of 
climate.  At  Pekin  in  the  north  the  average  rain  is  36  inches,  while  at 
Canton  in  the  south  75  to  90  inches  is  the  usual  average.  Chinese  plants 
should  at  no  period  of  the  year  become  dry,  and  during  the  growing  season 
unlimited  supplies  of  water  should  be  given.  Amongst  Chinese  plants 
inhabiting  our  greenhouses  are  Abelia  rupestris,  Akebia  quinata.  Camellia 
japonica,  C.  reticulata  fl.-pl..  Azalea  indica,  A.  obtusa,  A.  ovata, 
Chamterops  Fortune!,  Bambusa  Fortune!  variegata.  Daphne  odorala, 
D.  indica,  Dianthus  chinensis.  Dielytra  spectabilis,  Farfugium  grande, 
Hydrangea  hortensis.  Lobelia  Erinus,  Primula  sienensis,  Saxifraga 
sarmentosa,  Rhynchospermum  jasminoides.  Spiraea  palmata,  and  Chrys¬ 
anthemum  sinensis,  the  original  species  of  the  race. 
Madeira,  in  the  Atlantic,  at  the  extreme  north-western  point  of  the 
African  continent,  has  an  average  of  eighty  rainy  days  spread  throughout 
the  year,  and  an  annual  rainfall  of  30^  inches.  The  native  plants  are 
Caladium  bicolor,  Clethra  arborea,  Jasminum  odoratissimum.  Solan um 
jasminoides,  and  the  red-berried  Solanum  capsicastrum.  In  the  Canary 
Isles,  close  to  the  N.W.  coast  of  Africa,  the  rainfall  is  small,  and  amongst 
native  plants  are  Phcenix  canariensis,  the  greenhouse  Statices,  the  Mar¬ 
guerites  or  Paris  Daisies,  and  Senecio  cruenta,  the  original  of  the 
greenhouse  Cineraria. 
Cape  Colony,  in  its  elevated  table  land,  has  four  months  of  summer, 
extremely  hot  and  dry.  The  rainfall  of  remaining  eight  months  is  from 
24  to  33  inches.  On  the  slopes  and  plains  are  found  Freesias,  Lachenalias, 
Ixias,  Gladiolus  Colvilli  species,  Nerine  Fothergilli,  N.  sarniensis, 
N.  corusca.  In  the  moister  parts  of  the  Table  Mountain  are  found 
Agapanihus  umbellatus,  Agathma  coelestis,  Aphelexis,  Burchelliacapensis, 
Diosma  ericoides,  greenhouse  Ericas,  Pelargoniums,  Plumbago 
capensis.  Polygala  Dalmaisiana,  Tritonia  aurea,  Schizostylis  coccinea, 
Yallota  purpurea,  and  Calla  sethiopica  (aquatic).  On  the  sandy  plains  of 
the  Karro  are  found  Mesembryantheraums,  Aloes,  Kalosanthes  coccinea, 
and  Crassula  jasminea. 
Chili  in  South  America  has  a  climate  warmer  than  the  South  of 
England,  and  a  rainfall  of  60  to  90  inches  spread  throughout  the 
year.  Its  flora  is  chiefly  on  the  Andes — Alonsoa  incisifolia,  Aloysia 
citriodora,  Alstromerias,  Calceolarias,  Francoas,  Schizanthus,  Salpiglossis, 
tuberous  Trop»olums,  Mitraria  coccinea,  Desfontainia  spinosa,  and 
Lapagerias. 
The  southern  portion  of  Australia,  whence  all  those  plants  styled 
New  Holland  plants  were  imported,  has  a  season  of  three  months  of 
great  heat  and  drought.  The  remaining  nine  months  have  a  rainfall 
of  very  moderate  degree.  At  Perth,  in  Western  Australia,  the  average 
is  from  23  to  30  inches,  and  at  Adelaide,  in  New  South  Wales,  the 
average  is  20  inches.  The  native  plants  are  Dendrobium  speciosum  and 
D.  s.  Hilli,  Dicksonia  antarctica,  Alsophilas,  and  Adiantum  formosum. 
Acacia  dealbata,  found  in  swamps ;  Aotus  gracillima,  Blandfordias 
Boronias,  Chorozemas,  Correas,  Croweas,  Epacris,  Eriostemons,’ 
Grevilleas,  Kennedyas,  Lachenalias,  Phoenocoma  prolifera,  Pimeleas, 
Metrosideros,  Swainsonias,  Tetratheca  verticillata,  Tecoma  jasminoides, 
Seaforthia  elegans,  and  Phoenix  reclinata. 
New  Zealand  possesses  a  uniformly  moist  climate,  without  any  seasons 
of  drought.  Its  native  plants  are  Clianthus  puniceus,  greenhouse 
Veronicas,  Coprosma  Baueriana  variegata,  Nertera  depressa,  Drac^na 
australis.  Clematis  indivisa  lobata,  Dicksonia  squarrosa,  Cyathea  dealbata, 
Areca  sapida,  and  Caladium  esculentum. 
To  sum  up,  we  find  that  in  the  temperate  zone  plants  from  China, 
Chili,  and  New  Zealand  require  liberal  supplies  of  water,  and  should 
never  be  allowed  to  get  dry  ;  whilst  those  from  Australia,  South  Africa 
(Cape  Colony),  Palestine  (whose  rainfall  on  the  mountain  slopes  is  only 
20  inches),  Madeira,  and  the  Canary  Isles  should  be  most  carefully 
watered,  and  excess  should  be  guarded  against.  In  the  tropical  zone — 
West  Indian,  Brazilian  and  the  Central  American  States,  Cochin  China, 
Borneo,  J ava,  Sumatra,  and  Khaysia  Mountains — plants  should  at  no  period 
of  the  year  suffer  from  extreme  drought ;  whilst  Indian,  Mexican,  and 
Peruvian  plants  require  a  period  of  rest.  Tropical  African  plants  should 
be  most  carefully  watered,  and  have  a  short  rest  in  winter.  In  my  last 
notes  the  rainfall  of  the  Khaysia  Mountains  was  given  as  between  500 
and  600  feet  instead  of  that  number  of  inches. — F.  Street. 
NOTES  ON  SALADS. 
The  first  thing  I  would  like  to  impress  upon  the  mind  of  the  culti¬ 
vator  of  salading  is,  that  what  may  be  termed  the  essential  qualities  of 
the  produce  can  only  be  fully  developed  by  the  careful  and  timely  observ¬ 
ance  of  a  few  leading  rules  and  principles  of  cultivation,  and  that  mere 
cultural  details  are  an  elastic  and  variable  quantity,  which  may  be  made 
to  fit  in  with  the  circumstances  of  time  and  place  ;  and  secondly,  that 
whatever  is  destined  for  the  salad  bowl  should  be  grown  well,  and  as 
quickly  as  is  consistent  with  the  nature  of  the  plant  and  the  season  of  the 
year,  and  this  should  be  accomplished  by  what  I  will  call  “  fair  means.” 
1  would  deprecate  the  use  of  sewage  under  any  circumstances,  and  even 
ordinary  liquid  manure  should  be  eschewed  in  the  finishing  stages  of 
growth  ;  in  fact  I  would  insist  upon  the  cultivation  being  throughout  of 
a  cleanly  and  wholesome  character,  and  this  it  may  be  if  the  land  is  kept 
in  good  heart,  deeply  and  well  worked,  and  the  crop  is  allowed  sufficient 
room  for  full  development.  These  are  what  I  will  call  “  fair  means.” 
and  by  them  we  can  surely  and  unfailingly  raise  salading  of  the  necessary 
succulent  quality.  Everything,  then,  should  be  fresh,  clean,  crisp, 
juicy,  and  “  nutty  ;  ”  nothing  of  a  woolly  character  is  admissible. 
It  is  well,  too,  to  provide  as  much  variety  as  means  will  afford,  and 
though  some  portion  of  green  is  generally  liked,  we  must  never  be  short 
of  well-blanched  foliage.  A  Frenchman,  whose  salads  used  to  be  much 
admired  and  praised,  once  observed  to  me  that  in  England  a  salad  is  often 
spoiled  by  too  much  vinegar  and  too  much  water.  Well,  I  suppose  the 
grower  has  seldom  anything  to  do  with  the  vinegar,  but  he  may  be 
responsible  for  some  of  the  water  if  his  salading  happen  to  require  much 
washing,  a  condition  which  I  know  full  well  is  not  easily  avoided  in  a 
climate  where  clouds  of  dust  and  showers  of  rain  come  alternately.  But 
that  does  not  matter  ;  what  we  have  to  bear  in  mind  is,  that  the  less 
washing  is  requisite  the  better.  This  remark,  I  need  hardly  say,  applies 
to  such  things  as  grow  above  ground  only,  and  not  to  underground  parts. 
And  now,  having  said  so  much  upon  leading  rules  and  principles  and 
essential  qualities,  I  will  refer  to  the  cultural  part  of  the  subject. 
It  has  been  said,  and  with  some  truth,  that  the  heart  and  soul  of  a 
salad  is  a  Lettuce,  for  it  would  be  difficult  to  find  a  perfect  substitute  for 
a  good  Lettuce,  Cabbage  or  Cos.  Each  has  its  patrons  and  admirers, 
and  in  each  class  there  are  numerous  varieties,,  some  being  suitable 
for  sowing  at  one  season  of  the  year,  and  some  for  another.  In  early 
spring  it  is  desirable  to  sow  such  sorts  as  turn  in  quickly,  as  at  that  time 
there  is  generally  more  or  less  of  a  scarcity  of  salading,  and  at  the  same 
time  a  large  demand  for  it.  The  Early  Paris  Market  is  one  of  the  best 
for  the  first  sowing,  and  if  put  in  early  in  February,  brought  on  for  a 
while  in  gentle  heat,  and  finished  in  a  cold  frame,  is  most  useful.  Summer 
Lettuces  require  good  rich  soil,  and  I  prefer  sowing  them  where 
they  are  to  stand  when  that  can  be  done.  Circumstances,  however,  will 
not  always  admit  of  this,  and  then  we  adopt  the  next  best  plan  of  sowing 
thinly  in  a  bed  from  which  they  can  be  transplanted  while  yet  small,  care 
being  taken  to  shade  and  water  them  according  to  the  requirements  of 
the  time.  When  the  young  plants  are  well  established  and  growing 
freely,  a  mulching  of  old  Mushroom  bed  material,  or  something  similar, 
laid  on  soon  after  a  soaking  of  water,  is  beneficial  in  several  ways,  and 
will  help  to  develop  those  fat-looking  Lettuces  that  are  admired  and 
appreciated  by  nearly  everybody.  If  liquid  manure  is  used,  it  should  be 
applied  in  a  clear  state,  and  only  in  the  earlier  stages  of  growth.  There 
should  be  no  suspicion  of  anything  of  the  kind  about  the  Lettuces  when 
they  come  into  use. 
Blanching  must  not  be  forgotten  when  the  time  for  it  arrives,  and  it 
may  be  accomplished  in  a  variety  of  ways.  Tying  up  with  a  piece  of 
matting  answers  very  well,  and  is  generally  sufficient,  but  if  a  special 
pride  is  taken  in  this  part  of  the  work,  a  clean  flower  pot  may  be  turned 
upside  down  over  each  Lettuce— a  few  at  a  time,  according  to  the  demand 
— care  being  taken  not  to  leave  them  on  too  long,  or  the  Lettuces  will 
very  soon  either  decay  or  “  bolt.”  It  takes  about  five  or  six  days  in  the 
summer  time,  and  later  in  the  season  a  little  longer,  to  blanch  a  green 
Lettuce  of  some  of  the  Cos  sorts,  but  such  as  have  the  habit  of  folding 
closely  over  often  require  little  doing  to. 
Seed  should  be  sown  frequently  during  the  spring  and  summer,  and 
in  J  uly  three  or  four  sowings  should  be  made,  as  from  these  will  come 
