April  15,  1896.1 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
351 
and  so  far  as  the  present  display  was  concerned  such  influences  of 
the  season,  as  previously  remarked,  were  visible  now  ;  some  varieties 
past,  others  passing,  and  others  yet  to  come.  However,  I  had  been 
previously  advised  that  this  date  would  probably  find  them  at  their 
best  this  year,  and  if  their  best  had  been  better  in  previous  years  it 
was,  at  least,  enough  for  a  feast. 
Large  masses  of  Horsefieldi  were  the  most  prominent  in 
numbers  and  floriferousness,  and  the  College  garden  variety  of 
Maximus  finer,  more  stately,  and  if  possible  richer  in  colour  than 
ever  previously  seen  ;  whilst  such  varieties  as  Colleen  Bawn, 
Cyclamineus,  and  the|more’ chaste  of  the  Lilies  of  Lent  were  very 
gratifying.  All  this,?  and  more  also,  was  noted  ere  I  came  on 
S.  of  Newry,  enshrined  by  a  low  hedge,  devoutly  contemplating 
apiardy  plant  of  insignificant  proportion  (the  Curator  had  in  the 
meantime  been  borne  off  by  ailady — enthusiast  of  course).  This 
the  opposite  bank,  brown  and  brusque  in  its  appearance.  For  the 
first  time  I  realise  that  a  good  brown  forms  a  note  in  the  harmony  of 
colour  at  this  season,  and  the  tall  dead  stems  of  Polygonums  looking 
warm  in  the  sunshine  do  not  cumber  the  ground  without  a  purpose. 
We  have  now  the  benefit  of  the  Curator’s  company  to  inspect 
the  houses,  some  of  which  have  been  lately  rebuilt  in  a  most 
substantial  manner.  Orchids  are  a  comparatively  strong  feature 
amongst  the  many  plants  which  have  to  be  and  are  represented 
in  the  interests  of  science.  Flowering  at  the  time  of  my  visit  was 
a  grand  form  of  Cattleya  Trianm,  well  contrasted  in  its  rich 
colouring  by  a  piece  of  C.  Triance  delicata.  Dendrobium  aggregatum 
was  blooming  profusely,  and  amongst  various  Cypripediums,  some  in 
flower,  C.  villosum  showed  some  highly  varnished!  blooms.  In 
cooler  quarters  the  small  and  curious-looking  Aroid,  Arisoema 
ringens  (Japan,  1864),  bears  a  quaint  and  elegant  hooded  spathe. 
Fig.  60. — ORCHIDS  AT  WOOLTON  WOOD. 
little  hardy  plant,  which  had  just  opened  one  pearly  white  bloom,  was 
the  North  American  Shortia  galacifolia.  Short  it  was,  and  modest, 
too,  withal ;  and  judging  by  the  veteran’s  gaze  I  conclude  it  is  rare, 
consequently  I  endeavour  to  work  up  to  the  same  exalted  enthusiasm, 
but  it’s  a  failure,  I  fear,  not  being  up  to  date,  and  feeling  it. 
Yet  there  are  plants  in  these  gardens  to  please  all  sorts  and 
conditions  of  gardeners,  so  a  few  may  have  a  place  her6  with  the 
Daffodils.  Conspicuous  in  brilliancy  and  numbers  are  Scilla 
italica  and  other  varieties,  Primula  rosea  and  Chionodoxa  Lucilim. 
Things  common  and  uncommon  vie  with  each  other  to  carpet  the 
whole  area  of  the  gardens.  Amongst  the  former  is  a  bright  belt 
under  some  trees  of  Pulmonaria  caucasicum,  and  broad  stretches  of 
Doronicums  do  similar  duty.  Ivies  and  Hollies  are  fine  ;  amongst 
the  latter  the  variegated  form  of  the  Hodgins  variety  is  both 
striking  and  handsome.  Magnificent  bushy  Aucubas  of  the  two 
sexes  are  a  feature,  the  ladies  of  the  tribe  being  abundantly  decked 
with  brilliant  berries.  Prunus  triloba  tacked  to  a  wall  is  very 
beautiful  in  its  soft  rosy  pink  blooms.  A  shoal  of  gold  fish,  more 
red  than  gold,  bask  in  the  warm  sunshine  on  the  surface  of  the 
pond,  and  a  huge  dormant  mass  of  Gfunnera  scabra  i3  perched  on 
My  notes,  briefly  as  they  were  dotted  down,  are  in  some  danger 
of  swamping  the  original  text.  Yet  ere  they  close,  one  tree,  or 
rather  two  specimens  seen,  must  be  noticed.  These  are  the 
Indian  Paper  Birch,  as  interesting  as  they  were  distinct  in 
appearance  with  clear  shining  white  stems,  more  conspicuously 
so  than  in  the  ordinary  type  of  Silver  Birch.  The  obliging  guide, 
by  making  a  vertical  and  transverse  incision,  removes  a  fragment 
of  the  delicate  inner  bark,  and  says  the  Lamas  of  Thibet  use  it  for 
their  correspondence.  I  send  this  fragment  for  our  Editor  to  see, 
and  perhaps  he  will  think,  as  I  do,  that  if  a  supply  of  it  were  forth¬ 
coming,  it  would  in  its  novel  character  and  delicate  texture 
favourably  compete  with  the  high-class  fashionable  notepaper. 
I  may  add  that,  apparently,  there  would  be  no  difficulty  in  procur¬ 
ing  from  medium-sized  trees  sheets  of  the  orthodox  size.  A  most 
innocent-looking  plant  is  a  species  of  Rubus — the  Australian 
Lawyer,  which  sticketh  closer  than  a  brother.  Xanthoceras  sorbi- 
folia  is  flowering  for  the  first  time  here  (perhaps  elsewhere),  and 
there  are  a  hundred  things,  new  or  novel,  that  should  have  a  place 
in  these  notes  ;  but  with  Megasea  Milesi,  a  handsome  hybrid  of 
its  order,  I  reluctantly  close  the  list.— K.,  Dublin. 
