December  6,  1900. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
519 
The  Nepentlies  House  at  Kew. 
Until  1897  the  collection  of  Nepenthes  at  the  Royal  Gardens, 
Kevr,  was  distributed  between  the  private  houses  and  the  warmer 
parts  of  the  T  range,  an  arrangement  anything  but  good  for  the 
health  of  plants  which,  perhaps  more  than  any  other  family,  call  for 
special  treatment.  In  addition,  it  was  difficult  for  visitors  studying 
the  genus  to  form  any  idea  of  the  extent  of  the  rich  and  varied 
collection.  In  the  above  year  a  special  house  was  built  for  these 
plants  that  has  amply  met  the  requirements  in  both  ways.  The 
house  is  a  light,  span-roofed  structure,  running  parallel  with  and  the 
thriven  amazingly,  in  many  instances  growing  beyond  all  recognition  ; 
tiny  bits  planted  a  year  ago  are  now  large  masses.  A  few  of  the  most 
noticeable  specimens  are  Calathea  ornata  regalis,  6  feet  high,  wich 
the  blades  of  the  leaves  2  feet  long  by  1  foot  wide  ;  C.  Gouleti,  2  feet 
high,  with  pretty  silver  and  green  leaves ;  C.  rufibarba,  a  large,  dense 
mass  ;  C.  angustifolia,  a  fine  clump,  4  feet  high  ;  and  C.  eximea,  a 
handsome  group.  The  leaves  of  the  latter  are  very  effective  by  means 
of  their  metallic  surface  and  purple  reverse.  Of  Marantas,  discolor, 
4  feet  high,  with  branched  stems,  and  M.  piota,  are  very  good. 
Anthurium  Warocqueanum  is  represented  by  a  handsome  specimen 
with  very  large  leaves,  while  groups  of  A.  Scherzerianum  and  other 
species  give  variety. 
The  rare  and  difficult  Leea  amabilis  splendens  is  doing  exceptionally 
Fig.  133.— STROBILANTHES  DYERIANUS. 
full  length  of  the  stove.  It  is  70  feet  long,  12  feet  wide,  and  9^  feet 
high,  with  a  central  path,  the  plants  being  suspended  from  the  roof 
on  either  side. 
The  number  of  species  and  varieties  grown  is  about  fifty. 
Upwards  of  eighty  baskets  are  hung  in  the  house,  all  containing  well- 
pitchered  specimens.  Some  of  the  most  noticeable  are  N.  albo- 
marginata,  a  distinct  looking  species  from  Singapore,  with  rosy  hued 
pitchers  and  leaves ;  N.  Curtisi,  several  plants,  one  carrying  sixteen 
large  pitchers  ;  N.  Mastersiana,  with  eighteen  pitchers  ;  N.  Pervillei, 
with  eighteen  pitchers ;  a  very  fine  plant  of  N.  superba,  with  upwards 
of  two  dozen  pitchers ;  N.  Sanderiana,  with  four  pitchers ;  a  good 
plant  of  the  curious  N.  ventricosa ;  and  many  others.  The  general 
effect  of  the  plants  is  added  to  by  plants  of  Vitis  (Cissus)  discolor, 
which  have  been  trained  along  the  roof,  and  hang  in  festoons  between 
the  baskets  and  over  the  path. 
Beneath  the  Nepenthes  the  herders  on  either  side  of  the  path  have 
been  turned  to  good  account.  With  the  aid  of  stones  and  tree-roots 
well  drained  raised  borders  have  been  made,  on  which  are  planted  such 
things  as  Calatheas,  Marantas,  a  few  species  of  Costus,  Anthuriums, 
and  numerous  other  stove  foliage  plants,  many  of  which  were  of  stow 
growth  in  pots.  In  the  warm  moist  atmosphere  the  majority  have 
well,  the  deep  green  velvety  leaves  with  their  white  veins  and  red 
stems  being  very  attractive.  The  pretty  Xanthosoma  Lindeni,  which 
often  does  poorly  as  a  pot  plant,  is  making  large,  well-coloured  leaves, 
and  looks  perfectly  at  home.  Strobilanthes  Dyerianus  (fig.  133)  is 
seen  very  well  coloured  ;  several  species  of  Pittonia  make  fine, 
carpet-like  masses,  .aisohynanthus  Lobbiana  and  pulcher  are  growing 
luxuriantly  on  large  roots  ;  Costus  elegans  and  igneus  are  very 
effective  with  their  large  orange-coloured  flowers ;  while  a  large  plant 
of  Dichorisandra  Aubletiana  var.,  covered  with  dense  heads  of  deep 
blue  flowers,  makes  a  fine  show.  Altogether  the  house  is  very 
interesting  and  attractive,  and  is  well  worth  a  visit  from  all  interested 
in  these  particular  plants. 
- »  » - 
Playground  for  Southwark. — In  connection  with  the  Falcon 
Court  housing  scheme,  in  the  parish  of  St.  George-the-Martyr,  South¬ 
wark,  the  local  authority  has  urged  the  Council  to  reserve  an  area  of 
some  1588  yards  as  a  playground  for  children.  This  will  coat  the 
Council  about  £5600,  and  owing  to  the  crowded  state  of  this 
neighbourhood  the  Parks  Committee  urge  the  Council  to  sanction  the 
expenditure. 
