April  4,  1901. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER . 
283 
Myrtaceou*,  and  other  things,  all  of  which  were  plantel  in  the  spring 
of  1897. 
Serving  as  an  entrance  porch  is  a  small  house  occupied  by  plants  of 
insectivorous  fame.  They  are  planted  out  amongst  peat  and  sphagnum, 
supported  on  teak  rafts  contained  in  tanks;  These  are  filled  with  water 
to  saturate  the  compost,  and  are  then  emptied.  Sarracanias  grow  very 
freely  in  this  manner,  and  are  now  sending  up  numerous  flower  spikes. 
During  summer  these  plants,  assisted  by  Droseras  and  Dionaeas,  destroy 
thousands  of  insects. 
The  Orchid  houses  always  contain  something  of  interest,  and  many 
of  the  plants  pass  the  whole  year  here ;  others,  such  as  Dendrobiums, 
are  grown  in  smaller  back  houses.  Underneath  the  stages  are  tanks  of 
water  to  increase  the  atmospheric  moisture,  while  at  the  sides  of  the 
roof  of  the  tropical  house.  Other  Palms  of  large  size  are  Pritchardia 
pacifica,  Scheelea  butyraoea,  and  Areuga  saccharifera.  Acanthorhiza 
aculeata  is  an  interesting  Palm,  having  roots  on  its  stem.  The  Cycads 
have  a  bed  to  themselves,  and  well  do  they  deserve  it,  for  their  growth 
is  very  fine,  as  is  also  that  of  the  Screw  Pines  or  Pandanns,  which  are 
growing  into  large  masses.  A  lean-to  extension  round  this  house  was 
the  first  thing  taken  in  hand  when  the  improvements  began,  and  the 
space  obtained  allowed  of  three  large  front  beds,  also  suitable  staging 
for  stove  pot  plants. 
The  temperate  housi  lies  to  the  west,  adjoining  the  preceding  one, 
aud  is  rectangular  in  shape.  There  are  four  beds  with  intersecting 
gravel  paths.  This  house  is  100  feet  in  length,  GO  feet  wide,  72  feet 
high,  with  an  arched  iron  roof,  and  has  four  galleries,  two  inside  and 
PLANT  HOUSES,  B^QYAL  BOTANICAL  GARDENS,  EDINBURGH. 
path  several  species  of  Eucharis  grow  and  flower  well.  In  all  the  plant 
structures  the  stages  are  oovered  with  gravel,  and  in  the  Orchid  houses 
for  the  most  part  the  plants  are  raised  above  this  by  being  plaoed  on 
stages,  supported  in  metal  receptacles  filled  with  water. 
In  the  stove  bed  are  many  of  the  newer  Palms,  also  Terminalia 
angustifolia,  a  very  handsome  plant  when  young.  The  cooler  end  of 
this  house  chiefly  boastB  of  Begonias  of  all  seotions.  The  corridors 
contain  many  good  subjects ;  they  appear  at  their  best,  however,  in  late 
summer.  At  the  present  time  Grevillea  glibrata,  a  grand  specimen 
with  numerous  drooping  shoots,  is  commencing  to  blossom.  The 
brilliant  scarlet  Oestrum  Newelli  and  the  showy  white  Viburnum 
macrocephalum  also  grace  the  view. 
In  the  background  of  the  photograph  may  be  seen  the  two  highest 
houses  in  the  garden — namely,  the  tropical  Palm  stove  and  the 
temperate  house.  Both  are  of  iron,  and  the  beds  of  soil  are  5  feet  in 
depth.  A  magnificent  Sabal  umbraoulifera  fills  a  portion  of  the  domed 
two  outside.  It  cost  £6500,  having  been  completed  in  1858,  and  was 
first  occupied  with  tropical  plants,  but  later  on,  in  order  that  it  might 
contain  Tree  Ferns,  and  the  more  tender  Conifers,  the  temperature  was 
reduced,  and  heat  only  used  in  winter.  Archontopboonix  Cunninghami, 
Cocos  Romanzoffiana,  Cocos  plumosa,  Livistonia  ohinensis,  and 
Seaforthia  elegans  are  among  the  tallest.  Of  numerous  Tree  Ferns  a 
robust  Cyathea  medullaris  is  specially  good.  There  are  some  well¬ 
shaped,  lofty  specimens  of  half-hardy  Coniferous  trees,  such  as 
Araucaria  brasiliensis,  Dacrydium  cupressinum,  Juniperus  bermud- 
ianus,  Phyllocladus  trichomanoides,  and  Damara  australis.  Cobaei 
scandens,  the  well-known  free-growing  climber,  with  purple  flowers, 
festoons  the  galleries.  Messrs.  Mackenzie  &  Monour  have  recently 
erected  houses  for  Nepenthes,  Bromeliads,  and  Mexican  plants,  also  two 
propagating  pits.  These  lay  between  the  front  range  and  the  Palm 
house,  so  are  not  seen  from  the  herbaceous  ground,  where  this  view  was 
taken,  and  part  of  which  appears  in  front. — D.  S.  Fish. 
