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çeau. The former had been sent in rather too ripe a state, and, being unskilfully packed, had suffered in consequence. The latter, not nearly ripe, was almost unhurt by the long journey, and both were of fair size, with clear healthy rind.

CINERARIAS AT WOODSIDE, FARNHAM ROYAL. It is not too much to say that in the work of improving the Cineraria, extending over the last twelve or fifteen years, Mr. J. JAMES has made a mark beyond all contemporary florists. As a leading and successful exhibitor of Cinerarias some years ago Mr. JAMES found the tall growing types then in cultivation somewhat inconvenient for the purpose, as there was a necessity for so much tying down and out in order to secure a symmetrical shape. It is true we were then getting from the Continent a dwarf strain of Cinerarias, but they were not suited for exhibition purposes, as the flowers were by no means up to the standard of form then prevailing among our home strains. Mr. JAMES had already made some headway in the direction of procuring better formed and stouter flowers, and it occurred to him that if he could add somewhat to the dwarf and then almost pigmy growth of the Continental strains, but keeping it reasonably short and at the same time vigorous, and also develope in plants of this character flowers of the finest form, texture, and brilliant colours, he would attain to something of a highly valuable nature. That he has succeeded even beyond his most sanguine expectations was shown at the last meeting of the Royal Horticultural Society by the presence of a large batch from Woodside. Nothing was wanting in point of habit; the flowers were very large, remarkably stout, brilliantly coloured, and produced in what must be considered wonderful heads of bloom. For market and decorative purposes the strain can scarcely be improved upon; but the florist-that somewhat troublesome person who may be old-fashioned and far behind in the march of progress in a certain direction-could not look upon this strain with satisfaction, for with size had come coarseness and roughness, the presence of which is apparent to no one in such a pointed manner as it is to Mr. JAMES himself. He deserves great credit for what he has done, but he regards it only as an earnest of what he hopes to do in the future. A recent visit to Woodside enabled us to see not a few of the seedlings both of last and present year. No spot could be more appropriate for the culture of this valuable spring-flowering greenhouse plant. There is a pure air pregnant with breezy influences drawn from the woods and open fields, with not a taint of smoke to rob it of an atom of fitness; and high up near to the verge of the famous Burnham Beeches, from which one may be said to look down upon Windsor Castle lying some 8 miles southwards, no fog or damp can scarcely come. There is an abundance of turf from the gravelled country road sides, so gritty as not to need any admixture of sand; there is the best of leaf-mould from the beechen woods, and from the domain of Dropmore, lying a short distance off.

TEA ROSES AT HAREFIELD GROVE.-How largely these are grown by Mr. J. GOUGH for cutting purposes is evidenced by the fact that at the present time there may be seen in two houses some 3000 plants in pots in 24 and 32-sizes, and all in the very best condition. About 1000 of this number consists of the following varieties :-Isabella Sprunt, Niphetos, Madame Falcot, Perle des Jardins, and Safrano. In addition there are all the leading varieties of Tea Roses. Etoile de Lyon, beautiful as it is, is of little value for indoor culture. Cutting commences early in January, and it is continued for about eight months in the year. In March the plants are top-dressed with some rich soil, and later on liquid manure is occasionally given. These Rose-houses appear admir. ably adapted for the culture of Tea Roses, and the plants are well attended to at all stages. On the back walls Maréchal Niel is planted out, where it grows and flowers with great freedom.

SHOREHAM PLACE, Sevenoaks-The houses in the above gardens are now looking remarkably well. The Orchid-house contains many good plants in flower, notably some good Cattleya Trianæ var., Coelogyne cristata, various Calanthes, a grand well-flowered piece of Dendrochilum glumaceum, suspended from the roof; Dendrobium nobile, Wardianum, and heterocarpum; Lycaste Skinneri, Lælia albida, Odontoglossums in variety; these, with some well

flowered Anthurium Scherzerianum, and various foliage plants mixed with Ferns, beautifully arranged, produce a nice effect. At this time of year the greenhouses are very gay with Cinerarias, Azalea indica and mollis, Ericas, Epacris, Primulas, and some well. flowered Cliveas, and other plants, well arranged, and looking remarkably well. The Rose-house is showing a fine crop of flowers, the other various Peaches, departments being likewise well done. Vines, &c., promise to repay Mr. BURT, the Head Gardener, for his pains in a very satisfactory manner.

GARDENERS' AND AMATEURS' MUTUAL IMPROVEMENT SOCIETY, WESTERHAM.-The spring show of the above Society was held at the King's Arms Hotel, Westerham, on Thursday, March 26, the various plants and flowers exhibited reflecting great credit upon the exhibitors. It is a great pity the Society could not find a more convenient place, as the exhibits were far too much crowded-in fact, the show is well worthy of being held in a much better place. Hyacinths, Narcissus, and Tulips, were shown well, and a keen competition took place. The Cinerarias were very fine, as were also the Deutzias and Cyclamen; cut flowers were also well represented-in fact, the only drawback was the want of space to show things off better.

EUONYMUS JAPONICUS.-We have frequently had occasion to note this shrub as one of the best, probably the best evergreen shrub for the sea coast, but till this year we had no idea of the extreme brilli. ancy of a particular variety, the young shoots and leaves of which are at this season of a brilliant goldenyellow colour, but which later on assume the deep rich green colour characteristic of the species. The gardens and plantations at Folkestone are at this moment resplendent with the golden radiance of this variety, which, when mixed judiciously with the ordi. nary kind, produces a splendid effect. Another fine golden shrub which will thrive in similar situations is Spirea opulifolia aurea.

MR. B. S. WILLIAMS' NURSERY.-There is a capital show of Hyacinths, Tulips, Narcissi, and Cyclamen to be seen at this nursery. The plants are arranged on the side benches in the big showhouse, and consist mainly of tried old kinds, with a few new ones intermingled. Amongst the Polyanthus varieties of Narcissi, Jaune Suprème was specially good. The Amaryllis at this nursery are coming into bloom in great numbers, exhibiting much variety in tint and form, and the display of Orchid bloom will be very abundant, judged by the great numbers of spikes appearing on Cattleyas, Vandas, &c.

·HAREFIELD GROVE, UXBRIDGE: Dinner TO EMPLOYÉS.-A large number of workmen being employed in adding materially to the already extensive glass erections of this place, these, together with the gardeners of all degrees engaged on the place, were entertained at dinner by GEORGE Webster, Esq., on the 25th ult., about 140 persons sitting down to an admirable dinner provided in the grounds. Mr. E. Bennett, of Potters Bar, was in the chair, Mr. J. Gough, the Head Gardener at the Grove, being ViceChairman. The company included some visitors, among them being Mr. B. S. Williams, Holloway; Mr. W. Dean, Walsall; Mr. J. C. Mundell, Moor Park; Mr. G. J. Brush, High Grove; Mr. R. Dean, Ealing; and others. Testimony was borne to the liberality of Mr. Webster, and also to the admirable manner in which the gardens are managed by Mr. Gough. During the past year considerable additions have been made to the glass erections, and further additions are contemplated. It is already one of the most extensive places of the kind in the county of Middlesex.

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IMPATIENS HOOKERIANA.

THE flowering of this very handsome speciesperhaps the largest flowered of all is so rare, that a note of the culture of the plant in the Cambridge Botanic Garden, which produced the specimen here illustrated (fig. 80), may be of interest. It has lately flowered at Kew, but from the fact that it may grow and flourish in leafage for years without flowering, it has probably been the subject there of special culture. From Cambridge experience I find that it is by no means easily flowered, for last year we had a fine plant which produced buds only, that failed to reach any considerable size, and it, like our specimen of this year, was the recipient of every care and attention. We have now a plant 4 feet across and 2 feet high which has produced about forty flowers, during a period of about three weeks-sixteen flowers being the largest number open at one time. The cutting was struck in February and the plant was grown on till May, it was then rested in a greenhouse and kept fairly dry until September, when it was started, without repotting, on a shelf near the glass in the warm Orchid-house. When shifted the last time it was potted rather low down, so that the lower branches might root into the soil, which they had shown inclination to do; and now from this lowering in the soil the specimen presents the appearance of being made up of several plants. The main features of successful culture appear to consist in a period of thorough rest, and the giving of that liberal treatment which all Balsams love, during the season of growth. The reason why the buds of our plant did not mature last year is probably that culture in the spring was not commenced early enough. The result above described has been attained by the special care and attention devoted by Mr. A. Cowan, the foreman of these gardens. Impatiens Hookeriana was introduced to Kew by seeds from Ceylon, sent by the late Dr. Thwaites. It was flowered at Kew in 1823, and a figure was published in the Botanical Magazine, t. 4704. The umbels are described as producing from four to six flowers, but in no case had we more than five. The flowers are chiefly white, but spotted and clouded with blood-red on the lower part of the flower towards the orifice leading to the spur. Including the spur the flowers are 3 inches in vertical diameter; without that addition they measure 2 inches, and they are 1 inch across. Our illustration shows their fine character. R. Irwin Lynch.

FRUIT NOTES.

KING OF THE PIPPINS APPLE.-I, like your correspondent Thos. Jones, was surprised that the Apple Congress should decide by such a large majority in favour of the above Apple. I take great interest in Apple culture, and have had great opportunity of testing the quality of Apples grown in the Midland Counties, and am of opinion that King of the Pippins as a dessert Apple is quite third-rate; its principal point is appearance, but even in that it is distanced by many, among others Wyken Pippin, which is superior in appearance, aroma, sugar, and market value. Cox's Orange Pippin is certainly one of the very best dessert Apples all round in this locality for crop, shape of fruit, and flavour. John Pope. FRONTIGNAN GRAPES.

How seldom one sees our old friends, Grizzly Frontignan, Chasselas Musqué, and Purple Constantia, at horticultural shows; and yet in flavour they are simply exquisite. Many country gentlemen will not allow any other Grapes to appear at dessert whilst the Frontignans are in season, as they prefer perfume and flavour to mere size. The new Grape, Dr. Hogg, and Purple Constantia, are, like all the Frontignans, well adapted for pot culture, and do not crack, but they are little known in the country. The Frontignans are very fruitful, come into bearing early, and some of them will thrive in any sunny corner of greenhouse or vinery. Purple Constantia is worthy of the Muscat-house. The writer has backed his opinion by offering special prizes for the best collections of Frontignan and Round Muscat Grapes. See schedule of the Royal Horticultural Society, South Kensington, for 1885. W. R.

PEAR, BEURRE Flon.

On p. 308 we figured this Pear, which, according to all we can learn about it, appears to be a synonym of Bonne Antoine. The description of this latter in Leroy's Dictionary differs from that of the former but slightly, and these variations are such as might be induced by climate or season.

THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS.

THE Philippine Islands are well known as the home of several beautiful species of Phalaenopsis and Cypripedium, of the superb Vanda Sanderiana, and of several other handsome Orchids which ornament our gardens; and also some of those marvels of the vegetable kingdom - the Rafflesias. Consequently we should anticipate that an outline of the vegetation of the islands generally would reveal some interesting particulars. Until recently very little reliable information on this point has been available, beyond that contained in Blanco's Flora de Filipinas, and in various scattered publications. The late Mr. Bentham wrote, in the Flora of Hong-Kong:-"Looking to the Philippine Islands, it is very difficult to obtain any definite notion of their vegetation. We have no serviceable general Flora of the Philippines, for Blanco's species require re-identification." A new edition of Blanco's work has recently been published, with a Latin translation, and 468 chromo-lithographed plates, both of which materially enhance the value of the work. An appendix to this work con. tains an enumeration of the plants believed to grow in the islands, with an attempt to re-identify Blanco's plants. The work is well conceived, but unfortunately it falls far short of the ideal; for the species are identified from book descriptions only, without comparison of specimens, and the result is that a large number of plants are included which there is good reason to believe do not grow in the islands at all. In a recent number of the Journal of the Linnean Society is a paper by Mr. R. A. Rolfe, of the Kew Herbarium, "On the Flora of the Philippine Islands, and its probable Derivation," from which we condense the following :

The Philippines form a large group of volcanic islands, situated between Formosa and Borneo, and extending over 9° of latitude and 14° of longitude; or, if the Sulu Archipelago be included, which now, in common with the rest of the group, belongs to Spain, they extend over 16° of longitude. They are for the most part surrounded by deep sea, though with several submerged banks, which indicate former connections with neighbouring islands. One of these banks stretches northward in the direction of Formosa, a second from near Manila by a long chain of islands to the northern point of Borneo ; a third by way of the Sulu Archipelago from the southern point of Mindanao to north-east Borneo; and a fourth from the south-eastern point of Mindanao to the remark. able island of Celebes. The two largest islands, Luzon and Mindanao, are each of about the same extent as Ireland, and each contains a number of high volcanic peaks, where a few Rhododendrons, Vacciniums, and other tropical mountain plants are found; while the lower elevations are clothed with dense forests of tall vegetation. The fauna has been pretty well worked out. The terrestrial mammalia are very limited-twenty-one species, but of these nine-tenths are peculiar to the islands. Of land birds two-thirds are peculiar to the islands, and of water birds one-tenth; a larger proportion of peculiar species than is found on any of the Malayan islands, This would lead us to infer that a study of the vegetation would reveal some equally interesting facts. A set of about a thousand plants was brought to Kew by Don Sebastian Vidal, conservator of forests in the islands, and it fell to Mr. Rolfe to assist this gentleman in the elaboration of the plants, the outcome of which is the aforementioned paper. After an outline of the various works dealing with Philippine plants we find a census of genera and species, with a column showing the endemic element in the flora. This table shows the number of flowering plants to be 3466 species, belonging to 1002 genera, of which six genera and 915 species are peculiar to the islands, or a proportion of over one-fourth endemic. The number of Ferns growing in the islands appears to be 467, of which fifty-two are endemic-a fact which stamps the islands with a marked individuality, as Ferns generally have a wider range than most plants. The Orchids are estimated at 460 species, of which 110 are endemic. The small number of endemic genera, as compared with some of the neighbouring islands and with the large number of species, is pointed out as a remarkable feature.

The affinities of the flora with neighbouring countries is next pointed out. The general features are decidedly Malayan, many of the genera having a wide range in the Indo-Malayan region, while some

have a more limited range. On the other hand, a very large number of typical Malayan genera do not appear to reach the Philippines. The same thing holds good with respect to the Philippine animals-a fact which is attributed by Mr. Wallace to extinction by submersion, of which there is abundant evidence in the presence of raised coral reefs in various directions.

One of the most striking features in the flora is the presence of a few plants of decidedly Australian type, as Osbornia octodonta, a remarkable monotypic genus of Myrtacea, hitherto only known from Australia; Xanthostemon Verdugonianus, a new species of a genus formerly thought to be confined to Australia and New Caledonia; Stackhousia muricata, a representative of an order otherwise limited to Australia and New Zealand, besides others of less importance. A slight connection with New Guinea and with some of the smaller Pacific islands is also traced.

Next to the Australian the northern element in the

flora is, perhaps, the most interesting. We find a Lilium, a Pinus, a Viburnum, a Scutellaria, and a Privet; all endemic species, outliers of these typical northern genera which are well represented in the opposite Chinese region. Three endemic species of Carex are also mentioned. There is a second Pinus, P. Merkusii; but this occurs also in Sumatra. In comparing the plants with those of surrounding islands it is pointed out that a few Philippine plants occur also in Borneo, a few others in Celebes, and others in Java, Sumatra, and the Moluccas, respectively, though not yet known from elsewhere-a condition of things pointing to connections with these islands in the past. Between the different islands of the Philippine group themselves there seems to be a certain amount of individuality, owing to long isolation, for no less than six of the smaller islands are mentioned as having endemic species growing upon them. Future research will, no doubt, extend the area of some of these supposed endemic plants, but while so many new species keep turning up it is quite likely that some will ultimately prove to be extremely local, as is the case elsewhere. A new genus and several new species are described; the former, belong. ing to the Rubiaceæ, is illustrated with a plate, and is named Villaria, in commemoration of the labours of Father Fernandez Villar in the production of the third and much improved edition of Blanco's Flora.

The one remaining point to be noticed is the probable derivation of the existing flora. The conclusions of Mr. Wallace respecting the Philippines, and which were largely based on a study of their fauna, were, that they are truly insular, while the Malay islands are really continental in the essential features of their natural history. This opinion was afterwards somewhat modified, for in his Island Life he says:"It is evident that the Philippines once formed part of the great Malayan extension of Asia, but that they were separated considerably earlier than Java. The reason of their comparative poverty in genera and species of the higher animals is that they have been subjected to a great amount of submersion in recent

times."

It is the former of these two conclusions which Mr. Rolfe considers best supported by a study of the flora, for it is suggested that submersion sufficient to have caused such wholesale extinction of the animals would have probably destroyed many of the plants which still survive. His contention is, that as the Philippines are almost entirely volcanic, and as nearly all the genera have their headquarters elsewhere, that the flora has reached its present location by migration. He also attempts to trace the lines of migration, the principal one, comprising the bulk of the flora, from the Malayan region; a second from the Australian region, through the Moluccas-a few of the plants extending even to China; and a third from the Chinese region, southward; which latter may have taken place during the cold of the glacial period. The large number of endemic species is held to indicate that the migration took place at a sufficiently remote period for the species to have become differentiated under changed conditions. However this may be it is certain that some interesting facts of distribution are coming to light, and more yet remains to be done. The future may have something to say on this point; indeed, we believe that an additional collection of Philippine plants has recently been received at Kew, which, when worked up, may yield additional information,

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WORK IN THE ROSE GARDEN IN MARCH OR APRIL.

THIS is an important month to the Rose grower, whether he be an exhibitor or simply a lover and grower of the flower for his own special delectation and that of those who come to visit him in his garden, and a good deal of the work to be done will depend as to the manner of doing it-as to whether the person who operates be an exhibitor or not. Take now, for example, the dressing and arranging of the beds. A person who intends to exhibit will not con. sider whether his beds look very tidy or not, and will at this season give them a good mulching of stable manure or cow-dung, as it may be at the owner's disposal. A Rose garden thus treated is not an æsthetic object, however good it may be for the plants, and when blackbirds have their "wicked way" over it and scratch it all about to find worms and grubs it requires a little extra care to keep it in anything like condition; yet the Rose exhibitor will feel that above all things he must feed his pets, and everything else must give way to this. He will rake off all the mulching which has served for a winter covering (the longer) part of it will do excellently for putting under Strawberries), will fork the beds lightly over, and then put on his supply of fresh manure for the spring and summer feeding; but the non-exhibitor feels he shall get good, nay, beautiful Roses-some of them, indeed, fit for an exhibition stand-without this; and so he, too, rakes off the longer portion of the litter, and then forks them over, but in so doing goes a little deeper and forks the manure in, adding nothing more for the summer supply. The beds are then marked out afresh, the walks looked over, and all then looks neat and tidy, requir ing only to be carefully watched and weeded as the summer goes on. This is the way my own are treated, and I am very well satisfied with the blooms that I obtain.

But there is more important work than dressing the beds to be considered, and that is pruning, about which there is so much difference of opinion that we may apply to it the Latin saying," Tot homines, totidem sententia." The great bugbear, the terror, the Old Man of the Mountain to the Rose-grower, is the treacherous spring frost; if we could fix his coming -if, as in America, we could know to a day when the change would come-it would be all right; but it is its uncertainty that makes it so dangerous. For some years we had a cold wave about May 20, and most disastrous it was. Last year we had one about April 24, and sad havoc it made; those who had pruned early found that all the young shoots of their Roses which had freely pushed and were some inches in length were completely blackened, and the pruning had in many cases to be done over again-those who pruned late escaped completely free. If the frost comes at the end of May the earlier pruned trees have more stamina in their shoots, and are better able to resist frost than those which were pruned late and would be in the same condition as the earlier pruned ones would be with an April frost. Here then one must say Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind," let him study his climate, his situation, and soil, and then act according to what he thinks best; no hard and fast line can be laid down, but I suppose, taking Rose growers in general, nineteen out of twenty prune in the month of March.

And now as to pruning. There are some who advo. cate what is called hard-pruning and some more gentle treatment. Here I think a good deal will depend on whether a person is an exhibitor or not in the former case he is looking simply for the quality of the bloom totally irrespective of the quantity-if each plant will give him three or four show blooms he is satisfied, and as he believes this is effected better by hard pruning he adheres to that. The non-exhibitor has

more thought for the blaze of beauty and colour in his garden than for super-excellent blooms, although he is glad to get these when he can, and so he leaves his shoots longer, looks to a greater number of heads on them and consequently to a larger number of Roses. There is one thing which each class of grower may do with advantage, that is, cut out all the weak and spindly wood. Last year's wood may, in the case of Roses that have grown well, be safely cut away. Two or three good healthy shoots have come away from the bottom, and on these dependence must be placed for this year's blooms; and in this way it is that dwarf Roses are so valuable. Attention must be, of course, paid to the individual habit of each plant, and, however tedious it may be, it is justified in principle, and amply repaid in the end; the pruning that would be suitable for Marie Baumann would be utterly unsuitable to Etienne Levet. It may be taken for granted that when a Rose is of a delicate habit it will require more pruning than a vigorous growing variety.

As a rule a good pruning knife is the best im plement to employ, it makes a clean cut and does not hurt the bark; but the sécateur is useful in getting at the interior of the bush and cutting out the more weakly shoots. Some people are very much afraid of bleeding and of the injury it does to the plant; I cannot say that I have seen any bad effects from it, and certainly the dread of it would not prevent my putting off pruning if I thought all other circumstances were favourable to so doing, Wild Rose.

THE EARLIEST AMERICAN
BOTANIC GARDENS.

To the series of descriptions and illustrations of botanic gardens in various countries which we have been enabled to give from time to time we are now enabled, thanks to the courtesy of Prof. Sargent, to add illustrations of the two earliest gardens of this kind in the States (figs. 80, 81.) The interest attaching to them is mainly historic, and in the memorials of J. S. Bartram, and Humphry Marshall, published by the late Dr. Darlington, in 1849, and dedicated to the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, we find many interesting details respecting these pioneers, from which we condense the following particulars.

About 1730 John Bartram began to make collections of American plants for his friend, Peter Collinson. He probably detected more undescribed plants than any of his contemporaries. "He was perhaps the first Anglo-American who conceived the idea of establishing a botanic garden for the reception and cultivation of the various vegetables, natives of the country as well as exotics, and of travelling for the discovery and acquisition of them. The Bartram Botanic Garden, established in or about the year 1730, is most eligibly and beautifully situated on the right bank of the river Schuylkill, a short distance below the city of Philadelphia.'

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Bartram's travels in search of plants were extensive, and in those days dangerous. Bartram was appointed Botanist and Naturalist to the King, at the instigation of Peter Collinson, in 1765, with a salary of £50 per annum. From Bartram's correspondence with Collinson we learn that Bartram had proved by experiment the nature and office of the pollen in a species of Lychnis. In reference to this matter Collinson writes as follows (1740), giving the history of the mule Pink :

THE MULE PINK.

"My experiment of the usefulness of the farina ís very curious and entertaining. Where plants of a class are growing near together they will mix and produce a mingled species. An instance we have in our garden, raised by the late Thomas Fairchild, who had a plant from seed that was compounded of the Carnation and Sweet William. It has the leaves of the first, and its flowers are double like the Carnation, the size of a Pink, but in clusters like the Sweet William. It is named a mule-per analogy to the mule produced from the horse and the ass."

Bartram, in 1763, anticipated the scarcity of timber, which Darlington, writing eighty years after, repudiated, but which the experience of the present day tends to justify.

DAFFODILS.

Referring to the white double Daffodils, Collinson writes with enthusiasm to Bartram, "I waited almost all my lifetime to get this rare flower. I read of it

and saw it figured in books, but despaired of ever possessing it. But about seven years agone my botanic genius carried me into a garden where I expected to find nothing; on a sudden my eyes were ravished with the sight of this flower, and my heart leaped for joy that I should find it at last."

To this Bartram replies, October, 1763, "If I had known the white double Daffodil had been such a rarity with thee, I could have sent thee large quantities thirty years ago. Our first settlers brought them with them, and they multiply so that thousands are thrown away."

In 1773 the second botanic garden within the British provinces of North America was established by Humphry Marshall, a cousin of Bartram's, in the township of West Bradford, Chester County, Pennsylvania, he having previously collected and cultivated useful and ornamental plants.

In 1785, Humphry Marshall published his Arbustum Americanum, a description of the forest trees and shrubs, natives of the American United States. This is believed to be the first strictly American botanical work, that is to say, the first treatise on American plants, written by a native American.

Marshall's house and garden have remained in the family until last year, when they were sold, and will doubtless be destroyed. Bartram's garden is now pretty well surrounded by the city of Philadelphia, and must soon go, unless arrangements can be made for its preservation. In Marshall's garden there still remains, or did till recently, a noble specimen of Magnolia acuminata, while the great feature of Bartram's garden is a grand Taxodium distichum, and which Bartram brought with him from the lower counties of Delaware in his saddle-bag.

HOME CORRESPONDENCE.

The Doubling of Daffodils.-There is I think some misconception respecting the doubling of Daffo. dils from roots that have incontestably proved to have previously produced single flowers. I have no belief that such an occurrence has ever happened, or is likely to happen under any process of cultivation : of course I leave out the probability of a double variety being obtained from seed, as that is not the question. About two miles from here is a well known wood containing a grove of magnificent Beech trees, in which from time immemorial have grown large tracts of Lily of the Valley, but unfortunately from continued depredations the roots have become so weakened as to produce very few or no flowers. Near the same wood is an old grass field which for the same long period has been equally prolific in producing single Daffodils in such abundance, that just now dozens of people may be seen in the road between there and Southampton carrying large bunches of the gay yellow flowers, but notwithstanding the length of time the Daffodils have grown and propagated in that field they have never, that I am aware of, changed their nature from single to double. W. N. Rogers, Southampton.

Eucharis Disease.-My observations on this quite coincide with A. Macdonald's experience, viz., that decay is the cause of the mites, not the mites the origin of the decay. About Christmas, 1882, my Eucharis, after flowering heavily during the year, began to show signs of exhaustion, and before the days were long enough to commence repotting they were in very bad condition, having what few leaves remained more or less marked with the red spots. I repotted in the usual way, and had the satisfaction of seeing them soon come round to their usual health and vigour. They have remained in the same pots until quite recently, when they again showed signs of the red mites on several plants, which had borne a heavy crop of flowers about Christmas. On close examination of bulbs, I have come to the conclusion that it is the decay of the flower-stalk taking place in winter, in old bulbs, which are naturally weak through having flowered two or three times during the season, that is the primary cause of the attack of the mites and so-called disease. Consequently those plants which have all the young bulbs taken from them yearly, and subjected to extremes of temperature to induce them to flower at given periods, soon exhaust themselves, decay sets in, and is little less in its effects than a disease. If a Eucharis grower must, in this grasping age, take three crops of flowers off

the same plants yearly, it would be well if he prepares himself with a stock of young plants, as he will certainly need them at least every two years, if not oftener. But if grown and allowed to flower and form young bulbs naturally, and subjected to the usual routine of other plants as to change of soil, &c., we should soon hear nothing of the Eucharis disease-at least that is the impression I have come to. 7. Wilkes.

Dendrobium Wardianum.-In answer to N. Blandford I write to say I have one growth 4 feet 6 inches long bearing forty flowers-two flowers more than your correspondent (p. 377, March 21). The plant is growing in a pot. 7. Child, Garbrand Hall.

Melon Culture: Canker.-In reply to Mr. Miles I may state we have grown Melons, and late ones, in and out of pots with equal success; also on hotbeds in frames, adopting the same system of earthing-up. Last year I utilised a 4-light pit, 16 ft. x 8 ft., for a late batch of Melons that had been used earlier in the season for Cucumbers, and in which I was unable to use pots. The plants were planted out on July 26, in a very narrow ridge of soil, with a division of loose bricks between each plant, and the earthing up carried out as the plants progressed similarly to those grown in pots, a little Clay's Fertiliser being used in preference to liquid manure. Out of this pit we cut thirty-eight good Melons, the last being used on or about November 20. In our Melon house proper we adhere to the pot system, both for early and late batches, keeping plants ready for planting as soon as others have done fruiting. I should like Mr. Miles to try one or two plants earthed up in the way previously described, in comparison with those wearing the zinc collars, and give the results. Does Mr. Methven (p. 383) mean that previous to using the glass collars for woodlice he was troubled with canker, and after their use it disappeared? C. H.

Orchids from Rosefield at the Royal Horticultural Society's Show, March 10.-I beg to send you a correction which I hope you will insert relating to my exhibits at a late show of the Royal Horticultural Society. Cattleya Triane Crawshayana bore four flowers of very large size and an exceedingly deep purple lip of very large size and very long in the expanded portion. The above specimen is described as "a Warscewiczii carrying four flowers;" and then "another with three of a paler colour," relates to Cattleya Warscewiczii superbissima carrying a three-flowered spike of blooms 8 inches across, with a lip 4 inches long and 2 inches wide in the expanded portion, the side lobes being square and not rounded as usual, the whole flower one soft pink-mauve. The above plant was considered the most extraordinary variety that any one had seen. De B. Crawshay.

Azalea indica, Deutsche Perle.-I don't know how long this variety has been grown-I only noticed it last year for the first time-but find that this season it is offered for sale much more extensively. It is the best variety I have seen for bouquets or buttonholes. It is semi-double, pure white, and, when three parts It is a good open, much resembles a Rose-bud. grower and free bloomer, and cannot fail to find its way into every garden. It is one of those acquisi tions which will find favour with every admirer of flowers, and hold its own. D. C. Powell,

Methods of Starting Japan Lilies when Received. I am sure it must have often amused, if not surprised, you as to how opinions and methods differ on almost every conceivable subject. The discussion which you have permitted in your columns in reference to the treatment of the Eucharis is an illustration, and if another were wanting your readers have had it in the above. Some months since in the Gardeners' Chronicle, I believe for the first time, I drew attention to what I considered a fungus in newly imported bulbs. Whether cause or effect I was not prepared to say, nor am I yet, though Mr. Rogers, of Southampton, confidently asserts bruising in packing and transit is the cause, and the fungus or rot merely an effect. This opinion Mr. Dean seems to agree with in your last issue. Dr. Wallace, of the New Plant and Bulb Company, thinks the contrary, and clinches the discussion by announcing that he and his Company have found a remedy, which they apply before serving their customers. I certainly cannot think "bruising" the explanation, for then some would escape, or the bulb merchants and Japanese

more reason.

growers would long since have found a remedy. But the methods of treatment, which is after all the most important, differ most of all. One would pot imme. diately when received, but this is no remedy. Another uses peat-mould to plunge in temporarily, and with A third would treat much like Hyacinths and Tulips, and after potting cover with coalashes for months until flowers appear. All these methods mean to allow the fungus and rot to do their worst. Mr. Shepherd's proposal (p. 370), to scrape away decayed parts and dress with charcoal and lime is far better, but I submit your advice to me more than a year ago-to plunge in cocoa-fibre and examine at short intervals until roots appear-with our present information-is the best of all. W. 7. Murphy, Clonmel.

Sprekelia glauca.-On reading the advertisement in a recent number respecting the dozens, hundreds, thousands, of bulbs of this plant which Messrs. Krelage & Son had for sale, I was a little puzzled when I came to the words, "It (S. glauca) is a parent of the well known Jacobean Lily (S. formosissima)." Some errors we set down to the errors of the press, in other cases we see the right meaning peeping from behind, whilst a few, occurring now and again, are allowed to pass un

in 1593, figured by Parkinson in 1629, and placed by him among the Daffodils. According to Curtis this plant is not kept in good health unless cultivated under glass. He says, "Stoves and greenhouses were then unknown; no wonder, therefore, it did not thrive long." Yet in these days of acres of glass the Jacobean Lily is cultivated satisfactorily in a sheltered border out-of-doors, such as, for instance, the Belladonna Lily thrives in. Planted about 6 inches below the surface in a warm sunny border against a greenhouse or stove, if possible, the Jacobean Lily will be quite at home, growing all the summer and flowering after its winter's rest in about the month of May. The curiously contracted arrangement of the lower flower segments of this plant distinguish it from all its relations. S. glauca was considered a good species by Lindley from its having smaller flowers and distinctly glaucous foliage, which characters, however, Bentham thought insufficient to justify its being retained as a species. A note by Dean Herbert on the treatment that he found this and the type throve under is worth quoting. He says:-"The bulbs are perfectly hardy, and appear to like a low temperature. but they will not flower willingly unless they have a season of drought. They succeed well against the wall of a stove in the open ground, flowering in the spring and sometimes

sensational podders to the neglect of some prolific, well-flavoured, trustworthy kinds. ED.]

Mr. Gilbert's suggestion as to a Congress of Peas is, like most of the thoughts which emanate from Burghley, original, but which, I fear in this case, is scarcely practicable. In this particular case it is so very unlikely that the suggestion will be acted upon, and even if it were who would accept as conclusive any results arrived at? The best practical Congress of Peas is a trial in growth side by side, for there are other important features in Peas to be tested than mere flavour, size of Pea, or number in a pod. We want to know more about synonyms first, then of classification into sections, and the best of those sections; then of height and average cropping qualities, and finally of flavour. It is very doubtful whether even the most exhaustive trial of this kind in any one place would suffice. We want half-a-dozen in diverse parts of the kingdom, all impartially and intelligently conducted; and then the results, tabulated and compared, might be productive of valuable and reliable informaiion. A. D.

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corrected because they are of little consequence. But when M. Krelage, one of the chief bulb growers in Holland, or in the world, which amounts to the same thing, writes that the old Jacobean Lily owed its origin to the skilful manipulation of a hybridist who practised before the time of Parkinson, we pause to wonder how it comes that we never heard of this before we see it in an advertising column. The mystery was beyond my power to unravel, so I went for an explanation to Mr. Baker at Kew. On stating my case he at once blamed the printer [too bad], but when he read the advertisement he at once saw where

the flaw was. "It's Krelage's English: he has used the word "parent" in its French signification, which is simply that of relation, and of course he is in that sense quite right, though in any other totally wrong." No doubt Mr. Krelage will pardon me for presuming to set him right, seeing how much is involved in the meaning I gave his advertisement; and at the same time English bulb growers will be glad to learn what Mr. Krelage means when he calls Sprekelia glauca a parent of S. formosissima. Mr. Bentham considered these two plants so closely related that he makes only one species of them, to which the genus Sprekelia is now limited. We find three plants figured under the name Sprekelia, viz., S. formosissima, Heisl., Bot. Mag., t. 47; S. glauca, Lal., Bot. Reg., 1841, t. 16; and S. cybister, Herb., Bot. Mag., t. 3872. The first of these is a native of Mexico, according to Linnæus, first known in Europe

again in the autumn, if the summer has been very dry. They rarely blossom if watered through the winter in a greenhouse; but if kept dry and warm for a few months, they will flower as soon as they are watered in the spring." The third Sprekelia, so called by Herbert, is now referred to the genus Hippeastrum, although so far as I can see this plant has many characters in common with the recently introduced Callypsyche aurantiaca, lately figured for the Botanical Magazine. W. W.

Peas.-I for one shall be pleased to assist in getting at "the fact as to which is the best Pea." Here Peas are highly valued, and I may say I have grown some hundreds of bushels of fine pods. It would be strange if I did not, seeing that I serve one of those noblemen who cares not what Pea is grown, or what its name is, so long as it is a good one, neither am I expected to go to the Stores, but can pay a good price for a good article; therefore I should be glad to know if I am growing the best or not. It often puzzles me to understand why people do not pay more attention to varieties, and also to culture, for to my mind there is nothing looks worse than a miserable lot of Pea-rows, and there is decidedly nothing that gives better results in all quarters than wellgrown good Peas. G. M. W. [Our correspondent really assumes too much; for we believe gardeners pay much attention to the sorts of Peas they purchase, but there is perhaps too much running after

Orchid grower who has a score or two of plants or upwards put the matter to a practical test for himself, and thus obtain actual and not ex parte evidence one way or the other? The pruning treatment naturally infers that certain Orchids are purely herbaceous, and that the old bulbs are but stems that, having performed their required functions, may be cut away as useless. Non-pruners, on the other hand, hold that these old and perhaps decaying bulbs do serve some not merely useful, but important purpose, in Orchid plant life, but in what way or form nothing clear is shown. Do these old and exhausted bulbs in decaying give back to the plant something which they have abstracted, and thus furnish nutriment and strength to newly forming bulbs? If that be the case, then the position of the non-pruners is proved up to the hilt. If it be not so, then wherein lies the use or value of old bulbs? A. D.

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In reply to "T. B." on p. 417, asking why the correspondent who has Dendrobium nobile with growths 3 feet long cannot send them to the Royal Horticultural Society's meeting at South Kensington, I beg to inform him I shall have great pleasure in doing so provided my employer does not object, and if "T. B." will undertake to pay all expenses connected with the same, and make good any damage to the plants in transit. To show that what I say is correct, I send herewith a growth for you to see, which has twentyeight flowers on it. Though this is by no means one

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