Hydrocharideæ), and in the hairs of phænogamous land plants. Such is the peculiar molecular movement discovered by the great botanist Robert Brown (which is indeed perceptible, not only in vegetables, but also in all matters reduced to an extreme state of division); such is the gyratory current (cyclose) of globules of cambium; and, lastly, such are the articulated filamentary cells which unroll themselves in the antherides of the chara, and in the reproductive organs of liverworts and algæ, and in which Meyen (too early lost to science!) believed that he recognized an analogy to the spermatozoa of the animal kingdom. If we add to these various currents and molecular agitations the phenomena of endosmose, the processes of nutrition and of growth, and internal currents of air, or gases, we shall have some idea of the powers which, almost unknown to us, are incessantly in action in the apparently still life of the vegetable kingdom.-Humboldt's Cosmos.

BEGONIA PRESTONIENSIS.-Messrs. Lucombe and Pince's advertisement reminds me of an opinion was led to form on receiving from them lately fine specimens of the above-named plant, that Begonias must soon become as popular as Achimenes, Gloxinias, and the like, now that the process of hybridization has been so successfully brought to bear upon them. You will, perhaps, allow me to mention, for the information of those who have not seen it, that this B. Prestoniensis is probably the handsomest of the Begoniascertainly one of the most brilliant; so that it must become a popular plant. It is said to come from B. cinnabarina, crossed with B. nitida, and unites with foliage and flowers very much like those of the former the shrubby character of the latter, so far modified as to be literally of a neat branched habit of growth; the leaves are obliquely ovate-acuminate, slightly lobed, and doubly-serrate on the margin, and the flowers come along the branches in axillary trichotomous cymes, elevated on long red peduncles above the dark green leaves. These flowers (male four-petalled, female five-petalled) are, perhaps, rather smaller than in B. cinnabarina, but brighter coloured, and they have unquestionably a very pleasant Rose-like odour, which was discoverable after a long railway journey.-T. Moore. Gardeners' Chronicle.

NOTES UPON THE TULIP DURING THE SEASON OF 1852.-Many excellent articles upon the Tulip have been sent us by Mr. Slater, and appeared in previous volumes of the FLORICULTURAL CABINET. The following notes he gives in the Floricultural Review, of which publication he is the editor. The true character of each flower, as given by Mr, Slater, may be fully relied on :

"The Tulip season of 1852 has been far short of an average one, as the blooms have not been in that fine state which many of us have seen; and the great preponderance of flamed flowers is a sure and certain criterion by which we may found our opinions. Feathered flowers are generally more abundant after a severe winter than when it is a mild one, and this is an effect for which we cannot account. There is no florists' flower so fickle and inconstant as the Tulip, and we are much in ignorance respecting it. Nature has her gambolling as well as mankind, but she is more sportive and frolicsome; we see her at one time in all her beauty, and again in her dishabille. The novelties of the season 1852 are not numerous, and we may just take a rapid review of what has come under our notice. A Feathered Byblomen from the neighbourhood of Leigh, name not known, was shown at the Northern Counties Tulip Meeting (not for competition), raised from Roi de Siam, which far eclipses any Feathered Byblomen in cultivation. Form and base unexceptionable, the feathering dark and bold, and the white ground clear and bright. This variety is said to be equally good when flamed, and, if so, the Maid of Orleans, or rather Princess Royal, must give place to one so much her superior in every point-form and pencilling particularly. We understand the stock consists of twelve roots. In introducing this variety, we have not done it in a whisper, as it was openly brought forward for all to see; and no one who has any taste for a Tulip will say that we have given it more praise and commendation than it deserves. Another novelty of a feathered rose was also in the winning pan at the same meeting, called Rosy Gem; and certainly, excepting one or two faults, it is a gem of the first water. Had it been placed for competition in the class, it would have been No. 1. The cup is rather long, and the base a little better than Lady Crewe. We feel no hesitation in stating that it is a seedling from Lady Crewe. It has all the parent's characteristics about it, but is a decided improvement upon it. It is said to have been raised from seed sown by the late distinguished amateur John Thackray, Esq., of Nottingham, formerly of Manchester

whose collection was disposed of a few years ago. Guido, a Feathered Byblomen, was shown by Mr. Bromley in his pan, and, although very pure, it did not appear to us likely to make a first-rate variety. It has all the faults of Edgar, only being pure. Violet Amiable was also brought for inspection in a much better state than usual. This seedling was raised by the late John Haigh, of Ashton-under-Lyne, near Manchester, and was sold at his sale to one individual. The cup is rather long, and the feathering is apt to skip at the top, similar to Ambassadeur d'Holland, but the white is extremely pure as respects the ground and base. The colour of the feathering is similar to Bienfait Incomparable, only a plated feather. It took the first prize in the class at the Oldham Floral and Horticultural Meeting, and very deservedly. Dixon's Bion has become a great favourite this season, from its coming so well in either a feathered or flamed state. We saw a flamed bloom which we considered ought to have been placed first in the class, instead of Unique. His Queen Eleanor, in the feathered class, was placed before Bion, but we prefer Bion to her majesty.

"Colbert, a fine rich yellow and black feather, took a fourth prize at Birmingham, and will please the most fastidious grower. Lady Clifton (the clipper) we have not seen; it has been submitted to the opinion of the editor of the Florist, who reports favourably of it. We should have had a much better opinion of it had a bloom been brought to the National Meeting; as there have been one flamed and two feathered bulbs sold out, besides what the raiser has in his collection, surely a bloom might have been spared for inspection. If it had not been in first-rate condition, allowances might have been made; but we doubt its form being good, for two reasons. The first is, that Triomphe Royale and Queen Boadicea are both long in the cup; secondly, we have taken seed for several years from Queen Boadicea, and we cannot say we have one but what is rather too long in the cup. Even Kate Connor has only one fault, a trifle too long in the cup, yet it is much better than nine out of ten that we have in the rose class at present. Had our friends seen a feathered bloom of Kate at G. W. Hardy, Esq.'s, of Warrington, there would not have been a whisper, but a downright shout. We wished to have brought the bloom to Birmingham, but the gentleman alluded to said it should remain in the bed to look at as long as it would stand. We have also seen three other blooms feathered, all good, and two of them won early in the class; and one that was flamed, but cut too young; had it been a matured bloom, we believe that there is not a rose Tulip in existence that could bear a comparison with it. The scarlet feathering is much richer than Dolittle or Queen Boadicea. We must be excused if we notice two which we have bloomed for the first time from Rose Breeder Gibbons, crossed with Catalina, both feathered, and first-rate in form and bottom. One we have named Dinah, and the other, which for brilliancy of the white cannot be excelled, called Modestina. Unfortunately the stock is small, only a few roots, as the seed was only sown six years ago. There was one characteristic about these varieties, they were not discoloured at the base. Probably this was owing to their being covered, so as to keep the sun and evening atmosphere from them, that they might remain a long time in bloom. Adonis, a seedling of our own, from Polyphemus, crossed with San Joe, bids fair to be in the foremost ranks, being large, well feathered, perfectly pure, and steady; Roderigo, also from the same sowing, bids fair to equal Adonis."-(To be continued.)

PROPAGATION OF HOLLYHOCKS.-The best blooming plants are raised from cuttings, which may be taken from the crown of the old root when the shoot is about an inch long, in the month of April or May; or by single eyes from wood shoots, in July and August, taking care the bark is sufficiently hard, but not pithy, or they are likely to rot.

The cuttings should be potted singly in small thumbs; the eyes placed five or six round a small sixty-sized pot, in a light and very sandy loam, plunged in a close frame (if available), with a little bottom heat, very sparingly watered, giving air every day for a short time, to exclude damp, and carefully picking off all decayed leaves. In about three weeks they will mostly be rooted, and should be immediately potted into thumbs or small 60's; when well established, they should be hardened off, and kept in a cold airy frame until they are transferred to the open ground for blooming.-A Practitioner.

UNIV. OF

THE

1. MECONOPSIS WALLICHII.

(PAPAVERACEÆ.)

HE generic name is derived from мEKON, a poppy, and OPSIS, resemblance, alluding to the appearance of the plants to the Poppy. Many of our readers know the yellow flowered Welsh Poppy formerly called Papaver Cambrica; its name was changed to Meconopsis Cambrica, forming the first of a new genus. Of its former family much has been written, especially relative to the wild red Poppy of our corn-fields, and the common white-flowered, from which opium is extracted.

The Poppy, in floral language, is made the symbol of "consolation,' in consequence of some of the plants affording a juice that will ease pains and procure sleep to the restless invalid.

The ancients thought the red Corn-Poppy so necessary for the prosperity of their corn, that the seeds of it were offered up in the sacred rites of Ceres, whose garland was formed with barley, or bearded-wheat, interwoven with poppies. An antique statue of this goddess, at the Louvre, at Paris, represents Ceres as holding poppies in her hand mixed with corn, as well as having them braided in the hair. And in the same collection, Sabina holds a cornucopia filled with pomegranates, grapes, and poppy-heads. Poppy seeds were frequently mixed in the food of the ancients, strewed over their bread, and also sent to table mixed with honey.

The Persians still continue to sprinkle the seeds of poppies on their rice and wheaten cakes, which is also practised in Germany, where the