compact growing plant, and deserves to be in every flower-garden. It is in the Royal Gardens of Kew. (Figured in Bot. Mag., 4618.)

CHEIRANTHUS SPLENDIDISSIMUS.-This fine new Wallflower has long spikes of large blossoms, of a deep orange, shaded with brown. We have seen it exceedingly fine this season.

CROCUS VERNUS: VAR. LEEDSII.-Edward Leeds, Esq., of Manchester, has paid much attention to this lovely tribe of vernal flowers, and the present variety was one he raised and selected out of many thousands. The flower is of fine form, almost tulip shaped, petals stout, admirably rounded off at the top; they are of a rich deep violetpurple, edged with white, which produces a beautiful contrast. It is a vigorous and abundant bloomer, and ought to be grown, along with others, in every garden. (Figured in Mag. Bot.)

DAMARA OBTUSA.-A native of the New Hebrides, where it grows to a great tree. It is a coniferous tree, requiring to be in a greenhouse with us. The leaves are about four inches long, and one and a half broad, with the ends rounded off. The cone three inches long, by about two in diameter. (Journal of Horticultural Society.)

trees.

DENDROBIUM CUCUMERINUM.-This most singular orchidea was received at the Royal Gardens of Kew from Australia, where it was found creeping and running prostrate over the trunks or branches of The stems are branched about as thick as a small goose-quill, flexuose and jointed. The flowers are produced in racemes, three to five in each. Sepals and petals narrow, of a creamy-white streaked with purple. Each blossom an inch and a half across. The very remarkable feature of the plant is, that the leaves (or pseudo-bulbs) bear a most striking resemblance to small girkin-cucumbers, about an inch and a half long, and being produced in vast numbers, have a very interesting appearance. It thrives best in the Royal Gardens in a house, or pit, that has no more artificial heat than what just keeps out the frost. (Figured in Bot. Mag., 4619.)

GEISSOIS RACEMOSA. A native of New Caledonia, where it grows to a small tree, bearing the flowers, which are of a crimson colour, on the old wood, in racemes about a foot long, and the blossoms are packed closely together (similar to those of Combretum grandiflorum), with globular buds, four ovate leathery sepals, shaggy, with hairs in the inside, and eight stamens, with crimson filaments about an inch long, producing a most magnificent effect. It flourishes in the stove, and is considered the finest hothouse plant which has been introduced for many years past. It is in the garden of the Horticultural Society at Chiswick.

HESPERIS MATRONALIS FULGIDA PLENA.-This is a double Rocket, with flowers of a fine crimson. A very handsome acquisition to this pretty tribe, and will produce a striking contrast with the double yellow and double white. They merit a place in every flower-garden, and can be procured cheap.

KLUGIA NOTONIANA (Synonym, Glossanthus Notoniana, and Wulfenia Notoniana).—A native of the East Indies. A succulent herbaceous

annual plant, of a decumbent habit, producing roots at the joints of the underside of the stems. The flowers are produced in many flowered racemes. Each blossom is drooping, nearly an inch across, of a rich very deep blue, with yellow at its base. It blooms freely in the stove from September, in the Royal Gardens of Kew. (Figured in Bot. Mag., 4620.)

LINDLEYA MESPILOIDES.- -A half-hardy evergreen tree of small size, very much like Mespilus grandiflora. The flowers are white, an inch across, as sweet as the Hawthorn. Introduced by the Horticultural Society.

PENTSTEMON VARIABILIS.-Mr. Salter, of Versailles Nursery, has raised this pretty variety, we recently saw it in profuse bloom. The ground colour is of a light cream, shaded with rose, and streaked with crimson. Some of the flowers were wholly of a rose-red colour above, and cream colour beneath. In fact, as its title imports, the blossoms are very various. It is a pretty addition to this charming tribe.

PHILESIA BUXIFOLIA. -Messrs. Veitch obtained this half-hardy shrub from Chiloe. Mr. Lobb informed them, "In its native country it forms large masses on trunks of trees and rocks. It is a splendid thing, seldom found to grow a foot high. The flowers are produced near the ends of the shoots, they are bell-shaped, and are sometimes as large as the common Tulip, of a deep rose colour. The petals are thicker in substance than any other flower I have seen. I have traced it from the level of the sea to the snow-line, and it blooms more freely at a great elevation." (Journal of Horticultural Society.)

Saxifraga flaGELLARIS. SPIDER-LEGGED.-Captain Penny, commanding the ship "Albert," in the expedition in search of Sir John Franklin, and his intelligent medical officer, Dr. Sutherland, collected in the Arctic regions a box full of various living plants at Cornwallis Island, and sent them to the Royal Gardens of Kew but a month ago. Among them was this curious and rare Saxifrage in a flowering state. It is a diminutive plant, and from the small carrot shaped root there diverges, in all directions, a number of thread-like stolones (stalks), each bearing young plants at the extremity, which sends down radicles into the ground, and thus plants a colony of new individuals around the parent. From the crown of the root rises an erect leafy stem, with crowded roseate leaves. At the summit of the stem is sometimes a solitary blossom, and sometimes a cluster, or umbel, of from three to five. Each blossom is about three-quarters of an inch across, of a bright yellow colour. It inhabits, too, Melville Island and Behring's Straits, and is generally buried under snow for ten months in each year, in a dormant state. The sailors of the Arctic Expedition gave it the appropriate name of the Spider-plant. (Figured in Bot. Mag. 4621.)

THE AUGUSTA ROSE.-Messrs. Thorp, and Co., Nurserymen, of Syracuse, New York, have obtained a very superb yellow flowering climbing Rose. They state, "the flowers are of a deeper yellow than those of the Cloth of Gold Rose, and deliciously fragrant. It is a

vigorous climber and profuse bloomer. Plants of this valuable acquisition we expect soon in England."

THE AMAZON, Scarlet Geranium (Pelargonium).-Rich scarlet, trusses large, petals thick substance, and of excellent form. It is in Messrs. Low and Co.'s collection at Clapton Nursery.

ULLUCUS TUBEROSUS (Synonym Basella tuberosa).-A native of Peru, where it grows on the mountains. The inhabitants eat the tubers, which are about the size of a nut, and some of them were sent into this country when the disease was so prevalent among the potatoes, with an expectation that it might prove to us an excellent substitute. The tubers are of a rich yellow colour, of firm and waxy substance. It is a succulent herbaceous plant, growing luxuriantly in the open ground in summer. The tubers require to be treated as is done to the potato. The flowers are small, yellow, produced in short racemes. (Figured in Bot. Mag., 4617.)

WEIGELIA LUTEA.-The handsome W. rosea has now a pretty companion in this yellow-flowered one, both deserve a place in every shrubbery, or trained to a wall; in a warm place they bloom profusely and beautifully.

Plants now in bloom in the Royal Gardens of Kew, and other places visited.

ACACIA UNDULEFOLIA.-Leaves small, oval; and the flowers are produced in long spikes, very numerously, of a rich yellow colour. A neat plant of great beauty when in bloom.

A. UROPHYLLA.-Leaves broad; the flowers in branching panicles, white.

A. SMILACIFOLIA.-Leaves small, willow-leaved, and the flowers borne profusely, white. These contrast prettily with the yellows.

A. ERIOCARPA.-Neat small foliage, and the blossoms of a rich yellow, produced in profusion. Very pretty.

A. SQUARROSA. Leaves small. Flowers in large heads of a deep yellow.

A. BIFLORA.-Very neat small foliage, and blooms freely, the blossoms a rich yellow. Very handsome.

A. DEPENDENS.-Leaves small, branches drooping, flowers sulphur colour. Neat and interesting.

EPACRIS AUTUMNALIS.-Tube of flower one inch long, a vivid crimson. Very handsome.

E. MAGNIFICENT.-Tube one inch loug, of bright rosy-pink, tipped with white. Handsome.

E. NIVEA.-Three-quarters of an inch long, bell-shaped, white. Very pretty.

E. ARDENTISSIMO.-Tube one inch long, of a rich brilliant crimson, tipped with pink. Blooms profusely, very showy.

E. SPLENDIDA.-Bell-shaped, half an inch long, bright rose, tipped with white. Very pretty.

E. HYACINTHIFLORA.-Bell-shaped, three-quarters of an inch long, of a bright rosy-pink, and in profusion. Very handsome.

E. HYACINTHIFLORA CANDADISSIMA.-The form and size of the next previous one, white, in profusion. It is a charming contrast to that variety. Also E. grandiflora.

ERICA CERINTHOIDES MAJOR.-By stopping the shoots, this otherwise naked grower becomes a handsome bush, and we have seen a plant having about three dozen heads of its rich scarlet hairy blossoms, each an inch long. It is very handsome.

E. LAMBERTIANA.-The blossoms are nearly globe-shaped, about a quarter of an inch across, of a pretty light pink. Neat and pretty.

E. VERNIX. The flowers are about the size of the last one, but of shining orange, with green end, which turns black. Very pretty.

E. COLORANS.-Tube three-quarters of an inch long, white, but the flowers become a deep rosy-pink. They are produced in long spikes, in profusion. Very beautiful.

E. MAMMOSA MAJOR.-The tube is an inch long, white below, and the other part a bright pink. They are produced in large clusters, terminating by a slender shoot. It is very handsome.

E. HYEMALIS.-Tube somewhat bell-shaped, three-quarters of an inch long, the lower part of a rosy-purple, and the end white. Produced in profusion in conical spikes. Very pretty.

E. WILMOREANA.-Tube one inch, rose colour, with a white end; in profusion in long spikes. Very neat and handsome.

E. CAFFRA.-Flowers globular, very small, white, and fragrant. They are produced in such profusion as to appear almost covered with bloom. Very pretty.

E. GRACILIS. These flowers are a little larger than the last described, of a bright rosy-purple, as profuse as the last, and contrasting nicely together.

E. LINNEOIDES SUPERBA.-Tube an inch long, purple, with a large white end. Borne in spikes in profusion. Very handsome.

E. ARBUSCULA. Small, globe-shaped, a rich rosy-lilac, in profusion, covering the plant.

CORREA BRILLIANTA.-Tube one inch and a half long, bright red, with a yellow end. Very handsome.

C. SPECIOSA GRANDIFLORA.-Tube one inch and a half long, wide, rich crimson, with green end. Very fine.

C. OCHROLEUCA.-Tube one inch, pretty straw colour. Very neat. C. DELICATA.-Tube one inch and a half long, white, tinged with rosy-purple. Very neat and pretty.

C. ROSEA-SUPERBA.- -Tube wide, one inch long, rose, with white end. Very pretty.

The Correas are fine things to ornament, during winter, the greenhouse, or sitting-room. Easy to cultivate and free bloomers.

WILLMORE'S SURPRISE PELARGONIUM.-Said to be a Seedling raised from the P. Erubescens, impregnated by a Hollyhock. The structure of the plant is different to anything yet seen in the Geranium tribe. The roots are quite unlike any of the class, and the seed-pods are formed more like a Hollyhock than a Pélargonium. The flowers

are semi-double, and the whole truss of a monstrous form. It is a gay border, or bedding, flower.-Messrs. Lee, of Hammersmith, intend to offer it for sale next August.

GESNERA HERBERTII and ZEBRINA now bloom beautifully in the Kew collection, also Achimenes picta, Ixora coccinea, and Javanica. Chiriti Moonii, Luculia gratissima, in the greenhouse. Rondoletia speciosa major, with its rich scarlet and yellow blossoms, the size of a sixpence, in large corymbous heads, are beautiful. Coronilla glauca is a very ornamental greenhouse plant at this season, its bright yellow heads of pea-formed flowers have a gay appearance. The double white and red Chinese Primroses are now very beautiful, also the single. Cyclamen persicum, too, is now a pretty object. A new variety named C. persicum rubrum has recently been raised, it is a pretty addition, obtained by Mr. Henderson.

ARBUTUS (Strawberry Tree).-At some of the nurseries around London plants are grown in pots, and having them placed in a warm situation out of doors to encourage their production of bloom and fruit, they are now most beautiful objects. Plants from two to four feet high are almost burdened with their rich coloured fine strawberry like fruit, and have a delightful appearance. Purchasers have them for balcony and window ornaments, and being classed along with Lauristinus, in bloom, they have a nice effect, either there, or occupying vacant beds near the dwelling-house. Similar attention too with the scarlet and yellow-berried Hollies. Broad and narrow-leaved Spindle trees, which bear a vast profusion of scarlet and orange coloured fruit, are equally successful, and those intermixed with the blue-berried Mahonias, Berberises, and Snowberries, have quite a gay and cheerful appearance. Also Cotoneaster microphylla, crowded with its rich red fruit, as also the Pyracantha. Plants grown in pots, plunged to the rim in a border of warm aspect, and watered as required, would cost but little either for stock or after attention, amply repaying for both, and are a charming succession to the Chrysanthemums.

FUCHSIAS AND VERBENAS.

BY ORION.

A CELEBRATED florist remarked only the other day, that “ never was there so barren a season for the above-named flowers, as regards novelty or improvement, than the one just brought to a close," and this is evidently very near the truth. What is the reason of this retrograde, or at most stand-still " progress?" to use a Hibernian phrase; is it because seedling raisers were afraid of sending their productions to the self-styled "National" tribunal? Were they afraid of not receiving an impartial judgment on their flowers? or did the floricultural world view, with suspicion, the establishment of a new society composed principally of men in the trade?" It may have been for one or more of these reasons, but the fact is the same, there is nothing very good or novel to be sent out in the spring, 1852. It will very likely be said, that, owing to the establishment of the National, many flowers that would have been thrust on the generally too easily gulled public will

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