is not, therefore, worth while to practise this method unless to preserve some fine double flowers. These flowers love the sun; but care must be taken to supply in the evening the moisture which has been exhausted during the day. It will be observed, too, as an invariable rule, always to place a plant in the shade when newly potted, and to let it remain there till rooted.

There are other species of Stock, but these are the most desirable. There is a Cheiranthus called the C. Quadrangulus, a native of Siberia, which was introduced into the Paris garden by Jean Jacques Rousseau. The flowers are sulphur-coloured and sweet. It is propagated by seeds, and thrives in the open air, but does not last many years.

Garcilasso speaks of them as worn in the hair:

"Loosely flow her golden locks;

If she stays them 'tis with jasmines,

Chains them, 'tis with pinks and stocks."

In this country, ladies seldom adorn themselves with natural flowers, and yet we have many that would bloom through an evening very well. The introduction of such a fashion might be an important advantage to the fair sex: should the rooms be very warm, and likely to injure the beauty of their floral ornaments, and cause them to droop prematurely, they would be compelled, like Cinderella in her fairy dress, to retire at a seasonable hour, before such a catastrophe should take place; which would be of no small benefit to their health and beauty. In the East, ladies commonly wear natural flowers. Thunberg speaks upon the subject with a gallantry quite enthusiastic:

“The ladies in Batavia," says "" he, wear neither caps nor hats;

but tie up their hair (which is only anointed with oil, and has no powder in it) in a large knot on the crown of their heads, and adorn it with jewels, and wreaths of odoriferous flowers. In the evenings, when the ladies pay visits to each other, they are decorated in a particular manner about the head with a wreath of flowers, of the Nyctanthes Sambac, run upon a thread. These flowers are brought every day fresh to town for sale. The smell of them is inconceivably delightful, like that of orange and lemon flowers: the whole house is filled with the fragrant scent, enhancing, if possible, the charms of the ladies' company, and of the society of the fair sex."

PART II.

MISCELLANY

OF

NOTES AND CORRESPONDENCE.

New or Rare Plants.

ANONA PALUSTRIS. WATER OR ALLIGATOR APPLE TREE. (Bot. Mag. 4226.) Anonaceæ. Polyandria Monogynia. This plant was long since introduced into this country from the West Indies, but is still very rare. It is an evergreen tree, growing in its native country five yards high. The flowers are produced singly, each blossom about an inch across, petals thick and fleshy, pale greenishyellow, with a red blotch within. The fruit is the size of a largish apricot, a yellowish-brown outside, and deep orange within. A plant has recently fruited in the hothouse in the gardens of Mrs. Sherborne, of Hurst House, near Prescott, in Lancashire.

ARISTOLOCHIA GIGANTEA. GIGANTIC-FLOWERED. (Bot. Mag. 4221.) Aristolochieæ. Gynandria Hexandria. It is a native of Brazil, and has bloomed in the hothouse collection of Messrs. Lucombe, Pince, and Co., of Exeter Nursery. It is an extensive climber. The Perianth (flower) is about ten inches long. The tube is bent like a syphon of a creamy-white tinged with green; it then expands into a large shell-like limb; the outside cream-coloured, netted with veins, the inside nearly white, and the beautiful net-work of purple veins renders it very interesting.

BOUVARDIA LONGIFLORA. LONG-FLOWERED. (Bot. Mag. 4223.) Rubiacea. Tetrandria Monogynia. A native of Mexico, which has been received into the gardens of the Earl of Derby, Knowsley Park, near Prescott. It is a branching shrub, flowering abundantly. The flowers are produced in terminal corymbous heads, each corymb having from ten to twelve blossoms. The flowers are very fragrant, pure white. Each blossom has a slender tube near two inches long, and the four top-spreading petals are an inch across. It is a most charming species, well deserving to be grown in every greenhouse; and if it be as hardy as the former species, will make a valuable plant for the open air, in the flower garden, during summer.

ERANTHEMUM ALBIFLORUM. WHITE-FLOWERED. (Bot. Mag. 4225.) Acanthaceae. Diandria Monogynia. Messrs. Lucombe, Pince, and Co., of Exeter Nursery, obtained seeds of this very pretty flowering species from Bahia. Its foliage is large and handsome, and it bears long branching spikes of pure white blossoms. The plant is shrubby, and grows about two and a half feet high. It requires to be grown in the hothouse, or a very warm greenhouse. This pretty white-flowered species will contrast beautifully with the fine rich blue of that deservedly-esteemed species E. pulchellum. Each blossom is about three quarters of an inch across.

GESNERA GERARDIANA. A native of South America, obtained by the Very Rev. the Dean of Manchester; it has bloomed with Messrs. Rollisson's, and R. G. Lorraine, Esq., of Wallington Lodge, near Carshalton. It very much resembles the G. zebrina. The terminal spikes of flowers are large. Each flower is about two inches long, scarlet above and yellow below, beautifully dotted with red.

INDIGOFERA DECORA. THE COMELY. (Bot. Reg. 22.) Fabaceæ. Diadelphia Decandria. A dark green handsome bushy shrub, sent from the nursery VOL. XIV. No. 159.

K

gardens at Shanghi, by Mr. Fortune, to the London Horticultural Society. The flowers grow from the axils of the leaves in horizontal racemes, they are of a light rose-colour and very handsome. It is supposed to be hardy, but its scarcity at present has prevented a trial; it flourishes freely in the greenhouse.

SACCOLABIUM AMPULLACEUM. FLASK-FORMED. (Pax. Mag. Bot.) Orchidacea. Gynandria Monandria. (Synonyme Aerides ampullacea.) A native of the forests of Sylhet, and brought by Mr. Gibson to the collection at Chatsworth. The flowers are borne on shortish erect spikes, and are of a beautiful bright rose colour.

SARCOCHILUS CALCEOLUS. THE SLIPPERED FLESHLIP. Orchidaceae. Gynandria Monandria. A native of Manilla, obtained by Messrs. Loddiges's. The flowers are white, the lip having a dash of yellow. Each flower is about two inches and a half across.

SCHUBERTIA GRAVEOLENS. STRONG-SCENTED. (Bot. Reg. 21.) Asclepidaceæ. Pentandria Digynia. A native of Brazil, the Countess of Wilton having procured it from thence. When Stephanotus floribundus made its appearance, it was generally considered the finest twining plant introduced into this country. The present new plant is equal to it. The flowers are produced in large umbellous heads, similar to the Stephanotis. The blossoms are larger, white, and very fragrant, and are borne in profusion. The plant blooms for several months successively. It may be obtained at the London nurseries.

SILENE SCHAFTA. THE SCHAFTA. (Bot. Reg. 20.) Curyophyllaceae. Decandria Trigynia. A native of Russia; a hardy perennial herbaceous plant, producing numerous spreading branches, terminated by several bright rose and purple flowers, each being about an inch across. The stems rise about six inches high, very suitable for bedding, or rock work.

TRICHOSANTHUS COLUBRINA. THE SERPENT CUCUMBER. There has long been in this country what is termed the Snake Cucumber, but the present is only, we understand, in the collection at Sir J. H. Williams, Bart., of Bodelwyddan, near St. Asaph. The seeds were sent there from Puerto Caballo, in Equatorial America. It resembles a cucumber in growth. The flowers are white, beautifully cut into delicate threads. The fruits which hang down from the rafter trellis to which vines were trained in the Bodelwyddau Gardens resemble serpents, are six feet long, and when unripe are singularly striped with green and white, which changes as it ripens to a brilliant orange.

EPACRIS HYACINTHIFLORA. This very pretty variety has been raised in the nursery of Messrs. Henderson, Edgware-road, London. The form of the flowers very much resemble those of the Hyacinth. They are of a lilac-rose colour, large and waxy. It is a very neat and beautiful variety.

APHELANDRIA. A new species has been in bloom at Messrs. Rollisson's for several months. It is a vigorous plant, and bears very long terminal spikes of bright crimson flowers. It is a very beautiful and showy species.

LOBELIA ERINUS COMPACTA ALBA. This is a very neat variety of the dwarfspreading Lobelia; it grows more erect than L. erinus, the flowers are larger, and a pure white. It is very suitable for masses in beds, or to form edging, and contrasts prettily with the blue kinds. It may be had at most nurseries.

RUELLIA MACROPHYLLA. LARGE-LEAVED RUELLIA. Stove Perennial. This fine herbaceous plant is a native of Santa Martha, according to Vahl. It bears large branching forked panicles, loaded with flowers of glowing scarlet, and nearly three inches long. In that state it was exhibited at a meeting of the Horticultural Society in October last, by Mr. Carton, gardener to his Grace the Duke of Northumberland. It should be an instruction to all persons sending home South American seeds not to forget the fine species of Acanthads with which that part of the world abounds; for although many are but weeds, yet others are quite as striking for their beauty as this and the Justicias, Aphelandras, &c. already in cultivation. They were formerly here in many instances, but requiring a moist warm atmosphere at a time when gardeners did not know how to obtain heat without dryness, they soon became sickly and died. Among

the reputed species of this very genus, we see in our herbarium the Ruellia trivialis, grandiflora and longiflora of Salzmann, all from the woods of Bahia, every one of which is a finer species than even this. Nor are the East India species inferior, as is attested by the numerous kinds of Goldfussia, Strobilanthes, Dipteracanthus, &c., with which botanists are familiar only, however, in their dried gardens. As they are easily propagated and grown, all these would be real acquisitions, and might easily be had. This species requires to be kept in a stove, and being a plant of free growth, will succeed in almost any sort of soil: During summer an ample supply of water should be given to its root, and syringed over head once or twice a day. After flowering it should be cut back to secure a supply of young shoots from the bottom, for flowering the following season. This may be done advantageously once or twice, but for such free-growing plants it is best to renew them every three years. In winter when syringing would be injurious, it will be necessary to keep up a humid atmosphere, as this plant is very liable to be attacked by red spider. It is easily multiplied by cuttings of young wood under ordinary treatment.—Bot. Reg.

SEDUM KAMTCHATICUM. Hardy Perennial. A handsome herbaceous plant, with yellow flowers like those of Sedum Aizoon, which it much resembles in habit. The leaves are red edged, and the stem has also a strong stain of that colour. It requires a light soil and dry situation. It flowers from June to August, and proves to be a fine showy plant for rock-work, where it blooms freely and remains long in succession,-Journ. Hort. Soc.

RHYNCHOSPERMUM JASMINOIDES. JASMIN-LIKE. A greenhouse climber. A slender climbing evergreen shrub, rooting along its branches, wherever it touches a damp surface, like ivy. The flowers are white, deliciously sweet-scented, and produced in small irregular corymbs on the ends of peduncles considerably larger than the leaves. Their calyx consists of five narrow smooth convex sepals, rolled backwards, and much shorter than the tube of the corolla, with a very shallow-toothed glandular ring surrounding the base of the latter. The corolla is about three quarters of an inch long, pure white, salver-shaped, contracted in the middle of the tube, with a partially spreading border, whose five divisions are wedge-shaped, truncate, and twisted obliquely,-Journ, Hort, Soc.

CALYSTEGIA PUBESCENS. DOWNY BINDWEED. Hardy Perennial. (Bindweeds.) North of China.--This curious plant approaches very nearly to the C. sepium or larger Bindweed of our English hedges, from which it differs in having firmer and smaller leaves, much narrower bracts, and a fine pubescence spread over every part. It is the first plant of its order that has been mentioned as producing double flowers. They are about as large as those of a double anemone, but the petals are arranged with the irregularity of the rose; they are of a pale very delicate pink, and remain expanded for some days. The calyx is quite unchanged. The exterior petals are very much lacerated and irregular in form; those next the centre are narrow, drawn together into a kind of cone; the next central are completely concealed by those without them, and diminish till they are mere scales, analogous to those which may be found in the first buds which burst in the spring. Not a trace can be found of stamens or pistil. It is probably quite hardy if planted in a dry situation. It requires a rich loamy soil and is easily increased by the roots. The roots very much resemble those of the common bindweed (Calystegia sepium). It flowers freely in July and August. It is a very handsome climbing plant, with large double flowers, which are produced freely.―Journ. Hort. Soc.

ABELIA FLORIBUNDA. Caprifoliaceae. Greenhouse (or half hardy) shrub; rosy pink.

AZALEA OVATA. Ericaceae. Hardy (or half hardy) shrub; two vars., one white, the other pink, both spotted.-Journ. Hort. Soc.

AZALEA OBTUSA. Ericaceae. Greenhouse (or half hardy) shrub; deep red.Journ. Hort. Soc.

AZALEA SQUAMATA. Ericaceae. Greenhouse (or half hardy) shrub ; rose colour. -Journ. Hort. Soc.

AZALEA INDICA, ALBA MAGNIFLORA. Ericaceae. Greenhouse shrub (hybrid); white faintly streaked.

AZALEA INDICA, VIOLACEA ELegans.

bright purple.

Ericaces. Greenhouse shrub (hybrid);

COCHLEARIA ACAULIS. Cruciferæ. Hardy annual; white, changing to lilac. -Journ. Hort. Soc.

DAPHNE FORTUNI. Thymelaceæ. Greenhouse (or half hardy) shrub; pale bluish lilac.-Journ. Hort. Soc.

EDGWORTHIA CHRYSANTHA. Thymelacea. shrub; golden yellow.-Journ. Hort. Soc.

Greenhouse (or half hardy)

FORTUNEA CHINENSIS. Juglandaceæ. Small tree (or shrub); amentaceous. -Journ. Hort. Soc.

JASMINUM NUDIFLORUM. Jasminacea. Greenhouse climber; yellow.-Journ. Hort. Soc.

AMARYLLIS LEONENSIS. Sierra Leone. The flowerscape bears two very large and very handsome flowers, of a beautiful delicate flesh colour, having a large dark centre to each.- Van. Houtte's Mag.

ANTHADENIA SESAMOIDES. Bignoniaceæ. A biennial plant, very similar in habit, and the flowers in form and colour, to the common Fox Glove, very fragrant, from Africa.- Van Houtte's Mag.

RIGIDELLA ORTHANTHA.

Iridaceæ. Mexico. The flowers are a rich scarlet, very handsome.- Van Houtte's Mag.

THE LONDON HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY.-At the meetings which have taken place this year at the Society's rooms in Regent-street, several new and rare plants have been exhibited, which we will briefly notice.

At the meeting held on February 17, Messrs. Henderson, of Edgeware-road, had a fine plant of Phaius Wallichii, and an Oncidium, allied to Bauerii, with seven strong spikes of flowers and three smaller ones; a Coelogyne, with small white flowers; Acacia oxycedrus; A. Hovea, with lanceolate leaves and blue flowers; and a pretty little plant of the scarlet-flowered Hoitzia Mexicana, not often seen; a certificate was given to the Phaius. Mr. Parks, of Dartford Nursery, had a dull-red seedling Correa, and a small rose-coloured seedling Cineraria. Mr. Halley, of Blackheath, had a pretty seedling Camellia, named Beauté Parfait, of small size, deep rose-pink, and cupped. Mr. Ivery, of Peckham, had four seedling Cinerarias, of good properties, named Brilliant, a light rose colour; Fairy Queen, white, with purple centre; Perfection, bluish purple; and Colossus, purple. Mr. Redding, gardener to Mr. Marryatt, of Wimbledon, had a neat plant of Dendrobium nobile; a species of Aspidistra, a curious Aroideous plant, with flowers close to the ground; Odontoglossum caudatum ; and a seedling Rhododendron, with light scarlet-red flowers, not much spotted; a certificate was given to the Dendrobium. Amongst the plants from the garden of the Society were Epidendrum Stamfordianum, a species rarely seen; Primula denticulata, a Nepal species, quite hardy, and producing bunches of lilac flowers; and Selago distans, a useful white-flowered plant for cutting, blooms abundantly.

There was also exhibited a new Hygrometer from Mr. Simmonds, of Colemanstreet, London, of which trials of the most satisfactory nature were stated to have been made at Chiswick. It was found to be much superior to the instrument known as Daniell's Hygrometer. It consists of a tube about a foot long, at the upper part of which is a dial-plate, which indicates by a hand the hygrometrical state of the atmosphere-the hand pointing towards the right to indicate dryness, and to the left to indicate wetness. Advantage has been taken of the known property of wood to contract by dryness, and expand by moisture. A strip of mahogany, cut across the grain, contracts or expands according to the moisture of the atmosphere to which it is exposed, and, in so doing, moves a pulley attached to a spring by means of a silken thread, which moves the hand on the dial-plate; a certificate was awarded to it. Mr. Fry, of Blackheath,