lowing particulars relative to it are given; as numerous readers of the work may not have seen the remarks, I beg their insertion at the present. "Benthamia fragifera.-We are at a loss for words calculated to give expression to our admiration of this most truly splendid evergreen shrub. Seeds of it were sent by Sir Anthony Buller, during his residing in the East Indies, to his relative, J. H. Tremayne, Esq., Heligan, in Cornwall, in whose garden the plant was raised by the very worthy gardener, Mr. Roberts, who has had the honour and pleasure of raising, flowering, and fruiting, for the first time in Europe, this unrivalled hardy shrub. The fruit in the figure is from the finest on the branch sent us.. The flowers are terminal, and surrounded by au involucre two inches across, of four yellowish parts resembling petals. The real flowers are of a whitish green, small. The profusion of both parts, in the heads of flowers, render them very showy. The flowers are succeeded by a profusion of splendid fruit, which, from their weight, are somewhat pendulous ; the appearance during autumn and winter must form a most delightful object. The flesh is rather insipid, and slightly bitter to the taste, but somewhat agreeable. It is of a yellow colour inside. The plant was raised in 1825, and has been planted out in the open air; it has not required even the slightest protection during winter. It is growing in a strong soil. The bush is now seventeen feet high, and spreads proportionably. It is readily increased by seeds, layers, or cuttings, struck under a hand-glass, using a loamy soil." My residence being about thirty-six miles from Heligan, I had an opportunity of seeing the shrub in beauteous condition. I then obtained a fine plant, which is now nearly as high as the original plant, but of course not so strong. It bears fruit profusely every season. The situation it grows in has an open south aspect, sheltered on the other three by a thick yew fence, belted by a plantation, buildings, &c. The grounds are upon the south slope of a hill, dry, warm. It was planted in the open air at first, in a rich loam, upon a dry substratum, and from that time to the present has not had the least additional protection, nor has it been in the least injured by winter, frosts, &c. On one occasion the temperature was down at 14° Fahrenheit, and several other times exceedingly severe. Some persons have doubted whether it could be grown successfully in the open air generally in this country. I have seen it flourish in Devon

shire, Wiltshire, Sussex, and Yorkshire, and I am nearly confident, if the situation be somewhat high, dry, and sheltered from cutting: winds, that it will grow well in any part of England, and most certainly ought to be in every shrubbery where it can be grown. Plants of it can now be procured at a trifling cost.

I have not visited Heligan since 1834, but a friend of mine saw the original plant last summer, and informs me that it is about eight yards high, spreading proportionately; and the trunk is two feet in girth near the ground, and carries up a gradual fine main trunk.

ARTICLE VIII.

ON GROWING THE CALLA RICHARDIA (FORMERLY C. ETHIOPICA) IN THE OPEN AIR.

BY A LADY AMATEUR GARDENER, NEAR BELFORD, IN NORTHUMBERLAND.

My last communication on the planting out of Geraniums, Verbenas, &c., was so kindly received, that I am encouraged to hazard a few words on the Calla Ethiopica, or, as it is now styled, the Calla Richardia.

It is not, I believe, very generally known, that this beautiful plant will flourish in the open air. I have, however, tried the experiment with several during the past season in my own flower garden, and with complete success.

About the beginning of June, after they had done flowering in the greenhouse, I turned them out of their pots into the open ground, in clumps of four or five, so that one or two at least of the group might be constantly in bloom.

The cold winds with which we were at that time visited rather cut them, but fresh leaves soon began to push, and they blossomed as freely and stood much longer than they had ever done in the greenhouse; and another year, should it be required, a few Fir branches will effectually protect them when they are first put out.

It should be borne in mind that the Calla Richardia is a water plant, as its English name, "Lily of the Nile," demonstrates, it ought, therefore, at all times to be well supplied with water, and doubly so should the season prove a dry one.

As an encouragement to timid florists, who may imagine that the Calla Richardia requires a very fine aspect, I beg to say that my

flower garden is situated on the eastern coast of Northumberland, and slopes from the sun, instead of to it; yet notwithstanding these disadvantages, my plants were not taken in before the end of October, and they might have remained even longer with perfect safety. [We shall be obliged by further communications.-CONDUCTOR.]

ARTICLE IX.

ON GUANO.

[WE have not previously introduced much into our Magazine on the use of Guano, in its application to flowers; a great deal has been wrote upon it in other publications, and some very opposite statements made. There are horticulturists in theory who applaud almost everything new, and those who reposed confidence in their statements, and embodied it in practice, have, in numerous instances, incurred an expensive loss. It has been our course to wait and ascertain practically, before we either commend or condemn. The following particulars are from persons who have tried the use of Guano for some time, and to a considerable extent; we did so with some pot plants last summer, and found its application produce the best effects on Fuchsias and Pelargoniums.-CONDUCTOR.]

On the application of Guano to flowers, whether in the open ground or in pots, the following particulars are instructive :—

Mr. T. E. Teschemacher addressing the Horticultural Society of Massachusetts, stated

attention, and been Fuchsia fulgens:

"In the following experiments, I will first observe, that all those plants which were treated with Guano, were potted in a mixture, consisting of plain earth without any manure, sand, and a little leafmould, and peat, with which the Guano was mixed; that those plants which are compared with them, have been grown in the richest compost, and that both have had the same grown otherwise under the same circumstances. one year seedling, potted 17th of June, when two and a-half inches high, with one tea-spoonful of Guano; re-potted 9th of August, then twelve inches high, with another spoonful of Guano, is now a foot and a-half high. The contrast between this and the two-year old plant is very striking, both as to luxuriance of growth and colour of the foliage, the plant with Guano being vastly superior. I think also

that the colour of the flowers is improved; it is well known among gardeners that it is rather difficult to grow this plant well. Pelargoniums: two seedlings grown with Guano, and one of the same sowing without; on the 17th of June, the two former were potted with one tea-spoonful of Guano, and re-potted on the 9th August, with another tea-spoonful; here also the difference in favour of Guano is very great. China roses: two cuttings, potted 17th of June, each with one tea-spoonful of Guano; one was then seven inches high, the other four and a half. They are now thirty-four and twenty-eight inches high respectively, with large healthy foliage and stems; these have not received a second application of Guano. Celosia cristata, or Cock's-comb: one seedling, with one tea-spoonful and one of the same sowing without; the size of the stem, foliage, and head of that with Guano is more than double that of the other, and the difference in the colour of the leaves is remarkable. Salvia patens, with one tea-spoonful of Guano-the effect here has been to lengthen the joints, and the flower appears smaller than usual. Acacia Farnesiana: a seedling, showing the size of the foliage and length of the joints previous to the application of a tea-spoonful of Guano, and the remarkable growth of both afterwards. A. Camellia, with two tea-spoonfuls: this specimen, which was quite small and unhealthy before the addition of Guano, as may be seen by the lower leaves, exhibits in a most marked manner, by its beautiful large deep green leaves and healthy bud the action of this manure. On a Camellia grown with a large proportion of fine wood charcoal, the foliage and buds are extremely fine and luxuriant, and of a healthy green colour, but not at all equal to that treated with Guano. One Balsam, two tea-spoonfuls; re-potted 9th of August with two more, to which a little lime was added. This is an ugly specimen, which confirms an observation in the "Gardener's Chronicle," that Balsams manured with Guano produced smaller flowers. I have watched it carefully, and found that not a single flower missed bearing its seedvessel, and that every seed-vessel I have opened contains from fourteen to twenty perfect seeds. From what I have seen of Guano, it is clear that its action is rapid and powerful on the stem and foliage, increasing their size and deepening their green colour; of this fact there can be no doubt. I think it probable that it diminishes the size of the flower in some cases, and that it improves the seed both in

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quantity and quality; of this, however, more experiments are required to prove the certainty. When those plants were re-potted, which received a second application, the roots were very numerous, and appeared in the most vigorous health-thick, succulent, pure white, the tips with that hairy appearance so well known to cultivators as a sign of strong growth. In Peru, it is customary, when using Guano to raise pepper, to manure three times; first, on the appearance of roots, then on the appearance of the leaves; and, lastly, on the formation of the fruit. I think the experiment of its action on all fruits, particularly the larger fruit trees, as apples, pears, peaches, &c., will be extremely interesting, as well as on the vine, which is well known to be excessively greedy for rich food, particularly for bone manure, the chief ingredient of which, phosphate of lime, Guano contains in considerable quantity."

Mr. Teschemacher then states that Guano contains, in large proportions, the ingredients necessary for the growth of plants in general, and for the maturation of seeds.

(To be continued.)

ARTICLE X.

ON BLOOMING THE THUNBERGIA CHRYSOPS.

BY A PRACTICAL FLOWER GARDENER.

As there has been some difficulty in flowering, the Thunbergia chrysops, perhaps the following may be useful to those who may not have succeeded in flowering it.

Last May I procured a small plant, and after it had filled the pot with roots, I potted it into a six-inches pot, in a mixture of loam and leaf mould (equal parts); the plant grew and flourished beautifully, but no signs of flowering. I commenced in October to stop every shoot at the third or fourth joint, taking care not to allow them to get more than one joint above where I stopped them, and now, to my great delight, my plant is almost covered with bloom, and shows indications of continuing so for some time to come.

I may state that it is trained in a pyramidal form, and having taken care to keep a sufficient quantity of young shoots close down to the top of the pot; it is a very beautiful specimen.

VOL. XIV. No. 157.

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