therefore required to avoid destruction by damp. Admit air in abundance whenever the weather permits, and occasionally, when a mild day presents, clean the pit throughout, stirring the surface a little; also scrupulously remove all dead leaves and branches from the plants. Carefully and sparingly give water now and then, as absolutely required only. By observing these rules, injury from frost and damp is avoided. Alstroemerias, Lilium speciosum, and others, should be re-potted. Any young plants which have filled their pots with roots should be potted into larger, as they require, from time to time. If a syringing of the plants over-head be really necessary, let it be done in the morning of a day which is likely to be fine, and air be admitted freely. Fuchsias, to bloom early, should now be pruned, and as soon as the new shoots appear, re-pot them.

IN THE STOVE.

Old plants of Fuchsia corymbiflora now gently pushed on will come finely into bloom by the first week in May, or, if the season be fine, earlier. Exotic seeds should now be sown (see Articles in former volumes), as Fuchsias, Calceolarias, &c. Successive introductions of plants forced must be brought in, as Roses, Lilacs, Azaleas, Acacias, Heliotropes, Correas, Coronillas, Cinerarias, Sweet Violets, Cactuses, Cyclamens, Gardenias, Justicias, Eranthemums, Honeysuckles, Pinks, Gesneria zebrinas, Neriums, Mignonette, &c., and pots or boxes of Hyacinth, Narcissus, Persian Iris, and Crocus, so as to have a constant succession of bloom. Specimen plants for exhibitions will require re-potting, pruning, &c. Ixoras should be elevated, so as to be near the glass, in order to set their bloom; they must have plenty of air at all times convenient. Attacks from red spider at the under side of the leaves must be looked after, and at once destroyed, or they will soon spread their ravages, as will be exhibited by the leaves becoming brown and spotted.

NEGLECTED PLANTS.

BY PHILO.

IN reading the Article on Alstromerias, in the last number of the CABINET, it occurred to me that A. acutifolia was almost lost, so seldom is it to be found in gardens of the present day. As a plant to train against a wall it succeeds admirably. In August it produces its magnificent heads of orange and scarlet flowers, so very distinct from all other creepers that I am surprised to find it so scarce. Another creeper of great beauty, of recent introduction, is not grown to the extent it deserves, I mean Calystegia pubescens. If planted in the open ground and trained to trellis-work, it produces a succession of its lovely double rose-coloured blossoms all the summer. The lovely Myosotis Azoricus is also a plant of great beauty, but little known. Grown either in pots or the open ground, it flowers through the summer months. The flowers open a rich purple, and change to red, so that two distinct colours are on the same plant at the same time. The two first are quite hardy, the last requires a little protection in winter. They ought to be in every collection. I intend to notice many other neglected floral beauties in successive numbers.

FOR

TROPEOLUM WAGNERIANUM.

OR an account of this exceedingly elegant Spanish cress, lately introduced from mountains in the province of Trujillo, in Venezuela, we are indebted to the following communication by Dr. S. F. KLOTZSCH:

"Of the Tropaeolum species this is the third kind which has come to our knowledge since the year 1842 possessing the peculiarity of having its blossoms borne upon long thin stalks, spirally wound at the middle. The air of lightness and elegance thus given to the plant is more easily to be imagined than described. The first of the kinds having these spiral flower-stalks was discovered by Mr. Mathews at Chacapayas, in the Andes of Peru, ranged in his collection No. 3177, and described, with an illustration, by Sir W. J. Hooker, in his Icones plantarum, Plate 411, as T. cirrhipes. The present kind is, like the two others, tuberless, smooth, and with long, three-cornered, blunt, shield-like leaves; the spur of the chalice is orange-coloured, and the point of the same, as well as the petals, are said to be green.

"The second sort, discovered by Mr. Moritz in the colony of Tovar, in Columbia, but first introduced here by Dr. H. Karsten, by means of seed, was illustrated and described by these gentlemen in Karsten's "Selection of New and Splendid Flowering Plants," Plate 12, as T. Deckerianum. It is distinguished from T. cirrhipes, Hook., with which it has the greatest affinity in the form of its leaves, by all its parts, except the petals, stamens, and pistils, being covered with short and sparing hair, and by its azure petals.

"The third sort, which Dr. Karsten only lately discovered in some damp woods on the mountains of Trujillo, and also introduced here by means of fresh seed, was dedicated by him, as a mark of friendship, to his present companion, Mr. Wagner, the horticulturist. It is distinguished from T. Deckerianum by its want of hair, its dark violet petals, VOL. XVIII. No. 39.-N.S.

F

and in the form of its leaves, which on the upper surface are dark green and shining; in this last respect it differs also from T. cirrhipes. Trapæolum Wagnerianum, Karsten. Etuberosum, glabrum, caule debile, radicante, scandente, foliis peltatis, oblongo-triangularibus, sub obliquis hastatis, basitruncatis, apice acuminatis, nitidis, subra saturata, subtus pallide viridibus; floribus in apice ramorum axilaribus, solitariis, pendulis; pedicellis tenuissimus, circinatis, bipollicaribus; calycis calcare tubuloso, recto saturate roseo, pollicem ad sesquipollicem longo, laciniis lacte viridibus, obtusis; petalis cuneiformibus, saturata violaceis, versus apicem septem dentatis; dentibus setosis calycis laciniis, pacello longioribus; staminibus octo, æqualibus, filamentis violaceis, antheris cœruleis." (Karsten, MSS.)

We are enabled to add, this new Tropaolum was grown last summer from seed sent by Dr. Karsten to Mr. Decker's garden in Berlin. The treatment differs but little from that of other tuberless sorts. The propagation by slips is, as with others, very easy; seeds, on the contrary, run up with difficulty. Growing at an elevation of 5000 feet, it requires in winter a temperature not exceeding 8° (Réaumur); it is in general of a very hard texture, and displays rapid growth, and is therefore especially adapted for covering walls and arbours, particularly those with a northern and eastern aspect.

Moisture, and in particular daily watering over the leaves and shoots, is extremely advantageous. In its native country it is said to bloom the whole year through, and there is no reason why it should not do so in our greenhouses.

Mr. F. A. Haage, jun., florist, of Erfurt, is in possession of the entire stock of this very handsome species, and purposes to send out plants in April next.

NOTES ON NEW OR RARE PLANTS.

ACANTHOPHIPPIUM JAVANICUM.

Orchidea. Gynandria Monandria.

A native of the woods of the mountain of Salak, in Java; introduced into this country by Messrs. Loddiges. It bloomed finely in the Royal Gardens of Kew last summer. The flower scape rises about a foot high, bearing six to eight flowers. Each blossom is about four inches across, yellow tinged, and beautifully streaked with purplish-red. It grows very freely in loose, turfy, peat soil, kept in the warm division of the orchideous house. It is a very handsome species. (Figured in Bot. Mag., 4492.)

ANEMONE JAPONICA, var. HYBRIDA.

This is a variety raised by impregnation of the A. japonica by the white-flowered A. vitifolia. The variety has smaller, cup-shaped blossoms than the Japan species, and the flowers are of a more delicate pale rose, almost white at the margin. It is a pretty variety. It was raised in the garden of the Horticultural Society. (Figured in May. of Bot.)