Read Ebook: The Botanical Magazine Vol. 06 Or Flower-Garden Displayed by Curtis William

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The Iris of PARKINSON, referred to in the synonyms, accords so exactly with our plant, in every circumstance but smell, which is not mentioned, that we have no doubt but it was cultivated in our gardens in his time.

CONVOLVULUS NIL. AZURE CONVOLVULUS.

PENTANDRIA MONOGYNIA.

It flowers from July to September.

Though apparently common in our gardens formerly, it is now very rarely met with.

ERICA GRANDIFLORA. GREAT-FLOWERED HEATH.

OCTANDRIA MONOGYNIA.

The Erica here figured, is one of the many new and beautiful species, which within these few years have been sent from the Cape by Mr. MASSON, and which have contributed so greatly to enrich the royal garden at Kew.

The blossoms of this species, whether we regard their magnitude, their colour, their smooth and glossy surface, or the regular position of the filaments, projecting beyond the corolla, and closing together by the antherae, excite our notice, and claim our admiration.

Like every other heath, the hardy ones excepted, it is a greenhouse plant, and flowers from May to July.

Our drawing was made from a plant finely blown, in the collection of JAMES VERE, Esq. Kensington-Gore.

ORNITHOGALUM AUREUM. GOLDEN ORNITHOGALUM.

HEXANDRIA MONOGYNIA.

This highly ornamental species is of modern introduction, having been received by Mess. LEE and KENNEDY, a few years since from the Cape, of which it is a native.

In the greenhouse, where this plant has hitherto been kept, its blossoms come forth as early as January and February, and continue for several months; they will long display their beauty, if the stem be cut off and put in a phial of water.

It is propagated by offsets from its bulbs, and has the appearance of being a plant of kindly growth and easy management.

PRIMULA MARGINATA. SILVER-EDGED PRIMULA.

PENTANDRIA MONOGYNIA.

It is a very delicate pretty plant, with a pleasing musky smell, and flowers in March and April. To succeed in its cultivation, it should be placed in a pot of stiffish loam, mixed with one-third rotten leaves, bog earth, or dung, and plunged in a north border, taking care that it does not suffer for want of water in dry seasons; thus treated, it increases by its roots nearly as readily as the Auricula, and may be propagated by parting its' roots early in April or September. |

CYPRIPEDIUM ACAULE. TWO-LEAVED LADY'S SLIPPER.

GYNANDRIA DIANDRIA.

Nectarium ventricosum, inflatum, cavum.

We have not figured the present species of Cypripedium so much on account of its beauty as of its rarity, for it is far less handsome than any of the other species that we are acquainted with.

It is a native of different parts of North-America, and flowers with us in May.

There is little difficulty in distinguishing it from the other foreign species, it has rarely more than two radical leaves, a very short flowering stem compared with the others, a large nectary in proportion to its size, which in the specimens we have seen has been divided on its upper part, through its whole length, so as in fact to destroy in a great degree that shoe or slipper-like form, from which this genus has taken its name.

Like the rest of the family, it requires a little extraordinary care in its culture; its roots should be placed in a pot filled with loam and bog-earth, or rotten leaves, well mixed, and plunged in a north border, where in severe seasons it will be proper to shelter it; if the whole border be formed of the same soil or compost the pot will be less necessary.

Our drawing was made from a plant growing with Messrs. GRIMWOOD and Co. Kensington.

NARCISSUS ANGUSTIFOLIUS. NARROW-LEAVED NARCISSUS.

HEXANDRIA MONOGYNIA.

Narcissus albus circulo purpureo, v et vi } Narcissus albus magno odoro flore circulo pallido,} C. Bauh. Narcissus pallidus circulo luteo }

Narcissus medio purpureus praecox, } Narcissus medio purpureus serotinus,} Park Parad. Narcissus medio luteus vulgaris, }

FRITILLARIA IMPERIALIS. CROWN IMPERIAL.

HEXANDRIA MONOGYNIA.

The Crown Imperial, a native of the East, most probably of Persia, was introduced according to DODONAEUS, into the gardens of the emperor and some of the nobility at Vienna in 1576; it appears to have been cultivated here as early as 1596: both GERARD and PARKINSON describe it minutely, the latter on account of its "stately beautifulness, gives it the first place in his garden of delight."

It flowers usually in the beginning of April; the whole plant sends forth a strong unpleasant smell, compared by most writers to that of a fox, perceptible when you approach it; to this effluvia PARKINSON endeavours to reconcile us by saying that it is not unwholesome; it is so disagreeable however, that few choose to have many of these plants, or those in the most frequented parts of their gardens, yet it ought not to be proscribed, for independent of its beauty, there is much in it to admire, and especially its singular Nectaria, which in the form of a white glandular excavation decorate the base of each petal; in these usually stands a drop of clear nectareous juice; the peduncle or flower-stalk which bends downwards when the plant is in flower, becomes upright as the seed ripens.

Of this plant, as of all others which have long been objects of culture, there are many varieties; those most generally cultivated in our gardens are the common orange-flowered single and double, yellow single and double, gold-striped leaved, and silver-striped leaved; the Dutch in their catalogues enumerate thirteen varieties.

Luxuriant plants will sometimes produce a second and even a third whorl or crown of flowers, and the flat-stalked ones which are monsters, have been known to produce seventy-two blossoms, but none of these are found to be constant.

The Crown Imperial, though a native of a much warmer climate than ours, is a hardy bulb, and not very nice in regard to soil, succeeds best in such as is stiffish, enriched with manure, and placed in a sheltered situation.

Is propagated by offsets, which are produced in tolerable abundance.

CHEIRANTHUS MUTABILIS. CHANGEABLE WALL-FLOWER.

TETRADYNAMIA SILIQUOSA.

In sheltered gardens at the foot of a wall, we have known this species survive a mild winter; it seems indeed to be almost as hardy as the common stock; it is most commonly however kept in the green-house.

The usual way of propagating this species, which is of ready and quick growth, is by cuttings, which should be put into the ground as soon as the plant has done flowering; these if properly treated will become handsome plants to place in the green-house at the approach of Winter, and to decorate it the ensuing Spring; in like manner may the green-house be annually recruited with many similar plants to great advantage.

DECANDRIA DIGYNIA.

Is found spontaneously on the Alps of Siberia, and, according to Mr. AITON, was introduced in 1765 by Dr. SOLANDER. No plant is more readily increased by parting its roots, which may be done either in spring or autumn.

NARCISSUS BIFLORUS. TWO-FLOWER'D NARCISSUS.

Both GERARD and PARKINSON describe and figure this plant, informing us that it was very common in the gardens in their time; the former indeed mentions it as growing wild in fields and sides of woods in the West of England; the latter says he could never hear of its natural place of growth. CLUSIUS reports that he had been credibly informed of its growing wild in England; it probably may, but of this it remains for us to be more clearly ascertained; it undoubtedly is the plant mentioned by RAY in his Synopsis.

INDIGOFERA CANDICANS. WHITE-LEAVED INDIGO.

DIADELPHIA DECANDRIA.

Its principal period of flowering is from about the beginning of May to the middle of June, at which time it is highly ornamental in the green-house: strong healthy plants produce from five to eight blossoms in a spike: on a plant growing with Mr. COLVILL, Nurseryman, King's-Road, Chelsea, we once counted nine: a few of these usually produce seed-vessels containing perfect seeds, by which the plant is mostly propagated; it may also be raised by cuttings, but not very readily.

ASTER ALPINUS. ALPINE ASTER.

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