Plants And Seeds Of 1874

A large proportion of the new seeds and plants usually introduced each spring season are never heard of the next year, hence novelties have been very generally " discounted " for several years past. Still there are some gems in their way which quietly make their mark, and suddenly the public wonders why they have never heard of them before - objects of genuine merit will rarely fail of success and popularity. We have taken pains to ascertain what, among the novelties of 1873 and 1874, introduced in the United States, may be considered, from reliable authority, worthy of general favor, and herewith present a detailed list, with descriptions:

Plants At Henderson's & Veitch's, London

Mr. J. Appleby communicates to the London Cottage Gardener the following list, with observations on their most striking new plants: -

Plants For Drawing-Room Vases

At one of the South Kensington Horticultural shows, prizes were offered for best display of plants in vases; and the following is the arrangement of the best:

1st Prize

A small trumpet shaped vase, having three other curved trumpets rising from the same vase; this was nicely decorated with blue cornflowers (Centaurea cyanus), climbing Fern (Lygodium japonicum), and grasses.

2d Prize

A dish, out of which rose a trumpet vase, with two blooms of crimson Cactus, and two of White Water Lily, a few Fern fronds, and some grasses, prettily arranged.

Plants For Ferneries

A Correspondent of the Gardeners' Record gives the following list of desirable ferns for stocking ferneries:

First on the list is P. plumula, a rather dwarf growing fern, the fronds seldom attaining a greater height than from ten to twelve inches. Its habit, as its name specifies, is particularly graceful, and the color of the fronds very peculiar, being of a rich metallic green. It does extremely well planted among the chinks and crevices of rockwork, and in such situations increases itself rapidly. It succeeds well in a soil composed of light fibry peat, with a little leaf mould and silver sand added.

P. plebjum, another very neat growing species, a native of Mexico, having fronds from six to eight inches long, of a bright green color. Similar soil to that recommended for P. plumula will be found suitable.

P. depanum and P. trichodes are two other species well worthy of cultivation.

Plants For Parlor Nnd Conservatory

Of the many plants used to beautify the house, few equal the palms. There is a great variety of form, most of them having rather long, pendent, or curved plumose fronds. Many are delicate, and must be kept at an even genial temperature, protected from drafts, to insure any degree of success in their culture; but there are some quite hardy, that will do very well and give an attraction to any group of plants, and in any room kept a little above freezing. Among the most hardy we will name a few: Chamaerops, Fortunei, and tomentosa, very hardy; cabbage palms, cha-msedorea elegans, corypha Australis (fan palm), thrinax parviflora, are extremely beautiful; Latania borbonica; livistonia subglobosus is one of the prettiest fan palms we ever saw. All of the above are cheap, and can be had of most large floral establishments. - Southern Agriculturist.