literature. The best of the new plants are selected for inclusion in the Magazine as material becomes available.

In this article, however, it is only possible to touch on certain categories of plants, and that but briefly. Since the present time witnesses the vogue of outdoor gardening, new succulents, palms, orchids, ferns and other stove or greenhouse plants will be omitted; and forest trees, being somewhat of a luxury, will not be more than alluded to.

Taking rock plants first, introductions have naturally been most numerous amongst large genera such as Primula, Gentiana and Campanula, but choice additions occur in such small genera as Codonopsis, Dracocephalum, Nomocharis, Adenophora, Lewisia and Meconopsis. Amongst new gentians the two most striking are G. sino-ornata, collected by Forrest and first flowering in England in 1912, and G. Farreri, discovered and sent home by Farrer and Purdom in 1914, and not found since by any collector. The former has a corolla of rich royal blue, and the latter one of satiny methyl-blue, with a white throat. These two first-class plants are, in common with many other gentians, difficult to induce to flower well in the south, but grow like weeds in other parts, especially in the north of England and Scotland, where they flower profusely. Several other species have been introduced, but owing to their fastidious nature they have never got into general cultivation.

Another popular genus in the rock garden is Meconopsis, or the Blue Poppy, though like Gentiana, it is not always at home in the south. The older Himalayan species, M. aculeata, M. Wallichii and M. simplicifolia, have been re-introduced and their ranks have been fortified by M. latifolia from Kashmir, and by species from further east. Of these, the bright blue M. Prattii and the paler M. quintuplinervia succeed fairly well in the south. M. integrifolia, which Wilson was specially commissioned to collect, is a yellow species and the most recent acquisition is the beautiful pale blue M. Baileyi, introduced by Kingdon Ward from Tibet, which flowered for the first time in England in 1926. Several other new species have been found in China and seed sent home; but except in the north there is great difficulty in growing them well.

In no group of rock garden plants have there been so many recent additions as in the genus Primula, probably close on 100

species having been introduced into Great Britain during the present century. Practically all these have come from the SinoHimalayan region. An exception is P. Julia, which is a native of the Caucasus and which, though now so widely grown, only reached this country in 1910. It crosses freely with the primrose, and several hybrids (all with the magenta type of flower) may now be purchased. The earlier Chinese finds, mostly put on the market by Veitch or Bees, Ltd., were from seed sent home by Wilson or Forrest. Some of these, especially those of the Candelabra section, are easily grown and have become very popular; moreover they hybridise readily and hence other new forms have arisen. Wilson's species included P. pulverulenta and P. Cockburniana, both good plants of the Candelabra section and widely cultivated. To Forrest we are indebted for the following excellent and well-known species: P. Bulleyana, P. Beesiana, P. helodoxa, P. secundiflora, P. Littoniana, the last-named with a queer pointed head of purple flowers and red bracts, and also for a host of others. In other groups the plants are more delicate and are not yet well known. The species themselves are so beautiful that one almost dreads the possibility of hybridisation. The most recent novelties are those of Kingdon Ward, who discovered and introduced the following: P. microdonta, a delicate sulphur coloured plant allied to P. sikkimensis, with white, violet and claret-colour forms. A pale yellow form of this species, which occurs in countless thousands in the moist meadows above the Tsangpo gorge, is exceedingly fragrant. P. Florindae is a fine, strong, growing species also of the Sikkimense section, occurring in marshland and running water. P. Waltoni has ruby-red flowers suffused with meal, and grows on the banks of streams. The appearance of these coloured forms of the Sikkimensis group in Tibet and China is of interest, as in Sikkim itself only yellow forms are known. Another exceedingly beautiful Wardian species is P. Cawdoriana. This has violet bell-like flowers, with toothed petals and strongly resembles Soldanella alpina of the European Alps. A very fine exhibit of these new species, together with several other choice Primulas was shown at the Chelsea Show in 1926.

For the recent innovations in the flower garden and herbaceous border the credit is chiefly due to the plant-breeder; the new forms and colours in such genera as Aquilegia, Delphinium,

Gladiolus and Lupinus being the result of his skill. Exotics, however, continue to arrive. South African Compositæ are more plentiful than formerly and there are further possibilities both in the way of annuals and bulbs from this source. Several new tulips from Turkestan have reached us through the Dutch firm of van Tubergen. A few bulbous plants from California have found their way into various botanic gardens and Brazil has supplied us with the now well-known Salvia uliginosa. The results of the Balkan expeditions will soon be evident, since useful garden species of Veronica, Celsia, Verbascum, Linaria, Achillea, and the new orange Anthemis sancti-johannis have already found their way to Kew.

Mention must moreover be made of lilies, which can be used with great effect in various parts of the garden and especially amongst shrubs. Among the best novelties is L. cernuum, a native of Korea and Manchuria, introduced into a nursery at Petrograd and thence to England; it is a beautiful, fragrant species with grassy leaves, deep lilac pink flowers, spotted with dark purple. Another fine novelty is L. Duchartrei, described by Père David some fifty years ago, but not introduced into cultivation until thirty-five years later by Wilson; though the imported bulbs flower well, the plant is difficult to establish, but as Wilson puts it, "its beauty warrants extra care, coy as it is." The most useful of all the novelties is probably L. regale, which is of good constitution and thrives well in practically all parts of Great Britain. It is a native of Szechwan, and the sheets of its white, rose-flushed flowers, are said to transform desert areas into a garden of beauty and fragrance. L. Sargentiae is another fine trumpet species; it is allied to the last, but flowers later and has broader leaves which bear bulbils in the axils.

A related genus which, though not yet in the trade, is attracting much attention amongst lovers of choice plants, is Nomocharis. The flowers are of extreme beauty and elegance and are intermediate in character between a lily and fritillary. The genus particularly attracted Farrer, who described N. pardanthina in his most glowing style and predicted for other species a happy future in English gardens. A white-flowered species, freckled with maroon was subsequently introduced by Forrest, and some halfdozen others have since been discovered. Those hitherto introduced flower successfully under glass, but are, except in some parts of Scotland, by no means easy to cultivate in the open.

With regard to cultivated trees and shrubs a reference to W. J. Bean's well-known work indicates the great increase which occurred during the first fourteen years of the century.* Out of a total of about 2500 species (excluding varieties) some 300 were introduced between 1900 and the date of publication (1914). In view of the great activity of collectors during the past few years it may be safely said that since 1914 this number of additions has been doubled. Another striking feature brought out by a perusal of Bean's work is the importance of China as a source of supply; almost exactly 90 per cent. of the 300 introductions are from China. Since in modern gardening shrubs play such an important part, this influx of material from the east is bringing about a complete change in facies in many gardens, and no apology need be made for the word transformation or for the frequent reference to China. An idea of the relative proportion played by different parts of the world in thus modifying English gardens can best be obtained by an examination of the latest edition of the Kew Handlist. Incidentally it may also be noted that the number of species and varieties cultivated at Kew since the publication of the previous edition (1902) has increased by 1800, though it should be understood that many of these are still quite young and are not yet in general cultivation.

Amongst important genera the following may be selected as including some of the best of the novelties of the past twenty years or so: Magnolia-some half-dozen new species have been introduced, and, being mostly of moderate size, they are suitable for small gardens. They include the willow-leaved species M. salicifolia from Japan, M. Sargentiana, which rivals the magnificent pink-flowered M. Campellii of Bhootan and Sikkim, and M. Wilsonii, one of the very best of Wilson's introductions, a very floriferous and fragrant species with pure white flowers resembling those of the Japanese and Corean M. parviflora.

Berberis-Valued not only for its flowers and elegant habit but for its copious production of berries and fine autumn colouring; a host of new species have been discovered. Many have been introduced and are now more or less in general cultivation, but

*W. J. Bean," Trees and Shrubs Hardy in the British Isles." +Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew," Handlist of Trees and Shrubs," Ed. iii., 1925.

amongst the lesser known may be mentioned: B. Beanii, with large purple fruits; B. Morrisonii, a native of Formosa, with brilliant red globose berries and scarlet autumn foliage; and the slender B. Verna from Kansu, with very numerous pendulous racemes and small red fruits. Barberries hybridize readily, therefore seeds produced at home should be regarded with suspicion. They are however easily propagated vegetatively, and if cuttings are taken from authentic plants there is no difficulty in obtaining the true species. Staphylea holocarpa is a very beautiful pink flowered addition to the genus (allied to the maples, but with coloured flowers), of which we already have representatives from S. Europe and N. America and Japan.

Rosaceae-N. America has given us many Thorns (Cratægus), and Japan and China continue to supply ornamental cherries and crabs. There have been several valuable additions to the shrubby spiræas, and new cotoneasters have come in bewildering confusion, so much so that the number of cultivated species of this genus has been doubled, and the need of a systematic monograph is much felt. Of Rosa itself there are numerous novelties, the most noteworthy perhaps being R. Moyesi, which may be regarded as the Chinese representative of the Himalayan R. bracteata. It has fine, dark red flowers and long, bright red fruits. R. Fargesi, which has paler flowers and similar fruits, is closely allied.

Caprifoliaceae, or the Honeysuckle family-Both Asiatic and American shrubs of this family have found their way into English gardens for many years. New species of Dipelta and Abelia may now be had, and some score of new Chinese honeysuckles are available, several of which, though the flowers are small, are useful in having neat evergreen foliage. Some of the best novelties occur in Viburnum, notably V. Davidii with its beautiful blue fruits produced late in autumn; V. fragrans, a white, strongly scented deciduous species, especially valuable in flowering more or less throughout the winter, whilst a reference to the beautiful Corean V. Carlesii can hardly be omitted, though it was introduced earlier.

There are many new species of Syringa and Ligustrum, the former offering great opportunities to the hybridist. Buddleia in an allied family has been enriched by such improvements as B. Forresti, B. Fallowiana, B. Farreri, all of which have grey foliage and flowers of a soft, delicate hue. One of the most