UMASS/AMHERST 312066 0333 3060 9 i D 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 a a a a □ □ D n D D D D D D D n D D D D D D D D D D D D D o« il'***^ '"tRSt''' UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS LIBRARY D D n D D D D D D D D D D n D D D D D a D D D D D D D D D n D n D n D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D DDDDi DDDDDaDaDDDaDDDDDDDDnDDaDnDa JJBRARV AMnliEx: to ^oltjimie liii. (Illustrations in Italics.) Abici concolur, 105 ; abastensip, 156 Abut ill, II Bond: ^c ^'k'.'K, 301 ; gaidtu varie- ties tf, 300; igneumt 300; vesillarium, 363 ; xcxiUariuui, 301 ; v.tifuliuin, 532 A a-.ia araata, b7 ; Djumnioiidi, 89 ; putc- ECeos, 87, 223 Acacus, 211 ; at Bush Hill, 89 Acalypha Banderi, 4S4, 553 Acantbolimcu, 405; acerosum, 405; andio- Baceum,405; glumaL'sum, 405 ; Kotsch} i, * 405 ; venuBtum, 405, 4)1 ; v. caJT^i/i*/ sixty- ^eien spikes of Olcoiii, 4C5 Acer dasycarpum Uciiitatum, 105 ; palma- tum, 2(59 ; Sthwcdleri losing coluxir, :i23 All rs, choice, 6C9 Achillea mongolica, 553 ; iimbellata, o30 Aeouite, the Winter, 304, 430, 4S2 Act, the AgriciUtiual liates, 332 Ada auranliaca, 78 Adiantam cuneatom for culling, 04 Adonis amurensip, 2(4, 245 Airidca affine, 551; craEsifolium, 551; cris- pum, 551; crispuiii Warncri, 515; Fie'd ingi, 201, 551 ; HouUfcltianum, 515; macu- )osutn, 551 ; multiflorm, 30 ; odoratum, 73, 5)1 ; quiuquevulEcrum, 39 ; Vandaium, 325,334 Aerides, notes on, 551 Agaolaia ccerulea, 4^8 AgAve Murrisivarifgiti, 91 ; Sartori, 115 Aj^laonema versiculur, 1?6 Ajuga genevensis, 530 Atebia lobat*, 401 Alberta magna, 430 Alocasia Putzeyti, 31 Alsme laricifolia, 59 ; /. d( T.xeter, 59 Almond, the, in commerce, 112 AUtroimerias, 133 Alyssum sasatile fl.-pl., 417 Amaryllis aulica, 17i3 ; Beacon, 267 ; Clonia, 267 ; Dacn.s, 331 ; Ideala, 207 ; Na^ala, 224, 245; Princess Osra, 224; Tacola, 2'.7 ; Walkei's Crimson, 245 Amaryllises at Kew, 309 Amelancbier canadensis var. oblorigifoUa, 4-6 AniygJalus Dav'diana albj, 159 Andromeda Catesbasi, 159 ; floribunda, poiionii?, 354, 376 Andiosace earnea, SS7 ; pyreraica, 164; rotundifolia glandulosa, 4il ; villoiaj 397 Anemia rotuLdifolia, 312 Anem uc al[.ina, 429 ; ungulosi, 309 ; blatda, 115, 269, 309 ; b. tauiita, 137 ; fulgens, 140, 191, 235 ; f in pot", 191 ; nernoiosA, 312 ; n. purpurea, 329, 351 ; n. Robinsoijiana, 354 ; palma a alba, 466, 496; Fulsalilla, 159; raniiLCuloides, 430 ; r. pallida, 312 ; iri- fol a'-.a, 481 ; Tcrnalis, 312 Anemones and Si;illas, 441 ; from Lincoln, 397 Angi;«3um eburneum, 147 ; molcstum, 381 ; eetquipedale, 6, 40 An^uloas, notes on, 248 Annuals and biennials, Sherwood cup for, 160 Auoiganthus brevltlorus, 31, 138 Ansel ia africana, 477 ; Lilotica, 217 Anthericum bliastrum majui, 553 Anthm-ium Dicki, 400; Dr. Lawience, 135, 533; Senateur 204 ; Duvivitrianum, MontcSor Levis, 484 Anthuriums, 490 Anthyllis montana, 5C5 Actus gracillima, 3; 9 Apple, a good, 54; Adam's Pearmalr, 52, 54, 111 ; Annie Elizibeth, 312 ; BUmarck, 524 ; Boston Russet, 466, 541 ; Clajgate Peflrnsaln, 54 ; Court Pendu Plat, 91, 2'.m; ; Cockle's Pippin and other late, 198; Cox's Orange Pippin, 54 ; Crofton iScarlet, 283 ; DucVess of t ildenburgh, 521 ; Eckliuville Seedling, 437 ; Pearns Pippin, 90 ; French Crab, 342 ; Gloria Mundi, 197. 206, 2S4, 342, 438 ; Gloria Mu,>.:u, 197 ; Golden Spire, 540 ; Grange's Winter Pearma'n, 412 ; Gravenstein, ^4, 112, 197, 106, 2S4 ; Hub- bard's Pearmain, 386 ; Lamb Abbey Pear- miin, £96, 439; Lane's Princa Alb:r^, 139, 284, 458; Lord Hindllp, ISi'., ]97 ; Margil, 91, 179, 206; Pine-apj-le Golden Pippin, 386 ; Tom Putt, 92 ; Waintrs King, 315 ; Wellir^ton, 413; I^'/^"5fo/^ 413 ; Wojces ter Ptarnaiufor market. 271; Yo kshlie Beauty, 282 ; crop, t^e, 521 ; supply, the, of t^e fulu e, 282; dre, chl tsp'ilUr, in llooxi, 2.6 : treasiu bloom, 265 ; ireesjual- treated, 179 ; trees, winter care cf, 157 Apples at d Cherries flowering at KnaphiV, 420 ; andPtar^, espalier, 2S3, 313 ; gr„wiog f^r profit, i71, 439; home grown v. im- porCtd, 123 ; Uto keeping, 203, 540 ; well- kept, 180 Apricot, derivation of, 239 ; A/oorjKiri-, 178 Apricots, ac-dliog. 9 Arundinaria ucbi is in Ccrnwt 1', 37 Ari'ndinaria iw'jilis at Pivjtrrlck^ 37 Asclcp'astubtrof a, 301 Ash tiees, the, of N'orthem Amtrica, 252 A'imlna triloba, C8 Asparagus decuab:n8. 31 ; plumcsus, a new variety of, 318; letrofractus arboreus, 256, 4L0 ; Ecandens dtflexus, 270, 319; and fr^st?, 395 ; for forcing, feeding, 410 ; planting and thinning, 411; two danger- ous diseases of, 121 Atplenium Colensoi, 159 ; Nidus mullilota- tura, 182 Aubiittiadeltoidca grandifloia, 353 ; Leieht* liul from seed, 430, 481 ; Kouv. dc W. Ingram, 475 Aubrietia", 357, 420, 4r6 ; and Candytnfts at Hawthornden Railway Station, 486 Auri-ula Dean Hole, 417 ; Giant Golden Ycl!ow, 417; Pirfiot'.on, 4 '. 7 ; Snowdrop, 484 ; Zixa, 417 Auricula", border, 419 ; duubli*, 513 ; potting up yoimg stock if, 357 ; ydlow, 338 Azalea Ami Charles Vtrmcire, 4l7; grandi- flora alba. 224 ; japonica rubra, 267; J. J. dc Vink 373 ; Mme. Joseph VtrvacDe, 417 ; mollis W. B. Gumbhton, 245; rhombic i, 4C2 ; robusta, 50S ; the best white fur forclDg and cutting £8 Azaleas, 467; and Rhododendrons, grafb- iDg, 23; for cutting, ISO; from Wcytridgo, 4efi ; tmall growing, 258 Azaleodendron Jules CUsan, 216 Azaramicrojhyll", 1S5, 241 Baden-Baden, notes from, 148, 311, 442 Basket of plants in Regent's Park, 3CS Basket of pi II, Its i-i RtucnVs ParL\ 308 Baucra rubioides, 309, 359 Bean Beck's Dwaif Green Gem. 12?, 214, 255 Bean, French, Eaily Favouiitc, 395 ; E irly Forcing, 25; Veltch's Superb Eail/Foic- ing, 474 Beans, Broad, 70 ; quality in, 166 ; climbirg French, 3) ; dwarf Kidney, 71 ; early dwaif, 166, £09 Bcanp, (arly runner, 510 Beans, Freicb, 474 ; forced in winter, 213 ; forcirg, 122 ; failures with, 491 ; new, 491 ; jlaotlrg dwarf, 346; runner, not staged, 472 Beech, the copper, 471 Beets, Globe, 84, 5;14 ; colour in, 36, 106 Beetroot, forcing, 35 ; £ugi r, cultivation of, in England, 165 Begonia Commodora Dewey. 52S ; dfc'-'o- loma, 225; Gloire de Ltrialce, 90, 129, 353; lefroEa, 12; mmicata, 30S ; Mts. Dunbar Wood, 484 ; Mrf . F Sander, 528 ; Paul Bruant, 361; pruinat-, 93; ihiz3- canli", 225 ; semjerflcrets, double - flowered foim^ of, 377; eenulati, 469; socotrana, 14 ; 8uthetUndi, 468 Begoniap, a now race of, 129 ; tuberous, planting, 495 Belltvalii liieatfl, ISS Belltlower, the ^itnt, 61 VI THE GARDEN INDEX. [JnLT 2, 1898. Benthamia fraglfera, 68 Beiberlsbusifolia, 304; Diirwini, 4Ul ; etfno- phjlla, 440 ; stenopfcylla, a double, 419 Betula, 381 ; alba, 381; Krmani, 2Sl ; fniti- coBa, 3S2 ; glandu'osa, 3S2 ; humilis, 382 ; inteimidii, 382 ; lenta, 382; liitef, 382; MaximowiczJ. 382 ; Baca, 382 ; n'gra, 382 ; oscidoD talis, 382 ; papyrlfera, 382 ; populi- fcHa, 382 ; pumila, 382 ; ulmifolia, 283 ; utUlB, 3S3 Bifreiiaria aurantiaca, 232 Blgnonia vemista, 159, 175 BliL-hee, tho, S81 Bisinarckia nobilis, 181 Blackberries, 465 Blandfcrdias, 526 BletiaShefheid', 78 Bomareafrsis Schrrederianuin, 42 ; Pierardi, 370 ; pi-imulinum, 39, 248 ; pulchelluin, 218 ; rhodopterygi\im, 422 ; Rolfa^, 334 ; Rubens, 120 ; Scbneiderianum, 120 ; epecioFum Bancroftianuni, 201 ; apectabile, 2S5 ; splendidiesimum grandi- floram, 310 ; etrat'otes, 515 ; suaviasimum, 4.'J5 ; subclausuni, 147 ; tbyrsiflorum, 249; undulatiim, 109 ; Victoria Regina, 551 ; Waltoui, 109 ; Wardianum, 79 ; W. album, 201 ; W. candidum, 201 Dcndrobiums, notes on, 231 ; three fine, 353 Deudrochilum glumaccuni, 218, 421 Dcutaria polyphylla, 270 Pcutzia gracilis, 72 ; Lemoinei, 132, 353 ; par- viflora, 373, 401 Dianthus alpinvis, 469 ; mcnspessulanus, 19 neglectvis, 530 Dielytra spcctabills, 513 Disa Veitchi, 4SS Doiecatheou Hendersoni, 246 Doronicum Ilarpur-Crewe, 375 Doryopteris Duvall, 311 July 2, 1898.] THE GARDEN INDEX. Vll Drafca I oiselenri, 290 ; Mawi, 270, 329 Dracajna aurca striata, 337 ; congesta, 230; Dittinclion, 61 ; Eaquisito, 267 ; indhtsa, 32, 87 Dropmcre, a stone scat at, 401 ; a stone scat at, 4f 1 ; lofgia at, 445 ; longia c/, 445 Dryas cctopeiala, £0^ Dublin, a note ficm, 115 ;flowers in, 12 B. Edelweiss, the, 514 EdgiDga, 394 Edralanthus serpjl'ifoliue, 406 Elchomia crasaipes, 354 Elder, the Goldon, 185 Elders, the, 06 Enemies, some garden, 01 Enfield, thrabs at, 5CS Enkianthus campannlatus, 69 Epflcris miniata splendtns, 51 ; Vesta, 71 Epi-Cattleya ra'liato-Bowrtngiana, 527 Epidendrum atropurx:>ureum, 109; a. roseum, 381 ; aurantiicum, 109 ; bicornutum, 10i.t, 286 ; BrassavoJx', 109 ; ciliare, 109 ; elegan- tuluni leiicocbiluni, 330; Endi-esi, 324; Bndnso-Wallisi, 14S ; tvectum, 109, 249; macrticliilum, 515 ; nemorale, 109 ; O'Brien- lanum, 216; prhniatocarpum, 516; radl- cans, 40S ; aceptrum, 298 ; variegatum, 1 39 ; vitellinum, 1C9 ; Wallisi, 421 ; xanthi- num, 78 Epidendrump, notes on, 109 Epig;t'a repens, 403 Epi-lailia Charlesworthi, 4SS Ephiiedium pinnatum, 312 Bi iphronitis Veitehi, 550 Kliipliylhims in bloom, iO Eraaihis hyemalis 394 ; hyemalU, 394 Erantlienium albitlorum, 4C0 ; neivOBum, ll'« ; pulchellum, 71 Eremuras himalaieus, 505 ; robustus, 553 ; r. Elwesianus, 4S4, 5C5 Erica barbata, 51 ; ciliaris, 3(34 ; ccdonodcs, 167; coloranp, 31 ; Spenceriana, 87 Erigeron glaucue, 74, 142 ; and Anthemis tinctoria, 19 ; speciosus, 97, 236 ; bf rdineis uf, 192 Eriostomon cuspidatus, 51 Eiitriohium nanum, 466 Biyngium alpinum album, 235 E yslmum helveticuni, 370 Eiylhroniina giganteum. 290 ; Haitwegi, 'lib ; revuhitum, a new form of, 403 Eilophiella Elizjibethw, 369; Peetersiana, 330, 379 ; Peetcrsiatya, 379 Enpatorium odoratum, 71 EiiphorMa canurieueis, 46 ; canarietisis, 46; j^cquiniaeflora, 49; splendens, 14, 361 Euryops pectinatue, 419 Escallonia exon*onslfl, 419 Fabiana imbricata, 508 Farm buildings and glate-houBes, rating of, 351 Februaiy fluwera at Ukiab, California, 234 February in South Devon, 240 Fern, a new hybrid, 226 Ferns, colour in, 249; Filmy, 72 ; for cutting, 311 ; new, 311 FicuB elastlca variegata, 12 Fig, a gcoi p3t, 284; Brown Turkey, 372 ; Ntblan,2J4; wtlch is the best? 342 Fig trtc borders, 3Sl Figs, early, in pots, 372 ; on open valle, 523 F.r, the Shasta, S2 ; the wbi*'e, 105 t lower girden notes, 21, 59, 73, 142, 190, 2S8, 204, 305, 406, 494, 54S Flowers from Noith Walef, 93; frozen, fx- paosion uf, 140 ; Jn tho lale ol Wight, 95 ; in the n'>ttb, 506 F.owird, Mocistin, at homo, 201 ; uneeaecn- able, 131 ; wild, 35J ; yellow, for cutting, 320 Fly/lhe Onion, 491 FoAm Flower, the. 456 ; the, 456 Fog, effects of, 277 Foliage, fragrant, 419 Fuliage of hnrdy plants, 235 Forest, the New, 40S Forget-me-not, the giant, in the north, 465 Fortythia euapensa, 243, 203 Ptrsjthias, 252 Foutcroya cubensis Lindeni, 71 Freesla rtfracta alba, 15 Fret.s'a-*, 15, 130; after flowering, 319; in the open, 530 ; with no scent, 230 Fritillnria acmopeta'a, 397; aimeoa, 370 ; aurea, 204, 290 ; macrophylla, 396 ; Mele- agris in pots, 309 ; Eobiiia, 290 ; oranecsip, 51, 141; plurifolia, 270 ; pudica, 245 ; rc- curva, 505 ; tulipifolla, 290 FntUlariae, 310 Frcst, severe, 181 Fruit bloonj, 416; drjlnsr, 194; garden, hardy, woik in, 43, 64, 103. 150, 301, 454, 510 ; louses, work in, 10, 23, 85, 128, 171, 193,215, 237, 2;.9, 581, 322, 344, 3f5, 38S, 409, 431, 470, 497, 544 ; packirg *ecder. 524 Fruit protprcts, the season's, 180,295,385, 438, 5C3, 524; prospects aid pictcction, 2^9,283; quarterp, mnlching, 341 ; room, the, 33 ; show, the Koyal Horticultural Society's, attl artifiriil manure, 540 Fruit trees, cleansing, 54; erroneous prun- ing of. 146 ; from seed. 83, 124, 157, 199, 239, 283; manuring, 34; prot'ction o*, 5^2 ; pruning of, 197 ; stone, gumming in, 405 ; under-cropping, 193 Fruits and vegetables in the Paria n.arketp, ofticial regulation of the who'.es-le trsde in, 20; late, 113; notes te, 532 LaeliiaJbida, 39 ; a. (Walker's var ), 4 ; an- ceps, 30, 78, 121 ; a. Amt siana (Crawabay's var.), 50; a. (Chimberlain's var.), 42 ; a. Dawsoni (Crawshay's var.), 148 ; a. wad- donensie, 135 : cinnabarini, 110; eleg*DP, 455; flava, 502; grandis tenebrosa, 455; barpophylla, 170, 324 ; pra^stars, 550 ; p., typical ffofer of, 550 ; purpurata, 478, 487 ; p. Krnesti, 557 ; lubesccoa, 40 ; super- biens, 285, 326, 370, 4[8, 456 Laj'ias, £33 I pelio-Cattleya Canh\miana supeibi, 527; Duke of York, 527 ; Budora splendens, 527 ; Blppolyta aurant'aca, 527 ; Hippo- bta (Du'co'e variety), 417 ; Admbal Dewey, 483 ; Cinhamiana, 478 ; Fasci- nator, 417 ; intermtdio-flava, 487 ; ii*ter- medio-flava Golden Gem, 4S3 ; radiata, 488 ; warnhamensis, 223 ; Wellsiana lang- leyensis, 373 ; Thorntoni, 373, 408 Lachenalia f endula Aurellana, 2^7 Laeher alias, 319 Laing and Sons', John, nurseries, 279 Lancashire, flowers in, 115 Laogley, sfedling Orchids at, 218 Laris Lyalli, 508 Lat^niaborbonica, 257 ; Commeraoni, 181 Lathyru^ piibescens, 486 L-'urustinus lucldus, 255 ; the, 243 Lavatera, 62 ; arborea, 63 ; Olbia, 63 ; thu- ringiica, 63; trimestris, 62 Lavateras, 143 Leeks, 106; large, 491 Lenten Rcses, dividing, 209 Leontopodium alpinum, 553 Leonotis Leonurus, 460; Leonurus, 4i>0 Lettuce, autumn-sown, 328 ; Hick's Hardy, 510 ; in Eummer, 254 ; in winter, 84 Leucojum aistlvum, 62. 90, 235, 391, 430 ; a. and L. Heinandezt, 61 ; a. not floweiing, 163; autiininale, 62; grandifloruni, Oi ; Hernandez!, 62: roeeum, 62; trlchophyl- lum, 62 ; vernum, 62 Leuc jums, 62 Libonla floribunda, 14, 49 Licuala Jeanceyana, 481 Lilac Marie Lemolne, 03 ; a fine, 156 ; afirtr, at BrKUinerstcn Home, Amoburv, 156 Lilac-, forcing, 97; the, 276; from Japan, 192 Lilies failing, Oii; in flower, 494; in pots 307 ; three new Californian, 47 Lilies, Aram, 185 Lilium auratum, 191, 232, 337; auratum, 189; a. ciseased, 279 ; Bakerl, 47 ; candi- du)ii,1SS; candidum diseased, 513 ; occi- dentale, 47 ; parvum var. luteum, 47 ; tenuifol'um, 553 ; lubellum, 466, 484 Liliums, planting, 1S8 Lion's-tail, the. 469 ; the, 460 Listcra ovata, 515 Lithospermum Gastoni and L. jiurpuroo- caruleum, 140, 1S9 ; hirtum, 441 Lobeli H, herbaceous, 3, 19, 61, 97 ; and Ti- gndias, 19, 61 Loggia at Dropmore, 445 ; at Dropraore, 445 Lcmarla cillata grandis, 311 ; e. maj ir, 311 L'^n'ceragigantea, 243 ; sempeivirecs minor 378 LucuHa gratissima, 11 Lycaste aromatica, 551; brevispatha, 334; Deppei, 78; fidvescens, 325 ; Ha-risonije, 325 ; lacusta, 488 ; Skinneri rairabilis, 120 ; 8. rossa, 30 Lychnis, double clammy, 549; Hargesua, 505 M. Mackaya bella, 358 Magnolia Campbelii, 167. 304; M. C. ir>7 ; M. C. at Fota, 305 ; M. C. in bloom at Exeter. 93; conspicua, 120, 37d ; stcUati, 364 ; SouJangeana, 420 ; Yulan fruiting, 12 Mafinolias, tie Chinese, 420; under glass, 319 Ma'aiitbcmum trlfoUum, 505 Maiden-hair for market, 451 Mmdevilla euaveolens, 176 Manure, frefch or decayed, 236 Maple, Wier'B cut-leaf, 105 Maples, Japanese, ana Hepatfcas, 2.^2 Marguerites, 15 Margyiicrpus sctosus, 140 Market gardens, the rating of, 257 Market gardening during Queen Victoria's leign, 389 Marrows, Bush, 214; raising outlour, 459 ; Vegetable, 214 Ma^devallia cucullata, 78; Estradie, 41; GeTeniana, 370; nycteiina, 381 ; pacbyur*, 4; Peristeiia, 370; Pouibaixi,334 ; Sc iim^ 477 ; Shuttleworthi xanthocorys, 370 ; Veitchiana, 2ij7 Matthiola odoratissima, 160 Maxillaiia grandiflora, 31; lutco-ali-a, 331 sangulnea, 325 May in South Devon, 517 VUl THE GARDEN INDEX [July 2, 1898. Meconopsis cambrica fl. pi., £28; ncp^ontis, ^hite foim of, 553 Megasea crassifolia, 203 ; Stracbcji, 200 Melon Duke of York, 537 ; EmpBon's sccd- liog, 529 ; Eureka, 522 ; Loid Edward Cavendish, 375 Melons, 17, 157; as cordcns, 458, .'25; frame, culture of, 414, 405 ; notes ou, 34 ; setting, 412 Merendcra caucas^ica, 115 Meitensia viiginica, 376 Mice and Sparaxis, 94 Mignonette, 31S Mikania Saudeii, 528 Mildew and insects, soft soap for, 492 Miltotii Blcucana rosea gigantea, 483; cunc- ati, 78 ; vexill.ria, 290, 422 ; v. CiiiBson King, 487 ; v. Empress Victoria Augusta, 483 ; Warfccwlczi, SeO Mint from cuttings, 411 Mccagsin Flower, the, 77 ; hiass of the, in the bog narden at Warley Place, 77 Mock OrangeSj 532 Moles, 348 Montbretias, 96 Morula Pavonia, 419 Morel, the edible, 376 Merit ia hypoga^'a, 181, 269 Murmodes pardinum unicolor, 36, 488 Moth Oichi'is, hybrid, 197 Muscari azureum, li9 ; botryoi'cs album, 216 ; b. carueum, 310; conicuni, 353; Hcl- dreiehi, 269 Mushroom beds in the open air, 315 ; in the open air in January. Ill Mushroom caves at Montrouge, view in, 99 ; at Monirouqe, work in the, 114 ; fo&sage in, 110 Mushrooms, culture of, in France, 99 ; in underground structures, 123 ; Japanese, 460 Myosotidium nobile, 420 N. Narcissus Ajax Border Maid, 444; A. Dean Herbert, 401; A. Mrs. H. J. Elwes, 310; Apricot, 331,353; Bulbocodium, 203; Dur- bidgei Little Dirk, 430 ; Countess of An- neslcy, 203 ; Corbu'aiia ci rlnus natura- lised, 376 ; cyclamineu', 137, 192. 261, 329, 353 ; Diadem, 374 ; double white, 482, 513 ; Emperor, 290 ; Golden Spur, 225 ; Hors- Jicldi on the lami at Warley, 163 ; irc^ m- parabilis C. J. Backhouse, 329; i. Stella, 115; Ivanhoe, 374; Lady Helen Vincent, 331, 353; Lady Margaret Boscawen, 331, 353 ; Leedsi Duchess of Weatminat.r, 329 ; Lucifer, 331 ; masimus (College Garden variety), 353; Mme. Plemp, 312; mini- mus, 115, 137 ; monophyllus, 51 ; muticu3 white, 397; Nelsoni pulchellus, 375; ob- vallaris, 51; Oiiflamme, 331; pa lidus prrecox, 94, 137 ; p. p. var. asturicus, 225 ; p. p. varieties, 246 ; posticus, 444 ; p- Homer, 331 ; Rip Van Winkle, 309 ; Sul- phur Phcenix. 375; triandrus albus, 394 ; ■rrimcn, 203 ; Victoria, 181, 246 ; Weardale Perfection, 353, 3% ; White Lady, 374 White tjueen, 331; White Wing, 374; Wm Scarlett, 374, 397 Narcissi at Valleyfield, 4i7 ; in pots. 152, 230 Nectarine Cardinal, 458, 525 ; Kar'y Rivers en open walls, 385 ; tree failing, 386 Ncpeta Glechoraa foliij varieg.itis, 425 Ncrine Maneelli, 89 Nerines, 128, 22S ; dividing, 308 Netting as an investment, 416, 492 Ncffiy, notes from, 311 Nicotiana affinis, 514 >ight8bade, the Jasmine, 28 Kouks and corners, sh'^ltcred, 364 Koifolk, riora of, 354. 376 Noti's, American, 68 ; CaliforniaD, 4C6 O. Oak, gnlls on, 160 ; thu Cork, at Goodicucd^ 5 ; I he Evergreen, as a t.wa treo, 105 Obitpary — Blick, A. W., 398 Brown, James, ]2 Gibson, John, 506 Homsley, Henry, 530 Lioden, Jean JaJe:', 02 Morse, E., 376 Faillieux, N. A., 182 Paterson, Dr., 89S Spooner, S , 506 (Eatthera ovata, 441 Olearia Gunni, 471 Odontogloesum Andersonianum,, 109 ; Aii- sdne, 483 ; asperaum, 121 ; baphitan- thum, 408; b'andimi, 30 ; Charletianum, 483 ; cinhosuro, 501, 47s ; citrcsmum, 518 ; c. punctatissimum, 381 ; corouarium, 208 ; ciispum, 120 ; c. Ashworthiaiuro, 2^7; c Baroness SchTce?er, 297 ; c. Baromss !Schr(X(ier, 297; c. decorum, 4*3 ; c. Hany- anum, , 90, 123 ; Williams* Bon Chre- tien in Hereford, 314 Pears for Herefordshire, 243; late, 112; not lipening in fcason, 111; not keeping, 17, 53 ; too DP any varieties of, S96 Pear crop, the, 4£8. 521 Pear tree, a very eld, 336 ; •partial renovation of a fruit sp^ir lift to its natural groicth, 538; partial reno cation of a spur which has ramified early and never borne any fruit, 538; partial cenocation of, by means of a scion, 538; regeneration of the, 537; reno- vativfi by secondary main branches, 539 ; renovation, total, by suiting down, 539; trees, ornamental, 179; regeneration of, by iiiaiji branches cut back, 538 ; U-traincd, showinq the younii branches intended to re- 'place the o'd ones, 539 ; unfruitful, 439 Pelargonium Dorothy, 378 ; fimbriatum al- bum, 378, 433 ; Piincess May, 378 ; J. L. Baldwin, 159 ; Raspail Improved, 56; Rev. H. Atkinson, 3 ; Venus, 256 Pelargoniums, Ivy-leaved, 279 ; regal and show, 49; scented-leavtd, 175; winter- blooming zonal, 433 ; zonal, 329 ; zonal, as pot plants, 154; zonal, for winter-flower- irg, 15 Pentapterygium serpenB, 400 Peutstcmon Meuziesi, 542 ; Newberryi, 530 Perennials, hardy, raising seeds of, 133 Pergola at Tresserve, 423 ; at Trcsm-ce, 423 Pescatorea Klabothorum, 232 Petasites fragraus, 328 ; jfragrans, 328 Fetrocallis pyrcnaica, 19 ; in Messrs. Vcitch's nursccy at Sxcttc, 19 Phaio-Calanthe grandi^, 135 Phaius amabilis, 1^98 ; Cooksoni, 298 ; grandi- folius, 218 ; maculatus, 286 ; Martbre, £98 ; Norman, 223, 298, 339; Norman, 369; N. aureus, 223 ; N. roseus, 223 ; lui erculosus, 41 ; t. hybrids, 29S ; Wallichi, 488 Phah^nopsis amabilis, 3 ; BoxaUi, 248 ; den- ticulata, 10^; grandiflora. 285, 422; John S den, 597; Sanderiana, 110; Schilleriana, 40 ; Sch:ceder0e, 330 ; Stuartiano-Manni, 330 Phllaielphus coronarius Mont Blanc, 52S Phil^dendron Lindeni, 400 Phlebodium glaucum Mayi, 484 Phlox amiona, 441; divaricata, 444, 530; Drammondi, 0; D. cuspidata, 6; D. fimbiiata, 6 ; D. Graf Gero, 6 ; D. grandi- flora, 6; D. Heynoldi, 6 ; D. hirronsia;- flora, 6 ; D. nana comp-.cta, 7 ; Nehoni, 444 ; ovata, 553 Phloxes, annual, 6, 40 Phpediaoasta ctloraeea, 290 Phoinix recliuata, 257 Pbyllocactus Agatba, 481 ; Ep'ruB, 484 Phyllocactuses at Kew, 420 Picea canadensis, iS; Engelmann', 29; Parryana, 29 ; rubra, 28 Pimelea docussata, 87 ; ligustrina, 310 Pine, the Umbrella, 37 Pines, the, 67 Pinguicula caudata, 31, 312 ; gra-diflura, 506 Pin^s, propagating, 482 Pinus Cembra, 67 ; ko■^i^n^ip, C8 ; Larlcio, 471 ; monticola, 67 ; parviflora, 68 ; jcnta- phjUa, 68 Pitcalrnia corallioa, 116, 203 Pitch' r plants at Syon House, 97 Placta ornati, 200 Plant names, 'x72, 343 Plant, the hu- drei years, 2 Plants, carpeting, 311; climbing. 262; dividing hardy, 260; for bold leds, 261, 328; greenhouie and the fog, 83 ; hndy, notes on, 133, 164, 2(32, 4Sl. 495, 512; h'ghly-fed, propagating; frcm, 433 ; neglected greenhouse, 87 ; North Ameri- can, 336; three native, 4-2; winter- flowering, 61 Platyceriuni angolonae, 159 Platyclinis gluniacea, 110 Pleasure grjvnid i)lanliog, 186 Pleasure ground work, 95, 140 Plciirothallis piinc'.ulata, 4 Plum, tic, 263; Early ProUee, 438; Early Prolific, 145 ; Reine Claude Tardive de Chamtourcy, 112 ; The Czar, 459, 465 ; Victoria, fruiting branch of, 144 Plums, Japanese, 34 ; market in Hcreford- shiie, 144 ; under glass, 18 Plumbago capenns, 360 ; rotea superba, 378 Poinciana Gilliesi, 159 Pointettias and Euphorbia jacquin5ieflo:a, 88 ; propagating, 152 Polyanthus, Black Prince, 441 ; Oiangefitld, 353 PnlyantluECS, 376 ; border, 403 Polypodium cambiicum, 311 Pomegranates in tubs, 530 PonEonby, Torquay, fiowers at, 52 Potato Bovee, 3% 202 ; Chal cngcr, 202 ; Duke of York, 122; Mom's Pride, 3C0 ; Shaipe's Victor, 202 ; stems, thinning, 460; the trst, 472 ; Wir dsor Castle, 71 Potatoes, i03, 327, 363 ; Ameiicjn, varieties of, 84, 158; early, 166, 236, 303, 411; imported, 327 ; planting, 326, 345 ; p'ant* ing early, 214 ; round, 459 ; seed, 35 Pots, Emsil ccrsus large, 359 Primrose Evelyn Aikwiigbt, 373, 397 Primroses, bunch, 141, 189, 375 ; double, 295, 337 ; haidy double, 404 ; G. F. Wilson's blue, ISl Primula acaulis varietiep, 3C9 ; c ajiltata, 505 ; Clusiana, 312 ; denticidati alia, 159, 353 ; farlnosa alba, 397 ; floiibunda, 13, 62 ; frondosa, 290 ; involucrata, 441 ; marginata ccerulea, 290 ; mollis, 63; obeonica grand i- flora, 230 ; Palinuri, 269 ; rosea, 312, 407 ; Sicboldi Queen of the Whites, 495 ; s kki- mensis, 553 ; Trailli, 513 ; vi;cosa nivalis, 353 Primula sinentis Boule do Neige, 235 ; s. stellata, 529 ; s. stcllata, 229 ; s. vari., 14 Primulas, alpine, 262 ; double 358 ; gcotcn for .^o:ds in Mes-'irs. Carfcr's nursery at Fored Hill, 175 ; Messrs. Larter and Co.'p, 175 Public Gardens— Aberdeen, a botanic garden for, ?32 Brussels, statues in the Botanic Gardci s of, 32 Churchyard Bottom Wood, 226, 412 Common lauds, our, 160 Commons Preservation Society, 116 Commons, preservation of, 398 Cricket ground, appeal for, 412 Epping Forest, 226 Exeter pleasure grounds, 464 Flowers, to Echoo s, supplying, f.om tLe public parks, 506 Garden, tha Rcbeit Bi-owning, 552 Hani Common and Lammas lanle, 116 Ilfv-rd, park at, 55 3 Islington, new park for, 116 Jubiltegift.a, 310 Kew Gardens, 398 ; a g'impso at, 552 ; eirly opening of, 464 Kew, Riyal pa'ace at, 464 Lee, open space at, 216, 552 Liverpoo', new Palm house for, 182 LittlehaoDpton, recreation ground for, 12 London playing fields, 464 Manchester improvements. 72 Margate, publ c pirk for, 486 Metropolitan Public Gardens Asscciatlon, 116, 33i, 506 Newport, new lecrcation ground for, 72 Open spaces, 52, 133, 226, 442 Pa-k, the Homuuan at Dulwich, 310 ; the Postmen's, 310, 442 Parks and i)alaces. Royal, 52 Parks, London, botany in, UP, 443 Pcrtslade, public park for, 486 Queen, the, and London's t pen tpaces, 412 Richmond Hi 1 442 Royal B' tinic, 52 Temp'o Gardens, the, 182 V^ntnor, gift of land to, 72 Prrmus Avium, 81 ; Davidiai:a 115; divari- cata, 181 ; floribunda, 91 ; j ponica, 167; Maximowiczi, 69; psfvifo - Cerasus, M; Puddum, 4^5 ; tinensis fl.-pl., 31 ; spitofea fl.-pl., 310 ; Ptcris srguti,, 353 414; erotica Summer, i, 374; Diinkwaleri, 311 Pterccirya caucasica, i8, 242; macroptcia, 243 ; Paliurus, 243 ; rhoitolii, 212 ; sttuop- tera, 242 Fterocaryas, 242, 350 Pulmonaria mollis, 269; saccharata picta, 270 Pyrethrum Lady Ki dare, 528, 553 ; Monarch, 528 Pyrus domestiea, 526; floribunda, 42j ; japonica, 243 ; j. in the open, 29, 156, 1^5 ; j., pruniu7, 105 ; Mains floribunda Schii- deckeri, 427 ; spectabi is, c83 Q. Qxtarries, subterranran, devoted lo Mmhriom culture, viciD in, lOS Qunrrv, subterraneayi, at Fo tes Tcrres, Fre- iullon, plan of, 183 July 2, 1898.] THE GARDEN INDEX. IX R. Radish Ca mine OTa^ 418 ; Firtt of All, 418 ; Fiist of All Wtile Olive, 41S; forcicg Vihiic Olive, 418; Weed's Fraire, 418 FiditLes, big, 530; ict eatab'e, 491 ; ecw- ii>g on early boidtrs, 71 ; the "de toiis les aois," 252 Faisiif , Caliiorn^fln, 19 Faniondia pyrenaica, 510 R?iiunciilu8 amplexicaulis, 353 ; cortufa3- foliiia, 3TS ; Lingua, 427; Lingua, 427; Ljalli, 1(J4 Katpterry, a new yellow, 416 ; Semper Fidtlis, 439 ; growing in Htrefordehire, 351 raspberries, 371, 537; without stakes and pinning, 3S4 Uatsand Chillies, 94 Ecnantlicia coccinea, 119 ; Inaechootiara, 130; Lowi, 119; icatutiiia, 120 ; Stonei, 120; iS. with eighty -three f!oiccrsonthespik-e, 110 Utuantheias, 119 Rhapis humilis, 535 Rhifsalis salicornioidee, 31 Rhod(dcndron aibcremu in Sheffield, 93; a seedling, 156; caTrpylccaipum, 425; Countess of Dtrby, IS], '^36 ; Fosterianum, 378 ; Gibsoni, 2P0 ; indievim acccenum, 410 ; jasminifloium caimi'natum, 89 ; Lord Wohcley, 71 ; mxilticolor Curtiti, 93; m. hiteolum, 31 ; myitifi-tlivni, 531 ; m. album, 5C5 ; pri*^cox, 242 ; Frit cess Alice in tte < pen air, 441 : racencotum, 353 ; rhom- bicuiii, 425 ; rubiginotum, 531 ; Ststeri- '(nv»i, 255 ; I^mimo'wi, 426; Vaceyi, 450 ; iimnancDse, 531 Uiicdodcndrons at Howtli, 558 ; early- lilooniing, 116 ; gtcenhuuse, 255, 4S9 ; grteiihovise, propagating, 536 ; Himalayan, 383 ; Himalayan, in Argyleshire, 450 ; hybrid greenhouse, 432 ; Indian, 370 ; 1 hrce new greenhouse, 35!) ; two new, from Yi nnan, 531 Rhoiluthanaiuis Chama^cistua, £97, 423 FihcdtitTpoB kerrioides, 5CS Ribcfe aurenm, 425, 427; a. pigecox, 450; speciosum, 444 R-cbardia EUiottiana, 308; E. Rossi, 98; ni05 ; laevigata, 31, 102, 207; h cida, 31 ; 1. plena, 102 ; lutea and R. lutea tiore-pleno, 22 ; Wichuriana, 31 Ruse Aurore, 484 ; Austrian Copper, 534 ; Bridismaid as a winter Rose, 70; Bril- liant, 534 ; Blairi No. 2, 478 ; B.airi No. :J, 478 ; CarKiiue Pillar, 534 ; C.roline d'Aiden, 1^7 ; Catherine Meimet, 159; Catheriii': Mtmitit in ii vase, 48 ; Cheshunt Hjbrid, t34; Clothilde goupert, 187; foTLte Henri Bignon, 187 ; Ccrinn?, 534 ; C imsrn Rimbler, 356, 441 ; Ciims^n Riimbler, hedges of, 383 ; Crim'on Ram- 1 ler under glass, 534 ; Danmark, 534 ; dEviiu. 43; Dr. GiiH, 4l7 ; Duke of Wellington, 162; E. Vcyrat Henmnos, 70 ; Emilie Goniu, 350 ; Ethel Brownlow, 504; Etoile d'Or, 274; Ferdinand Batel, •J 47 ; Ferdinand Jamin, 447 ; Fiametta Nabonnand, 250 ; Fortune's Yellow, 531 ; FiaLcisca Krviger, 435 ; Francois Dubreuil, 534 ; G. Nabonnand, 292, 534 ; General Jacqueminot, 420 ; Janet's Pride, 534 ; Jean Ducher, 447; Josephine Marot. 531; Mniu. Marie Lavall^e, 49 ; Mab3l Morrison, Mit; Mme. Augaste Pe:rin, 162; Mme. Cjdtau-Ramey, 356; Mme. Isaac Periere, 70 ; Mme. Joeeph Bonnaire, 207 ; Mme Noman, 187; Mme. Rene Gerard, 3SJ ; Mile. Genufiine Raud, 274 ; Mile. Yvonne G aviyi', 230; Marechal Niel, 398; Marie d'Orleans, 84 ; Mrs. Pierpont Morgan, 250 ; Mrs. W. RumBey,310; Nardy, 504; Nipfce toB on Manetti, 356; Pauline Libonte, 'z70, 324 ; Princesse de Venosa, 447 ; Prin cess of Wales, 162 ; Psyche, 374, 3iiL5 ; ReynoHt-Hole. 2lS; Royal Scirlet, 353; Ruber s, 534 ; Souvenir de Jeanne Cabaud, 350 ; Souv. de Mme. Eugene Verdier, 253 ; Sylph. 3S3 ; lh9 Bride a^ a pot Rose, 250 ; The Dawson, 374, 395; tha Musk, 592; the yellow Banksim, 51 ; the yellow Mots, 225 ; W. A. Richardson, 274 ; W. A. Rich- ardson in the forcing hcue, ISS ; Waltham Climber No 1, 49 ; Wm. Warden, 447 Rose beds, filling up gaps in, 384 ; cuttings, striking, 250; garden, in the, 207, 435; garden, in the, at M,: F. Spencir Cha rinj- ton's, 2S5 ; garden, work in the, 381 ; 1 ouse, in the, 1S7 ; sports, 186, 292 ; walk,' an altiactiv, 107 Roses, a bo>dna coriophylla, 376 ; Salomon!, 226 ; tarmentoEa,441 ; um- brofa, 542 Scile, the Ssn Jose, 541 FL-hizanthus pinnatus, 4U Schizocodon eoldanelloidep, 398 Schomburgkia tibicinis, 380 Sciadopitvs verticillata, 37 Scilla bifolia, 115; b. alba, 225; b. Pirk Pcui*y, 204; campauulata and ita var. alba, 490; sibirica, 139 ;e. alba, 203 Scuticaria Hadweni, 527 ; Steeli, 422 Sea, planting near the. 5, 23, 37, 82 Seaforthla elegaus, 257 Seakale, 253, 411 Season, mildness of the, 137; the dry, 376, 445 Weeds, sowing, 155 ; sowing, un-!er glass, 203 Senecio Doronicum, 5'0; grandifolius, 51; kewcnsip, 310; macrogl ssus, 309 ; pulcher, 2 ; pulcher, increasing, 46 ; sub-scandens, 12 Service Trc3. the true, 526 Shallots, 490 Shorliaga'acifolia, 263. 290 Shrubs, dwarf, and bulbs in beds, 42 > ; early- flo.vering, 242; forced, 256 ; golden -leaved, 105 ; s me good, 68 Sisyrinchium granfiitlurum album, 246 Snowdrops, 31 ; in New Jersey, 269 Snowflake, the spring, 90 ; the summer, 210 Sjbralia leucoxantha, 370; Lucasiana, 478; macrantha alba, 4^7 Sibraliis, 379 SOCIFTIE-S — Alejijndra Palace, 440 Cairo, exhibition in, 93 Gardeners' Royal Benevolent, 32, 51, 93, 33 J, 486, 5tl5 Ghent, fl jwer show at, oj2 Jap3n Society, the, and flower arrange- ments, 03 Midland Carnation and Picotee Society, 224 National Auricula, 396 National Chrysanthemum, 93, ISl, 203, 20s, 289 National Dahlia, 245 National Viola, 12, 553 Paris Horticultui al, 486 Royal Botanic, 289, 419, 439, 529 Royal Gardeners' Orpliau Fund, 12, 72, 116, ISO, 225, 290, 352, 486 Rnyal HorticuUnral, 32. 50, 11^ 135, 203, 223, 245, 2-^7. 31?, 333, 353, 373 336, 417, 4.9, 505, 527 Fojal Hoi tit ullviral Scciety'sTimplethow, 4*19, 461, 4^3 Tarn worth Parsy and Vicla Exhibition, 308, 485 United Hoiticultiiral ard Btncfit Provi- dent Eociely, 245 Veitch Memorial Trust, 72 Soil, fertility in exhausted. 436 ; grulrsin, 440 Soils and cultivation in the flower garden 338 ' Soldanella Clusii, 245 ; pjrolitfolia, 290 Sollya heterophvlla, 12 Solandra grandiflora, 104, 214. ?46, 279 ; gut- tata, 214 ; Ijevis, 214 ; viriditlorn, 214 Solandras, 214 Solanum jasmincides, SS ; j. at Slarden, Eatt Grivstiad, 28 ; Seafortbianum, 225 ; Weid- lardi, 362 Solidago virgaurea rana, 3 Scllyaheterorhylla, 89 Sophronitis cemua, 4 ; grandiflora, 231 gophro-Cattltya George Haidj, 417 Son el. 300 South Devon, the past year in, 190 Pparaxis and itice, 94 Sfarmsnnia africEua, £8 Spaircw, 1 he, &s an (migrant, 246 ^pattogIcttis aureoVielJaidi, 417 Spicach, long-fetai d'ng, vfritties, 510 Spiisea arguta, 449; istiltoides flcribunda, 360, 400; piunifolia fl.-pl, 185, 242; p. if.-pl., 185; Van Houttei, l&J, 251, 364; Van HouVd, 251 Sprays for ladies, 344 .Spruce, the b'ack, 28; the ltd, 28; tie white, 28 Fpruccs, some American, 29 Squirielp, destroying. 226 Stachys tuberifera, 200, 346 Staihopea DevonieDbis, 421 Stanhopeas. 121 Statice profusa, 87 Stauntonia latifolia in fruit, 6 Stcnomesson incai-natus, 226 Sternbergia Fischerrana, 94, 394 Stcckp, Bromptcn, 495 ; summer, 120 Stowe, the late Mrs. H. Beecher, as a gar- dener, 10 Strawberry bloomp, thinning, 206; foning successful, 313; notes, 412; President urder glass, 523; Rojal Sovereign, 296, 497, £03 ; Koyal Sovereign in srmll pots, 342 ; the alpine, 414 Strawberries, 17, 342 ; and colour, 458 ; fail- ing, 3l5 ; French, in Ensland, 417 ; for forcing, 342, 385 ; for Hereford, 366 ; forced, good flavour in, 413 ; in North Wales, 111 ; 'arge-fruited perpetual fruit- ing, 9; notes on, 314; ripe, in Covent Garden, 296 ; the blossoming of, 459 ; win- tering pot, 439 StTcptccuTpua polyanthu?, ISl Strobilanthes Dyerianus, 175 ; isopbylufl, 115 Stvlophorum diphyllum, 420 Suffolt, notes from, 22, 142 Sultan, the Sweet, a va iety of the, 403 Summers of 1696-97, ( ffect of, ou fruit crops, 70 Syuthyris ronifoimis, 270, 312 Syringa. 276; amurensis, 276; ehinensis. Emodl. 276; Emodi var. rosea, 276 ; Jusi- kifa, 276 ; obUta, 276 ; pekinensie, 277 ; persica, 277 ; viilosa, 277; vulgaris, 97 SyoD House, Pit; her Plants at, 97 T. Tal)lo decoration, 118 Taxocium distichum, Q'^ ; mucronulatuin, (y^ Tecophylaea eyanocrocus, 225 Tellima grandiflora rubra, 12, 61 Temple show, impreesions of the, 496 ; plants lo&t at the, 466 ; hardy plant? at the, 550; some noteworthy hirdy plants at, 512 ; tents at the, 530 Tetratheca eriooides, 87 Thalictrumanemonoides, 397 Thcrn, the scarlet-fruited, as a ttock far graftlrg, 82 Thrifts, the prickly, 405 Ihuji, 420; a giant, 69 Thunii Marshalliana. 422 Ihuribei'gia alata, 4C8 Thyme, garden, 230 Thyrsicanthus rutilana, 318 Tiarella cordifoUa, 456 ; cordi folia, 456 Tjboucbina heteromalla, 15 Tolmiea Meuzieti, 553 Tomato Cluster, 300 ; Conferecce. 395 ; Golden Jubilee, 411 ; Hopper's Goliath, 510 ; Old Red, 4.0 ; culture, notes i n 367, 472 Tomatoep, 158; for salad?, 25; in vicer'ee, 395, 4^0 ; in vineries, preventives against wasps 541 ; marketing, 532 ; notes op, 419 Toxicophiwi spcctabiiis, 227 7 ree and shrub notes, 507 Tree plau'ing in the Isle of Man, 5 Trees and shruba in flower, notes on, 425 ; wicter-flowering, 27 ; English, colour of, in autumn, 82 ; pruning young Peach, 01 ; wjll, long spurs ( n, 313 Trtmandra verticillata, 98 Tiesstrve, a pergola at, 423 ; apergola at, 423 Tiichiniini Marglesl, 4S0 Trichocentruin tigrinum, 407 Tr\ hop'lia marginata h pida, 407 ; suavif , 3£9 Tricho])i]i:)8, notes on, 370 Tricvspida' ia dt pendens, 507 Trillium gvandiflorim, 397 ; g. rotetm, 441 ; sefsile culifornicum, 375 Triteleia uniflora. 312 ; u. in pota, 3'9 Traiius Oiange Globe. 466 Tropjfuluiii Ballot Fire, 278 Tiultie-hunting, 72, 122 Tuteroics after flowerirg, 88, 159 Tulipa bifloia major, 309 ; Greiti, 3 4 ; LcichtJini, 3f 3 ; retrcflcxa, 419 ; sax t'lip. 3(9; violarea, 181 Tulip Dame Elegante, 307, 420; Double Yel- low Tournetol, 310 ; early, Bon Spaendouch, 319; early single. Golden Queen, 310; early single, Maas, 319 ; Golden Crown, 429, 495 ; York and Lancaster, 441 Tulips from Ireland, 420 ; late, 493 ; May, a b azeof colour with, 406 ; novelties in early single, 512 ; Felf-coloured late, 482 Tulip Tree, wcod of, 69 Turf in and near Ihe flowtr parden, 392 lurnip Early White Milan, 510; Extra Eaily MiL n, 510 ; Jeriey Lily, 510 Ukiah Vullty, 234 U. riih fruit t c:i Vanda Amtsiana, EO, EO ; Batemaniji, 422; (ceiuleEcens, 298; suavis, 4C8 Variegation and its effects in gardens, 508 Veitch prizes for flavour, 18, 51 Vtgetable growing under djflicultics, 106 Vegetables, forced, 474 ; plaLtrng green, 410 ; sizjin, 71, 105, 213. 253 Vegetable Mar-rows, 122 ; acd manure?, 474 Vehhtimia viridifolia, 71 Veronicas, shrubby, 383, 427 Viburnum Opulus var. sterile, 225 Vi.toria medal of honour. 51 Vine, the A'euconnaise, 100 ; the Black Honi- hi'rgh, at Mtlchtt Couit, 90; the Melthet Court, OJ Vine holders, ma'ipgemcnt of, 503 Vine leaves unhealthy, 436 Vices at Chiswick, 437; (arly planting ff, 413; failing. 457; mildew en, 439: old, renovaling. 238 ; on open walls or bu'ld- \ ings, 437, 460 ; outdoor, 54 ; plantirg cut- baek, 200 ; young barren, 02 ; yourg, 1 aising, 536 Viola cornuta, 514 ; cucuUata. 441 Violet, a white, from Maidstone, 353 ; Cali- fornia, 1?2, 209; Lady Hume Canoptell, 263 ; La Frar ce, 394 ; Slarie Louise, 04, 96, 140, 180, 209, 261, 295; Marie J ouise diseased, 20 ; Marie Louise in pots, 230 ; Victoria (douhle), 261 Violet lulture, li-2 _ V o'cts, 263 ; double, in frame:", isi ; far rng, 139; from the Mendip Hills, 115; from W'ales, 375 ; in America, 145 W. Wales, N , flowers from 03 Walk, a covered garden, 313 ; at Wood.iih, 213 Wallflowers, 404 ; single, 494 Wate;- ress. its history and cultivation, 124 Water Hyaiintli, the, 354 Water Lilies, 2 Water rats and Irisep, 94 Weather in Wefct flertp, 12, 32, 72, 94, 11% 137, 159, 181, 226, 246. 270. 290, 33i, 354, 370, 398, 420, 412, 464, 4St>, 500, 553 Weigelas not flowering, 509; tn the gi ass 53! WdHugtonia ( igantea, 402 ; leavts, poison- ing of fillies by, 160 Wcitoubirt, frutt tre:s at, 413 Whitewash to retard blooii'iog, 0 Weybridge, flowers from, 51 Williams' Memorial medals, 04 Willows at Chi:o Forestry Station, 3« Wilton House. 4b7 ; Wilton Jlouse. 407 Wiuchmore Hill, flowers from,t05 Wineberry, Japanese, 113, 180 Winttr Aconite, 94 WinUr Aeon fe, the, 394 Winter protective material, 50 Winter Sweet, the, 51 Wistaria, an old, at hjford Manor, 4.1 W.&(aria, a white, over apergola at Tnsserve, 470 Wistarias, 470 Wo-)dlic9 and vrirewtim among Cucumb ra, 459 Worms in the Eo'l, 450 Wren's nest in an Arum plant, 3 2 York, January flowers a^ 138 Zephyranthes carina ta, 400 ; coronata, 363 Zygoptta'nrn ciinitum, SO; Feirenoudl, 297 THE GARDEN INDEX. [July 2, 1898. M COLOURED PLATES. ABUTILON GOLDEN FLEECE ALBERTA MAGNA ASTER SINENSIS AUTUMN, THREE WILD FLOWERS OF CARNATION LADY ARDILAUN CHRYSANTHEMUMS, TWO : 1, LOUISE ; 2, WARE CHRYSANTHEMUMS, TWO : 1, JULIE VERE ; 2, JOHN SHRIMl'TON CHRYSANTHEMUMS, TWO SINGLE ... DAHLIA LORELEY DAHLIAS, TWO : 1, FANTASY ; 2, SINGLE CACTUS ERICA CILTARIS (THE DORSET HEATH) GESNERA LEOPOLDI HEDYSARUM MULTIJUGUM HIBISCUS CAMERONI Pare 300 430 258 42 106 , DELA- 4.52 LAGRA- 342 3Sli 320 WHITE in2 3G4 542 408 280 Page HIBISCUS MANIHOT 126 IRISES, TWO: 1, L CUPREA ; 2, L TENAX 518 KNIPHOFIA LONGICOLLIS 496 LA.VATERA TRIMESTRIS 62 LENTEN ROSES IN WINTER 474 PANSIES, TUFTED : 1, BORDER WITCH ; 2, WILLIAM NIEL : 3, ETHEL HANCOCK ; 4, LAVINIA 148 PHLOX DRUMMONDI : 1, CHAMOIS ROSE ; 2, CROWN PRINCE; 3, GRANDIFLORA ISABEL- LINA ; 4, AMALILIS ; 5, COCCINEA 6 ROSA ALTAIC A ; R. TOMENTOSA WOODSIANA ... 170 ROSA LUTEA ; R. LUTEA FL.-PL 22 ROSE (TEA) MLLE. YVONNE GRAVIER 236 ROSE (TEA) PRINCESSE MARIE D'ORLEANS 84 SOLANDRA GRANDIFLORA 214 July 2, 1S98.] [The Garden. Michael Foster. PaOFESSOR Michael Foster, whose portrait accompanies these remarks, is kuowu wherever science is cultivated and horticulture practised in the world. The distinguished Professor of Physiology in the University of Cambridge, Fellow of Trinity Collego, and Fellow and Secretary of the Royal Society, ha? now a host of followers and adherents in the country, and he has written a book (" A Manual of Physiology") which is likely to be a text-book for all time about the subject of which it treats. But happilj- for those who move in a region which is less lofty than the above. Professor Foster has very wide interests of his own, and gardening has been assigned as the recreation to which he is devoted more than anything else. The readers of The Garden have for long had the benefit of this, and " M. F." represents a name to which great attention is invariably paid. Nor is it only by these far too infrequent communications that we are all laid under tributi to him. Professor Foster has been active as an adviser and a helper in the comparative rise and prosperity of the Royal Horticultural Society, and the better days which have now come upon it owe something to him. But his especial line is in the classification and cultivation of Irises, and to this he has given great attention for a very long time. That it has not been an easy matter to take up may be judged from his own words. He described himself in the year 1889 (see p. 149 of vol. xi. of the " Journal of the Royal Horticultural Society") as being in that stage of the process which is called the "slough of despond," and he told us at the same time that he is engaged in making as many as possible of the two hundred or so of the Irises which are scattered over the temperate zone live huddled together in a little spot in Cambridgeshire. Those who have had the pleasure of visiting his garden from year to year in the joyous month of May, and who use his " Treatise on Bulbous Irises" as a vadi mecwm of inestimable worth, would like always to be in a " slough of despond" if such lucidity as his is to be called worthy of the name, and they wonder sometimes that on the top of his cold, bleak hill — wind-swept at most seasons of the year — the denizens of some of the brightast regions of the earth can be prevailed on to prosper as they do. But luckily the garden, lying as it does upon the chalk, suits many Irises very well, and they seem to know that they are in a master's hands, and the great heat in summer-time and the intense cold of winter are alike accepted with thankful- ness. Professor Foster is now the recipient of Irises from those who come across them in out-of-the-way parts of the world, and his treasure grows by contributions from soldiers, travellers, missionaries, and others who have anything new to impart. Most of all he loves— and who that is acquaiated with them at all but must do the same?— the Oncocyclus and Regeli.x groups. In complete accord with the magician of Baden-Baden on this head, he has more than once given us the rationale of what their proper treatment is, and though, psrhaps, methods may differ from one another in different places and under different hands, they must be, if they are to succeed, from the very nature of the case exijonents of his remarks, and they are certain to illustrate what he has laid down. Professor Foster has successfully interested himself in the hybridisation of Irises, and suspallida and iblup and several others have rewarded him for his trouble. It is a good plan which he adopts of letting the names speak for themselves, and the parentage of any particular plant can thus be read off on the spot. It may be that the type in the case of his greatest favourites can scarcely be improved upon, so supremely beautiful these flowers always are, but it ia nevertheless certain that their shyness in blossoming is a good deal overcome, and, what is still more important, the hybrids have a stronger constitution and are more hardy than any others of the same class. Professor Foster was presented with the Victoria Medal by the Royal Horticultural Society last year on the occasion of the Queen's Jubilee. This brief notice of the horticultural work of one of the chief scientists of the day would raally not be complete without a word of recognition of the great afiability which Professor Foster always displays. Immersed, as we know him to be, in the most exacting of studies, and occupied with engagements both in Cambridge and London, he is always the same kind friend and willing helper of those who enjoy his confidence at all, and humble gardeners and those who only love flowers for their own sake could be mentioned in great number who would express their deep sense of obligation to him. The Garden.] [.TtTLY 2, 189S. No. 1363.— Vol. LHI.] [JANUARY 1, 1898. Flower i— Ciilaiiiuni esculentTini .. ,. 2 Garden, a roof 2 Irises, Califomian 1 Lol^elias, herliaceous .. .. 3 Pansy, a good Tufted . . . . 3 Pelargonium Rev. H. Atkin- son 3 Plant, the Hundred Years . . '2 Senecio pulchcr 2 Solidago virgaurea nana . , 3 M'ater Lilies -2 Orchids :— Cattlcya Schofieldiana . . . . 4 Cattleyas, notes on 4 Cirrhopetalum Medusae., .. 4 Coflogj-ne Gardneriana . . . . 4 Cyiiripedium iusigne Maulei 4 Cypripedium Olenus .. .. 4 Dendrobiuiu Jamesianum . . 4 Dendrobium nobile ccerules- ceus 4 La?lia albida (Walker's variety) 4 iMasdevallia pachyura . , . . 4 Odontoglossum facetum . . 4 Udontoglossum Insleayi leopardinuiii 4 Oncidiimi Cavendishianum .. 4 Oncidiuni zebrinum .. .. 3 Orchid propagation 3 Phala'nopsis amabilis . . . . 3 Pleurothallis punctulata, .. 4 Sophronitis ceniua 4 {niiistrations in Italics.) Trees and Shrubs:— Angn^cum sesquipedale Conifers, notes on Isle of Man, tree-plauting in Oak; th<: CoH: at Gooihrood .. Sea, planting near the . Stauntonia latifolia in fruit.. Garden Flora:— Phloxes, annual Orchard and Fruit :— Peach culture in the open air PkOcK tree at Marga)ii Park\ Gtamorgan Strawberries, large - fruited perpetual -flowering . . Whitewash to retard blooming Week's Work;— Fruit houses, work in .. .. 10 Kitchen garden, work in ..11 Stove and Greenhouse:— Criniuu asiaticinn variegatum 11 Luculia gratissima 11 Palms, hardy 11 Notes of the 'Veek:— Ardisia polyscjiala 12 Begonia leprosa 12 Calanthe Veitchi 12 Callicarpa piu-purea 1'2 Ficus elastica variegata .. .. 12 Flowers in Dublin 12 Pansies, Tufted, at Christmas 12 Senecio sub-scandens .. .. 12 SoUya hetcrophylla 12 Teliinia gi-andiflura rubra .. 12 Public Gardens:— Littlehampton, recreation ground fur 1 - Obituary :— Brown, James 12 Miscellaneous :— Celeriac, ctioking 12 Clay dressing for light land.. '» Magnolia Ynlan fruiting .. 12 National Viola Society -. -. 1'2 Royal Gardeners' ( )rphau j Fund 1 - Weather in West Herts . . . . 12 Flower Garden. CALIFORNIAN IRISES. AVhf.n a year ago (December 5, 1890) I gave you some notes on Califoriiian Irises I hardly expected to so soon have to correct my names for them. I had accepted without ijuestion the names by which tlie species I knew liad been identified by all our prominent botanists, tak- ing it for granted that so showy and common a flower as the Iris would be well known. During the past year considerable attention has been given io our Pacific coast Irises by several botanists, including myself, and instead of the eight species recognised a year ago there are now at least thirteen, with unlimited possibili- ties in the way of unexplored or half-explored regions, and several kinds under consideration which prnmise to prove distinct. INIr. Ley was ([uite right in supposing (The Garden, Decem- ber l!t, IS'.Mi) that the nomenclature rif Califor- nian Irises was very hazy. I find that I have opened up a broad field for research and comparison, and it will be years before it can be said tliat our Irises are all known. In the meantime, possibly some of your readers ma\' be interested in some notes of progress in both names and culture. A year ago I secured plants of Irises from as many localities as possible for study and com- parison, and a number of these flowered last spring. During the flowering season I had fresh flowers sent to me from several out-of-the- way localities, and I have given careful atten- tif)n to the herbarium material accessible in San Francisco. Taking the species in the same order as a year ago, I will first speak of Iris loxi;ipet.\l.\.— The type of this species was found at San Francisco, and it is abundant there now as well as at other points along the bay. This is well known in cultivation. In my notes I made its range extend up the coast for 200 miles, but I find that the Iris found along the coast from a little north of San Francisco Bay, and which has been referred by all botanists to I. longipetala, is quite a distinct thing, resembling in some degree I. longipetala in leaf and heavy rhizome, but an altogether different thing in flower. This new species, which I am publishing as I. Watson lAx.i, has a tall two or three-headed stem, with flowers much like those of the true I. Douglasiana, as man}' as nine to a stem and usually purple. I. Watsoniana is unknown to cul- tivation . I. Doui:lasiana. — The true Iris Douglasiana is the beautiful flower depicted in The(iAKDEN, 0ct..3, 1806. It is found on tlie west side of San Francisco Bay, in the city of San Francisco itself and at least to Monterey. In colour it may be lilac, purple, or in creamy tints. I flowered many plants of this last spring, and a leaf sent me by Mr. Ley from the plant from which your plate was made clearly proved that the plate depicted the type of I. Douglasiana, and not the so-called Ukiah form. I. PtRiivi. — The form which has for many j'ears been called I. Douglasiana, occurring in the Redwood region of Sonoma and Jlendocino counties, proved to be a very distinct species (see Mr. Ley's letter, Dec. 19, 1896). It is being published by Miss Eastwood in Proe. Calif. Acad. Sciences as I. Purdyi, and a fine drawing accom- panies it. In Garden of August 14, 1897, Herr Max Leichtlin described Iris macrosiphon, and an illustration of a fine plant in flower accompanies his notes. The plate and the plant described show Iris Purdyi, which is really very distinct. It can be recognised by its \ery broad and rather flat creamy flowers, lined with purple, shiny leaves, rosy at base, but still more readily by the fact that along the stem, instead of short leaves sheathing at the base, there are several brownish, short, closely sheathing bracts. Of the other Pacific coast Irises only I. bracteata pos- sesses these. I. MACROSIPHON, I find, was first described from specimens collected just across the bay from San Francisco. It is a low-stemmed (almost stcmless) species with very slender rootstock and linear leaves, deep |iuri]le to lilac flowers, with very long tube. It blooms in early spring, and grows in light soil often among the brakes. It would appear to be confined to a narrow belt on the San Francisco Bay. The species which has always been identified as I. macrosiphon I described in The Garden, Dec. 5, 1896. It is taller, long- stemmed and larger leaved, and may run to cream or other colours. Herr Max Leichtlin has named this species I. ealifornica (see his notes, August 14, 1897). In Southern California, in the San Bernardino Mountains, there is a species long referred to I. MissouRiENsis. — This Professor Foster has named Iris Parishi. I believe that I. Parishi as it grows in theSan Bernardino Mountains isidentieal with a form from the Southern Sierras W'hich I had decided was unnamed until I saw specimens of I. Parishi. In the Northern Sierras there are two Irises both long identified as I. Hartwegi. — In the type I. Hartwegi there is no tube, and the stem below the ovary is long. In Iris new species the tube is as long as in Iris macrosiphon, but the stem below the ovar}' is short. Otherwise the two might be readily con- fused, and the distinction has no value to the gardener. I secured a large number of an Iris from the Itillamette Valley, Oregon, which proved to be I. TENAX, and fljwered it splendidly the first season. It grows low in dense tufts usually in rather heavy land. The plants as they came to me were mixed with blue grass. The leaves were individually not over 4 inches long, although the finest herbarium specimens had leaves about 10 inches high. The one-flowered stem is 3 inches to 4 inches high, bearing a most charming little ])urple flower. I was delighted with it. Other plants from Central Oregon which may be the same, but the identification is imperfect, had flowers of a rich yellow, anti 1 was informed the colour varied from jiurple to pure white. I. r.RAc.TEAT.v is a native of the extreme south- western part of Oregon. Fresh flowers were sent to me which proved to be closely allied to those tf I. Purdyi in flower and stem, except for the deip yellow colour. The leaves are very difl'erent, fur in I. bracteata only a single leaf is borne in a tuft, this one leaf broad, stirt', and 1 foot or •! feet lon{ , of itself a clearly distinguishing feature. Culture. I secured a number of collected plants of various native Irises. Iris ealifornica I secured while still dormant after the first rains, also THE GARDEN. [Jaxhart 1, 1898. I. Purdyi. My soil was a ratlier heavy clay, but when tliey were planted it was warm and loose. They were planted in a cool, shaded position, and almost immediately began to put new roots down. In December tlie weather turned colder and the ground was saturated. By thi.s time the little plants were quite well rooted, but the loots of I. calif ornica decayed, and most of the plants stood still and died later. A few made a second effort to put out roots and lived, but not 10 per cent, survived. In the same .situation I. Purdyi held its roots, and a large number are now well established. In December I secured a fine lot of I. Hart- wegi, ])lanting near the others, but in a lighter soil. These, too, at once started a vigorous root growth, but as the .soil became cold" many died off. I, however, secured a number of strong plants. I had two lots of I. Douglasi- ana. One lot, collected about January 1, had made strong root growth before I secured it and had started stems. I scattered them, some in cold, heavy sod, others in rather -.varm soil. They started at once, sending out new roots and also fibrous roots from the broken root ends. I lost scarcely a plant and had an abundance of bloom. Later I secured a large mass from a garden I broke up, and with equal success. All of my plants are now strong. Iris tenax I had in two lots in December, both coming to me frozen. One lot went near the Iris californica in cold, hea\-y soil, and did not do well. A second lot planted in warmer soil gave a liigh percentage of growtli and a splen- did bloom. A third lot arrived in spring- March, I think. They took hold slowly, but many made a fair growth, and others remained dormant, but are starting now. My conclusion is that I. Douglasiana and I. Purdyi do best in a heavy soil and handle easily, but that I. cahfornica, I. Hartwegi, and all others of the species growing in dry situa- tions and loose soil require perfect drainage, and are best moved dormant. The degree°of cold will not account for their loss, for they stand a far greater amount in the mountains around. I had a number of other species under cultivation, Ijut not under conditions to make my exiicrience worth detailing here. I am con- tinuing my experiments this season and will give notes later. Carl Pukdy. Ukiali, California. Senecio pulcher.— This has been very bright and pretty during the fine late autumn, and even now a few of the [iretty ro.se-purp?e flowers are open. When strong and well established, the blossoms form large loose corymbs on stout ttc ms about a couple of feet high, and after tie princi- pal flowers are over, lateral ones are produced along the stems. Many find a difficulty in establishing the small i>ot-bound bits sent out from hardy plant nurseries, but it is really very easily managed when good plants are secured". Siiread the roots out as much as possible, and usually about the second season these throw up offshoots that may lie taken off for propagating. Caladium esculentum.— This is one of the few fiue-foliaged plants that are suitable for planting outside during the summer, the vigorous habit suiting it w'ell for the purpose. The plants should be started in a moist greenhouse or Peach house and put out in prominent positions at the end of June in rich, open soil. They must be well watered home and kept moist until well established, wiien they will take care of them- selves. In a hot, dry summer the effect of the large green leaves is very fine. In October they shoidd be taken up ancl jjotted, or, if there are many jjlants, placed in boxes and kept quite dry until rccpiired for iie.xt season. Water Liilies. — I have read with much in- terest Mr. Blenkinsop's interesting article (p. 40(i), and thank him for so kindly acceding to my sug- gestion. I found the article to which he alludes with some difficulty, as it is entitled "Hardy Aquatics," and .signed "Macedonian." Itapjieared in vol. xlix.,p. 149. There is a misprint in my note (p. -tlill) through the omission of a figure. I wished to say that the temperature of my pool often rises to 7.J° (not .5°) from sun-heat. Our experiences, allowing for the differences in the circumstances of our tanks, seem to agree -lery closely. I am inclined to think my plants of Nympha'a odorata alba and N. o. exquisita are too much confined, being in pots, for N. o. rubra —is this identical with N. o. rosea? — has done much better since it was shifted into a box. Un- fortunately, I must have my plants so that the tank can be cleaned out occasionally, so that they are of necessity cramped for root space. The water in my case is shallower than Mr. Blenkin- sop's, being scarcely 18 inches, but as 1 very seldom have over 3 inches of ice, the crowns are quite out of harm's reach, and the plants have never, so far as I have observed, suffered from cold. The Water Soldier multiplies so fast as to be a nuisance, but Aponogeton only does very poorly compared to what I have seen elsewhere. It flowers and then loses its leaves, and then a fresh growth appears, but it is not vigorous. Mr. Burbidge's pond is supplied by a neighbouring millpond and is not so fully exposed as mine, hence the water is much colder ; there is very little motion, I think. In conclusion, I think Mr. Blenkinsop will agree with me that the essentials for these Nympha'as are still water, not too deep, 3 feet or less, full exposure to sun, and as much shelter from cold winds as possible. As to Mr. Kane's note, not having any caddis worms in my pool I cannot either confirm or refute what he says. — GrEKNW GOD PiM. kinds of plants, appreciates good soil, manures and care, but to attain its normal development it is content w ith a soil of little depth and a scarcity of water, under three essential conditions, namely; (1) If it has room to send out its large roots a great distance. The suckers spring up frequently more than 33 feet from the rhizome. (2) If it has the benefit of the night dews, which are very copious in the parts I have mentioned. (3) If it has the benefit of plenty of light and sun. We are a long way from growing it in pots in a cold, dry green- house. The average stature of the Agaves that flower here in such numbers is 4 feet to .5 feet. I often see them (i feet (1 inches and over. The shafts generally reach to Hi feet .3 inches. I do not think it is frequent for them to rise 22 feet 11 ;V inches above the plant itself. — RobkrtRoland- tJossELlN, iu Beviie HoHkolc. A ROOF GARDEN. THE HUNDRED YEARS PLANT. Some notes published in a journal during the current year on the Agaves, and Agave americana in particular, have tended to perpetuate the false idea that this plant only blooms when it has reached the age of 100 years. According to this journal, it is such a well-known fact, that in the United States the plant is known by the name of "the hundred years plant." In the south of Europe ^e-\eryone knows, of course, that the Agaves, 'and especially the American species, are acclimatised and live in the open air, and develop to the same extent as the Mexican plants and nearly as rapidly. The entire shores of the Mediterranean on both sides are planted with Agave americana, which attains to a great size, flowers, and gi\cs out suckers by thousands. I myself live near a road which is lined with it. This road was made thirty-eight years ago by blasting the rocks which overhang the sea be- tween Nice and Villefranche, and since then great numbers of small oHshoots of A. americana have been planted at random in the fissures of the rocks in order to consolidate the soil and the fragments of rock. The soil is a calcareous, rather clayey bmestone, very red and rich in potash. Since 1871 a great number of these plants blossomed regularly every year, and the shafts which are now seen projecting are some of the offshoots of plants put in years ago. The fact is easily verified, and is jjrovcd by tli'e multi- tude of fine specimens obtained comjjarable in all respects to those of Mexico. Generally speaking, the American Agave only flowers when it has reached a certain size. The blooming depends rather on the plant's develop- ment than its age. One, for instance, being in conditions favourable to it, will liloom at the age of twelve or fifteen years, wliilst another less favourably situated will remain small, giving ofi' perhaps as many leaves, hut no flowers until after a much longer period. If an Agave is transplanted when it is very large, there is a great cliance of its hearing flowers one or two years afterwards. This fact is especially observ- able in the American Agave salmiana and A. ap- i _ _ planata. The American Agave, like all other where they rcceiv There is in my garden a low outbuOding with slate roof which was unduly prominent and had to be made less unsightly. Years of ne- glect had permitted the Ivy wdiich crept up its walls to grow on to the roof. The Ivy was ornamental, but it was ruining the roof, and had consequently to be cut back to the height of the wall. The roof is a lean-to, facing almost S.S.E., and for various reasons was unsuitable for covering with a rampant Rose or Clematis. After some reflection, it was resolved to con- vert it into a garden for Housoleeks and Stone- crops. This I thought would not only cover the slates, but would also be interesting, and at the same time do sumething to relieve the con- gested state of the garden. The modus operandi was as follows : The roof was divided into several portions by means of stones laid on the slates. A mixture of loam, clay, cow manure, and lime rubbish was then prepared and mixed with water to the consistency of tliick mortal'. This compost was then put on the slates with a trowel, covering the roof with about I J inches of the earth. In this while wet the plants were placed, and then well watered through a tine rose to settle them into position. This was done in spring, and as dry weather set in occasional waterings were given for some time. Since the first summer the plants have not been watered with the exception of two or three which .showed symptoms of distress through a succession of dry weeks. As it was intended that the plants sliould be such as would endure heat and prolonged drought, the majority of those jjlantcd were Semper- vivums and Sednnis. All the former thrive well, as might be expected, and among others S. arachnoideum and S. Laggeri flourish, although in wet weather they look less happy than other jilants of the .same species on a perpendicular wall. The common Houseleek (S. tectorum), it need hardly be said, looks happy, and S. Regin:e Aniali;e, S. Brauni, S. Funcki, S. montanum, S. Pittoni, S. vio- laceum, and several others are also thriving. The only drawback to the success of the S^m- pervivunis is that their rosettes are sometimes knocked oft' by the eats. The Sedums nearly all do well also, especially those of the same classes as S. acre and S. dasyphyllum. Sedum Lj-dium is particuhirly well adapted for sucli a position, as its foliage assumes in summer the bright red colour in its best hues, and in winter it becomes a sheet of vivid green. Some of the flat-leaved species do not stand the drought of summer so well, and I have occasionally found it necessary to water S. hybridum. S. album, S. brevifolium, S. oppositifoliuni, S. rupestre, S. reflexum and others do well, the less succulent species being kept near the lower part of the roof, more moisture. January 1, 1898.] THE GARDEN. By way of an experiment a small patch of Saxifraga Aizoon was planted on the roof. Although it flags greatly at times and needs to be watered two or three times in a season, it has thriven amazingly and has greatly increased in size. It Howers well also, and as there is a corner of the roof as yet unoccupied, I hojie to try a few mcjre of the encrusted Rockfoils upon it. I Iiave also had at the top of the roof for about three years a plant of Iris tectorum, the Iris seen on the thatched roofs of China and Japan. It has not flowered, but has in- creased in size and has stood the winters better than in a dry rock garden. I am inclined to tliink it would do better a little lower down, where it would get fewer cold winds and more heat. Some Antirrhinum and Wallflower seeds have also been .sown. These are beginning to naturalise themselves on the roof, and one can readily see, that did space allow, there would be every inducement to ex- tend the scope of one's roof-gardening opera- tions. Several other plants found useful in wall gardening would be likely to succeed, and I purpose trying, among otliers, Campanula Portenschlagiana and Erinus alpinus. They will jjrobably do if their roots are covered by one of the stones. In roof gardening I should recommend that particular notice be taken that the roof is strong enough to bear the weight of the mate- rial and plants emjjloyed. It will also be obvious that a roof at a very steep angle would require something fixed along it at inter\als to prevent the earth and plants from slipping down. The question of access to the plants also rerjuires consideration. The outhouse here is a low one, and by means of a short step-ladder I ha\'e fixed, it is easily reached, Ijut in order to make the plants more accessible I have a small ladder with broad treads laid up the roof and fixed across. A thick batten runs longitudi- nally. I am not satisfied with the appearance of this, and think of adopting a plan suggested by a friend, i.e., that of having a ladder with iron points attached, which would keej) it slightly above the roof when laid on it. This would be movable. It will be apparent that the growing of plants on ordinary roofs is not adapced for all buildings, and that it is only an extension of tlie old and picturesque custom of growing Houseleeks and Stonecrops on roofs. Although thus neither feasible everywhere nor absolutely new, many an ugly outbuilding may by roof gardening be made not only interesting but attractive, instead of presenting a surface of cold and dull-looking slate. S. Arnott. Carscthorn, Dumfries, X.B. SHORT NOTES.— FLOWEB. England where treiicbing and liberal manuriug were special items in management. — M. T., Carron, N.B, Herbaceous Lobelias.— I read with great in- terest some letters in Tiif: Garden lately on the cul- tivation of herbaceous Lobi'lia (scarlet), which I grew splendidly at one time in a very wet, heavy soil. I never did anything to them in the way of winter protection, except that I left the tail stems on, which fell over and protected tliem in some degree. After a long time tlie bed got so full of weeds that, unfortunately, I took the Lobelias up ami planted in a dry place, which I thought they ought to like, but in a short time I had not a single root alive, all devoured by rust, which never touched them in the wet mud. We have as yet a very mild winter ; Ecoremocarpus and such things in flower in the open.— M. GouDON CoOKE, Tanavalla, Listowel, Kerry. Orchids. Pelargonium. Rev. H. Atkinson does capi- tally on our low, damp ground, and is also one of the freest flowt ring sorts in pots. A number jiotted dur- ingMay are now {December 15) flowering well, while many of the popular new ones are past and put out o^ the show house. — M. T., Carron, Stirlingshire. Solidago virgaurea nana (p. 461).— The va- riety which grows so freely here in the rich beds I should scarcely think would ever exceed 6 inches, and often flowers at 4 inches and 5 inches, beginning about May 20 and lasting to middle of June. No doubt the heavy soil of Edge Hall ijuite alters its character. — E. C. Buxton. A good Tufted Pansy.— One of the best Tufted Pacsies is Bullion. At the end of November it was a mass of yellow blossoms, and it began to Howler while in the cutting bed during last February, and has been blooming ever since. The situation is low and damp and cannot be efficiently drained. All the Pansy race do well on strong, moist soil ; but I have often had them do well in dry and warm positions in ORCHID PROPAGATION. The propagation of Orchids is fraught with a good deal of danger if gone about at the wrong time and by inexperienced persons. Not only this, but there are some plants in the family one may cut into as many pieces as zonal I'elar- goniums and each will make a new plant, while others only lend themselves to slow jind uncertain methods. Cypripediums have been, perhaps, more propagated than any other (Jrchids, and the more skilful growers think nothing of taking ofl' single young growths of some of the rarest and most valuable hylirids and setting these going on their own account. What is more importixnt, the parent jilants seem little or none the worse for this lopping. Take another family, the Cattleyas. These, too, are much sought after, possessors of unicpie kinds being tempted to increase them as much as possible. In this case, of course, a little dift'erent mode is practised. Each portion of the plant having an eye, or lead as it is termed, may be taken oft' separately, and will make a fresh specimen, but unfortunately not without a considerable reduction of the strength of the parent. There is a right time for doing this, and if the operation is to be carried through at once, there is, I believe, no better time for doing it than when the new pseudo- bulb is maturing and just before it begins to root. On the other hand, if the rhi- zome is notched deeply some time in advance of the separation, the plants may then be left until the pseudo-bulbs are complete. In this case it is a good plan to place a little new com- post within reach of the young roots, and this niay be lifted out when separation takes place. Large jjlants having several leads to spare should not have all these taken off in one sea- son. No matter how carefully it is gone about, cutting Orchids in pieces is sure to check them. Both the parent plant and the divided portions are better for a little nursing afterwards, but this is only a detail and applies with equal foi'ce to any kind of disturbance. But no one should fall into the error of thinking that it is only the young plants that need it. These in any case have the advantage of the more prominent and best matured eyes, while the latter have in many eases to push their next growths from ill- matured and weak ones, and through the con- gested cells of older pseudo-bulbs and rhizomes. This I have frequently noted when propagating Odontoglossums, and a fine piece of (). Pesca- torei that has had several leads taken oft' now shows by the smaller pseudo-bulbs how weaken- ing is the process. O. Halli, on the other hand, I have noticed may be cut without so much damage, and I have now several thriving young plants of O. H. leucoglossum of a good type that were little more than single bulbs two years ago. This variability will be found in al- most eveiy genus. Take the case of Burling- tonia decora ; this pretty plant may be cut up into ahnost as many pieces as there are bulbs, but it would not do with B. fragrans. Not that this cannot be propagated freely enough, but irot so uruch as the former kind. Lycaste arovnatica and L. Skinneri are very easily propagated ni this way, but I have not been so fortunate with L. lanipes and L. Barringtonias, though one would think that the latter large-bulbed kind would take more kindly to it. The most difficult Orchids to get up a stock of are those with single stems and distichous leaves like the 'V'anda, Aerides and Phaltenopsis species. Not that there is any particular diffi- culty in taking oft' side pieces and rooting them when they appear, but one may keep a plant a good many years before it breaks into side growth. Such strong-growing members of this section as Vandas of the tricolor and Aerides of the odoratum and Fieldingi types one may cut down below the principal roots with the certainty of young growths resulting from the lower parts of the stem ; but with a dwarf Phaltenopsis or Angr;ecum it would be dift'erent, and here we have to wait until the side shoots appear naturally, and this is not often. The best time for the separation is in spring, just as the roots are becoming active, as indicated by the fresh green tips. The propagation of Den- drobiumsof the cylindrical-stemmed kinds has been recently referred to in The Garden, and it is only necessary to .say that none but strong, healthy plants of good varieties should be so treated as to grow on small bits for several years is" time wasted. Pleiones, Calanthes, and Thunias are easily propagated, plants in fairly good health doubling themselves in size or in number of bulbs in about a coujile wth it is different, the stems being usually shoiter and stouter. D. Jamesianum requires less heat than D. infundibulum, thriving in quite a cool house, while the latter does best in an intermediate temperature. Oncidium Cavendishianum.— This useful plant is again in bloom, the long spikes surniouiited by a tine raceme of yellow-spotted flowers that will last months in good order. It is a capital plant for the house or conservatory, the spikes giving a ligl t and graceful effect to groups of other plants, while it is also useful now for cutting. It grows freely during the summer in a Cattleya house temperature, the roots being quite at home in a rough, open compost contain- ing large himps of charcoal or crocks, j January 1, 18£8,J THE GARDEN, Trees and Shrubs. PLAJ^TING NEAR THE SEA. Some are afraid of planting near the sea, and no wonder, considering the bleak look of tilings and the cutting winds on land near to it ; Imt tliat arises ratlier from our own fault in cuttin" countries, and it is interesting to see how well ! our trees, and 50 yards away we might walk groves of hardy evergreen trees which thrive in , in woods as stately as in any part of the cuun- a country will break the force of the wind. I try. Having got our shelter in this way, the Yet even in places where the few trees that are planted are cut sharp off by the sea wind above the walls, as in Anglesea, we may see how soon good planting will get over difficulties that seem insurmount:ible. By the use near The Cork Oak at Goodivood. From a photooraph sent fcy Mr. K. Parker. growth of the liardy Pines of the northern world seems as easy by the sea as anywhere ; indeed, more so, because if there is any (iiie place where the rather more tender Pines of the north are grown well it is near the sea in places around our coast, where if the soil is good, one has not to be so careful aljout the trees we select as we have to be in inland places. We have always noticed the ever- green Oak taking the lead among the trees ne.ir the sea, and it ought to be largely used ; but as it is not very easily transplanted from nur- sery-bought plants, it is just as well to raise it on the place and plant it young. Even seeds might be scat- tered with some advantage in places we wish it to grow in, as it grows freely from seed. But perhaps it is moi'e suited for shelter in groups on lawns and in parks than for taking part in a broad wood, for which ])ur- puse v^e had perliaps better go to the greater trees. In addition to the common e\er- green trees of Europe, the Scotch, .Spruce and Silver Fir.s, &c., we have the noble Oosican Pine, whicli, from its habitat in Calabria and in Corsica, can have no objection to the sea. The Pines of the Pacific coast, too, are well used to its influences, and hence we see in our country good results from planting them near the sea, as, for example, Menzies' Spruce at Hunstiinton, the Monterey Pine at Bicton, the Red- wood in many jilaces near the sea, and the Cedar of Lebanon at Good- wood. One good result of planting in such places is that we may use so many evergreen trees, from tlie Holly to the Cedar, and so get a certain amount of warmth as well as slielter. Though our country generally is not perliaps fitted for the growth of tlie Cork Oak, it is here and tliere in southern and sheltered jjarts on warm soils, as in certain parts of Devonshire and on the warm side of the Sussex Downs, seen in good condition. Of this fact we give an example in this striking illustration of the stem of one of the Cork Oaks at Goodwood, near the house. As seen during the past autumn these trees were all that could be desired in health and beauty. Tliis Oak naturally inhabits the southern parts of Europe and the northern parts of Africa, and it is most interesting to see that it can attain the size of a stately tree in our own country. The girth of the stem at 3 feet from the ground is 12 feet !) inches, and without doubt the trees at Goodwood owe something of their health to their good neighbour, the sea. down trees in the past, and also from the great area of arable land which in the past has been thought more profitable than wtjodland, so that in many wind-swept places evidently people have begrudged a break of trees, which, by the way, might often be worth while having for the sake of saving the crops from the prevailing winds; indued, this has to be done in some the sea of small-leaved trees like the Tamarisks, Buckthorn, and small Willows, we Very soon get a bit of slielter, and by backing these with the close-growing conifers like our common Juniper and Slime of the sea-loving Pines like Pinaster, and in mild districts the Californian Cy- press and the Monterey Pine, we soon get shelter and companionship, so to say, for Tree planting' in the Isle of Man.— An important movement, at the head of which is Lord Henniker, has been initiated in Manxland for extensi\ ely planting the island with trees and thus making it more attractive to visitors. A meeting was lately held at Douglas, presided over by Sir John Goldie-Taubman, Speaker of the House of Keys, at which reports favourable THE GAKDEI^. [January 1, 1898. to the project were received from various parts of the ishmd. A resolution was adopted for the formation of a tree-planting society, and an in- fluential committee appointed to draw up a con- stitution and code of rules for the management and development of the same. NOTES ON CONIFERS. A Disp.iRAGiN'G note is sometimes read as to Cedrus Deodara. Why, I can hardly understand, unless it is that on some soils the tree does nob make the headway or preserve the healthy ajipear- ance the planter anticipated. It would be inter- esting to know the nature of soil where it is prac- tically a failure, because those who have it at its best are unanimous in appreciating it, and I think with reason, for it is a graceful shapely tree without the formality characteristic of many of the coniferie, and possesses the immense advan- tage over the Lebanon Cedar that it is seldom damaged by snow. It is of course impossible to form an accurate idea as to the dimensions it is likely to attain in this country, but as the best specimens are going away so kindly with clean stems and leaders mounting away as straight as gun barrels, save for the slight bend at tlie very top, there seems every reason to suppose that we may hope to get it as large as in its Himalayan home. There is no record as to when it was planted here — probably about fifty years ago. The best specimens, rather over (io feet high and girthing nearly 8 feet, are on a sloping bank that, save for a foot of surface soil, isnothino- butsand,dryattop, but moist below. Itwould bein- teresting to know what manner of plants these were. In a recent note on the progress made by trees I mentioned that Yews planted 130 years ago were on the average between 3.5 feet and 40 feet high, and of girths varying from 5 feet to (i feet. The comparison between these and the Deodars at half or less than half the age is an interesting feature in tree life. Many of the conifera' are noted for doing remarkably well on a very sandy soil, but it is perhaps only those who have planted in such a soil and watched the growth that know how well they actually do or the progress they make. Seven years ago I picked up a score of small Spruces and planted them in a nursery with the view of securing an occasional Christmas tree when required. The soil was nearly all sand, and, saving for working in a goodly supply of half- decayed leaves round each plant, they had no other help. Seven years ago they were 30 inches high ; to-day the tallest are 24 feet and well fur- nished from base to summit. The kindly growth for many years and the general healthy appear- ance are not general in the Spruce family. Abies Smithiana and A. Menziesi are handsome as young trees, but get ragged and unsightly, with a large proportion of dead stuff, as they"mount upwards. A. nigra is slow, but on the whole satisfactory if planted where the ground is a bit moist. A. polita is useless, making not the slightest headway. The Silvers as a whole are better than the Spruces, all the varieties tried doing well. I should say the type is not so long- lived as on heavier soil, neither are the trunks so massive. Most of tlie old planted trees now fast decaying are, however, 1-20 feet high, or very nearly tliat height. Abies brachyphylla I have previously noted as doing well and growing at a great rate. It is better on this soil than either Picea Nordmanniana, Pinsapo, or cephalonica. The two last do very well, but they assume a very dense habit, and are too formal to associate well with other things. A. nobilis grows quickly, but A. grandis and A. Veitchi are rather slow. I find as fairly large trees from 20 feet to 2.3 feet high or thereabouts that the Silver Firs move better than any of the Abies family. Some that were shifted ten years ago are now fine, shapely trees. Naturally, with such a sandy soil, con- siderable care is necessary to ensure quick growth after the removal. Absolutely the worst tree to move is the Chilian Pine, and, given the greatest care the annual growth for years is only a few inches. The Hemlock Spruce (A. canadensis) is not at home here. Several of them are scattered about the pleasure grounds, and there is in- variably the same appearance — a yellow, sickly- looking foliage. The Japanese Cedar (Crypto- meria japonica) is one of our fastest growing trees. One shifted some ten years ago as a very small plant from a winter balcony bo.x is now 28 feet high, with foliage well preserved to the base. It is, however, never likely to reach the height we hear that is attained in japan, unless it could be planted in a position sheltered on all sides from rough winds; the leader is crippled as soon as it gets above the wind line. C. elegans is not a success ; the foliage has a rusty, unhealthy appearance. In any planting operations in which conifera' were included I have done little with any of the Pinus family. Once outside the pleasure grounds, we get a stretch of woodn early a mile square with little else but P. sylvestris, and with such a preponderance of this type in close pro.ximity it seemed hardly advisable to in- crease it. The grounds, too, are already densely wooded, and Pines would intensifj' the gloom. In all gardens where a considerable amount of cut flower and foliage is required and the gla that were not whitened. L.\RGE - FRUITED PERPETUAL FRUIT- ING STRAWBERRIES. In the year 1893 the Strawberry known as the .Saint Joseph was raised from seed at Clanoves, in the department of Saone-et-Loire, by M. rAbb6 Thivolet, cure of that district. From the year 1880 the Abb6, who was an enthiisiastic amateur gardener, had conceiveil the desire of raising a perpetual-fruiting large-fruited Straw- berry which would bear the same relation to the common varieties as the al|)ine Strawberry bears to the Strawberry of the woods, and, although one of his friends tried to dissuade him from endeavouring to effect his purpose by crossing one of tlie large-fruited kinds with the alpine Strawberry, he employed this method, as he informs us in an article which appeared in the Moiiiti'iir des Camjiagnen, an agricultural and horticultur.al paper published at .Saint Quentin. From the seed thus obtained an im- perfectly perpetual-fruiting and, what was worse, rather unproductive Strawberry was raised and named Roi Henri. I d(.> not call in (Question the fact of this cro.ssing as described by the Abbe, but what I do doubt entirely, and what every .Strawberry grower will doubt as well, is whether the crossing had the slightest share in the re- sult, since neither the Roi Henri nor the Saint Joseph .Strawberries exhibit any characteristic features in which we can trace the least I'ela- tionship with the alpine .Strawberry. Blore- over, it is not at all necessary to bring in this species to account for the tendency which a large-fruited .Strawberry has to become per- petual-fruiting. This tendency does exist and manifests it.self in almost all kinds ol .Straw- berries from time to time. Nothing is more usual than to see in gardens, or even in the fields. Strawberries of the common variety Princesse Royale, Vicomtesse H6ricart de Thury frequently, and Belle Lyonnaise oftener than any (jther kind flowering a second time in autumn. What in these varieties is really an exception, but a freciuent, normal, and almost antiquated exceptirjn, in habit may easily be- come the rule in another variety. What does this second flowering of Straw- berries proceed from ? It is this. Instead of merely producing in spring one or two flowering stems from axillary buds, the plants which flower a second time produce flowering stems from some of the successional buds, which in the natural course of things would develop into runners. In the case of Strawberries which accidentally flower again in autumn, the flower- stem which appears in .September or October evidently takes the place of one of the last runners whicli the jilant would produce. Let this take place more freijuently, say during the whole summer, and yi.>u will have a Strawberry that m.ay be termed not merely second-flower- ing, but perpetual-flowering. Now, large- fruited Strawberries which flowered not only a second time, but also perpetually were not un- known previously to 1880, as the most authentic documents record at least one variety of consider- ably older date. I refer to the variety named ITnepuisable, raised at the establishment Mabille, Limoges, and put into commerce not later than the year 1871, in the October of which year it was described by its raiser in the /levue lloriicole (p. oOli) as being very vigorous- growing, very productive and abundantly con- j-inuous-flowering. Tliis new variety did not fulfil all the hopes which it had inspired. In .January, 187-1, M. Edouard Andre wrote to say that with him in Touraine the variety was inepuisahle (inexhaustible) only in producing leaves, although he acknowledged that at Limoges, in the ground of the raiser himself, whose good faith and skill were there established Ijeyond doubt, he .saw the variety fully in fruit in Noveudjer, 1874. From this it would appear that its native climate is essential t(j grow this variety well, for in the vicinity of Paris I have cultivated it for a long time without ever obtaining from it, even at its flowering in spring, any fruits that were in the least degree presentable. Its defect, so far as I can conjec- ture, is in not having the sexual organs properly developed, the stamens or pistils having some weak point in their organisation, for the flower- ing was abundant and continuous, proving what I stated abo\'e, viz , that at that time some of the large-fruited Strawberries had the property of constantly ju'oducing flowering stems, the flowers so abundantly borne on which were liardly ever succeeded by well-developed fruit. Any fruit that was produced was almost always small, of difl'erent .shapes, and irregular in form, as is usual when fecundation has not been properly effected. What I have just said about the Inepuisable Strawberry, the first forerininer of the perpetual-fruiting .Strawberries, is aij])lic- able in a high degree to the variety Roi Henri, which is restricted to the domain of merely curious plants and prevented fmm being taken in hand by amateur .and professional cultivators by the imperfect manner in which it sets its fruit. Its numerous and, at first sight, well- formed flowers are succeeded only by small, Ijadly formed and very often entirely abortive fruit. The Abbj Thivolet acknowledged veiy can- didly that the manner in which this first gain of his turned out caused him .some vexation. Ne\ertheless, he was not discouraged, and from fresh crossings between it and some varieties w hich set their fruit well he obtained some new varieties which were less continuous-flowering tlian the Roi Henri, but set better and bore fruit of good form and sufficient size. Of these he mentions two in particular, viz., Robert le Fort and Leon XIII. " But," says he, " these were not what I had dreamt of. These two varieties, however, attracted my .attention, and upon them I proceeded to concentrate my 10 THE GARDEI^. [January 1, 1898. labours. Robert le Fort was remarkable for the abundance of its flowers. Leon XIII., whicli was less floriferous, but perfectly con- tinuous-flowering, was distinguished by its lirst- rate fruiting qualities. I spent ten years in making experiments in crossing one with the otlier, seeking to realise the ideal of an English Strawberry tliat would be as perpetual -fruiting as the alpine Strawberry. In 1892 I made a sowing of Strawberry seed, prepared with every care and precaution possible, and watched over it with the tender solicitude of a father for his children. Amongst the numerous seedlings which were produced one attracted my atten- tion early by the beauty of its fruit. After this its flowers were produced in constant suc- cession, and the fruiting from these was fault- less, the last flower setting quite as well as the first. The perpetual-fruiting English Straw- berry was at last discovered !" But how, it may be asked, can it be explained why a plant of such merit, raised in the year 1893 and awarded a tirst-class prize l)y the Horticultural Society of France on Septem- ber 27, 1894, did not make its way more speedily. To this it may )je replied that the comparative disappointments which were ex- perienced in the case of its predecessors had made the horticultural wcu'ld somewhat scepti- cal on the subject of a perpetual-fruiting large- fruited Strawberry. It may be added tliat tlie name of the raiser liad no great notoriety amongst horticulturists, and that the means at his disposal for making his new variety better known were not very extensive. I must confess that, as concerns myself, although I had been taking a lively interest for many years in the question of a perpetual-fruiting large- fruited Strawberry, I had in some way missed seeingtheannouncementof exhibition of tlie Saint Joseph atthe meetingof thoHorticulturalSociety and the liigli prize which had been awarded to it there. It was not until the year 1895 that I obtained some plants of it, and from the first I could assure myself that these were superior to any of the perpetual-fruiting Strawberries which liad been put into commerce up tf) that time. The conclusions to which my observation of them during the hrst year led me were con- Hrraed in the most striking manner by the sum- mer and :,utumn of 189(i, and especially by their behaviour in the same seasons of 1897. During the whole summer the production of flowering stems continued without the slightest interrup- tion, not merely on a few plants, but on a whole plantation many hundreds of square yards in extent and in an open held. Some of the plants which were two years old Ijore at the same time seven or eiglit flowering stems in varicjus stages of growth, and I can declare, without any exagge- ration, tliat thirty of these plants, well selected, would furnish throughout the whole season a very satisfactory dish of well-ripened and well- flavoured fruit every morning. The succession of fruit, produced especially by the emission of fresh flowering stems which spring from the axils of new leaves on every principal axis of growth, is frequently still further augmented by the premature flowering of the runners of the year which, when scarcely rooted, and some- times even before taking root, flower in time to have tlieir fruit ripe before summer is over. The great superiority of the variety Saint Joseph is chiefly due, as its raiser very truly says, to the fact that the fecundation of its flowers takes place with great I'egularity, and tliat uji to the very last all the fl(]wers prcjduce fruit, wliicli is naturally more or less large according to the position of the flower on the stem. Of course, as in Nature nothing is produced from nothing, it is obvious that, to ensure a well-sustained and abundant amount of produc- tion, it is necessary to feed and water a planta- tion of the Saint .Joseph Strawberry all the time during wliicli anyone wisheo to gather fruit from it. Lilce all organised beings, it yields in pi'oportion to what it receives. The fruit is well coloured and of medium size when not thinned out ; tlie flesh is red, very sugary, melting and perfumed. In quality it much resembles the variety Vicomtesse Hericart de Tliury (abbreviated to " Ricai-t " in the Halle Market at Paris, where it holds the first place in the estimation of gastronomical connoisseurs). The hoi'ticultural world is now, thanks to M. I'Ablje Thivolet, really provided with a genuine perpetual-fruiting large-fruited Straw- l)erry, which cannot be too highly recommended to both amateur and professional horticul- turists. It will probably soon have rivals, but that will not deprive it of the merit of having been the first of its series. — Henby L. pe Vil- MOBIN, in lievue Horticole. The Week's Work. FRUIT HOUSES. Vines, first early, in roTS. — For first early Grapes pot culture is preferable in every respect, for it enables one to avoid .starting permanent Vines unduly early and to t.ike anotlier crop of Melons, Tomatoes, or anything, in fact, which can be worked with facility from the end of April until the end of October. Pot Vines started from November 1st to the 10th will, even if brought on steadih', have fairly broken by this time and the canes be fit very soon to be tied into position. If any have not broken so evenly as one could desire, these can still be kept bent down to facili- tate as even a break as possible. It is not, how- ever, advisable to sacrifice any good and promis- ing shoot just for appearance sake, it being more important to secure the best bunches from the strongest breaks on pot Vines. Disbud to one shoot at every break without any delaj', and thin those also near the base. A slight reduction in the use of the syringe after a fair start has been made should be the rule, otherwise there will be a tendencj' towards a soft and too sappy a growth, which will not resist so well any severe strain later on from inclement weather. Damp- ing down tln-ee or four times a day and keeping the evaporating troughs well filled will answer the purpose to a great extent ; the exceptions should only be when closing after an hour or two of sunshine, or once a day when firing hard against a freezing or easterly wind. Plunging material will give encouragement to a more rapid I'oot action, and is desirable not alone from this point, but likewise by reason of the constant and steady degree of liumidity thereby occasioned. Of course, it is not absolutelj- essential, for good Grapes can be grown witliout any bottom heat, but a longer time is needed for these wherein to finish their crop. Again, on the other hand, pot Vines can be stood o\ er hot-water pipes by merely placing bricks on the latter. Good Grapes are grown in this way, but the attention must be more constant. Pot Vines now fairly broken into their first leaves may have as a night temperature CO' as an average, less, howe\er, by 2° or 3° if the weather be frosty. A rise of '>" up to 15" maj' safely be permitted according to tlie pre\ailing state of things outside. Permanent Vines. — Early houses. — In some cases these also will be on the move, more par- ticularlj' where forcing has been [iractised at an early (jeriod for some years. These always when in health break away more freely than early pot Vines, hence they should not be excited quite so mu( h at the first stages. Endeavour, however, to secure as even a break as possible, either Iny bending them down or by merely leaving the upper portions inclining downwards. As in the case of pot Vines, and for the same reason, dis- continue the use of the syringe to some extent when growth has commenced. Look to it also that all inside borders are thoroughly well watered. A merely superficial watering is not sufficient ; it is deceptive to the eye and ruinous to the Vines themselves. Weak lir[Uid manure will greatly assist the root action, the ammonia arising there- from being also beneficial. Any well-proven arti- ficial manure which has a good percentage of phosphates will also be an assistance, more espe- cially where there has been a previous tendency towards the production of stoneless berries. Such manures, if apiJied at an early stage, will afford that food to the 'S'ines which will enable them to pass through the stoning process in a more satis- factory manner. Where the borders are outside, sufficient litter, or leaves and litter, should be placed upon them to prevent any cooling of the soil during cold weather. To cover borders suffi- ciently to produce Ijottom heat by means of fermenting material does not pay for the time expended upon it. The better plan is to cover the borders early in the autumn before the heat has escaped. Later houses. — From the time of the appear- ance of this calendar onwards for another week will be suitable, and very convenient, too, to many, for starting their Vines so as to ensure ripe Grapes by midsummer. Such Vines should have every prospect of good crops in them with the lengthening of days ere they are far advanced. If these are not already dressed, if insects liave in the past been troublesome, then no time should be lost. A good wash is found in Gishurst direct from the cake, applied with a paint-brush, it being preceded with water from 100° to 120° in order to facilitate its penetrating power. Where mealy bug is rife, the Chelsea lilight composi- tion can be effectively used instead of Gishurst, but with an equal part of water added to it. Mid-season {i.e., those grown naturally) and late Vines should now all be pruned without [delay, except, in the case of the latter, where from some particular reason the latest Grapes cannot all be conveniently stored after cutting. No time should, howe\er, in any case be lost in finisliing up all pruning operations, so as to afford as long a period of rest to the latest houses as jjossible. If not in any other case, the latest houses should be care- fully dressed after pruning with styptic to guard against bleeding. All houses, as a matter of necessity, should be thoroughly well washed down. For this purpose paralHn oil insecticide is a good penetrating agent to precede the use of brushes. Tar brushes on long handles are very suitable and expeditious for both glass and wood. Guard, however, against a too free use of this insecticide so as to cause injury to the roots of inside borders. When pruning take note if any extension is in any special case desirable as an insurance against the failure of a neighbouring spur and hence a blank. Late (iuAUEs. — Those still left on the Vines will need frequent attention for the remoxal of decaying berries. The night temperature should rule with that outside to a great extent : when cold outside, then 40" to 4."i^ is sufficient, but when milder then a shght ad\ance is safer, so as to a\oid touching the dew jioint when moisture will be precipitated in a slight degree upon the berries. All spurs with no bunches upon them should be pruned at once. Grapes now taken to the fruit room should be placed in clean bottles with a few pieces of charcoal and rain water in I ireference to any other. Keep the temperature here as steady as possible, 4.3" to .50" being suffi- cient. Strawberries, first early, in pots. — Those started three weeks or so back will soon be on the move, when a little more warmth may be given ; but on no account should too much excitement be |iermitted, otherwise there will be a tendency to go blind. Keep these as near the glass as possible and watch closely against the first appearance of green fly. Guard against the two extremes of dryness and excess of moisture at the roots. Now is a good time to introduce a much larger batch of plants with far more hopes of success in store. Clean pots and free drainage should obtain, whilst January 1, 1898.J THE GAEDEK 11 all decaying leaves should be removed. The best place for these now is a Peach house or vinery just being started, the temperature of the former being the more congenial, and at that the Straw- berry house proper should stand as a rule. HORTUS. KITCHEN GARDEN. Fkkiji'ent and rather heavy rains during the past week will have interfered somewhat with general outdoor work, especially digging and trenching, and on heavy retentive land some time must now elapse, e\en should the weather prove dry, before such work can be again attempted. However anxious one may be to get as much ground work finished as possible within the ne.xt fortnight, heavy soil should not be turned over for the sake of doing so while in the present wet state, as more labour will be incurred later on, when there is less time at disposal to break it down and get it into a suitable friable condition to receive plants and seeds, especially the latter. It is not from the actual turning over of the soil that harm follows, but from the treading and wheeling necessary in carrying out the work ; therefore it had far better be left alone until there is sufficient frost to form a slight crust, and then the rougher it is left as each spit is turned over the better, as it allows a greater surface for the weather to act upon. Retardini: Broccoli. — The ibsence of frost to any extent has allowed these to turn in quickly, and there is every reason to believe the supply will be greater than the demand. It only requires a week's really hard weather, however, to change all this, and what may be p'entiful now will in a short time become both scarce and dear. It is well then to be on the alert, and lay- in a good store of plants which are ready for use in a way that protection can be afforded if need be, and so tide over the evil as far as possible should it arise. There are various means adopted to preser\e this useful crop from severe frost after the heads have attained a serviceable size. One plan is to lift all tliat are ready, with a fair amount of soil clinging to the roots, and lean thera against a wall or some such shelter in a way that rain or snow cannot beat into the centres. Long litter or Bracken should be used to cover the stems, and if occasion requires it the whole of the plants as well. In this position they will remain in a fresh condition for w'eeks. Where there are only a few plants ready for lifting these could be placed in a spare frame or heeled over where they stand and covered with litter. Precautionary measures must also be taken with other crops which are likely to suffer from nipping frosts which often follow rain. Of course, much depends on the position of the garden as to the injury caused as well as the severity of actual frost. Some bushy sprays of Fir and Yew stuck into the soil between Parsley roots will sometimes turn several degrees of frost, and are a simple means of affording protection when nothing better is avail- able. The branches used should stand quite a foot or more higher than the crop they are supposed to shelter. Tliis sim])le means may also be used both for Lettuce and Endive if these have become far advanced. Long Hazel rods may also be used to form hoops over such beds, and larger boughs or mats may rest on these and form a cheap and fairly safe covering. Ckops under glass. — Where Tomatoes were afforded a house to themselves there will have been little diihculty in keeping the plants healthy and securing nice gatherings. A dry atmosphere, moderate supplies of water at the roots, with a slight warmth in the pipes at all times must be strictly observed if the plants are to keep up a supply of fruit until those sown in the autumn are ready to succeed them. A little feeding is neces- sary if a fair crop of young swelling fruit is on the plants. A little dusting of some artificial manure is better than liquiil from the farm, the latter not unfrequently causing the fruit to decay pre- maturely. Root-action is naturally slow at mid- ^^ inter ; therefore, strong doses of manure in any form act more as a poison than a stimulant. The batch of young plants which are expected to yield ripe fruit by April require careful management for the next two months at least. It would prove harmful to excite growth of any description during that period, but, on the other hand, the plants must not be starved either by being ke])t too cold or too dry at the roots. They well rei)ay for shelf room in a light house where the temperature ranges about 50°. So long as the leaves remain of a healthy green do not disturb the plants, but at the first sign of the lower leaves losing colour shift them on into one size larger pot. See that the compost is warmed before being used. It should consist of new loam, leaf- mould, or spent Mushroom manure, and a little sharp sand. Make the soil firm, pressing it down so as not to bruise the roots, tie each plant to a neat stake, and replace them on a shelf or as near the glass as possible. See that the ball of roots is thoroughly moistened before pottinc, then the plants will stand for perhaps a week before any further watering is required. Air is necessary to keep the plants sturdy, but this should be admitted carefully, so that they are not subjected to a draught. Plants kept slightly on the move in this way will be strong and healthy as the days become longer, and commence to show flower-trusses near the base of the stem, that is if they are allowed plenty of room to re- tain the lower foliage during the winter. Small batches of roots of both Rhubarb, Seakale, and Asparagus should be put in at close intervals, so that the produce may be used at once. It is sur- prising how soon each of these loses its freshness at this season : indeed, Seakale quickly becomes bitter as well as tough if not used at once, and, unless great care is used, much of its whiteness also. Where either of the above has to be kept se\eral days after it is cut it should be stood on damp sand in a cool cellar and covered with a large flower-pot. This is better than standing It in saucers of water, as the water soon become^ tainted and imparts an unpleasant odour, which may be detected after the produce is sent to ti^ble. RiciLiRD Parker. Stove and Greenhouse. HARDY PALMS. ()-\ page 490, last volume, you give a picture of a fine hardy Palm growing in the gardens of Efl'ord Park, Lyiuington, but the plant is called Cliam:erops Fortunei, syn. C. excelsa. I believe that ChamM_!rops Fortunei and C. excelsa are totally diflerent plants, and that tlie former is by far the hardier of the two. I have had C. Fortunei in the open for about fifteen years, first in a low, damp position exposed to late frosts, and for tlie last seven or eight years in a dry sandy jxisition, rather sheltered by walls and in a garden about 300 feet above sea-luvel. For one or two years I protected it overhead with glass, leaving the sides open, but, on the recommendation of a gentleman who has seen it in it.s native home in Chusan, I now leave the Palm uncovered. On the recommendation of the same friend I have lately manured the plant pretty freely, with very encouraging results. Tliree years ago I ordered C. excelsa from Messrs. Fratelli Rovelli, of Pallanza, Lago Maggiore, and have had two plants of it out since. It is a totally diflerent plant from C. Fortunei, though M. Rovelli (when I saw his very interesting nursery last winter) told me he had believed that the two Palms were iden- tical, having only different names. C. P"'iirtunci seems to me the hardier of the two, and a friend of mine has it growing and thriving on the Lon- don clay a few miles from here. would have to live a century or two before sitting under his own Palm tree. Believing the plant, from my experience, to be absolutely hardy, I bought three large specimens, (i feet or 8 feet high, from Messrs. G. B. Villa and Co., Coringliano, near Genoa. They were shipped at Genoa, after some delay owing to a detention of the steamer, and reached me nearly two years ago, when they were planted out in the open, and have stood there since without any protec- tion. The old leaves were greatly injured owing to the sailors, in their excess of zeal, watering them copiously when they were tied together, instead of watering the roots only. These plants, though still a little jjoor in the leaves owing to this accident, are quite healthy. A friend of mine who got some of the Palms at the same time as myself ])lantcd his in a .sheltered old chalk pit about 001) feet above sea- level. Here one of them flowered last summer. These plants cost us about 15s. for each speci- men, and I suppose similar ones in hothouses here would be worth £5 or more. These plants also are all quite distinct from the Palm I have as C. excelsa. M. Rovelli considers .Jub;ea spectabilis to be the hardiest of Palms. I have one planted out, but it has not yet gone through a winter, and I have given it a glass cover for its first year. My garden is exposed and windy, and what Palms evidently require is shelter and rich soil. \\ ind is their great enemy, not cold, and I feel sure that Palm groves are quite practicable in the south of England, ])royided the trees are grown within a sheltering belt of other trees, or where they are free from wind. The charm- ing Bamboo garden at Kew .shows what a dift'er- ence a little shelter makes, and I believe that the rather miserable large Palms outside the house by the main gates there would do far better if they were also planted in some sheltered spot in the Rhododendron \aney. Palms, of course, in this climate must not be sheltered by trees that overshadow them in any way, as they want all they can get of our feeble sun. It is a wind- break that is wanted. J. I. R. Vhislehiirst. Crinum asiaticum varieg-atum. — This striking plant, attractive at all times owing to its well-marked variegation, is among the giants of this family, and is now represented at Kew in the large Palm house by a fine flowering example which stands several feet in height. Evidently a vigorous grower and an abundant rooter, this specimen has a trunk nearly 2 feet long and hand- some recurving leaves that reach nearly or quite 0 feet in length. From the side of the trunk-like stem issues the vigorous scape, and having attained 2 feet in length, unfolds its numerous pure white flowers. Of these there are between twenty and thirty in an umbel, the segments and the tube being pure white and about li inches long. In this array of white the purplish tinge of the stamens is very distinct. Iiuculia gratissima.— Though not one of the most easily managed plants in cultivation, the altove is certainly one of the handsomest and most fragrant of greenhouse shrubs. It is, perhaps, cultivated with the least trouble, provided at all times water is afforded with intelligence and fore- thought when planted out in good soil. In a mixture of rough pieces of fibrous peat, a third part loam, and plenty of silver sand and char- coal or lime rubbish, the above plant will gro«- vigorously. A foot deep of this soil and at least {) inches of drainage should keep the plant in health for a long time. Well-grown jilants are always a feature, and when these attain a large size and are covered with their sjilendid clusters of pink and white flowers, they are delightful. Much the best results may be secured by growinu My C. Fortunei, though fifteen years or so the plant in a cool greenhouse and, if possible old, is not a yard high, so that one at this rate ' planted out. Even in " the cool conservatory this 12 THE GARDEN. [January 1,1898. sliouki figure as one of the most precious of flower- ing shrubs. Notes of the Week. Tufted Panties at Christmas.— On Boxing Day I was ablo to pii-k a spray of these hardy flowers, which proves how robust and healthy their constitu- tion must he. Blooms of Mary Gilbert and Lo-d Elcho (yellow), Cottage Maid (lavender and deep purple). White Knipress (white), and Lord Salisbury (pale yellow) were charming. — D. B. Begonia lecrosa. — This very distinct species i^ now Howeriuf; in the No. 7 range at Kew, where it produces freely its white and pale pink blossoms. It is a native of China. Several other species are also in flower, notably B. socotrana and B. Gloire de Lor- raine, the latter being especially attractive suspended in small shallow pans near the glass. Ardlsia polysepala is a rather striking species with Hoya-like leaves and small clusters of nearly jet black and glossy berries. The flowers of this East Indian species are white and produced rather freely in umbels on the lateral branches. A very attractive characteristic of the plant is the fine crimson colour of tlie foliage when young, and in tlie somewhat ascending habit of the plant is very effective. Senecio sub-scandens. — This is a very dis- tinct species of tall growth that, in truth, in- clines to a semi-climbing habit. The growth is tree, and in the coarsely sinuate and toothed leaves it is not unlike some of the Sonchus species. The species belongs to South Africa and is a most abundant bloomer. A large example of this has been flowering freely of late in the succulent house at Kew. Calanthe Veitchi. — For some weeks jjast a beautiful displa}' of this useful winter Orchid has been made at Syon House, where it is grown by Mr. G. VVythes in quantity, and is prized for its ri;hlv coloured spikes of flowers. Employed as a pot plant for decoration and inserted in abed of Maiden-hair Fern it is always attractive and valued for the useful length of the racemes. Of this kind alone a large number is gi'own. ricus elastica variegata. — In spite of the fact that the green-leaved India-rubber plant has proved a most \-aluable plant commercially, the variegated form, which some years since appeared with a great flourish of trumpets, has not made the advance anticipated for it. This is readily understood by tliose who have grown the above, as frequently in the young state the variegated parts are by no means attractive ; indeed, given the liberal treatment that appears to suit the green form so well, the plants appear to revert to normal conditions. Sollya heterophylla. — This pretty green- house plant has been called the Australian Blue- bell Creeper, and tliough not a showy flower is one of the prettiest among autumn and winter- blooming subjects. The small drooping blossoms are distinctly pretty when seen on well-grown plants. More frequently seen than the above plant perhaps is the variety known as S. h. an- gustifolia, often .sold as S. linearis. This is of less twining habit than the type, and with its pretty clusters of blue flowers and narrow leaves con- stitutes a pleasing plant for the cool greenhouse. Callicarpa purpurea. — When in flower there is Httle in the axillary clusters of whitish blos- soms, which alone are small and insignificant, to foretell the beauty and value of the plant in its fruiting stage. It is, however, clear that almost every flower produces in turn its fruit. On cut- 1 Ijack plants the berries are attractive from the middle of autumn, and when they reach perfec- tion are of a rich deep glossj' violet-purple. The fruiting branches are frequenth' from 14 feet to G feet long, nearly two-thirds of this length being covered with clusters of berries at some •() inches apart, the weight of the clusters of fruit bringing the branches into an arching position, and thus rendering the plant most attractive. Tellima grandiflora rubra. — I have often wondered why this hardy North American plant is not more generally grown, seeing that it is so useful and attractive in colour during the dullest months of the year. Like the black-leaved Ivy (Hedera atropurpurea), its green leaves put on a dark bronze-red or chocolate tint with the first frosts of October, and are very effective from that time until February or ilarch, when the new leaves become green once more. For bunching with Violets or Snowdrops or for table decora- tion these leaves are very useful, and I find that but few people know to what plant they have belonged when they see them as so used under artificial light. I have well-nigh discardeil the old green-leaved form in favour of the rubra variety, which is far more useful and ornamental. — F. W. BlRBIDGE. Flowers in Dublin. — Crocus Imperati is earlier in bloom this year than ever I remember it here before. To-day (December 24) many flowers are expanded in the sunshine, and really remind one that the shortest day is past and that we may hope for spring. The Winter Heliotrope (Tussilago fragrans) has been in flower a month or more, and at night the canal banks are redo- lent with its perfume. I saw some spikes to-day on heaps of road scrapings fully Ki inches in height and of a good colour. The heaps of road scrapings (off the limestone roads) seem to suit this plant perfectly ; if in full sunshine, so much the better. Even on the top of a mud wall it seems quite at home, but it is a terrible weed in shrubbery or herbaceous plant borders, and so must be introduced with caution. The Winter Jasmine (J. nudicaule) is lovely this year, and the Lenten Hellebores are pushing up strongly, some being actually in bloom.— F. W. Birbidc^e. ampton, fi 3s. 6d. ; Miss M. Buller, per Mr. G. Bolas, Wirksworth, £2 ; Mr. J. Relland, Newton Abbot, box, lOs. ; Mr. T. Wilkins, Inwood (iar- dens, Henstridge, lOs. ; other smaller sums, £1 19s. 6d. The secretary reported that the treasurer had received the sum of £427 7s. 4d. from the J. W. Thompson bequest. Applications were received in the interest of eighteen children seeking the benefits of the fund, and all were accepted. The election will take place on Feb- ruary 18 next. Some of the cases appeared to be of a very pressing nature. Some routine business was transacted, and a cordial vote of thanks was passed to the chairman for presiding. Obituary. Public Gardens. .JAMES BROWN. It is with regret I have to inform you of the death, on December 22, at the age of sixty-five, of Mr. .James Brown, gardener at Abercairney, Perthshire, after over forty years' service there. He was one of the best known gardeners in Scot- land, and for many years was a most successful exhibitor of vegetables and hardy fruits at Perth, Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow. Mr. Brown succeeded his father-in-law, the late Mr. .James Arnot. Abercairney was the home of the Mclntoshes of Dalkeith and Drumlanrig Gardens, and one of the most beautiful of Scottish seats. CarroH,N.B. M- T. A recreation ground for Littlehampton. — The Duke of Norfolk, whose fiftieth birthday will be celebrated on Monday, has promised to contribute 100 guineas towards the expense of laying out, as a recreation ground for Little hampton, a field of eleven acres, which he has presented to the town for that purpose. On Friday, January 7, his Grace will open the Vic- toria Institute at Arundel. National Viola Society. — A committee meet- ing of this society was held on Wednesday even- ing last, the president occupying the chair. After the minutes had been read confirmed and corre- spondence of a varied character disposed of, the (piestion of future exhibitions was considered. Several suggestions were made, which if acted upon would probably have the result of still further popularising the flower. It was ultimately ao-reed to ascertain from certain well-known places of exhibition what would be the prospects of a show held during the latter part of .June, ISil.S. That time of the year was generally con- sidered better than either a few weeks earlier or later than thatdate. The new hon. secretary is Mr. R. T. Dougall,r)2, Pembroke Road, Walthamstow, who will be pleased to hear from any persons in- terested in the difl'erent types of the Viola and wishing to become members. The Royal Gardeners' Orphan Fund.— At the monthly meeting of the committee on the 22nd ult., Mr. WiUiam Marshall presiding, the following special donations were announced : Al- trincham (iardeners' Mutual Improvement So- ciety, proceeds of concert, £18 5s. ; Rugby Chry- santhemum Society, per Mr. W. Bryant, sale of flow ers, £7 ; per Rlr. C. Ross, The Gardens, Wel- ford Park, Newbury, £6 lis. ; per Mr. J. H. Vallance, Bristol Chrysanthemum show, £5 5s. ; Penshurst (iardeners' Association, £3 5s. ; Mr. H. Herbst, Stanmore, Richmond, box, £3 Is. : Chislehurst Gardeners' Ivlutual Improvement Society, per Mr. H. Joell, £2 17s. 9d. ; Tonbridge Gardeners' Association, per Mr. G. Fennell, £2 10s. ; per Mr. J. Miles, Dudley Villas, South- The weather in West Herts.— The weather remained cold until the 2tith, but since then the temperatures have been unseasonably high both during the daytime and at night. On the night of Christmas Day the temperature in the screen fell to 20°, but on the following night the lowest reading was only 43°, showing how sudden the change in temperature must at this time have been. The greatest cold shown by the exposed thermo- meter was W of frost on the night preceding the 24th, but the previous night was almost equally as cold. The recent frost lasted such a short time, that the ground temperatures are now even higher than they were before it set in. After a dry period lasting ten days the weather has ao-ain become wet and stormy. The 23rd was, with one exception (December 29, 1892), the calmest day I have yet recorded here during the past twelve years, the total velocity at ».j feet above the ground for the twenty-four hours being only 2 miles. The sun shone brightly for nearly five hours on the 22nd, and for three and a halt hours on Christmas Day.— E. M., BerkhamMal. Magnolia Yulan fruiting.— In reply to an innuiry in issue of December 25, 1897, I can in- form you that this had for the first time tliree or four berries on it last autumn in my garden. I planted it against a south wall in 1881, where it has flowered splendidly. -F. Cecilia Tuitiis, ,SV. LeoiKirds-oii-Sdi. Cooking Celeriac.-I would be very much obliged if you would kindly send me a recipe for cooking Celeriac.—F. H. * ♦ The Celeriac should be peeled and well washed in cold water, then cut in slices about three-iruarters of an inch thick. Melt a lump ot butter in a large saucepan, and when it frizzles, put in as many slices as will lie flat at the bottom, and fry a nice brown on both sides. W hen all ttie slices are fried, put all in the saucepan, cover close, and stand on a corner of the stove where they will not burn for ten or fifteen minutes, frying, pour the browned butter over and After serve. -B. Names of plants.— J. J/actenrie.-Se.iuoia Eem- pervireiis. J- ifakoim.- 1, Lffiha anceps. 1. Whalleti—Cyvrijiedmmmiigne. Names of fruit.-A'. Shal;eUow.—Apj>\es-l, New Hawthoruden ; 2, Yorkshire Beauty ; 3, ISoi-toIk Beautin ; 4, probably Court Peudu Plat ; 0, Pear Marie Louise d'Ucole. THE GARDEN. No. 136-t.— Vol. LIIL] [JANUARY 8, 1898. Stave and Greenhouse:— Arum Lilies 14 Arum Lilies from seed .. .. 13 Begouia socoti'ana 14 Bouvardia corymbiflora Huie- boldti 11 Callicarpa purpurea . . . . IS Carnations, Marguerite., .. 13 Chorozema cordatum .. .. 10 Daphne indica rubra ., .. 14 Euphorbia splendens ,. .. 14 Freesias refracta alba . . . . 15 Free.sias 16 Hovea Celai 14 Kalosanthes coccinea .. .. 1^> Liljonia floribunda 14 Marguerites 15 Papyrus, the 15 Pelargoniums, zonal, for winter-flowering 15 Primula floribunda 13 T?ondeletia gi-atissima . . , . 13 Tiboucina heteromalla .. .. 15 Orchard and Fruit :— Grape Muscat of Alexandria 17 Grape Mvscat of A/crandria at Broughioii Hall ., ,. 17 Melons 17 Peach orchards IS Peach trees, training .. .. IS Peaches, early IS l PearGilogil 17 Pear Glou Jlorceau 17 Pears keeping Vxidly .. .. 17 Pear Nouvelle Fulvie .. .. 18 Phims under glass 18 Prizes, the Veitch, for flavour IS Raisins, Californian ,, .- 10 Strawberries 17 Walls, wiring old garden ,. 17 Flower :— Campanula persicifolia .. .. 21 Cannas, new 10 Dahlia roots, wintering,. .. 20 Dianthus mouspessulanus .. 19 Erigeron glaucus and An- themis tinctoria 19 Flower garden notes . . . . 21 Iberis jncimda l^ Iberis jvctinda in Messrs. l't:itck's nursery/ at Exeter ,, 17 Lobelias, herbaceous .. .. 19 Lobelias, herbaceous, and Tigridias 19 Paionies 21 Peti-ocalUs pyrenalca ., .. 19 Pclrorallis pfirenaica in Missrs. VkHvIlh ncrseri/ at Erd'!)- 19 Riviera notes 20 Violets, Marie Louise, diseased 20 (niustrations in Italics.) Garden Flora:— Brur, tin copper Auslriililt Jinir.n I'/llit Roses, yellow Work ;— Fruits under glass Kitchen garden, work in the Kitchen :— Bean, French, Earlj- Forcing Cabbage, young Celeriac Largo Prague . . Chicory in winter Chou de Burghley Kitchen garden, flowers in the Onions, glass-raised Savoy New Year Tomatoes for salads . . . . Books :— "The Bog and Water Plants" Trees and Sbrnbs:— Hibiscus single Painted Lady Hibiscus sji'iacus, propagat- ing Pterocarya canc;isica . . . . Sea, planting near the . , Solanum jasrainoldes Solant'Di iasminotths at East Gnnst€a tion relating to B. Huniboldti corymbiflora : "Four sizes larger than the well-known B. jas- minoides, the flower-tube 3 inches in length, and the terminal ray lobes U inches in width ; in colour snow - white and" exquisitely fragrant, produced in large thyrse - like racemes of ten to fourteen in each." From these descrip- tions, B. Humboldti would appear the typical plant, and certainly Messrs. Henderson's cata loguing it in the way above mentioned would account for the name as we usually see it adopted to-day. Mention is also made of a variety of Humboldti called grandiflora, recently certifi- cated, but while admitting this as having in some of the flowers (certainly not all) a slightly larger tube, I could see no difference between it and what I have grown as corymbiflora by the hun- dred. Indeed, like "A.," I regarded it at first sight as the old variety, and a later- and very close inspection only convinced me that it is but very slightly removed from this kind. In saying tills I am aware of the existence of a plant for comparison, but the point is, was this third plant B. corymbiflora at all, or merely the typical Humboldti of gardens? If the former, it was a [joorly - grown and altogether unrepresentative plant. 1 liave grown this fine autumn-flowering kind in great numbers and marketed many hur? dreds of bushes in 7-inch pots when about six or eight months old witli from six to ten branches, each carrj ing large heads of bloom. These plants were about 30 inches high above the pot, and with the liberal treatment then afforded made handsome bushes. Indeed, for this vigorous growing kind a most liberal treatment is essen- tial from the beginning. To get the best results the plants should be in their flowering pots by the end of May. ° E. .1. Begonia socotrana.— Thisis certainly among the most welcome species for greenhouse work, the large, handsome and almost orbicular leaves forming as great an attraction as the trusses of rose-pink blossoms. The flowers of the Begonias are usually borne in such profusion as to render them invaluable in the greenhouse during winter. Indeed, with a careful selection of species and hybrids a good display of flowers may be obtained for montlis in succession. Among the most im- portant are B. Gloire de Lorraine, a wonderful bloomer admirably adapted for pots or baskets, and B. semperflorens rosea gigantea, a more erect grower with large handsome foliage and a con- tinuous supply of flowers. These with the above are es[)ecially valuable at this dull season of the year. liibonia floribunda. — Notwithstanding the ornamental character and beauty of this species, the plant is very rarely seen in good condition. For pots the above species, together with the larger and lirighter form L. penrhosiensis, is well suited, and makes very attractive examples when well grown. The little bushes are at this sea- son freely covered with their brilliant scarlet and yellow flowers. Ij. penrhosiensis is, per- haps, the showier of these plants and ea.sily grown in sandy loam and peat in about equ;xl parts. Cuttings root (juite readily early in the year, and if given the same treatment as Bou- vardias, excepting soil, will be found to do well Plants that are stopped at least twice make fine bushes that will be studded with their pretty flowers. Early cuttings and firm potting with free drainage must receive attention. Red spider quickly attacks these things, and must be kept in cheek with a firm hand. Primula sinensis vars.— W'ell-groxvn plants of these, now obtainable in so much vaiiety by means of seeds, are among the most serviceable of greenhouse flowers during the winter season. A few years of selection and careful seeding have brought about a wonderful improvement both in form, size, and colour in these useful pot plants ; so much ;so indeed, that perfection would appear to have been reached. It is true that, while we have so-called blue varieties, the true blue is not 3'et, and even when attained can scarcely equal for utility as well as for decorative value and beauty the many lovely shades of rose, pink, salmon, blush, carmine, and white that prevail at the present time. Foliage also has received at- tention, and the Fern-leaved section embraces many equally beautiful forms. Size of truss is as large as is necessary, and possibly a modification here and a greater length of stem that would January 8, 18S8.] THE GARDEN. 15 elevate the head of bloom somewhat more tlian is the case at present would be a step in t)ie riijht direction. Some of the strains of single white kinds possess this advantage, though the blos- soms are in themselves small in comparison. At the same time they are free seeders and possess a good constitution, so that improvement may soon be expected. Equally valuable are some of the semi-double forms, as these ai'e especially useful for bouquets, button-hole flowers, and the like. Kalosanthes (Crassula) coccinea. — I never remember seeing this useful plant in such fine condition as during the past summer, when several of the market growers were sending it to Covent (iarden. This is far more difficult to manage than the hybrid varieties such as M. Pfitzer, Mrs. Wynne, and M. Buchner, which under ordinary treatment never fail to flower, besides which they branch out freely, and are of dwarf habit. Coc- cinea, however, is far more showy, especially when treated as the market growers do. Tlie first thing is to get strong cuttings. If kept dry there is no difficulty in rooting them. The cut- tings may be put into dry, sandy compost and placed on a shelf, or they may be laid out on a stage for a few days and then put in. No water should be given for several days. Although they will grow in the poorest soil possible, they make much better progress when potted in good rich loam. Several cuttings may be grown together in the same pot, and if well exposed to the sun, will flower the following season. This applies only to strong cuttings, which should not be stopped, as each will grow up without making lat;eral branches. Thej' only produce one terminal truss of bloom. I find when necessary they may be potted together after they have set their bloom, and, by so doing, those of the same height may be kept together. If done carefully, even if most of the soil comes from the roots, they will not suffer. About six plants pvit to- gether into a 6-inch pot make a fine show and last for a long time in the conservatory or for house decoration, though in a close room the per- fume is rather too powerful to be pleasant. — A. ZONAL PELARGONIUMS FOR WINTER FLOWERING. Resioved a few miles from the influences of London's fog and smoke, there is not the least reason why the greenhouse may not be made bright and efi'ective in the dull days of winter. \\'ithin the radius of the fog, however, all the skill that can be brought to bear will not make these plants flower with anything approaching a full measure of success. In the pure country air things are very dift'erent, a fact amply verified by the fine display that Messrs. Cannell brought to the Royal Horticultural Society's meeting (_)n the 14th ult. — large, handsome trusses of some of the finest varieties in commerce, and e(iually splendid trusses of the more recent novelties iif the fjresent year. Indeed, to such a high state of excellence do these thnigs ap- pear to have reached, that it would seem well- nigh impossible to improve on existing kinds. And, indeed, in some .shades of colour this may be so, though perhaps in others there is yet the florists' ideal to be reached, that certain rotun- dity of flnwer and substance of petal that go so far to making the perfect flower of the florist. Nearer London, however, many ama- teurs who have their solitary greenhouse would be content with any display of these Pelar- goniums now, as day by day the few remaining Chrysanthemums are still retained, well know- ing the great void that appears inseparaljle with the season. Some of the smaller-flowered sorts are still among the best of such things for winter work — at least, so far as the amateur is concerned — and with the well-known Raspail Improved are very attractive just now. Of course, it is but little good starting in winter to secure this display, as by this time the plants should be sturdy buslies with the trusses in sight, and ready to expand soon after they are placed in the greenhouse. Some small plants potted into (j-inch pots in June and grown on steadily till Septend)er make capital bushes for winter work. A soil only moderately rich and the ])lants ])otted exceedinglj' firm are among cultural details of the greatest importance. A young plant with three breaks should have tlie points of each shoot removed soon after the shift to the flowering pot. And this may be repeated if necessar}' about the middle of August. The removing of flower-trusses should be persisted in, so as to secure as much growth as possible, while moderate supplies of water will assist firm growth. By these means the month of Septem- ber should see really good compact plants that in a light warm house and fairly dry atmosphere will flower freely. E. J. Tibouchina heteromalla. — Under this name the jjlant illustrated by a coloured plate in The CJarden for April ?> of the present year as Melas- coma hetcromallum, and also in the accompany- ing article referred to asPleroma, is now flowering freely in the new wing of the temperate house ati Kew, which is kept warmer than the main build- ing. Planted out it forms a good-sized bush, whose sturdy stems are clothed with elongated heart-shaped leaves covered with silky tomen- tum, which is more pronounced on the under than on the u[iper sides. The blossoms, which are borne in a many-flowered panicle, are of a violet-purple colour and about a couple of inches in diameter. It is less showy than its near rela- tive, Lasiandra macrantha of gardens, which at Kew is also included in the genus Tibouchina, but still is well worth growing where it can be jjlanted out in an intermediate temperature, as it flowers during the dull winter season. — H. P. Freesia refracta alba. — For some jears tliis lovely fragrant plant was not mcU grown, in a measure due to the quality of the bulbs then procurable, as also to the culture being but in- differently understood. Formerly the plants were subjected to too high a temperature and were afforded too little moisture ; but now, with a considerable modification of these ideas, W'ell- grown and freely-flowered examples are much more jjlentiful. In a cut state in the warm sitting-room it is impossible to over-rate their value. Even as ))ot plants these lovely things have no equal, for tlie elegant blades from which the spra3's of fragrant blossoms issue are singu- larly neat and dainty in appearance. Given a uniform temperature of 4.5° to 50°, a good sturdy growth is secured, and when in full growth water must be given freely till the inflorescence is fully grown. Soot water or liquid manure may also be given somewhat freely when growth is free. The Papyrus (Cyperus Papyrus). — This, which is often called Papyrus antiquorum, is fairly well known as a tall and stately, yet grace- ful subject for associating with the Lotus .and sucli things where a house is devoted to aquatic plants, but at Kew it is also put to another use, and in the greenhouse No. 4 devoted to flowering plants it is grown in jjots and employed for groups. The tall stems, each crowned with a mass of slender, gracefully disposed foliage, re- mind one to a great extent of a large form of the popular Cyperus alternifolius, except that the foliage of the Papyrus is much narrower. As few plants so light and graceful combined with a good height are available for greenhouse decora- tion, the Papyrus certainly merits a word in its favour. Being naturally a semi-aquatic, it needs, of course, copious sujiplies of water, and in order to ensure this the pot in which it is growing should be stood in a large saucer. — H. P. Callicarpa purpurea. — It U now some years since I met with this Callicarpa in grand condi- tion in the Birmingham Botanic Garden, and its great beauty as seen during a dull winter's day then made a lasting impression. Despite its beauty and the fact that it was figured o\ er four- teen years ago in The Gardex, it must still be considered an uncommon plant, though its cul- tural re(|uireraents are not at all exacting. It was conspicuous in a group of plants at the recent Acjuarium show, each specimen carrying two or three long shoots studded for a consider- able distance from the axil of almost every leaf with clusters of small, bright violet-coloured berries. The weight of berries causes the long, slender shoots to arch over, and in this way they lend themselves readilj' to grouping. Prune it back hard early in the spring, and encourage the production of those long flowering shoots upon which the future dis|:ilay of berries depends. This Callicarpa was introduced from India in lS:i'2, and in this country it needs the tempera- ture of the cool end of the stove, or better still an intermediate house. It is readily increased by cuttings of the young shoots put in during the growing season. — H. P. Freesias. — Few subjects have advanced in I)opularity so much within the last ten years as the Freesias, and they are now grown in almost every garden. By potting in successive batches they may be had in flower throughout the winter and early spring, and their highly fragrant blos- soms are particularly appreciated at Christmas- time. When forced in order to obtain the flowers early, the foliage comes very weak and hangs over the edge of the pot. To obviate this as far as possible, the plants should be grown in as light a position as possible. Later on they will flower in an ordinary greenhouse temperature, and then the foliage is far more sturdy than is the case with forced examples. Freesias form an exception to the general run of bulbous plants, as when raised from seeds they flower under a year. Freesias were first grown in quantity in the Channel Islands, but the sup|jly is now obtained from other sources as M'ell, though the Guernsey bulbs are still in the very front rank. They have been tried in Bermuda, and though large and attractive bulbs have been sent from there, the yield of bloom, as far as my experience extends, has not been equal to that from bulbs grown nearer home. — H. P. MARGUERITES. These have now come into such general use as pot plants, that few plants are seen in such large numbers in Covent Garden Flower Market. It is in the spring and summer that they are most in demand, though I think I should be right in saying that they will be found there every time the nuirket is open throughout the year. For earlj- spring-flowering, plants struck last spring and then cut back close about .luly and ])otted into 41-inch pots are the most reliable. Their cultural requirements are very simple, and it is, perhaps, owing to this that they are left to take care of themselves and often spoiled. To ha\e nice comjjact plants, it is now that they require looking after. The first thing is to keep them clean. The only sure remedy for the mag- got is to use paraffin as an insecticide — about a small wineglassful to "2 gallons of water, kept thoroughly mixed while it is being used. Where the maggot has not already got established, a good syringing every three or four weeks will j)rove quite efi'ectual, but where it already exists, the leaves atfected should be picked off and burned and paraffin used oftener. Although I do not care to recommend paraffin generallj', I find with due care it may be used for Marguerites with perfect safety, and will prove effectual in destroying all insect life to which they are sub- ject. Next to keeping plants clean, room and venti- lation are most important. It is astonishing how- soon they run up tall if crowded together or kept too close and warm. A little heat with plenty of air and sun.shine is beneficial where plants are required to be in Sower early in the s[iring, other- 16 THE GARDEI^. [January 8, 1858. wise the cooler they can be kept the better, pro- vided they do not ^et actually frosted. The early plants are fgenerally inclined to go too much to growth, and should therefore be jjotted in rather poor soil, and no manure should be jfiven until the flowers begin to open, and then it should be used sparingly. There are several distinct varieties of Marguerites ; that known as Halleri maximum is the best for all the year round or keeping up a succession of bloom. " There is one usually called the summer variety which lias very finely-cut leaves and large pure white flowers pro- duced in great profusion for one crop of bloom, but it does not branch out and keep up a succes- sion like the first named. The yellow varieties are mucli more difficult to manage, and it is rarely that good plants are to be met with in the market. A. CHOROZEMA CORDATUM. A FEW of the earlier flowere of tliis pretty greenhouse species are now opening. It may be grown in a variety of ways, and is pretty in any, from the neat little busli such as grown by nurserymen and market growers to tlie large specimens trained in a variety of ways tliat are even now to be met with occasionally. Such plants used to be common, and one of my earliest recollections connected with gardening was the tedious job of tying these into jiyramids and on to balloon-shaped trellises. This jilant is far more beautiful wlien grown in loose ojjen bushes. By all means let them be cut into shape a little in spring or early suunner when the blossoms are past, but tying them closely in ruins the pretty pose of the branchlets and flowers. The best thing to do is to clip them a little with the shears when tliey become really untidy, but if kept in form a little when young they will go for several seasons with no attention at all in this way. I like to see a few of the lower shoots hang down loosely over the pot, as this does away with all stiS'ness or formality. Just when tlie plants are coming into flower a few forked sticks may be placed about the centre of the plant ; the foliage will liide them and they will serve to keep the plants a little in shape without much staking or tying. The plants may be raised from cuttings or seeds, the latter being usually the readiest means of propagation. They may be allowed to ripen on the plant and sown at any season, the best soil being finely sifted peat and sand. Young seedlings need a good deal of care, and are best kept in light, well glazed pits where a little heat may be turned on in a cold night. But gar- deners, as a rule, procure plants in small pots from nurserymen who make a speciality of this class of |.ilant, and this is the best way when a small number of plants only is required. Tlie best time to repot these with a view to growing them on is just as they begin to push after flowering, before the young shoots have lengthened much. Pot very firmly and give small shifts every season rather than one large one. The roots are as tine almost as those of a Heath, and will not push through a quantity of loose, half sour material. About one-third of loain may be added to the peat and a liberal addition of sharp silver sand may be given. If the soil is in the right condition when potting takes place, not too dry nor so wet that it soils the hands, watering will not be necessary for a day or two, but the plants should have the assistance of a light shade and a closer atmo- .sphere than usual. Then given one good soak- ing of water and let them get well on the dry side before it is repeated. After this the plants are comparatively safe and will make a fine clean growth in a well-managed greenhouse. Watering reciuires great care all the year round, and when the roots reach the sides of the pots they must not on any account be allowed to get dry. A month or so in the open air after the gnjwtli gets a little hardened is very heljiful ; the heads cannot be too fully exposed to sun- shine, but the pots may be screened a little either by plunging in suitable material or by arranging them so that one shades the other a little. Take the plants under cover before the autumnal rains, or these will be too much for the roots, but for a week or two after housing the syringe may with advantage be used among them once or twice daily. There are one or two garden varieties of the species difi'ering princi- pally in the larger size and deeper colour of the flowers. R. THE LATE MRS. HARRIETT BEECHER STOWE AS A GARDENER. In the " Life of Harriett Beecher Stowe," the authoress of "Uncle Tom's Cabin," compiled from her letters and journals by her son (1889), at p. :i is the following : — Another remembrance is this : Mother was an enthusiastic horticulturist in all the small waj'S that limited means allowed. Her brother John in New York had just sent her a small parcel of fine Tulip bulbs. I remember rummaging these out of an obscure corner of the nursery one day when she was gone out, and being strongly seized with the idea that they were good to eat, using all the little English I then possessed to persuade my brotliers that these were Onions, such as grown people ate and would be very nice for us. So we fell to and devoured the whole, and I re- collect being somewhat disappointed in the odd sweetish taste, and thinking that Onions were not so nice as I had supposed. Then mother's serene face appeared at the nursery door, and we all ran towards her, telling with one voice of our discovery and achievement. We had found bag of Onions and had eaten them all up. Also I remember that there was not even a momentary expression of impatience, but that she sat down and said, "My dear children, what you have done makes mamma very sorrj-. Those were not Onions, but roots of beautiful flowers, and if you had let them alone we should have next summer in the garden great beautiful red and yellow flowers such as you never saw." I remember how drooping and dispirited we all grew at this picture, and how sadly we regarded the empty paper bag. There have been a good many forms of this story of eating Tulip roots in mistake for Onions : — When John Balthasar Schuppe was in Holland, a merchant gave a herring to a sailor who had brought him some goods. Some ver3' valuable Tulip roots lay on a table, and, the sailor mistook them for Onions, and, not knowing aught of their value, he ate them with his herring. Through this little mistake the sailor's breakfast cost the owner more than if he liad entertained the Piince of Orange, as the bulbs were really at that time worth several hundred florins. The above story is given in Beckmann's once celebrated work, "History of Inventions," where a full account of the tuliporaania is given as it existed in Holland a century or two ago. The Turks long ago had feasts of Tulips just as the Romans had feasts of Roses, and as the Chinese and Japanese, and even ourselves, have Chrysanthemum fetes to-day. Ricliard Hakluyt, in his curious work, "Remembrances for Master S. ," in 1582, .says, "Now within these four years there have been brought in England from Vienna, in Austria, divers kinds of flowers called Tulipas." l!ut to return to our subject. Mrs. Stowe long desired to have a home in tlie South, and finding Florida the best field for doing good, she bought a place at ]\Iandarin, a charming winter residence. The following are extracts from letters written by her during her residence there, and are interesting as showing her delight in the flowers and fruits of such a genial climate. No one who has ever seen it can forget the ]ieaceful beauty of this Florida home and its surroundings. The house, a storey and a half cottage of many gables, stands on a bluff over- looking the broad St. John's, which is ."> miks wide at this point. It nestles in the shade of a gro\e of superb moss-grown live Oaks, around one of which the front piazza is built. Several fine old Orange trees also stand near the cottage, scenting the air with the sweet perfume of their blossoms in the early sjiring, and oft'eriiig their golden fruit to whoever may choose to pluck it during the winter months. Back of the house stretches the well-tended Orange grove in whicli Mrs. Stowe took such genuine pride and pleasure. Everywhere about the dwelling and within it were flowers and singing birds, while the Rose garden in front, at the foot of the bluff', was the admiration of all who saw it. In a letter written in May of the following year (1874) to her son Charles, at Harvard, Mrs. Stowe says : — I can hardly realise that this long, floweiy summer, with its procession of blooms and fruit, has been running on at the same time with the snowbanks and sleet storms of the North. But so it is. It is now the first of May. Strawberries and Blackberries are over with us : Oranges are in a waning condition, few and far between. Now we are going North to begin another summer, and have Roses, Strawberries, Blackberries, and Green Peas come again. In a letter written from Mandarin, March 28, 1875, Mrs. Stowe says : — That afternoon we drove out into the woods and gathered a quantity of superb Easter Lilies, Papaw, Sparkleberry, great Fern leaves and Cedar. In the evening the girls went over to the Meads to practise Easter hymns, but I sat at home and made a cross, 18 inches long, of Cedar and white Lilies. This Southern Cedar is the most exquisite thing ; it is so feathery and delicate. In a letter to Dr. (>. W. Holmes, dated Man- darin, February 23, 187t), Mrs. Stowe writes : — How I wish you were just where I am, to see tlie trees laden at the same time with golden Oranges and white blossoms ! I should so like to cut off a golden cluster, leaves and all, for you. In January, 1879, she wrote from Mandarin to Dr. O. W. Holmes :— Dear Doctor, — I wish I could give to you and Mrs. Holmes the exquisite charm of this morning. My window is wide open ; it is a lovely, fresh, sunny day, and a great Orange tree hung witli golden balls closes the prospect from my window. The tree is about 30 feet high, and its leaves fairly glisten in the sunshine. In December, 1879, she writes to her son, now married and settled as a minister in Saco, Me. :— Dear Children, — Well, we have stepped from December to June, and this morning is sunny and dewy, with a fresh sea-breeze giving life to the air. I have just been out to cut a great bunch of Roses and Lilies, though the garden is grown into such a jungle that I could hardly get about in it. The Cannas, and dwarf Bananas, and Roses are all tangled together, so that I can liardlj' thread my way among them. I never in my life saw anything range and run rampant over the ground as Cannas do. The ground is littered with fallen Oranges and the place looks shock- ingly untid}-, but so beautiful that I am quite willing to forgive its disorder. F. W. B. January S, 1898.] THE GARDE:Nr 17 Orchard and Fruit Garden, tut dming the past eve years it Ims not faUed to produce a crop more or less heavy. It is not a late keeper — in fact, with me it must be used in November and early part of December. As with other Pears, howe\'er, it keeps longer in some seasons than in others, but it is not safe to attempt to retain it later than the middle of De- cember. Before the planting season closes I would strongly recommend it to the notice of those who require an addition to their stewing varieties. My tree is on the Pear stock and has formed a MUSCAT OF ALEXANDRIA GRAPE. That the above-named Grape is the best and most popular at the present day is the unani- mous verdict of all who have the mean.s and convenience to grow it. It is free setting, a good cropper, and by no means ditticult to manage. The engraving shows a portion of a small lean-to facing south 32 feet by 14 feet, and , large bush, but from its free-bearing nature it 10 feet high at the ridge. For the past thirty , bas not made much lateral growth for the past years tlie Vines have never failed to give a very , ^w years. Another useful variety, though smaller, heavy crop of Grapes, over 100 bunches a year, . '» Bezi d'Heri. Like Gilogil, this has always which goes a long way to prove that after all : cropjied with remarkable freedom.— W. S. the sound, well-made Vine border is the best I Pears keeping badly. — Fruit growers could and cheapest. j hardly expect Pears to keep well owing to the The photograph was taken towards the end | very mild weather we now have. Soft, melting of Septeniber, the Grapes having been ripe by I kinds will not keep under such conditions, but I the middle of August. At the present time ^^'is "ot prepared to tind when visiting one of the (November 20) there are still several dozen , ^^st fruit gardens in North Hants on the Sth of December that such kinds as Winter Nelis, Glou Morceau, and Easter Beurr^ were nearly over. As my friend and I were in the fruit room the question arose as to the cause of these kinds giving over so soon. He advanced the opinion that the warm weather was the cause, but I was not inclined to agree with him, as in the garden I have charge of, which is 100 miles further west, near the sea, and on a very damp site, I have bunches, every berry of that rich amber colour so desirable in this Grape, which also .adds to the length of time it can be kept in a plump and highly presentable nuinner for the table. J. R. Pear Glou Morceau. — " G. W. S.'' will no doubt be pleased to know that this valuable Pear be a little lime rubble. Light loams need some- thing to make them more holding. In such com- posts Melons make short-jointed, fruitful growth, and if the plants are set out with their " collars " a little above the level of the soil, they seldom fall a prey to canker. — S. E. P. Grape Muscat oj ALeiCandria at Broiighton Hall, Yorks. Engraved for The Garden from a photo'jraph sent ly Mr, J. Rainbow. is equall.y as good and rich in flavour, grown on our deep holding loam, as it is with him on his lighter and warmer soil. I grow it extensively for December use, and have trees both on the Pear and Quince stocks. As regards the produce, it is equallj' good as regards flavour, but there is a great difference in the size. By far the larger fruits are produced by the trees on the Quince stock, many weighing three-quarters of a pound, and the skins are particularly clear and bright looking. I should also add that all these trees are grown against a wall facing due south, and that I have given up growing it as a bush out in the open garden on account of the fruits being lioor in quality. It appreciates wall culture and sliould be accorded a warm position. It is a strong growing, free-bearing Pear, and coming into use as it does in midwinter its merits can hardly be over-estimated. — A. W. Pear Gilogil.— What " S. H. B." says in fa\-our of this Pear (p. 470) I can fully bear out. I consider it one of the best stewing Pears in its season. To those unacquainted with it — and there are a large number who are — it would easily pass as a dessert variety, judging from ap- pearance only. I have only one large tree of this, good sound fruits of .losepliine de Malines, Easter Beurre, Winter Nelis, and (Jlou Morceau. Apparently Josephine deMalines willkeep a month longer. At the Drill Hall on December 14 a goodly number of Pears from gardens widely apart was shown for the flavour prizes. — Dokset. Melons. — Where early Melons are in request seed-sowing must be done at an early date. The first week in the new year is none too soon to sow when ripe fruits are required in April and May. The seeds should be sown singly in 2.\-inch pots in nice mellow loam, with just a little silver sand added. Sow plenty of seeds to make allowance for weaklings, of which there is always a certain percentage in early raised batches ot plants. The plants should be raised in a sharp heat and kept growing close up to the light on a shelf placed over the hot-water pipes in a forcing house, or where they will experience a brisk growing heat. I have discarded pot culture for several years now, as better results are obtained from borders about !) inches deep, the same in width, and flat on the top, the whole being made perfectly firm by ramming. For compost use the best loam obtainable, the heavier the better, and if fairly rich no other addition is necessary, unless it should WIRIXG OLD tJARDEN WALLS. Many old garden walls about the country are in such a wretched condition from the many years' nailing and unnaihng of fruit trees, that at length they have become full of nail holes, so that it is hard to tind a sound bit of joint between the bricks or stones to hold a nail, and mucli time is lost thereby. Such walls built of rulible lime- stone I found here, and, without repointing the whole, I found it impossible to continue to train fruit trees with nails and shreds. I then com- menced to wire the walls, as time and labour would permit, in the following manner : The trees were unnailed, all old nails drawn from the walls, and branches safely secured to stakes. Then some good mortar was made from lime and tine coal ashes or forge dust, the latter the best. All holes between the stones were tilled with this mortar, which gets much harder than mortar made of sand and lime. Eyelets were then driven half their length into the walls in lines from 7 inches to 8 inches apart and 5 feet from eyelet to eyelet in the lines. Straining bars were fastened to the ends of the walls and at about 1(^)0 yards apart. It is necessary to well fasten these, as the strain is consideral )le. A wash was then made of ([uicklime, tar, and lampblack to tone down the colour. This is made \erv thick, and is daubed over the wall with a stiff tar brush, working it into every nail hole and crevice. Insect life will hardly sur^■ive this treatment. No. 12 or 13 galvanised wire is then threaded through the eyelets and fastened to one straining bar, which is half an inch by 1 inch broad. The wire is then strained with an ordinary wire strainer and fastened to the second bar. The ejelets aiethen driven in so that the wire is as close to the wall as will be convenient to tie. Manj' object to galvanised wire, as they saj' it causes canker and gum- ming. This has not been mj' experi- ence, although I have had many miles of it in use for over twenty years for training Peach, Pear, Cherry, Plum, and Fig trees to. This will doubtless cause canker, as any other wire or hard substance will do with undue pressure, bi't with ordinary' care no such trouble need be feared. I have found wiring a great saving of labour and expense, and I can highly recommend the practice to anyone having old, worn-out walls of either brick or stone. Fota, Cork. W. O. Strawberries. — Early batches of plants just coming into flower should be fumigated twice it there is the slightest suspicion of aphis being pre- sent and syringe the plants on each succeeding morning with tepid water. When in flower cease syringing the plants, keep the air drier about them, and fertibse the flowers with a camel's-hair brush dailj'. When a sutticiency of berries has set to form a crop and they commence to swell off, move the plants to a warmer house. With judicious feeding, proper attention to root water- ing and syringing, fairlj' good flavoured fruits may be had, which, however, will not compare with those grown upon later started plants. As the plants are moved on into warmer quarters fill up their places with others taken from the start- ing pit and make good .all vacant places in the latter with plants taken in from cold pits or from outdoors as the case may be. When forcing is li THE GARDEN^ [January 8, 1898. deferred until the beginning of the year, which is usual in many places, there will be plenty of facilities for starting them where the early forc- ing of Peaches, Vines and Figs is conducted. Shelves can generally be fixed in convenient positions in these structures, and these will accommodate a good many plants. A pit filled with tree leaves will also hold a great number of plants, as they can be plunged pretty close together, and no better ([uarters for the starting of Strawberries can be had. As they throw up their liower-spikes they should be taken and placed on the shelves in the forcing houses to flower and set. In all cases, before taking in tWb plants dip the foliage of each into soft soapy water in which has been mixed some flowers of sul- phur. See that the drainage is in working order, remove Moss and weeds from tlie surface of the soil, but beyond this do not further disturb it. Top-di'essing may be done if it is reallj' required, but if the potting was properly performed it is unnecessary. — W. TRAINING PEACH TREES. The pruning and tying of indoor trees after being taken off the trellises for cleaning will now be in full swing, and very often twice as much wood as there is room for is often tied in. There are many young trees jilanted a couple of years or so that make strong vigorous shoots in spring, these throwing laterals somewhat freely towards the end of the season. Naturally it is best to let them alone, and by the free outlet for the sap render any interference with the roots unneces- sary. But these laterals, useful as they are, should not be left too thickly. They usually occur at the up|.ier parts of the trees, and if encouraged to draw the sap from the lower parts, making sometimes bare places that are not so easily filled as when they occur higher up. A medium course is better than either extreme, and laterals left about a foot apart on long strong shoots are sure to get well ripened and fairly well set with buds. In a neighbouring garden recently I came across some trees planted about five years since. The growths for a season or two had been much too strong, yet being young trees they had only been allowed to carry a few fruits each. The conse- quence of this mode of treatment was that every season they grew stronger, and the chance of e^'er getting a full crop grew more and more remote. Then as a remedy, root-pruning — often another name for root-killing — was resorted to, and this, not being done too carefully or early enough in the autumn, checked the trees so badly that they j have not as yet got over it. Had these trees in | their second season been allowed to carry a full or even, I might say, a heavy crop, it would so have restrained the growth — and by sj'mpathy the roots — that no root-pruning would have been ne- cessary. Possibly a few of the sti'ongest shoots may have required a little pinching or depressing when tying in, but if the borders are firm and composed of hard, solid substances rather than rich manure, there will not be many of these. Root-pruning is sometimes necessary, and very often it is of great benefit. My point is that if trees are properly planted in suitable borders and the work carried out at the proper season it is only in rare instances they need be disturbed. It may be urged that roots will find their way out of the borders to an unsuitable subsoil, and these must be cut off. They occasionally do so in the best managed borders. I know of a large tree of Sea Eagle with a branch spread of about 30 feet, all made within the last six or seven years, that has never had a spade or fork near the roots since planting. The roots of this tree ha\'e every season been encouraged to come to the surface by laying on about an inch of fresh loam and burnt garden refuse, and if any are gone below they have found something that suits them. In tying the fruiting branches they should be kept as nearly parallel as possible, and in no case must they be less ; ban 4 inches apart. Any that have been left nearer than this during the previous season may be cut in to within a few buds of the wish to depreciate that variety, but simply to old stem whence they sprang and will form little have admitted that such variety's position as a j fruiting spurs in some cases. If they die back high flavoured one in its season was fully esta- they are easily removed in the spring, but if cut , blished, and that being so, it seems almost ab- [ to a wood bud there is no fear of this. Sometimes surd to continue subjecting it to the same ordeal, it is necessary to tie a shoot for bearing in the | When we find Cox's Oiange Pippin Apple, for same line as an old one that has fruited, but is , instance, in season, scarcely any other variety I retained on account of other shoots starting from has a chance to get a look in, because this one is it. In this case tie it in fairly close for the sake so good. But we want to learn what other varie- I of neatness, but not untlerneath where it will get ^ ties approach it in flavour, and, unless these win no light. Where there are thin places in the a first or second prize, nothing is heard of them, body of the tree the tips of the longer shoots E\en authorising the judges to highly commend must be taken out to a wood or triple bud, but the next very best varieties to the prize-winners where extension lengthways is needed, this must would be of some service. As to tiie danger of not be done, though the resulting fore shoot may limiting any variety of long duration to a short be once pinched if it seemstaking an undue share tnne for competition, it is obvious that if Mr. of the sap and the back buds are not lengthening Tallack's suggestion be adopted it must have out properly. The twisted strand of matting tied exactlj- the same effect as my own, which only around the end of the shoot and tightly drawn to applies to withdrawals for one year. That one the wires is a barbarous relic of lule-ofthumb or two growers eligible to compete may ha\e gardening. It no doubt gave the trees a smart ap- ] some variety of special excellence that those pearance when freshly tied, but soon strangled the possessing it should be able to exhibit again, after shoot at the top, oftentimes the only one left be- ■ it has taken a first prize, is possible but not very yond the fruit. If the top tjud is not required probable, seeing that nearly all good new varie- and can be rubbed out it is all very well, as it gives ties come through the trade, who are not eligible, a tidy appearance without doing any mischief, and get pretty equally distributed the same sea- and the shoots resulting may be heeled in and son amongst gardeners. — A. D. afterwards tied to the strand of matting. Where the fruiting shoots fill up the trellis and have to l:>e cut out annually, the top shoot may be pinched EARLY PEACHES. when it has made a few leaves, a basal one left at Trees started in the middle of last month will be disbudding on either side and the better one in full flower, and will now need daily tittention [selected. Any shoots that have got too woody i" the way of fertilising to ensure a t;ood set of and strong, or are above the a\ erage in size of fruit. This is best accomplished with tlie aid , those on the tree, should if convenient be slightly either of a camel's-hair brush or a rabbit's tail. I depressed, this checking the flow of sap a The attendant should be careful when performing little. To cut such shoots out bodily is bad this operation not to brush the blooms before the practice; it means the production of even stronger pollen grains on each are quite ripe, and to be ones next season, and breaks up the uniform content with only touching them but once, or at flow of sap that is so desirable in well-trained the least twice, as brushing them unnecessarily- trees. R. I day after day only injures the delicate organs of I the flowers. This operation is best done about Pear Nouvelle Fulvie. — This excellent Pear mid-day when the air is dry, and if a little sir received favourable notice at the hands of "G. W.'" can be admitted at the apex of the house, matters quite recently, and I heartily agree with all he has to say respecting its good qualities. I grow it somewhat largely, all of the trees being in the form of single cordons, trained obliquely, and they are on the Quince stock. I find the variety a good grower and bearer, and the fruits are genei-ally \ery large. It is true they are not par- ticularly handsome in appearance, but this defi- ciency is more than compensated for in their rich flavour, and I consider Nouvelle Fulvie ranks next to, if not equal to, Marie Louise in this resiject. With me it ripens early in December, but no doubt if grown as a bush in the open it might will be greatly facilitated, as the pollen will dis- perse all the more readily. On dull days sufficient heat must be kept in the pipes to command a tem- perature of 55°, and no damping should be done prior to the brush being passed over the flowers. On fine mornings the heat may be dispensed with for a few hours, and admit air when the mercury touches 05°. A slight damping under these cir- cumstances is beneficial, and this may be done about 0.30 a.m. In both cases a damping of the floor and border surfaces may be done as soon as the house is closed, or directly after fertilising has taken place, which will jirevent the inside make a dift'erence of some two or three weeks in atmosphere from becoming parched. The only the ripening jieriod. I consider it a most valuable time damping should be omitted altogether is Pear, and being such a regular cropper it is during foggy weather, and then the house should worth extended cultivation. — A. W. Plums under glass. — Plums, like Cherries, will submit to gentle forcing only, and so long as the ojjen weatlier continues, but very little, if any, artificial heat will be required. When the house is first closed and until the trees give signs of starting into growth 45° at night and 50° by day will be sufficient. When first closing the house, take the precaution to well fumigate the trees two or three evenings in succession, and again before they come into flower. If the trees are planted out, thoroughly moisten the border with tepid water. Pot trees are more easilj' dealt with, but after the balls are once moistened. be kept as dry as possible for the time being. To temper the cold air before it passes into the house, tack fine muslin or tiffany over the ven- tilators. The night temperature should be from 45' to 50°, according to outside climatic conditions, and 55° by day, with a rise of 10" more with sun- heat. In cases where a start was not made quite so soon, the flowers on the trees will be just showing the colour of the petals, and advantage should be taken of this fact to give the house a good fumigating before they expand fully. Al- though aphis may not apparently be present, it is always advisable to take this precaution in case few may be lurking about, as the grower is water carefully until they come into flower and powerless should an attack of fly occur where the the roots become active. The trees intended for trees are m bloom. Two mild fumigations should the second house should be moved under cover if suffice, and syringe the trees the following morn- in pots and still standing outdoors. Examine the ^"S- Examine the borders, and if these appear drainage to see if all is in good order before •''^p'.V ^ become too dry before the flowering taking them in, and after arranging them in the penod is over, gne them water at a temperature house throw the ventilators open until starting O' c>5 . time arrives. — S. E. P. W. The Veitch prizes for flavour. — I have read Mr. Tallack's note on this subject, and I find that generally he and I are agreed. When, how- ever, I proposed that any variety winning two years in succession should be for the following year withdrawn from the competition, I had no SHOUT NOTES.— FRUIT. Peach orchards.— From three-ypar-nld Peach orchards in the O/.ark region, au iiband:iiit croi>. of exi-elleiit iju^ility, was produced. Eleven days were rpquired for gatheriug and shipping, and the selected fruit was forwarded to easteru markets in refrigerator Jan [J ART S, 1898.] THE GARDEK 19 cars. Tlie net returns amounted to about £3i per acre. Californian Raisins. — Xotwitlistanding heavy rains in California, whicli interfered with the work cf drying, the raisin product of that state for this year is estimated at 75,000,000 pounds, according to The Fruit Trade Journal of New York. Flower Garden. PETROCALLIS PYRENAICA. (SYN., DRADA rYRENAlCA.) This is one of the choicest gems for the select part of the rock garden, where it should be associated with rock plants of the very smallest type. Though the name implies that its home is in the Pyrenees, it is by no means confined to that region, but occurs frequently in the Carpathian Mountains and in Switzerhmd, where it is found at an altitude of 7000 ft. to 10,000 ft., mostly on abruptly sloping calcareous rocks. In our rock gardens, therefore, this plant should be planted sideways, i.e., with its roots in a more or less horizonial position. The plant here figured has for two years been growing in sucli a position in the nurseries of JMessrs. R. Veitch and Son, Exeter, where a photograph was obtained, which, however, can Petrocallis pyrenaica in Messrs. Veitch^s nursery at Exeter. Enqraved for The Garden from a photograph sent by Mr. F, W, Meyer. give no idea of the delicate beauty of tliis little gem, which reminds one of the charming An- drosace glacialis, which it greatly resembles, but is less difficult to grow. The plant shown in the engraving spreads about 6 inches or 8 inches, but is scarcely more than 1 inch in height. It resembles a compact cushion com- posed of dense rosettes similar to Silene, but formed of minute leaves divided into three or more linear lobes. From the centre of each rosette springs a cluster of from four to six delicate pale lilac flowers, each nearly half an inch in diameter, which last from May to the end of .June. The position in which the plant is growing is one fully exposed to the sun. It was ])lanted into a very narrow but deep crevice filled with soil with which had been ireely mixed limestone chippings. Elmside, Exeter. F. W. Meyer. New Canuas. — Messrs. Dammann and Co., of Naples, have taken up the Canna witli much energy, and now publish a sheet of splendid kinds, which, althougli mostly dwarf in their character, are very fine blooms. The advance in these Cannas is most interesting, and they are precious for those who grow them well in or out of doors. Unhappily, this way of figuring things in sheets is not such as gives one much idea of the plants. The attempt to cover the whole sur- face ruins the chance of the form being rightly seen. ERIGERON GLAUCUS AND ANTHEMI.S TINCTORIA. Wooster's plate of Erigeron glaucus in "Alpine Plants " errs, I think, in showing the leaves too light in colour, and, in my copy at least, the colour- ing of the flowers is not so deep as in reality. The small woodcut of the plant in Messrs. Veitch's nursery shows its shapely form well. I observe that Wooster gives South America as the place of origin of E. glaucus (whicli he spells, as some do, glaucum), but this appears to be a mistake, as North-West America is given by other authorities, as your contributors say. The "Index Kewensis" under " Erigeron " does not state that E. glaucus is synonymous with Aster bonariensis, but under the heading of "Aster" gives the latter as a synOD3'm of E. glaucus. Is it absolutely certain that these are synonymous '! If so, the name of bonariensis would give colour to Wooster's statement that the plant came originally from South America. In an old edition of the " Cottage Gardener's Iiictionary '' a hard}' annual appears as Erigeron bonariensis. Pax- ton's "Botanical Dictionary'' has the same. The "Index Kewensis" has also an Erigeron bonariensis (Linn. sp. ph SM, Am. Austr.), and as a synonjin of A. linearifolius, A. bonariensis (Hort. ex Link, Enum. Hort. Berol., ii., 328). I imagine there may have been some confusion between E. glaucus and E. bonariensis ; the latter I have never seen. Regarding Anthemis tinctoria, I find this varies in colour much from seed, and that your artist has drawn from a plant slightly difl'erent from A. tinctoria pallida, referred to by " E. J."' in his able notes. From a plant of the ordinary yellow Ox-eye Chamomile I have had a number of self- sown plants presenting considerable variation in form and colour. They vary from deep yellow to pure white, and some are superior in form and size to the parent. What I got from a good source as A. t. pallida is a pale creamy yellow of great beauty, and A. t. Kelwayi is, as " E. J." says, very fine. There are others, such as A. t. Canary Bird, of considerable value. I well remember the fine effect produced by a mass of Anthemis tinc- toria against the background of a hedge at Edge Hall some years ago. There was considerable variety among the flowers, and the same was to be seen in a bed in Messrs. Dicksons' Chester nursery, which I visited the same day. Carsethom, hy Dumfries, X.B. S. Aksott. Dianthus monspessulanus. — We are ac- customed to think of all rock or alpine Pinks as suitable for the rock garden only, but such is not always the case. D. monspessulanus I have grown in the border during last summer, and with good effect. It continued to put forth in considerable quantity its beautiful, large, fringed, deei.) rose-coloured blossoms for weeks in succes- sion. The habit of the plant, too, is very com- pact and free, especially so when grown on cal- careous soils. I was so pleased with it that it is my intention to grow it even more largely this year. Some years ago I saw it wild in South Tyrol, where it grew in considerable masses out of old retaining walls. — R. Potter, W'ilney, Oxoii. Herbaceous Lobelias. — Reading "S.F.W.'s'' letter on these on page 40.3 reminded me of a gentleman that was here last summer and ad- mired a row I had planted at the back of a flower border. It was about 50 feet long and about 1 foot wide. He said he could not get Lobelias to do so well at his jjlace in Ireland. He let them stay in the ground all winter. I find lifting them after they have done flowering and packing them close together in shallow boxes with sandy soil is best, as they can be lifted with compact balls of roots and stored in any cold house or frame, giving them very little w.ater, and then planting them out at the beginning of April. When left in the ground, I ha\e seen some of them rot off in very wet weather, leaving the bed very patchy. To get a good effect you must have a good-sized clump, planted fairly thick. — J. D., Ptniartli. IBERIS JUCUNDA. (sYN,, .ETHIOXEMA COKIDIFOLIUM. ) The native home of this little gem, which also goes by the name of the Lebanon Candytuft, is in the mountain ranges of Asia Minor. It is probably not perfectly hardy in the most nortlierly counties of Great Britain, but is so in the southern and midland counties. A plant in Slessrs. Veitch's rock garden at Exeter, from which the accompanying engraving was made, has stood several severe winters and now forms- a pretty little bush, only about 4 inches high and 8 inches to 9 inches in diameter. It is, therefore, not a fast grower, and should be asso- ciated witli the dwarf est kind of rock plants. The plant here illustrated is growing on a steep rocky slope facing south, and is jilanted in light loam mixed with an aljundance of limestone chippings. It was in bloom here during July and August, when I noted some interesting changes of colour. The flowers appear in Iheris jucunda in Messrs. Veitch's Exeter nursery. From a photograph sent 5y Mr. F. IF. Meyer. densely- crowded flattened racemes, almost um- bellate in appearance. The individual blooms are scarcely more than a quarter of an inch across, and are of a delicate pink colour, veined with bright rose. The young flowers have in the centre a small white spot, resembling a star, and ending in a yellow throat. In older flowers the white star vanishes, and the eye in the centre becomes dark red, while the pink or rose- coloured petals assume a pale flesh-coloured hue, almost approaching to white. The leaves — alternate, fleshy, somewhat cuneate in shape, half-inch to 1 inch long and about an eighth of an inch wide, tapering towards the base — are of a glaucous colour and evergreen. Elmside, E.reter. F. W. Meyer. HERBACEOUS LOBELIAS AND TIGRIDIAS. The correspondence on the hardiness of these reveals much diff'erence of experience ; more marked, as may be expected, in the case of the Lobelias than the Tigridias. In this district it is not possible to succeed with the latter if per- nuinently planted out. I have had them survive a mild winter, but they were worthless the follow- ing summer and did not bloom. "S. W. F." has given good advice concerning the purchase of bulbs. In 1S97 there were many failures from 20 THE GARDEN. [Jantjart 8, 1898. the bad condition of the bulbs, wliich must either have been harvested in improper weather or were not fully ripened before removal. Early in spring I ordered a few, and was informed that "the crop had failed," and that those ordered it might not be possible to supply. As the Tigridias are so effective and desirable in their season one was unwilling to be without them, and a request was sent to forward what could be had. The bulbs were much shrivelled, and from this cause and the contributory efl^cts of the wet season the dis- play of flower looked for was quite absent. With regard to the Lobelias, not only do I find it impossible to preserve them in the open garden, but I have found it necessary to keep them mov- ing gently with a little heat. In an absolutely cold frame they cannot be preserved here. This expe- rience is confirmed by others in the same locality. On the other hand, I have seen these Lobelias ex- hibited in Scotland on stands of hardy perennials, and have been assured that in some districts (notably in the neighbourhood of (ilasgow), they are hardy with a slight covering oi ashes. These Lobelias have been a standing subject of com- plaint when shown in stands of hardy perennials : but, in view of the conflicting experience of growers, what can be said? Those of us who cannot grow them regret the fact, and content ourselves as best we may with L. syphilitica, the flowers of which are not a sufficient substitute for the bril- liantly coloured blooms of the others. One cannot well account for the difference of experience shown in your columns. Everyone must trj' for hnn- self and take the success or failure which follows. Yet I fancy that for many flowers the light, dry soil such as this is not the liest for wintering some flowers. Some experiments with the Alstrcemerias and various other plants have brought this home to me. "There are more things in heaven and earth than are dreamt of in our philosophy," and we must confess ourselves at a loss many a time in our gardening. S. Arnott. Caraetliorn, hy Dumfries, N. B. WINTERING DAHLIA ROOTS. It is at this period of the year that rot will fre- quently put in an appearance on Dahlia roots which are being kept over the winter for propa- gating. Some varieties keep much better than others, while some rarely become affected. Close attention should be given now and onwards, and when signs of decay occur care should at once be taken to cutaway the decay ins parts, in the hope of preventing it from extending further. As a general rule Dahlia roots are kept dry all the winter, but at the same time as cool as possible, taking care to exclude frost. An old Dahlia grower was once asked how Dahlia roots could be preserved through the winter with certainty, and his reply was, keep them from frost and damp and heat. It is held that damp gives rise to rot, and yet I have known roots preserved safely through the winter placed under the plant stand of a warm greenhouse, with water falling upon them from the pots above. I daresay there were losses, but I have known the roots preserved unharmed in this way. One man will keep his roots in dry sand all the winter packed in boxes. Another will place his in the driest parts of his greenhouse, of course safe from frost. Years ago it was the practice of some to ]jit their roots as they did their Potatoes, covering them with straw and mould. They have been kept with safety in a dry underground cellar which is dark, but jet warm enough. I have known them to be sewn up in matting and hung up in a coal cellar, another method being to pack them away in dry soil luider a jMtting bench. Many operatives in tlie mid- lands and north who ha\'e allotment gardens some distance from their dwellings carefully dry their roots with some of the soil adhering to them, and hang them up round the walls of their kitchens. One important precaution is necessary — not to put the roots away in any place until the soil upon them is quite dry. Early propaga- tion is not desirable except in the case of those who have good convenience for securing in- crease ; especially so in the case of those in the trade who supply cuttings. Then it is necessary the forcing beds be prepared in January and the roots got into position. The amateur with limited convenience, and who requires but few plants, need not begin propagating until the end of March or early in April, as Dahlia cuttings take much less time to root then than they do in February. R. D. DISEASED MARIE LOUISE VIOLETS. In accordance with your wish, I send you this note detailing the behaviour of the above, and the treatment given them for the past twelve months, although it dift'ers but little, if anj', from that ac- corded to healthy plants so often recorded in your columns. I do not claim to have eradicated the disease ; far from it ; but it is a fact that the whole stock is gradually improving in vigour, as evidenced by the deeper green of the foliage and continued blooming of the plants. You will ob- serve from the samples of both sent herewith for comparison that there is j'et room for improve- ment ere they become equal to the fresh stock, especially in the darker green of the leaf and strength of the flower-stalks. In the autumn of 18!Mj when put into the pits the whole stock was tolerably good plants, slightly paler in colour of leaf than usual, may be, but nevertheless good clumps, perfectly free from insect pests, a mass of expanded and expanding blooms and bristling with buds. Almost immediately upon being transferred to the pits the leaves commenced to damp off (an unusual thing in this pure air), being infested with a kind of sticky, slimy damp- ness, which in spite of constant picking, dusting with fine nticr, La France, Gloire de Dijon, and many otliers ha\'c filled the still air with sweetness. At Bordighcra especially I saw many blooms of Blar^clial Niel as rich in colour and massive in sulistance as they could be in .sju-ing. At Nice the Chromatella or Cloth of Gold is still unajiproachable for its beauty and (juality, but as it is not generally a very free-flowering Rose, even on the.se sunny .shores, it is gradually disappearing. It was a delight, however, on the shortest day to gather a dozen faultless blooms of this exquisite Rose that would create a sensation in London any day in January 8, 1898.] THE GARDEN. 21 the year could they be transported without any h)ss of their beauty ! Carnations, on tlie other hand, have suffered from the heat, and tlioiigh \ery abundant and sweet, were smaller and poorer in (juality than usual. Frencli-Italians do not care for the smooth, round-edged petal so dear to English florists, and admire most those varieties tliat shade from deep tones in the centre to white or flesh colour at the edge, but they do insist they shall be sweet scented, so that goes far to atone fnr the coarseness of some varieties. Narcissi have flowered long before their proper sea.son, and have been (juite unsaleable. Mignonette is hajtpily finer than usual, and with the enormous quantity of (Jrange blossom and Heliotrope makes one forget that winter has yet to come. At San Remo I .saw in one nursery garden a .seedling yellow Paris Daisy of great merit, half- way between the tall-growing Etoile d't)r and the little Coiiite de Chamboid, and with the con- tinuous blooming qualities of the latter. This should be a valuable plant when it is known and grown. Iris stylosa and I. germanica are Ijoth full of flower, looking so strange to English eyes when seen together at this season. Lopezia coronata is a very dainty little flowering shrub with brown stems and pink flowers, that should lie worth trying for the sake of its distinct cliaracter. It mixes so prettily on a wall witli Heliotrope, and has a very curious ett'ect among Streptosolen Janiesoni, now grown in quantity all along the coast in sunny gardens. This Christmastide the market at Nice is a marvellous sight, with its stalls piled high with masses of Roses and Carnations under the wel- come shade of the big umbrellas tliat screen them : and the succulence and beautj' of the vegetables appeal to the palate eiiually efl'ec- tually. Market growers now grow the old sugar Pea in tiuantity for winter work. It cer- tainly is most excellent both eaten in the pod or shelled in the usual way, and judging from this season it is a most abundant bearer. I wonder how it would answer as an autumn crop in England :" The Persimmon has become a very popular fruit, and is most ettective on the dish or piled up on the stalls. When quite soft and transparent it is a delicious fruit, but it is not given to everyone to be patient enough to wait for that happy moment ; hence foolish folk call it rough and astringent, while to tliose who wait it is like a huge Apricot, melting and de- lectable. The hot suns and brilliant atmo- spliere make us forget that we are passing through the shortest days. If winter should suddeidy invade these sheltered shores, as it can do from time to time, how bitterly we shall complain ! E. H. W. Villa Campa BtUn. 3.3, Rue CoUa, Jv'iVe. Campanula persicifolia.— I am obliged to " S. W. F.," Torquay, for his note referring to this on page oO.'J. The question of the parentage of C. persicifolia alba grandiflora, to which I alluded on jiage 40-2, is one which struck me on first seeing that fine Bellflower several years ago. I liave always felt inclined to think that it ^e- sulcedfrom a cross with C. latifolia or C. 1. ma- crantha alba. Apart from the flimsy texture of the flowers, their form gives support to the idea, and C. grandis would hardly give this. It is only fair to say that seedlings of C. p. alba (not the large form) are variable in size, form, and texture, and that many are deficient in the wax- like appearance of the best. — S. Aknott. Pseonies.— Replying to Mr. Tallack (p. 482), I merely took exception to a certain passage which I quoted in Mr. Tallack's own words. Nor do I think Mr. Tallack at all strengthens his case by a complete alteration of the subject under which he originally wrote. This I note is " Pseonies and Rabbits," but is now changed to "Naturalising Pa^onies." "Rough herbage" is rather an elastic term, and of a kind there must be miles in the rough shrubbery and other borders in this country alone. What I do not understand is what kind of "rough herbage" Jlr. Tallack has to contend with that it so quickly and effec- tually masters strong-growing Peonies. Surely where such a state of things prevails, a few feet or yards one way or another could make but little dift'erence, and with a fair amount of light above, there is no need for failure unless, indeed, the soil is itself exhausted. The chief item of all such work is a first clearance of roots, then plant your subjects for naturalising sufficiently thick not only for eft'ect, but to bold sway. Unless the former is well done, such things as Pieonies, that take two or three years to get established in good soil, are worse than thrown away. All such things require light, and given this, many things, and Pa'onies among them, if properly started, would be just as content in the middle of a wood as in the best shrubbery or other border. — E. Jenkins, Hampton Hill. FLOWER GARDEN NOTES. Annuals. So far as one can judge from the catalogues already to hand, there does not seem to be much that is specially new in connection with annuals that are used in the flower garden. Certainly a few species wliose varieties multiply exceed- ingh' have their novelties, but this means some- thing fresh in colour or size of flower, and not, as a rule, much that can be regarded as an improve- ment in the matter of an eft'ective display. Where herbaceous plants are excluded from those portions of the flower garden that are more or less formal, and the system of early-summer and au- tumn planting is still in force, it may be well at this season of the year to refer to the fact that if necessary a very fine display can be made solely with annuals, and although these naturally entail a certain amount of trouble, there is with them no necessit}' for autumn progagation and winter housing, three and a half months are at the most the time required before they are ready for the open ground, or rather before the weather con- ditions enable tliem to be planted so far as size and strength of plant are concerned. Two and a half months from the time of sowing would be sufficient even with those things whose germina- tion and after progress are not oi'er-quick. One reason why many forms of annuals have not come more to the front is that sufficient discrimination has not always been shown in their selection. Prominent beds ought to look bright until frost or a continuation of wet autumnal weather destroys their beauty, and it is tlierefore useless to fill them with things that however bright they may be for a time, are very quickly over. Again, given a selection of long-standing subjects, the aim should also be plenty of variety alike in the matter of height, foliage, colour and habit. The ability to secure all this in annual flowers is not sufficiently recognised, but they are certainly available, as may be deduced from a few examples out of many. In height we can range from the (j-feet Sunflowers and seedling Dahlias to the dwarf Phloxes and Petunias ; in foliage from the huge- leaved Tobaccos to the tiny Portulacas ; in colour from silverj' Centaureas and white Verbenas and Stocks to scarlet Linums and crimson Antirrhi- nums, and in habit from the stiff', heavy-flowered Begonias to the graceful Celosias and Pent- stemons. Not many of the plants under con- sideration, whether annuals or perennials treated as annuals, can be left for outdoor sowing ; thej' may be divided into two classes, viz., to be sown respecti\ely the last week in January and the last week in Marcli, in both cases under glass, a little bottom-heat being e-ssential in the former and advisable in the other. Cultural details may be summed up in a few words : Sow thinly, prick oft' quickly, grow along as sharp as possible, and harden off thoroughly. In offering a selection of a few things, I do not intimate that they repre- sent all that can be employed, only that they rank among the best and most enduring, and can be raised and grown easily. Antirrhinums. Of the many named varieties now offered, a selection of three or four distinct colours, say in white, yellow, and crimson, answers all ordinary ])urposes ; it is also a (piestion if very dwarf forms are desirable. We have plenty of things that are naturally dwarf, or that can easily be kept so and show to great advantage with their flowers aris- ing from a dense carpet, without having miniature Snapdragons with tiny spikes ; sturdy, robust jjlants from IS inches to 24 inches are the best. Sow early in February on a gentle hotbed, or in boxes that may be jilaced on tlie pipes of a vinery or Peach house that is just started. A capital place for pricking out the young seedlings W'ill be a pit or frame that has winter-housed cuttings of Tufted Pansies, Pinks, &c. Of the Bkgoni.\s of the semperflorens type, the best that have come under my notice are Fairy tjueen. Crimson Gem, and Zulu King, and of their size I do not know anything more beautiful or that gives a more lasting display. Where it is not desirable to house old plants or to resort to autumn propaga- tion from cuttings, seed can be sown in warmth the last week in .lanuary, and the young plants grown along quickly. As there is a little element of formality in beds w-holly devoted to these Begonias, sometliing should be grown to mix with them, and there is nothing better for the inu'pose than Grevillea robusta. Cultural details as to the tuberous section have so often been gi\ en that it is not necessary to repeat them. A special point for outdoor work is the selection of suitable varieties, and it is now generally acknow- ledged that the best results either in the single or double forms are obtained from comparatively small erect or semi-erect flowers. Of dwarf plants, or those that if necessary can be kept dwarf without much trouble, four really good species, each of which is now obtainable in great variety, are Nemesia strumosa. Phlox Drum- mondi. Verbenas, and Petunias. To obtain good plants seed should be sown early in aiarch in boxes, standing them on a slight hotbed, or on pipes being perhaps the safest plan. The germination of very small seed is more certain in this way than when sown in a frame, and a better watch can also be kept for the several insect enemies that are partial to tiny seedlings. I think two of the most eft'ective things in a flower garden, and that certainly should be included in all arrangements, are Salpiglossis and Pentstemons. No phmts are likely to be more admired than these, and it may Ije added that fortunately few things are more easily obtained. The Pentstemons are sown in a vinery in February, the Salpiglossis in a frame in March. Although there are now any number of difl'erent strains of Petunias, no very great advan- tage will accrue from investing in the same, good types of grandiflora and nanacompacta producing all that is required respectively for large and small beds. Marigolds. These are often regarded as common flowers, and an erroneous impression prevails that they are short-li\ ed ; on the contrary, liowever, the best forms produce a display so far as yellow shades are concerned that cannot be surpassed by any other flower, and only given the prompt removal of de- caying blooms, the ])lants will hist until frost cuts them down. Very little variation is seen in the lemon and orange African forms as supplied by good firms, and Legion of Honour is a bright and sliowy variety of the French section. Following on in tall annuals of yellow shades I should recom- mend among Sunflowers the selection of the new miniature, known as Stella, as being the better flower, both from a quality and size standpoint, and yet not at all coarse. It is also eqiually free. Primrose Queen is very good, more robust in habit, the blooms larger, and as the name indi- cates, considerably paler in colour. Both the Marigolds and Sunflowers can be sown in frames 22 thh: gakdek [January 8, 1898. on a slight hotbed about the third week in March. Apropos of this slight hotbed, mentioned several times in connection with sowing the annuals under consideration, one made entirely of leaves. Oak, Beech, or, failing these, Spanish Chestnut, is the best. It should be macle about a fortnight before the time of sowing, built up to a height of 4 feet, and trodden very firmly and evenly to prevent sinking. Where a con- siderable number of tine-foliaged plants is re- quired, and it is not possible to obtain any great variety, three serviceable things to be used in different situations are Cannas, Grevillea and Nicotiana var. colossea, the two former to be sown in heat in January (the Canna seed to be soaked in warm water for a day and night previous to sowing), and the Tobacco in pans or boxes about the middle of March in gentle warmth. Seedlings of all these should be transferred to single pots as soon as they can be handled. Claremont. E. L. B. NOTES FROM SUFFOLK. The year still bears its name as a flowering year even to its close. The record of bunches of Primroses gathered in December apjiears in daily papers. lants. Mr. Davies next crossed R. ciliatum with the pretty little R. virgatum, and the result was the now popular R. multiflorum, the free-blooming habit of which was douljtless derived from the last-named parent. After this last success Mr. Davies followed by crossing the hybrid R. multiflorum with a hardy white Rhododendron, and so obtained R. omniflorum, Pixie _ Queen and Queen of Dwarfs, in which there is a further improvement both in habit of growth and in flower. R. Pixie Queen is a lovely dwarf greenhouse plant resembling R. niultiflorum, but instead of bearing, like the last, blush flowers, those of Pixie Queen are pure white. Both form close-set little shrubs a foot high or so. The edges of the petal lobes are daintily crisped, and the flowers are borne in compact clusters at tlie tip of every shoot or branchlet. Though hardy in the milde.st and most sheltered localities, they are best grown in pots plunged out of doors during summer and placed in a cold house, pit or frame during cold weather, where they will bloom in March or earlier in a wanner greenhouse temperature. R. multi- florum was a favourite plant with Mr. Davies, and accordingly he again crossed it with the Indian R. Edgevvorthi, and from this cross originated a beautiful race of sweet- scented lUiododendrons, of which he was deservedly very proud. These varieties included the following : R. Countess of Derby, Lady Skelmersdale, Mrs. James Shawe, Countess of Sefton, all with exquisite white or dehcately tinted sweet-scented flowers. Hybrids were ;dso oljtained by crossing a hardy white Azalea (? A. indica alba) with a hardy seedling .scarlet Rhcidodendron, some of which bore the large Rhododendron-like clusters of flowers on plants more nearly resembling an Azalea in halrit. Two of the best of these he called R. elegan- tissimum and R. roseum odoratum. One of his latest successes in this way was R. Daviesi, which he obtained between R. retusum and R. javanicum, the waxy flowers being of a very clear and rich orange colour, but otherwise more nearly resembling R. retusum in form. Two very pretty hybrid Rhododendrons are R. elegantissimum and R. roseum odoratum, which resulted from a cross Mr. Davies made between R. Hendersoni and a dwarf white Azalea remarkable for its early flowering habit. This same white Azalea crossed with R. Bray- anum produced the sweet and rosy kind above named (R. roseum odoratum). These crosses Tlic late Mr. Isaac Davies, of Ormskirk. are curious, as being between deciduous and evergreen parents, so that they are scarcely true evergreens in habit, but as grown under glass tlieir flowers are very tine. Another very dainty hybrid raised at Ormskirk is R. flori- bundum, which was the result of R. virgatum crossed by R. Prince Camille de Rohan. It is dense, dwarf, bushy, and free blooming, the flowers being white, now and then softly Hushed on their margins with delicate rose. Its only fault is in flowering tot> freely, so that but little growth is made for propagating purposes. Amongst the choice sweet-scented hardy Azaleas reared at Ormskirk are A. Daviesi, pale sul- phur, changing to white ; Avalanche, pure snow white ; and hybrida odorata, also pure white, free flowering, and very fragrant. Mr. Davies regularly reared large (Quantities of Azalea mollis from seeds, also a race of beauti- ful hybrids between A. mollis and A. occi- dentalis and others l)y crossing A. mollis with the best forms of A. Daviesi and the Ghent varieties. All these were vei-y lovely and of nearly all shades of colour, bearing large and sliapely flowers, white, sulphur, fawn, peach, rose, pink, orange-yellow, red, some blotched and spotted with pink or red, and others were sweet-scented. A. pontica was also largely grown from seed, and many charming varia- tions occurred, though they were not so vari- able as in the case of A. mollis. I am sure many readers will recollect with satisfaction the splendidly grown, healthy stock that always came from the Ormskirk nursery — sturdy, well-rooted stutt', each shoot tipped by flower-buds, and the varieties, even of his mixed seedling stock, always of superior quality Apart from hybridising, Mr. Davies was con- stantly crossing the best seedlings of hardy Rhododendrons with each other, and some of the results were very tine. Among.st others I may name R. Isaac Davies, Stanley Davies, VVm. Davies, Mrs. Isaac Davies, Beauty of Ormskirk, Flag of Truce, and Sir H. Havelock. Boule de Feu, Empress, Monarch, and thirty or forty others are characterised by sturdy, free-bloounng habit, tine foliage, and large conical trusses or heads of bloom. One of the last, perhaps the last, of Mr. Davies' catalogues (189(i) now lies before me, but it really gives no adequate idea of the wealth and variety of floral beauty the cele- brated Brcjok Lane Nursery at Ormskirk con- tained in its palmy days. Now, alas '. all the valuable stock is sold oft' and swept away and the site utilised for building purposes, but history and tradition will long preserve in the annals of the garden the story of the many beautiful new plants that originated there in days that are no more. According to the 18'.»i catalogue, in addition to those mentioned above, the following hardy Rhododendrons were raised by Mr. Davies : Afghan Chief, Blue Beard, Boule de Feu, Carminatum, Countess of Lathom, Copernicus, Charles Kingsley, Connnodore, Claribel, Dr. Johnson, Duchess of Albany, Flower of May, George Stevenson, General Graham, Hetty Davies, King of Crimsons, Kepler, La Brillante, M. Thiers, Milton. Model, Marksman, Oliver Cromwell, Rob Roy, Robert Cobden, Sunrise, The Ameer, Wordsworth, Jenny Davies, Elaine, John Ruskin, Othello, Colleen Bawn, Gounod, British Queen, Rosalind, Napoleon, Romola, Seneca, and many others. It is pleasant to know that Mr. Davies not only did so much in improving the Rholodendron by hybridisation and cross-breeding, but he had great faith in own-rooted plants, seedlings, or plants from layers, which he oft'ered at rates far below their real value. One speciality of the nursery at Ormskirk deserves mention, viz., seedling bulbs of the Japanese Lilium auratum and its variety rub- rum vittatum. This Lily, so capricious in most soils, Mr. Davies grew from his own saved seed in large quantities in the open ground. These bulbs were sound and healthy. In conclusion, I may add that personally Mr. Davies was a man of fine and noble character, always busy, always pleasant, always happy and interested in his life's best work, the growing and imjiroving of the flowers he loved. His bent of mind led liim on from one expe- riment to another, and it is pleasant to know that a long and active life was rewarded with notable success. If there is anything to be regretted it is that the Brook Lane Nursery, or at any rate the choice collections of seedling and hybrid Rhododendrons and Azaleas therein, should have been sold at a great saci'ifico, owing to the death of one of Mr. Davies' sons who January 8, 1898.] THE GARDEN. 27 was ill the business. Having no one to succeed liiin in the business he had built up, he decided to sell off all his stock in September last, and it is a patlictic remembrance to think that the ■owner died ten days after what to him, old tliough he was, must have been a sad and de- pressing event, and his widow only survived him a little over ten weeks. In Ormskirk and its neighbourhood he was well known and deeply respected, and in presenting the portrait of such a gifted and remarkable man to readers of The Gakiien, it is with pleasure I can say that 3iis name will long be affectionately remendjered, not only in Ormskirk, where he had made his home, but in every garden throughout the country where his lovely hybrid and seedling Rhododendrons and Azaleas are grown, F. W. BrRBIDGE. Books. THE BOG AND WATER PLANTS.* This highly scientific German work embraces not only the bog plants and acjuatics wliich may lie cultivated out of doors, but also tliose of troijical regions requiring a temperate or warm house for their cultivation, including also miniatiu'e plants wliich might successfully be grown in rooms. The book contains close on 200 pages and has 126 illustrations. The author has travelled in the Congo district and other tropical regions, and has given detailed descriptions not only of plants already «ell known to horticulture, but he also describes a large number of plants whose intro- duction he thinks desirable, but which up to the present are only very rarely, or not at all, met with in cultivation. Among the latter he men- tions the following : Aponogeton monostachyus (L. fil), Aponogeton Bernerianus (Hook, fil) (from Madagascar), Aponogeton (syn. , Ouvirandra) fene- stralis, the Brazilian Eichornia paradoxa (Solms), Heteranthera graminea (Vahl.), Heteranthera Seubertiana (Solms), Azolla rubra, AzoUa pin- nata, and a great many others, which will be a boon to those desirous of gaining reliable informa- tion on plants comparatively unknown. The arrangement of the book is strictly scien- tific, and not less than seventy-five natural orders are deolt with. Of these, ten orders of Crypto- gams?, twenty-four orders of Monocotylea;, and forty-one orders of Dicotj'lea^ supplj- the Aast number of plants described. The book contains a great many very practipal hints on the propa- cration and successful cultivation of the plants. Most us ful, for instance, are the hints given for successfully growing the blue Nympluea zanzi- barensis out of doors during the summer. Of the greatest practical value, too, is the last chapter, wliich suggests collections of bog plants and aquatics for various purposes, such as plants for deep or shallow water, for the margins of ponds, streamlets and waterfalls, for " floating islands" in lakes, for bog beds, rooms, and even plants suitable for a salt water aquarium. The reading matter throughout is interesting, and many of tlie ilhistrations are most excellent, as, for instance, those of Nymphiea Marliaeea Chro- matella, Eichornia crassi pes, Nelumbium luteum,a most artistic engraving of a group of Cyperus Papyrus growing out of doors, and a great many other beautiful cuts. It is a matter of great re- gret, however, that these really good engravings should in some ]>laces be interspersed with *' pro- cess w-ork '' of the worst class, showing blurred pictures quite unworthy of the plants they repre- .sent. Such illustrations, for instance, as that on page 73, supposed to represent Calla jialustris, would have been better left out altogether. * *' Die Sumpf-und Wasserpflanzen vnn Willi- MtiDkeinejer." ("The Bog and Water Plants" : tlipir description, cultivation, and use. By W. MunVempyer, Insppctor of the Botanic Garden«i of the Dniv^r.sity at Leipsic. Published by Gustav Schmidt, Berlin. ISl)/.) For the botanist it may be necessary, perhaps, to adhere to a strictly scientific arrangement in such a book, but for the practical gardener or the amateur the book would be more useful if it were less scientific. I find, for exam]ile, owing to the severely scientific classification, jilants requiring all kinds of different temperatures together on the same page, and in the case of a plant not well known it requires a considerable amount of reading before one is able to find out whether the plant described requires a stove, a greenhouse, or may be grown out of doors. In my opinion the book would be more popular genei'ally if the classification were more simple, say " stove plants, greenhouse plants, half-hardy plants and hardy plants." Although on the whole I very much admire this excellent work, I have one more fault to find, namely, the omission or too scanty description of some of our most beautiful Water Lilies. No one will deny the beautj' of Victoria Regia, and the autlior \ery properly devotes about four pages of interesting description to this plant. But this stately giant can only be grown by the few who possess the extensive accommodation refpiired for its culture, while many thousands might grow out of doors and without trouble such gems as Nym- pli:ea Marliaeea albida, N. M. Chromatella, N. Laydekeri rosea, N. L. lilacina and N. L. pur- purata, but in Herr Monkemeyer's book the descriptions given of the five last named s])ecies vary from one to three words for each. Tlie pre- face of the book is dated October, 1897, but the work is certainly not up to date, for not a single word is mentioned about such gems as Nympha^a Robinsoni, N. Seignoureti, N- Marliaeea ignea, N. M. carnea, N. M. rubra punctata, N. Lay- dekeri fulgens, N. L. fulva, and N. L. lucida, all of which are of such importance for the embellish- ment of our water gardens, that their entire omission from a work of such a recent date must be regretted, especially when for several years past these treasures of the water garden have been cultivated not only in this country, but also across the Atlantic, as is evident from the excel- lent extract from Mr. Tricker's book "The Water Garden," published in The Garden of Dec. 4, 1897, pp. 444 to 447. F. W. Meyer. E/iiifide, E.relfr. Trees and Shrubs. WINTER - FLOWERING TREES AND SHRUBS. The number of trees and shrubs that flower during the four dullest months of the year — say, from the middle of November to the early part of March — is perhaps larger than many would imagine. The following list contains over lifty species which may fairly be described as coming under that heading. It is based on the conditions that obtain near London, and could nij doubt be lengthened considerably by those living further soutli and west, just as it would liave to be reduced to suit more northerly localities. The date of flon-ering, too, is to some extent dependent on the same conditions, and still more so on the mildness or severity of the winter. A long and severe frost, for in- stance, setting in before Christmas would defer the flowering of several shrubs from December and Januai-y to Febi-uary or later. Tiie condi- tions also under which individual ])lants gi-ow vary the time of flowering. Ohimcuianthus fragrans growing on a wall is usually in flower at or before Christmas, but as a bush in the open it blooms a month or six weeks later. Many of the plants mentioned would, if they flowered in April, May or Jinie, be eclipsed by the great ho.st of more showy things that then burst into bloom, but now their modest beau- ties have a singular charm, added to in many instances by a sweet fragrance. It would be an interesting thing to bring together in some sheltered spot all, or as many as possible, of these winter-flowering trees and shrubs, adding to them others that flower by the begin- ning of April. By devoting some such jilace to them, the shelter from north and east that many need could then be more easily furnished — shelter which is not only welcome to the plants themselves, but to those who may love to watch and tend them. For sucli a purpose one imagines as an ideal spot a jjiece of fertile ground sloping well to south-south-west and surrounded on the north and east by a belt of trees, in the foreground of w'hich are growing Hollies, Box, or other close evergreens. Many things, such as the Witch Hazels (Hamamelis), Prunus Davidiana, some of the Daplines, ttc., being deciduous, require some such background to set ofl' their beauty to greatest advantage. The following list is as complete as I have been able to make it at present, but doubtless there are omissions. Of course, by including others that flower a month or even a fortnight later, the list could be greatly lengthened, but such things are more strictly spring than winter- flowering. NOVEJIBER. Lonicera fragrantissima (up to March). ,, Standishi (up to March). Hamamelis virginica (often earlier). Fatsia japonica. Arbutus liybrida. ,, Unedo and its varieties. Jasminum nudifiorum (up to February). Daphne Jlezereum var. grandiflora. Eheagiius glabra. ,, macrophylla. ,, pungens. December. Cratfpgus monogyna var. prtecox (Glastonbury Thorn). Erica mediterranea hybrida. January. Clematis calycina (up to March). Erica carnea (up to Mai'ch). ,, ,, var. alba (up to March). Viburnum Tinus (Laurustinus). Chimonanthus fragrans and vars. Garrya elliptica. FEDRrARV. Erica mediterranea (up to April and May). Daphne Laureola. ,, Mezereum. ,, ,, var. flore albo. , , oleoides. Berberis nepalensis. Prunus Davidiana (often earlier). Pyrus (Cydonia) japonica. Hamamelis arborea. ,, japonica. ,, ,, var. Zuccariniana. Cornus mas and varieties. ,, officinalis. Rhododendron altaclerense. ,, dauricum. ,, ,, var. atrovircns. ,, Nobleanum. ,, parvifolium. , , priecox. Early' M.vrch. Forsythia suspensa. ,, intermedia. Rhododendron fulgens. ,, Thomsoni. Nuttallia cerasiformis. Daphne Blagayana. Dirca palustris. Populus treraula. ,, tremuloides var. pendula (Parasol de St. Julien). Staehyurus prsecox. Parrottia persica. 28 THE GARDEN". [Januaby 8, 1898. Corylopsis spicata. Pieris (Andromeda) floribunda. ,, „ japonica. Salix Smithiana. Akebia quinata. Arbutus Andrachne. Cassandra calyculata. Prunus Amygdalus var. persicoides (generally two weeks in advance of the common Almond). Ulex europiEus (common Gorse). Besides the above there are, of course, nu- merous trees with inconspicuous flowers which bloom early in the year, such as many of the Ashes, Elms, Alders, Willows, Filberts, and Poplars.— W. J. Bean. •,* We beg to call our readers' attention to the interesting and suggestive notes of Mr. Bean on the trees and shrubs that flower in winter and very early in the year. As many live in different climates from those that obtain in the home counties and about London, we should be grateful if they would look at Mr. Bean's list and add to it where possible. Where the climate is favourable, outdoor gardening in winter is not without its charms, and we feel sure that our readers could hardly do a better service to the cause than by telling us about their winter treasures in that way, and of the plants as well as the shrubs that go to form them. — Ed. Hibiscus Single Painted Lady. — This variety is doubtless included by Mr. Bean in what he describes as the " host " now in commerce. So beautiful are these shrubs when in bloom, flower- ing also so late in the summer, that it is sur- prising they are not far more widely planted. Surely only general ignorance of their charms could excuse this comparative neglect. The variety I have named above I saw blooming in quantity on plants about 20 inches in height at the Coombe Wood Nursery last September. There were other varieties blooming also freely, especially totus albus and Blue Celeste, but the Painted Lady was much the most effecti\e.— A. L). Propagating Hibiscus syriacus.— In The Gakhen fur December 2.') a very characteristic group of distinct varieties of this Hibiscus formed the subject of the coloured plate, and in the accompanying article the propagation of these varieties was referred to, and also the fact that there is cjuite a host of them offered by nursery- men. Some of the continental dealers especially make a feature of the different varieties, and the whole of them from that source that have come under my observation are grafted plants. They are all grafted on to young seedlings, the point of union being just at the collar. When planted the scion will doubtless form roots of its own, and out of a number of grafted plants under my observation that have been in their present posi- tion half-a-dozen years there have ne\'er been any signs of suckers, so that the most prominent ob- jection to grafting does not apply in the case of the many varieties of this Hibiscus. Pteroearya caucasica. — Despite the fact that a deep crack across the centre of the trunk of our big specimen of the Caucasian Walnut indicates a collapse at no distant date, the tree grows at a great pace, and careful measurement gives the diameter of branch-spread as a little over 100 feet, the extremities of the branches with the split in the trunk and the semi-horizon- tal position they naturally assume coming down to the ground on all sides. Possibly the growth has been greater in 1897 than in any previous year on account of the destruction of all the embryo catkins early in the season and the total absence of the enormous crop of curious nuts the tree usually carries. If, however, the top growth is rapid and wide spreading, the root action is even more so, extending to a considerable dis- tance beyond the branches, and as on tlu-ee sides of the tree and at no great distance from it we have respectively Vine, dessert Cherry, and bush Apple borders, a winter's job will be to dig a trench on all those sides, some 12 yards from the trunk, sufficiently deep to make sure that we are well below all roots. Fortunately, these, as w ith nearly all trees with widely spreading roots, are not far below the surface, and the labour required is thereby considerably reduced. — E. L. B., Clare- monl. THE JASMINE NIGHTSHADE. (SOLANUM .JASMINOIDES.) Lovers of wall plants, especially those who reside in the warmer southern districts, should bear in mind this, which is well suited for such positions, and one which keeps up a long suc- session of bloom. Mrs. J. S. Beale, Standen, East Grinstead, Sussex, who kindly sent us the photograph from which our illustration was pre- pared, writes us as follows : — The plant flgured was planted in May, 1895, the aspect south-west. It has had no protection other than a mulching at the beginning of winter, and has flowered each year from May till Novem- ber. The photograph was taken on October 26, 1897. Planting near the sea. — I write to ask if you or any of your correspondents will advise me as east coast of England, and you can easily find out if it thrives locally. We agree about the Portugal and Sweet Bay. Do not plantskinny, narrow groves or clumps, but massed as much as you can in the space, and then the trees will shelter each other and the inner ones grow as well as they do at Bodorgan and other places where planting near the sea has been well done. Hollies, too, should do if protected from rabbits, and they often dO' admirably near the sea. Local results should be considered. — Ed. SOME AMERICAN SPRUCES. The White Spruce (Picea canadensis) is the most boreal of the Spruces of Eastern North America, where it is distributed from within the Arctic circle to the northern borders of New England and New York, Northern Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota, South Dakota and Northern Montana. This tree, which sometimes attains a height of l.'JO feet, may be distinguished by the strong fretid odour of the foliage, the dark blue-green colour of the leaves and the slender elongated cones, with thin, rounded, entire, flexible scales. The White Spruce is a tree of the north and displays its greatest beauty only in cold countries, suffering in summer in the middle States and e\-en in Southern New England from the attacks of the red spider, which soon make The Jasmine Nightshade (Solanum jasminoides) at Standen, East Grinstead. Engraved for The Garden from a photograph sent hy Mrs. Beale, to the kind of shrubs I should plant to shelter a gar- den on the east coast of Scotland about 500 yards from the sea-shore and 100 feet above sea-level. The Ijeach is sheltered by a sandbank about two miles to the outside, so the full force of the surf is not felt on the shore, and salt spray is never blown up so far as my garden. The rainfall here does not average more than 26 inches. Frosts are not very severe nor white frost verj' much trouble for a place so far north, ily garden is fully exposed to the wind and gets the lull force of east winds from S.E. — N.E. on the one side and S.W. — N.W. on the other. Local people have advised me to try Portugal Lain-els or Bays, but I dislike them both, and have found neither is altogether hardy, being very much browned by the spring winds oft' the sea. Olearia Haasti has stood better with me than a few Portugal Laurels I was very reluctantly induced to plant. , I find wind the worst enemy I have in the garden, '. and think if something could only be started to grow it would go on all right. — William Low. *„* We should advise you under the circum- stances to keep to very hardy things or those that love the shore, such as Tamarisk, Sea Bucktliorn, and the small-leaved Willows for the seaside, and inland. Savin and the English Juniper. Olearia might go in a hard winter. The evergreen Oak is often an excellent tree near the sea on the the foliage thin and shabby. East of Cape Cod, however, it is the most beautiful of the Spruces which have been thoroughly tested here, dense in habit, with persistent lower branches, and beauti- ful in colour. Individuals vary considerably in the colour of the foliage, however, one of the most distinct of these colour forms being the tree with pale blue leaves (var. ccerulea) which is attractive. The Red Sprfce (Picea rubra), an Appalachian species distributed from the valley of the lower St. Lawrence River to North Carolina, although little known in gardens, is a fine ornamental tree long confounded with the Black Spruce (P. JIariana), a tall slender tree frequently attaining the height of 100 feet with thin branches and dense dark green foliage. The Red Spruce, which is the timber Spruce of New England, New York and the middle States, is a slow-growing tree in the forest, and it is not improbable that tne oldest trees in New England belong to this species. I have had little opportunity to observe this tree in cultivation ; the few |)lanted trees, however, which I have seen are healthy and well furnished with branches, and certainly have not grown very rapidly. The Black Spruce is a smaller and more northern tree and an inhabitant of swamps and low, wet ground. \\'ith the White Spruce it ranges to the Arctic circle, and ^it is more January 8, 1898.J THE GARDEN. 29 generally spread over the Northern States than the Red Spruce, bordering on the Great Lakes, where the Black Spruce is very abundant. The Black Spruce is a tree of rather open habit, with blue-green foliage ; in cultivation it soon becomes thin and shabby, and it is probably the least desirable of all the Sjtruces which have been fairly tested here as ornamental trees. Several ^arieties are described by nurserymen with a dwarf, more or less compact habit, or with the foliage marked with yellow or white, which are common seminal phenomena. PiCEA Encelmanni is widely distributed from British Columbia to Northern Arizona, and is one of the most beautiful of the Spruces. It is a noble tree, often 1.50 feet in height, with a tall stem covered with light cinnamon-red scaly bark and pale blue, acute soft leaves. This is the timber Spruce of the high slopes of the Rocky Mountains, where it forms great forests at eleva- tions from SOI 10 feet to 11,0(10 feet aljove tlie sea- level. Here in New England Picea Engelmanni grows slowly, like most trees which have been transplanted from high altitudes to the sea-level, forming a handsome nari'ow and compact pyra- mid, with its lower branches resting on the ground. The largest trees have produced a few cones here. Unfortunately, Picea Engelmanni begins to grow very early in the spring, and therefore it is frequently injured in Western Europe by spring frosts, although in Northern Russia it appears to be one of the hardiest and most valuable conifers. PitEA Parryana (the Picea pungens of most authors), the second Rocky Mountain species, the so-called Colorado Blue Spruce, is a tree of more restricted range, being confined to Colorado, Eastern Utah, and Wyoming, growing only alono- the banks of streams in small isolated gro\-es at ele\'ations between mou feet and 9000 feet. This species may be distinguished from Engelmann's Spruce by its pale, deeply-furrowed bark, which is unusual in this genus, by its stouter glabrous branchlets and thicker rigid sharp-pointed leaves, bright blue on some plants and dull grey-green on others, and by its larger cones. As it appears in Colorado, Picea Parryana is a far less beautiful tree than Picea Engelmanni. The lower branches are soon overshadowed by those above them and then quickly die, and trees more than .30 feet high are usually thin and ragged in the tops. This Colorado Spruce has proved very hardy on the Atlantic seaboard, where it has been largely dis- tributed by nurserymen, and young plants are surprisingly \igorous and handsome. The lower branches on the oldest specimens cultivated here, however, are already beginning to die, and there is every prospect that this Spruce will jirove a failure as an ornamental tree. — Gardin and Forest. other was the first to come out in mass, and for the last ten days has been covered with fine large blooms. This form is as yet comparatively un- known, and in the majority of cases planters who have applied for it have found with the first pro- duction of flowers that thej- ha\e only secured the type. In addition to being twice the size in the individual blooms and much deeper in colour, the var. grandiflorus is very vigorous, furnishing large stretches of wall very quickly. By the re- moval of a portion of a Benthamia japonica on the one side and a green Rhamnus on the other, I have been able to considerably extend the plant of the large-flowered Chimonanthus, and it now covers some 360 square feet of wall. Writing above of Bentharcia japonica reminds me to inquire if this has ever been tried as a substitute for Boxwood. In removing one or two horizontal branches, I kept one and fashioned it into a walk- ing stick. It takes a fine polish, and is the hardest and heaviest English wood I have ever handled. — E. L. B. , C/aranoiit. Bubus biflorus — In the early part of last year attention was directed in The Cardex to the distinct appearance of this Rubus, es- pecially during the winter months when devoid of foliage, as then the whitened stems were even more noticeable than at other seasons. There is a group of several plants of this Bramble near the flagstaff' at Kew at the present time. This is one of the most striking outdoor features of the gardens. Though it is by no means new, this Rubus is not much known, and is very rarely met with in nur- series. There are certainly some very ornamental subjects in the genus Rubus. Illustrations of this occur in the species under notice, in the Rocky Mountain R. deliciosus, with its large, white, Rose-like blossoms : R. nutkanus and R. odo- ratus, with large white and purple flowers respec- tively ; R. laciniatus, the vigorous-growing cut- leaved Bramble, and the double pink-flowered form, which furnishes quite a wealth of blossom about July even in a dry situation. — T. Chimonanthus frag-rans var. grandi- florus.—I said in a recent note that of the two forms of Chimonanthus fragrans, viz., the type and var. grandiflorus, the older and better known varietj' was the first to flower. This was so as far as occasional l)looms were concerned, but tlie OFFICIAL REGULATION OF THE WHOLESALE TRADE IN FRUIT AND VEGETABLES IN THE PARIS MAR- KETS. We, the Prefect of Police, considering (I) the Law of August 15-24, 17!)0 (No. xi.), and that of July 19-22, 17!ll ; (2) the Law of June 11, 18!t(i, respecting the Halles Centrales and the decree issued on April 23, 18i»7, for its execu- tion ; (.'?) the regulation orders dated November 28, 1S!«, October 17 and November 28, 189(i ; and (4) the order of December 30, 1865, with respect to the police control of the public markets, make the following orders : — Article 1. — The wholesale market for fruit, vegetable.', grain, and flower shall be held every day. The sale of fruit and vegetables shall hs carried on from 4 o'clock to 10 o'clock from April 1 to September 80, and from 5 o'clock to 1(1 o'clock from Octolier I to March 31. Ai;t. 2. — The opening and closing of the sales shall be announced by ringing a bell, and no sales are alloweil to take place outside of the regulation hours. Art. 3. — When consignments by railway happen to be delayed in transit, the agents of the two prefectures, acting in concert, will have power to postpone the closing time of the sales. Art. 4. — No one is allowed to enter the market outside of the hours of sale except the otticials of the authorities, consigners who can establish their identity as such, the salesmen and their employ^, who must be provided with a card of identifica- tion, signed by a salesman and counter-signed by the chief inspector of the sale-room. Also, no one is permitted to take up a stand in the market without necessity while the sales are going on. Art. ■>. — All persons who are not in the service of the authorities or of the salesmen must leave the sale-room immediately after the closing of the sales is announced by ringing a bell, and the market doors must be closed a quarter of an hour before the closing of the sales. Art. G. — The unloading and handling of goods sent into the market, the taking charge of goods deposited in the storehouse and the delivery of goods to purchasers shall be entrusted to the porters exclusively. The assistance of these porters may also be demanded bj' purchasers in counting fruit or vegetables which are sold by numlier, and this counting takes place in pre- sence of the salesman where the sale was made. The ser\'ices of these porters and the amounts of their wages are detailed in the order and table annexed to the present ordinance. Art. 7. — Goods nuist be sold in the package in which they arrive, except Potatoes sent from Africa in barrels, which may be sold in lots of .55 lbs. each, also Oranges, Lemons and Manda- rines sent in boxes, barrels or loose (unpacked), which may be sold by the hundred. Art. 8. — Goods that are to be sold by weight must be weighed before the sale is announced, and a memorandum indicating the gross weight must be placed on each package. The consigners should mark on each package the weight of the tare, and when this is not done the tare shall be regulated by that of packages of the same kind and dimensions, or it may be set down a])proxi- mately if there happen to be no similar packages for comparison at hand when the sale takes place. The weight of the tare must be marked on the weight-note as well as the gross weight. Pack- ages containing goods that are to be sold by number or measure must bear a label indicating the nature of their contents. In the case of forced fruits that are sold by weight, each package should be marked in plain figures with the net weight of the goods whicli it contains. The weight of the tare and also the nature of the con- tents of each package should be stated by the consigner in his letters of adxice to the salesman. Art. 9. — It is expressly forbidden to place in the bottoms of baskets, hampers, or any other kind of parcel fruit or other commodities of a kind or (|uality inferior to those placed at the top. It is also forbidden to place in the bottoms of baskets or hampers containing fruit or vegetables which are to be sold in bulk in the package just as it stands anj' excessive amount of packing material unnecessary for the preservation of the fruit or vegetables and calculated to give a false idea of the contents of such baskets or hampers. Goods which are sold by bulk in large hampers or in bundles should, when they are being packed for sale, be put together without leaving emptj- spaces between them, so that the appearance alone of the package or bundle will give an exact idea of the bulk of its contents. Breaches of these regula- tions will be noted, and, if necessary, brought before the correctional tribunal. The provisions of this article, and also of the preceding one, are to be communicated to consigners by the salesmen who represent them in the market. Art. 10. — The inspectors of the market shall examine the goods which are put up tor sale, and shall seize any that they may find to be in an un- sound condition. Art. 11. — Any consigner who wishes to set a minimum price on his goods .should advi.se his salesman of the same by letter or telegram before the sales commence. Art. 12. — The salesman, when putting up one or more packages for sale, must announce the nature and kind of the goods, and also the net weight when they are sold by weight, and the number or measurement when they are sold in either of these ways. He should also state whether any package is to bs sold in bulk and just as it stands. When a number of packages are put up for sale in bulk, the salesman shall fix the starting price for the whole lot. -Art. 13. — Goods for which the salesman shall have fixed a starting price, addressing himself generally to an assembly of several purchasers, shall be considered as being put up for s.ale by auction, and shall be knocked down to the highest bidder. The salesman is bound to accept the first oft'er and the successive biddings until the goods are knocked doHii. In these auction sales the biddings are regulated as follows : — 10 centimes on prices below .5 francs. 23 ,, ,, from .5 francs to 10 francs. 00 ,, ,, from 10 francs to 20 francs. 1 franc ,, above 20 francs. Art. 14. — In order to facilitate the manage- ment of the delivery of goods at the grating of tlie s;ile-roora or in the 0])en space at the store- house, the salesmen shall delixer to purchasers a sale-note with particulars which tally with the counterfoil of the memorandum book. The goods will not be delivered by the porters unless this sale-note is presented to them, and it is to be re- tained by them. Art. 1.5. — It is forbidden to remove goods from one station to another in the market. In the interest of good order and to prevent overcrowd- ing, when a salesman shall have received a greater quantity of goods than his station will hold, the 30 THE GARDEN. [January 8, 1898. siirjjlus shall, with the concurrence of the deputy of the ])refeoture of the Seine, be placed tem- porarily in one of the stations which are not so much crowded, but the goods can only be sold at the selling-place of the salesman to whom they were consigned. Art. 16.— The employ i-s and porters of the market who belong to the prefecture of police are expressly forbidden to purchase any goods there on their own account or for anyone else. The same rule appHes to the employts of the salesmen. Art. 17.— The notification with respect to the storing of goods unsold and the resuming of a sale, as prescribed by Articles 47 and 5;) of the decree of April 2.3, 1897, shall be made in con- formity with the examples annexed to the present ordinance. The notification with respect to storing the goods for safe keeping shall, immediately after the closing of the sales, be conveyed to the syndic of the guard porters, who will submit it to the disposal of the chief inspector. The notification with respect to the resuming of a sale must be conveyed to the chief inspector on the following day before the opening of the sales. Art. is.— Salesmen are forbidden to bring into the market, in addition to the furniture prescribed in Article 18 of the decree of April 23, 1897, any tables, scales, &c. , without having previously obtained permission to do so. Requests for such permission sent to the authorities should mention the nature and dimensions of the articles. Art. 19.— The general provisions of the order of December 3(1, 1S().J, with respect to the police control of the public markets are applicable to the wholesale market for fruit and vegetables. Art. 20.— Breaches of the regulations are to be noted in oflicial reports addressed to us on the subjects concerned. Art. 21.— The following are cancelled : (1) The police order of May, 18, 1855 ; (2) the order of April 2, 1837, and the resolutions of November 17, 1876, November 4, 1S78, and ,June IS, 1885, fixing the amount of the porters' wages ; (3) previous regulations and resolutions determining the hours of opening and closing the market and also the minimum of lots. Art. 22.— This present ordinance .shall be printed, published and posted up, and the divisional inspector of markets, the special com- missary of the Halles, the chief and other in- spectors of the wholesale market for fruit and vegetables are, each in his own province, charged to see that its provisions are strictly enforced.— Lepine, Prefect of Police, in Rente Ilortkole. Orchids. VANDA AMESIANA. There is probably no more variable species than thi.s in the genus, the flowers differing considerably in size, but more so in colour. In some the tint is quite a deep rose-purple, and through a great variety of shades it readies to nearly a pure white in the very pale forms. The variety alba, which appeared first with Messrs. Williams, of Holloway, is said to be quite pure white, but though I have seen plants labelled alba, I have yet to see a pure white form. But all the forms are beautiful, free- flowering, and useful Orchids, worth a place in the most select collections. The stems do not as a rule attain any great height, but if several are grouped togetlier in a broad flat jian or basket these make a fine specimen, and bloom- ing freely are very showy. The flowers arc also extremely useful for cutting, the entire spikes being very nice for vases wlicro a light ujjper arrangement is necessary, though in this con- dition they do not last long, the smaller side bits making capital dress or coat sprays. The present time has been looked upon as its flower- ing season, but I have noted it in bloom in various collections almost all the year round. A good deal depends upon the temperature it is grown in, and the fact of its thriving so well in a \ariety of temperatures seems to point to its being a plant of good constitution. I like to give it fairly cool treatment, and I think the plants are far more likely to be satis- factory over a number of years when grown in this way than if subjected to much heat. But the Odontoglossuiu house proper, with its heavy shading the greater part of the year, is not an ideal place for it by any means. Rather than this I would keej) it as near the light as pos- sible and close to a ventilator in the Cattleya house. The house that suits it best is one kept cool and moist at night, but only sufficiently shaded by day to prevent injury to the leaves. Vandas of this class, and even such as V. ccerulea, can stand heat as long as it is sun- heat, and a continual current of air is pas,sing over the foliage. What they dislike is a close, moist atmosphere, kept up by closing the houses and forcing tlie fires by night. In fact, a high temperature during the autumn is just the thing required to make the leaves hard and firm and prepare the plants for winter, but, as everyone knows, air and sun are also important factors. As I have many times pointed out in The Garden, a natural and well-balanced temperature sliould be aimed at, and where thi.s is provided, even chough it may be a few degrees above or below that usually thought necessary for the plants, these will thrive better than in the right temperature, if this is brought about by insufficient air and too mucli fire-heat. As mentioned above, specimen plants of V. Amesiana do well in large flat pans, but where single- stemmed jilants are concerned a better plan is to grow them in pots or ba.skets of restricted size. They will establish themselves much sooner in this class of receptacle, and are not so liable to be over- watered as in those of a larger size. Clean Sphagnum Moss and charcoal make the best compost for it, but good drainage is essential. The roots seem to delight more in rambling about over lumps of charcoal, crocks, and similar material than in pushing very far away from the centre of growth, like those of V. suavis and other large growing species. During the growing season and until the roots show by their reddish brown tips cloud- ing over that gi-owth is past for the season, the plants like plenty of moisture both at the roots and in the atmosphere, but afterwards this may be lessened considerably, though at no time (juite withheld. V. Amesiana is a native of the Shan States, and is found growing naturally in rather exposed sunny positions. Messrs. Hugh Low and Co. imported it with other ( )rchids from this country, but since then many large and successful importations of the species have been made. The most nearly allied kind is V. Kiinballiana, and with this V. Amesiana is often associated in its native country. R. Lycaste Skinneri rosea. — In this the sepals and petals have a warm, rich tint of rose that is very distinct and pleasing, Mhile the lip is pro- fusely spotted with crimson. Like the type it is an easily grown plant, this being proved by the fact that many persons have been fairly successful under varying modes of treatment. Some grow it in loam, some in peat, and others in a mixture specially prepared, and as they are all productive of good results for a time, eacli one thinks he has hit on a better method of culture than the other. Mormodespardintimconcolor. — Thisv.iriety has (lowers of a bright lemon yellow, without any of the crimson spots as seen in the type. It is a very delicate plant, and not by any means so easily grown as the typical M. pardinum. The spikes rise about a foot high and are closely covered with flowers. The best place to grow it is in the lightest part of the East India house, and a limited amount of compost only is necessary, the roots though fairly strong seeming to delight in growing closely packed together. Plenty of water is necessary while growing, but after the foliage is off' the plants may be kept absolutely dry for a few weeks with ad\ antage. Odontoglossum blandum. — For a long time after its first introduction this pretty Odonto- glossum was very rare, and even now it is not so plentiful as one could wish. The spikes rise about a foot high, and the flowers are somewhat closely produced thereon. Its habitat is high up on the mountains in New Grenada, consequently a cool, moist, and airy house is essential the year through. Grow it with the coolest section of the genus in pans not much wider than the plant itself. Shade heavily in summer, and in winter keep the glass clean so that plenty of light reaches it from all sides. Odontoglossum Iseve. — This Mexican species is not perhaps in the front rank of Odonto- glossums ; still a good variety is worth having. It is a very strong-growing, easily-cultivated plant, distinct in habit and flowers from any others now in bloom. The spikes are often a j'ard or more in length, the upper portion covered with blossoms, these being individually about 2A inches across. The outer segments are greenish-yellow, almost wholly covered with brown blotches, the lip whitish or rose colour in different \arieties. It was sent to this country by Hartweg in 1840, and flowered at Chiswick soon after. It reciuires a cool, moist and airy house, with an abundant supply of water at the roots summer and winter. Aerides multifl.orum. — This pretty species is not often seen in flower at this season, but a nice spike comes from a correspondent. There is not much to distinguish this plant from A. roseum but the name, and probably the above was the first name given to it, though the first plants to flower in this country were called A. affine. It is rather a ciwarf-growing Aerides with lea^■es each about 9 inches in length, and the spikes are plenti- fully produced when the plants are healthj-. Coming as it does from a more mountainous region than some other kinds it does best in a light and airy structure, kept moist by frequent dampings. In the early part of the season, especially if the plants have been repotted or otherwise disturbed at the roots, a medium shade must be allowed, but in the autumn the sun may be allowed to shine almost full3- on the ])lants and no harm will be done. Large receptacles are not necessary, in fact the}' are harmful, but in small baskets or suspended pans the plants ha\'e a fine appearance when carrying their pretty drooping spikes of rosy purjile flowers. SHORT NOTES.— 0RCBID8. OdontoglosBum elegane. — This is a very dis- tiDCt and handsome Odoutoglot, probably a natural hybrid between O. ciri-hosura audsome other kind. It has light yellow sepals and petals with very heavy markings of reddish-brown, and tlie lip is deeper yellow pointed at the apex aud having a large blotch in the centre. It produces long vigorous sjiikes when healthy and strong, aud thrives well in the coolest house. XiSelia anceps. — A form of this Orchid comes from a correspondent under the varietal name of alba, which it certainly is not. Tliis variety lias no rose or purple about it, while the t'orui sent has the usual streaks of purple aud a deep yellow blotch in the centre ; the sepals aud petals are, however, pure white. It comes nearest, in colour to L. a. Dawsoni, hut has not the wonderful substance or the size of petal seen in this form. Cypripedium Boxalli. — The fir.t flower of this 1 liave seen this year is now open, aud it is much earlier than usual. The species, if species it is, is very nearly related to C, villosnm, but from this it is quite distinct. The flowers are large, the dorsal sepal broader than that of C, villosum, with very dark purpla blotches reaching nearly to the apex. The petals ai'O yellowish tinged with green, the lip similar, and the January S, 1898.] THE GARDEN. 31 whole flower shiuing as if polished. _ It does well under cooler treatmeut than most Cypripediums. — R. Maxillaria grandiflora.— This is a fine old species not sutfioiently known among Orchid amateurs generally, though one comes across large old speci- mens occasionally in collections. It has t'ne habit of a Lycastc, and the large flowers occur singly on tlie spikes. The sepals and petals are pure white, the lip marked with purple, and the flowers are delicately fragrant, lasting well in good condition. It thrives best in the cool house, being a native of Peru. Notes of the Week. Camellias and the fog.— It is noteworthy that the flowers of these once popular evergreens are absolutely proof a g.iinst London fogs, expanding in all their pristine purity as though luxuriating in the most congenial surroundings. Rosa lucida. — In an article on single Roses which lately appeared in The G.^kpen this species was recommended as a climtier. Hei'e it creeps under ground and quickly forms a low colony, but has never shown the slightest aisposit!oa to climb. R. 1. macro- phylla is the freest, Tint three-year-old plants are not much more than 2 feet high. — T. Smith, Neu'ry. Hamamelis arborea. — This winter shrub is gay with blossoms. The value of this plant, how- ever, Ics in the pretty glow of colour furnished by the petals. It is a deciduous shrub, and for its early flowering is of considerable value in the garden at this time. At its t me of flowering, not a leaf is to he seen on the plant, while every twig, large and small, contributes its quota of the gay - co'oared flowers. At Kew, a group near the Orchid house is now in flower. Rosa laevigata. — The Kew list makes this, c.iraelli:efolia,sinica, .andcherokeensistobethesarae thing, but R. C-unelli:efolia,the Japanese plant, and R. lievigata from North Carolina as grown here are quite distinct. There is no doubt about their near relationship, but the latter is much more slender than the former. Neither has dowered here, as they require rather warmer quarters than I can give them. — T. Smith, Xciriy. Erica colorans. — This is one of the mcst use- ful and beautiful of the winter-fioweriiig Heaths. The flowers, almost glassy in appearance, are at first white, changing to a reddish purple with age. The leaves are of the darkest green and very dense, a characteristic that displays the well- flowered shoots to the best advantage. Quite small plants in .5-inch pots have been gay with blossoms since November, and promise to remain some time longer. Prunus sinensis fl.-pl. — This plant, so freely covered with itsglobular blossoms of snowy white- ness, is among the best known of forcing shrubs for winter use. A few such plants are especially well suited for arranging among dark-leaved sub- jects in the conservatory, and, though leafless, are not unattractive when there are but few things to select from. In these respects it is a useful as well as reliable plant, and, when established in pots, can be forced into bloom quite readily. Rhipsalis salicornioides is a \ery pretty species from Brazil, with erect blossoms of a tawny orange hue and inclining to orange- yellow within. The blossoms are each not more than an inch long and borne with considerable profusion on the unique little bushes. Another species, R. mesembryanthoides, with pure white starry blossoms, is also interesting just now, the former being decidedly the better grower. Both species are now flowering at Kew in the large suc- culent house. Pinguicula caudata. — Quite recently we noted a nice batch of this striking species flowering profusely in one of the Orchid houses at Syon House. It is worthy of note, too, in a garden such as Syon, situated so close to the Thames, with its inseparable fogs and dire consequences, that the colour of the flowers was so bright. Coloured flowers perhajis more particularly ijuickly feel the ill-effects of this poisonous cloud, but the above gave no evidence of having suffered and the flowers were very effec- tive in the gloom. Rhododendron multicolor lutecium. — The foliage usually in the species, hybrids, and \arie- ties of Rhododendron has much in common, but in this curious and distinct plant it is iiuite an exception — indeed, the leaves are not unlike those of some of the Eriostemons, the sparsely fur- nished branches bearing but little evidence of the tribe to which it belongs. The blossoms are few in number and small, greenish yellow in colour, and broadly campanulate in form. It is a curious and interesting form recently noted at Kew. Canary Creeper in January. — By way of comment on Mr. Burbidge's note (p. 12) I enclose a spray of the Canary Creeper, which has been in continuous bloom on the front of my house (Monkstown, Dublin) for man}' weeks past. I never remember its remaining to anything near the new year before. Crocus Imperati has been in abundance for about ten days ; last winter the first flower opened on November '20, and to-day {.January 2) I see a bud or two of C. Sieberi. We have had, I need scarcely say, very little frost, but there has been ice on two or three occasions. — G. P. SnO'wdrops. — In a few days should the mild weather remain these will be flowering in their thousands. Onlj' the other daj' as a groundwork to the large Rose beds on the grass at Kew we noted them springing forth, a veritable carpet, with here and there a large globular head of snow white almost rearly to exjxmd, and hundreds of pearly white buds already in sight. Thus thickly grown, they will constitute a sort of self-protec- tion against the damaging effects of pelting rain and the like that cjuickly mar the purity of the flowers in the ordinary beds among bulbs in general. Ornithogalum thyrsoides album.— Perhaps one of the most remarkable features of this species is the length of time the plant remains in flower. The inflorescence is composed of a compact thyrso-like panicle of pure white blossoms, the individual flowers large and showy. The growth is somewhat dwarf, rarely exceeding IS inches high, while good spikes are frequently produced at half that height. In the above kind the dark centre is very conspicuous, while the blossoms remain many weeks in good conrlition when in a cool greenhouse temperature. For autumn and winter blooming this is a most useful kind and worth cultivation. Alooacia Putzeysi. — Though this genus con tains many striking forms, it certainly boasts but few with the proportions of this distinct and handsome species, which attains some 5 feet high before the handsome leaf - blade is developed This is similar in shape to that of A. longiloba the colour a dark metallic green, the midrib (which is very prominent) pale green bordered with white. The secondary veins, that occur alter nately or nearly so, are of the same colour. The leaf-blade is about 2 feet in length, the reverse surface being of a dark purple. A fine plant of this handsome form is now in good condition in the Nepenthes house at Kew. Rosa Wichuriana.— This has always been recommended as suitable for covering banks or to creep among stones ; but the other day I saw about 20 feet run of wall completely covered by one ]3lant. The aspect of the wall in question is due west, close to the sea and exposed to terrilile winds, but e\'en so, now in the early daj's of January, it is a dense mass of the brightest green. I am told that it has been in flower all the season through, and there are still a few buds remaining. Altogether as a wall covering, in a dry, exposed position, where even Ivies are battered to pieces, it has no ciiual, and itsappear- ance is very uncommon. — T. Smith. Anoiganthus breviflorus. — This handsome species, figured in The tiAKUEx, July 18, 1891, is now flowering in the No. 7 range at Kew. The stout scape issuing from a large Vallota-like bulb grows l.> inches high, and bears an umbel of erect flowers of a light orange-yellow shade. The umbel contains from eight to ten flowers, and as the latter expand the foliage appears from the base. The species is by no means jilentiful or en well known in gardens, tVrough there can be no doubt of its worth, and flowering in the depth of winter should render it of still greater impor- tance. Just now a good-sized pot with several bulbs, each carrying a flower spike in different stages of growth, may be seen at Kew. The species comes from Natal. Hessia spiralis.— This is one of the most minute of the Amaryllidea>, though not neces- sarily of the least interest, flowering as it does at this "dull season of the year. Dainty and fragile in all its parts, the foliage, in size at least, wouUl be about erjual to that of the autumn Snowflake, if, indeed, as strong as in this prett}' plant. In the twisted or spiral character it is quite distinct, and likewise in the forked characteristic of the inflorescence. The scape is nearly 6 inches high, the perianth segments of a pinkish hue externally, the inner segments white. In the examples now flowering at Kew, the umbel contained only some three or four flowers, which, expanded, are each about three-quarters of an inch across. It is one of a small though pretty group of Cape bulbous plant.s. Iris reticulata var. sophenensis.— This charming winter Iris is the first of its race to open its flowers, the first blossom appearing on New Year's Day in a narrow border at Kew. This is earlier than usual for this kind. Its earliness may largely be accounted for owing to the mild- ness of the season so far. Coming so early in the open ground, however, should render it of con- siderable value in pots, as, given merely frame pro- tection, these pretty kinds would make delightful subjects in the sitting-room or the very cool con- servatory. The flowers are somewhat variable in this kind, those in question being of a purple- blue tone and about 4 inches high, the blossoms appearing while the foliage has scarcely pierced the ground. It comes from Asia ilinor, near Kharput. Asparagus decumbens. — I send a flowering shoot of this exceedinglj- beautiful and but little- grown species. Unlike .-V. plumosus, it is pen- dulous, the shoots soon falling over of their own weight, and, when a number of plants are grown on a high shelf, forming a veritable green veil of great delicacy and lightness. It thrives with me in winter in a temperature of between .^0° and ('>0°, and is now hanging down for about .3 feet. The tiny blossoms are very pretty, white with orange-red stamens, and recurved, reminding one of a miniature Turncap Lily ; under favourable circumstances they exhale a strong lemon scent. For dinner-table decoration it is adinirably adapted, the bright, fresh green being most at- tractive on the table cloth, while for gracefulness it far surpasses its relative, now so much used, the Smilax. — Gkeenwood Pim. Iris fimbriata. — This vei-y beautiful species, which is also known as I. japonica and I. chinen- sis, is among the most useful of winter-flowering plants for the greenhouse or conservatory. Though very nearly hardy in so far as its roots are con- cerned, it is not to be seen at its best in this country when so regarded. Grown under glass either in broatl, shallow pans or planted out in good soil, the plant is usually a success when afforded plenty of moisture when growing, and its beautiful spikes of pleasing blue and fringed blossoms will reward the cultivator. \\'ith generous treatment, every one of the fan-like growths will produce a lax panicle of its lilac-lavender and golden crested blossoms. A large specimen will produce a dozen panicles or more, each containing a dozen or more blossoms. In this «a_y a pro- fusion of its flowers is often maintained from early in January till the end of April, or even later. Hardy Palms. — At page 11 "J.I. K." says he thinks that " Chama'rops Fortunei and C. excelsa are totally difl'erent." I thiirk, perhaps, he has fallen into a little mistake. The plant he calls C. Fortune! is C. humilis, which often throws suckers 32 THE GARDEN. [January 8, 1898. from its base. Here we have some hundreds of C. excelsa growing outside, but I have ne\-er seen a sucker from these, although some have been planted out over forty years. Both male and female plants flower freely every year. From ex- perience, I think the only Palm worth growing outside in the British Isles is Chamserops excelsa. C. hiimilis is not nearly so hardy as C. excelsa. Juba'a spectabilis is growing outside here, but very slowly, and under tlie same conditions is not nearly so liardy as Chama^rops excelsa, but just about as hardy as C. humilis.— \^'. O., Fota, Corl;. 1 was much interested in "J. I. R.'s" letter on hardy Palms, and should like to hear his definition of the difference between C. Fortunei and C. excelsa. I recognise two varieties, but do not know which is which. Con- trary to "J. I. R.'s" experience, all the best specimens that I know in this county are grow- ing in partial shade, and I live in Cornwall, where we TH'obably get less sun than he does. — W. 1). Mild winter in Cornwall.— As an indica- tion of the exceptionally mild winter prevailing at Falmouth, we have iiad batches of swallows and martins visiting us at intervals during No- vember and the early part of December. One martin hunted over the same garden from Decem- ber 20 to December 27. At the present moment our gardens show more than 100 species of shrubs and plants in flower. Among tliem are : — Abutilon mpgipoiatnicura Grevillea rosmai-inifolia Boule de Neige (slau- Hellehorus in var. dards) Hydrangeas in var. Darwini tessellatum Hypericum uralum Crusader, Prince of Iberisinvar. Wales, &c. Iris stylosa Acacia dealbata, 25 feet Leptospermum baccatum, high _ 7 feet bigh, continuously Wyubergi, 12 feet iufliwerforpasttwen'y- high four months lopbaiitha, 7 feet bigh Magnolia Aralia Sieboldi, 10 feet Marguerites high Narcissus Eupatorium Wein- Nicoiiana atfinis rnaunianum, 8 feet viiginicaia flower dur- high ing pisttive montb.s B.ugmanaia sangaiuea, 7 Olearia GunriiaDa feet bigh Pittosporum Tobira Clematis balearica Polyanthus in var. Cobsea .scandens Primulas in var. Cyclamen ibericum Rhododendron Noble- Coum anum persicum Ruscus aculealus Cypbomandra betacea in Scbizostylis ccecinea fiuit Seneoio Petasites, 7 feet Coronilla glauca high yiminalis Sparmannia africana, .iuDCPa twelve branches, each Crocus Imperati with fine clus'ers of Choisvi ternata flowers, 8 feet high Deaf ontainea si)inosa,7 feet Spira^i ilicifolia high Snowdrops Erigeron speciosus Solanum arboreum, 6 feet Eryngium pandanifolium high, in flower for Fragaria indica past five months Fuchsias in var. jasminoides Cieraniums in var. Verbascum Genistas in var. Veronicas in var. — H. Fox, Faliiioiilh. The weather in West Herts.— A very warm week for tlie time of year. The day temperatures were all above 4.'?°, while on no night did the exposed thermometer show more than 7° of frost. At the present time the ground is about 3° warmer than is seasonable at 2 feet deep and about 5° warmer at 1 foot deep. Rather more than an inch of rain fell during the week. The temperature during December was remarkably variable, but, taking the month .as a whole, it was warmer than any of the previous eleven years, except 1894. Rain fell on nineteen days, to the total de[)th of 3i inches, which is about three- quarters of an inch in excess of the December average. The .sun slione lirightly on an average for about li liours a day, which is a better record than for any December since ISO.'?. Tlie year 1897 was, on the whole, an unusually warm one. The only four unseasonably cold months were January, April, May, and September. The aggregate rain- fall amounted to 20^ inches, which is about 3 inches short of the a^-erage at Berkhamsted for the previous forty years. The past year was the third dry year that we have had in succession ; in fact, during the [last twelve j'cars there have been only two (1891 and 1894) in which the rain- fall has Ijeen in any way in excess of the mean for the district. The last Rose of the year in my garden was destroyed by the frost on Christmas Day, which is the same day as last year, and three weeks later than the average date of its destruction in the previous twelve years. — E. M., Berkhamsted. COVENT GARDEN. A LOOK round Covent Garden Market at Christ- mas time is always interesting, as showing the progress made in the cultivation of market pro- duce. Plants and cut flowers were as plentiful as usual, the Scilly Isles and south of France keep- ing the market well supplied. The following are some of the prices realised on December 24 : Violets (dark) were selling at Is. and 23. per dozen bunches; Parma Violets at 3s. Od. to .5s. per bunch ; Narcissus Paper-white, at 23. to 3s. per dozen ; Anemones, double pink, 23. per dozen bunches ; Anemone fulgens, 5s. per dozen bunches ; Bouvardias, 6s. to 1'23. per dozen bunches ; Lilac (white), 4s. to 6s. per bunch. Freesia refracta alba, which is within the reach of everyone to cultivate, sold at 2s. 6d. to 3s. Od. per dozen bunches ; Arums, from 4s. to 6s. per dozen ; Eucharis, 63. to 8s. per dozen ; and Lilium Harrisi, O3. to 8s. per dozen. Lily of the Valley realised prices ranging from Is. to 3s. Od. per dozen sprays ; Roman Hyacinths, 6d. to Is. per dozen sprays; Christmas Roses, Is. 3d. to 2s. per dozen ; Roses, Tea, from Is. to 23. per dozen ; yellow, 2s. 6d. to 4s. ; Tuberoses, Sd. to Is. per dozen blooms : single Daffodils, Is. Od. per dozen. Orchids were very scarce. Scarlet Geraniums realised 9s. to l'2s. per dozen bunches ; Chrysan- themums (white), 8s. to 12s. per dozen bunches ; yellow, (is. to 12s. per dozen bunches : Carn,ations (white), from Is. to 2s. Od. per dozen ; Carnations (pink). Is. 6d. to 23. (id. per dozen. Pot plants, of which there was an excellent supply, realised good prices. Cyclamens, always great favourites at this time of year, sold for l'2s. to 30s. per dozen. Poinsettias, which are a feature with their deep crimson bracts, the huge grciups of which were wonderfully effective dotted aljout the market, brought the growers ISs. to 24s. per dozen plants. Of (Chrysanthemums, that excellent late variety Mrs. Canning, one of the best late whites for market work, sold for Ss. to 12s. per dozen bunches. Ericas realised Os. to ■24s. per dozen. Of Azaleas, that excellent double white variety Deutsche Perle sold for 23. Od. to 3s. (id. each. Genistas, which were exceptionally early, realised 123. per dozen ; Cinerarias and white Marguerites, 8s. to 12s. per dozen ; Mignon- ette, 6s. to 8s. per dozen. Fine-foliaged plants find a ready sale at this season for table decora- tion, Dracaenas realising 18s. to 30s. per dozen ; Palms (various), from Cs. to 36s. per dozen ; specimens, from IO3. to KKIs. There was a plentiful supply of Holly, Mistle- toe, and evergreens of every description, also Christmas trees from Os. per dozen upwards, according to size. T. P. Royal Horticultural Society.— The first meeting of the Royal Horticultural Society in 1S98 will be held as usual in the Drill Hall, James Street, Westminster, on .Tanunry 11,1 to 4 p.m. Gardeners' Royal Benevolent Institution. — We are asked to state that the annual friendly supper of the members and friends of this institution will be held as usual at Simpson's Hntel, nil, Strand, on Tliursday, January 20, at 0 j).m., after the annual meeting, when Mr. A. W. Sutton, of Reading, will preside. We ha\'e also much jileasure in announcing that his Grace the Duke of Portland has promised to preside at the 60th annual festival dinner of the institution, to be held, it is hoped, in June next, but the date is not yet fixed. All inquiries to be addressed to Mr. Geo. J. Ingram, secretary, .50, Parliament Street, S.W. Public Gardens. THE STATUES IN THE BOTANIC GARDENS OF BRUSSELS. We note witli interest a protest in a Belgian paper against one of the many instances of spoil- ing a garden with bad sculpture ; — On the terrace above the four porphyry chan- deliers which ha%e been placed there under the curious pretext that it lacked fountains, four birds may be seen in bronze, in which one may almost make out the familiar contoursof an eagle, acondor, a stork, and a vulture, each in the act of devouring a fresh-water cod. Naturalists Mill observe that none of the species above-mentioned is addicted to the practice of eating fish, the stork itself never soars in its appetite above frogs, and the codfish as adi.sh,atany rate, is unknown to him. Therefore, it may be asked, why represent these birds as en- gaged in a pastime which is so foreign to them '! However, a little lower down we find a lion pro- tecting a duck, a thing which is very rare, not to say obsolete in practice ; next, parrocjuets are seen perched upon the chimneys of the little greenhouses and deriving the full benefit of the smoke there- from. Storks, it is said, are sometimes seen nesting in chimney stacks, but we never heard this of parrofjuets. The visitor may also be puzzled at the sight of a man in gaiters, but shirt- less, and who fraternises with a wild boar ; and by another bound to a tree, to whom has been given the charge of a number of herons, which he incontinently allows to escape from his hand ; and he may be inclined to ask to which age and variety of the human species these two specimens belong. Many (leople think that the sculptural adornment of this garden is a symbolism which is strange, dubious, and dejjlorable in its preten- tiousness. There are zoological grou|)S which are scarcely comprehensible, such as a crocodile with a boa between its jaws and endowed with the tongue of a lion, and a fantastic-looking tiger with bran stuthng. But the most incredible of all is the group which re|)resents a man castaway upon a tree — apparently a palm tree— on the ground a pelican and .some dead ducks. So many dead in so little space can only be intended for an allegoiy. Can the author have intended by it the Manchineel, of which the shade is said to be deadly ? Evidently not, since the victims writhe in the throes of a horrible death, and tlie Man- chineel's, according to Scribe and Mej'crbeer, is a jiainless poison. We give it up. Venomous fungi alone would seem capable of inflicting such stomachic pains. It is to be regretted that a public garden should be made a dumping ground for such rubbish of the studios, and we fear that some of it is the result of jobbery in finding an outlet for the energies of bad sculjitors, who would be much better employed working on the earth, instead of disfiguring it with what no one wants, which makes the judge of such work grieve, and beyond all doubt disfigures the garden, which should be a place for beautiful living things and iKit absurdities in stone. Dracaena indivisa. — In a small state this makes an elegant plant for table, the narrow deep green leaves incurving at the ends and forming a very well-shaped and ornamental specimen. The best way to raise it is from seeds. These if so«n early in spring make useful plants by the follow- ing winter. Sow in strong heat in a liglit, open compost consisting largely of leaf-mould and sand, and this material ma_y enter largely into the subsequent potting compost. Some variation in the colour of the leaves will be noticed. THE GARDEN. No. 1365— Vol. LIIL] [JANUARY 15, 1898. Orchard and Fruit :— Frviit roiiiii Fruit trees from seeds . . Fruit tree.s, maniiring .. Grape Vine, the most produc- tive Grapes', keeping Grapes, winter Melons, notes on Peach Late Devonian . . Plums, Japanese Kitchen:— lieans, French climbing Beetroiit forcing IJeet^, Globe, colour in .. .. Broccoli Celery rotting Chicory Greens, winter Pea Springtide Potato Bopee Potatoes, seed Trees and Shrubs:— Anuulinaria nobilis in Corn- wall Amndinaris noOi/is at Pen- ja-rick-, Foltiioiith China, south-western, notes from Conifers, notes on Hemlocks, American and Japanese, Pine, the Umbrella Sea, planting near the .. .. 37 33 I Willows at Chico Forestry 33 Station 38 Orchids :— 35 Aerides quinquevulnerum ,, 30 34 AngTiecum sesquipedale ,. 40 34 Catttleya Percivaliaua .. .. 42 34 Ccelogyne cristata 42 35 Ccelogyne flaccida 41 3 1 Cymbidium giganteum . . . . 41 I Cypripedium Harveyanum I (Arddarroch variety) .. .. 40 3t> Cypripedium insigne Ernesti 40 36 Cypripedium insigno var. 36 illustre 42 35 Cypripedium Leeanum . . . . 40 31} Cypripedium leucochilum 35 Godseffianum 39 3(5 Ci/piipedii'tH Itiicorhidnit GoJ- 36 X' ifianiiiii 39 35 Cypripedium longifolium ,. 40 35 Deudrobium cymbidioides . . 40 Dendroltium nobile albescens 42 I > e n d r 1 1 li i u m Phalainopsis Scliriederianum ,. .. 42 37 Dendrobium primulinum .. 39 Lailia albida 39 37 Ltelia anceps (Chamberlain's variety) 42 Laelia rubescens 40 Masdevallia Estradse . . . . 41 Odontoglossuni Londes- boroughianum 42 Odontoglossum maculatum 42 {Elustrations in Italics.) Odontoglossums, notes on .. 41 Oncidium ornithorrhynchum 42 <_)rchid sale, an important . . 41 Phaius tuberculosus . . . . 41 Phalaenopsis Schilleriana . . 40 Saccolabium bellinum , . . . 41 Saccolabimu giganteum . . 40 Garden Flora :— Plants, three native „, .. 42 Veek's Work:— Fruit garden, work in the .. 43 Kitchen garden, work in the 43 Chrysanthemums :— Chrysanthemum Graphic . . 45 Chrysanthemum L. Canning 45 Chrysanthemum Mr.?. H. Weeks 45 Chrysanthemum sports, new 45 Chrysanthemum W. Wright 45 Chrysanthemums, feathery . 45 Chrysanthemums in Belgium 45 Chrysanthemums, late white 45 Chrysanthemums, single .. 45 Japanese Chrysanthemums, novelties in 41 Flower :— Euphorbia canariensis . . . . 46 Eaphoilna ranarknstS .. .. 40 Gardening, roof 47 Irises, Californian 46 Lilies, three new Californian 47 Phloxes, annvuil 46 Senecio pulcher, increasing 46 Roses :— Iio.^e Catherine Mcrmet In a rase 48 Rose d'Evlan 48 Roses in vases 48 Roses, Moss, a query about . . 48 Roses, pillar 4S Rose Mme. Marie Lavall^e .. 49 Rose Waltham Climber No. 1 49 Roses, China and Polyantha, in pots 49 Roses, Tea, and Tufted Pansies 49 Stove and Greenhouse:— Euphorbia jac(iuini;+^flora .. 49 Libonia floribunda 49 Pelargoniums, regal and show 49 Societies:— Cardenors' Royal Benevolent 50 Roval Horticultural .. .. 50 \'ictoria Medal of Honour . . 50 Notes of the Week:— Apple Adams' Pearmain . . 52 Bouvardia Humboldti grandi- tiora 51 Chimonanthus fragrauK .. 51 Cyclamens at the Drill Hall . 51 Cypripediums from Weston- birt 5^ Daphne indica in the open .. 51 Dracfena Distinction .. .. 51 Epaeris miniata splendens .. 51 Erica barbata ^^ Enost«mon cuspidatus .. .. 51 Fritillaria oranensis .. .. 51 Hamamelis japonica Zucca- riniana .. .- ■ • -.51 Helieonia illustrls rubricaulis 51 Hvmenanthera crassifolia 51 IrisstylosaEmpress Elizabeth 5i Narcissus mono])hyllvis . . .. 51 Narcissus obvallaris . . . . 51 Plants in flower at Punsouby, Torquay 52 Rose, the yellow Banksian .. M Senecio grandifolius . . . . ■» I Veitch prizes for flavour .. 01 Weybridge, flowers from .. 51 Winter Sweet, the 51 Public Gardens:— Open spaces 52 Parks and palaces, the Royal 52 Society, the Royal Botanic 52 Obituary :— Linden, Joan Jules 52 Miscellaneous :— Gardens, very old 47 Helleborus orientilis .. .. ^'» Covent Garden 52 Orchard and Fruit Garden. FRUIT TREES FROM SEEDS. The raising of fruit trees from seeds is a subject that has not been taken up largely by private gardeners ; at any rate if it has there have not been many successful records given of late years. The reason why so little is done by private gardeners probably is because as gene- rally represented there are so very few seed- ling trees that come ujj to the standard of old and established starts, to tay nothing of the rare possibility of getting something superior. Mr. Tallack puts quite a new a.spect on the case on p. 4H5, and revi\es an interest in the raising of fruit trees from seeds, not as a commercial enterprise, but simply as a honje study. My experience of raising fruit trees from seeds is very primitive, for the simple leason that it was never encoui'aged in gardi ns in which I have served, and the impression gained by inquiry has been that they are so long in coming into a bearing state that the work is very slow and unremunerative. There has always been an aspect of uncertainty even whether some seedling trees would fruit at all, but, judging from Mr. Tallack's remarks, this is absolutely without evidence. At the present time, however, I have a few seedling Peaches or Nectarines, or perhaps both, that have come up by chance, some in- doors, and others in the open garden, proliably from fruits eaten and the stones thrown down and buried in the course of digging. These are two years old, and have been growing in the open border until the last autumn, when I took them up and had them potted with a view to bringing them into earlier bearing, and which tlie restriction in pots ought to do. They made a strong growth last summer, but no sign of a liower-bud was to be found on either, so that the same time will elapse as that given Ijy Mr. Tallack before any pro.spect of fruit will be < assui-ed, namely, four years from the time of the germination of the seed. I can give no expla- nation as to why so many seedlings should have sprung up in the spring of 18!t5, but to me it points somewhat to the fact that the natural conditions for germinating must have been more than usually favourable, for in no previous year, nor during this last summer, has there been any sign of a chance seedling Peach in these gardens since I have had charge. Seed- ling Grajje vines, on the other hand, have been found on several occasions, but no useful result has been obtained, their growth being usually so slow and Aveak. Had they made such a willing start as the Peaches alluded to their prospects would ha\e been better. That there remains a possibility of obtaining something distinct has been proved Ijy the introduction of the now familiar kinds Lady Hutt, Appley Towers, and Slarchioness of Downshire. Some few years since I remember at Draycot, near Chippen- ham, the gardener, Mr. Gibson, having a couple of chance seedlings, both distinct from any others I know, but neither proved good enough to justify a name being given them. One was a white, the other black, of the Sweetwater and Hamburgh types. In regard to seedling Peaches my observations bear out what Mr. Tallack says respecting their hardiness against frost, and while trees esta- blished on walls get blistered badly by the cold March winds, the seedlings in the open suffered not the slightest injury. This is true also of maiden trees recently obtained from the nursery and planted on a portion of the wall where the older trees suffered so badly last spring. Not a leaf was blistered on these young trees, al- though not so well protected by netting as the older ones. Seedling Apricots might be almost considered rarities. I am not quite sure whether I have ever met with a home-raised seedling Apricot. I shall not now rest satisKed until 1 have some of these as well as other fruit trees ; not, however, by depending on chance or self-sown ones. Apricots have never been a success here, but on taking charge I found one — a standard —doing better than the others which had been worked near the ground. I at once resolved to extend the standards, and so far anticipa- tions have not disappointed me. This induces me to think that a different stock must have been used for the standard than that adopted for dwarf-trained trees. In this matter, however, I am open to correction, as my opinions are based only on actual experience obtained as above described. It W(juld be interesting to learn whether seedling Apricots can be fruited as (juickly as Peaches, and how long either of these hard-shelled seeds remains in the soil before actual germination and growth take place. Has Mr. Tallack attempted raising Plums and Cherries from stones, and with what results ^— W. S , ^Vilts. As Mr. Tallack has written so approv- ingly of the practice of raising stone fruits from seed, can he tell readers of the average of really good seedlings Peaches, Nectarines, and Apricots produce V Without doubt the nurseryman finds it most advantageous to raise his trees l>y Ijudding on Mussel Plum stocks. It is his business to produce as rapidly as he can, and the best with his appliances that he can. But the private gardener has a freer hand in the matter, as if he cliooses he may raise seedlings, grow and train them, and then plant against walls or in.side houses, and fruit them if even but experimentally. If Mr. Tallack has done all this, then he can answer the cjuery I have put to him. — A. D. Fruit room. — It is to be feared that fruit rooms in general will be wearing a rather poor appearance in consequence of the short crops of the past season. The greatest care should there- fore be taken of the fruit that remains, especially if necessary to keep it as long as possible. The less Apples and Pears are disturbed beyond pick- ing out decaying fruits the betler, and however great the temptation may be to give them a wipe over with a cloth if dirty or dusty, it should be resisted, as this bruises and disfigures the skins. Keep the room cool and at a low, equable tem- perature for Apples, and cover the fruit over with sheets of paper or tiffany in the event of severe 34 THE GARDEN. [Januaet ir.,,1898. frost setting in, rather than employ fire-lieat to ward otf its effects. The Pear room may be kept rather warmer, but guard against using too much heat, otherwise the fruits shrix'eh Pears generally have been highly flavoured this season, a fact which is due in a great measure to the past fine autumn, which led to the fruits being perfectly developed.— S. E. P. Winter Grapes.— I always read the notes from the pen of Air. Iggulden, and at no time was more closely in touch with him than on the matter of Grapes (p. 448). I feel sure that the majority of C4rape growers in the north will agree with what is written on the page indicated. I know several owners of gardens who refuse to eat (Jros Colraan. Why? Because it was sent in for dessert when it was unripe. It is long after the berries are coloured that they are tit for dessert, and some who have discarded Gros Col- raan Vines are now alive to the fact that they were in error, and have had this fine variety again established, being careful not to have any of the fruit cut before the end of the year. Many gardeners, too, have had to reconsider their ver- dict on the qualit}' of Gros Colman. It is a great mistake to take the finely-grown examples seen on exhibition tables into consideration (during the early part of September) as representing the highest qualities of this Grape. I never could keep Gros Colman so late (in fine fresh condition) as Lady Downe's. Good Gros Colman during February is easily supplied, while Lady Downe's can be had of excellent flavour and appearance and as fresh in May as in October. About thirty years ago I staged a pair of bunches of Lady Downe's along with two new Black Hamburghs for competition in June. The Black Hamburghs were preferred by reason of larger berries, but did not surpass in bloom or flavour the Lady Downe's of the former year. Lady Downe's in a great measure displaced the excellent West's St. Peter's as a late Grape. Though West's St. Peter's was one of the most popular Grapes in England during my early gardening days, I never have seen it extensively cultivated in Scotland. I could always grow it better in the south of England than in the north. Black Hamburgh is now seldom seen as a late (irape, but it can be kept in capital condition to the end of the year. — M. Temple, Carron, N.B. MANURING FRUIT TREES. When the pruning, cleansing, and training are completed, attention should be given to the manuring of all trees standing in need of assist- ance in this direction. Manure in some shape or form is highly necessary if the trees are to be maintained in a vigorous bearing condition, as the demands made upon the roots by the crops year after year soon lead to the soil in their im- mediate vicinity becoming exhausted. The trees themselves soon give signs when this stage is reached by the crops of small, and ta:lly-!lav()ui-ed fruit. Manure judiciously ap- plied will obviate this, and the present is a good time to cirry out work of this description. Re- garding the kind of manure to use, much will depend upon circumstances. Well-rotted farm- yard manure is the best, where it can be had. ( )ld hotbed manure, if thoroughly decomposed and freed from sticks and other extraneous matter, also answers well, and it is astonishing how the roots of the trees will take possession of and ramify in it. Artificial manures are of course valuable, but they should not be used exclusively, as fruit trees, like all other mem- bers of the vegetable kingdom, appreciate a change of plant food. If artificial manui-es are used for two or three consecutive seasons, farm- yard or hotbed manure should be used the third or fourth year. Although manure is repalachian Mountains to Northern Alabama. The Hemlock, which delights in cool northern slopes, the rocky banks of mountain streams and dark narrow ravines, is one of the most splendid inhabitants of the northern forest. Too much neglected by those who make parks and gardens in the Northern States for less beautiful and per- manent foreign trees, no other conifer, neverthe- less, which can be used here equals it when a specimen is needed to stand alone on a lawn, and with no other tree can sucli dark, dense masses of foliage be made here. Although usually found in the forest on northern slopes or in shaded ravines, the Hemlock will grow in full exposure to the sun ; isolated trees, however, suffer from the dry, cold winds of the late winter and early spring, and it is usually advisable to protect young trees by thick planting. Quick thinning, however, should follow thick planting, for the Hemlock loses its greatest uharm as a lawn tree when it is deprived of its lowest branches, which, with abundant light and air, are vigorous and long-lived, and make an isolated Hemlock tree, with its long branches gracefully sweeping the ground, a broad-based pyramid of great beauty. Young trees, which are easily transplanted from the woods, grow rapidly in good soil into hand- some specimens, and if planters could only disabuse their minds of the idea that a tree is common, and therefore should not be used in ornamental planting because it grows naturally in their neighbourhood, there is no reason why this Hemlock should not become one of the greatest ornaments in all northern j)arks. The second Hemlock of Eastern North America, Carolina Hemlock (Tsuga caroliniana), is dis- tinguished from the better- known Tsuga cana- densis by its larger, broader, and darker coloured leaves, from six to ten lines long and retuse or often notched at the apex, and by its larger cones with oblong scales longer than wide and spread at maturity nearly at right angles to the axis of the cone. The Carolina Hemlock, which grows usually on dry rocky ridges and the banks of mountain streams mostly at elevations between 2000 feet and 2.300 feet above the sea-level, is distributed along the Blue Ridge from South- western Virginia to South Carolina generally in small groves, and frequently mingled with' the other species. It is a beautiful tree of compact pyramidal habit, occasionally GO feet in height, with a trunk rarely exceeding 2 feet in diameter, and dense dark green lustrous foliage. Sixteen years ago the Carolina Hemlock was first raised in the Arnold Arboretum, where it has proved quite hardy, promising to become here a first- rate ornamental tree. Still rare in gardens, this beautiful Hemlock is now gradually becomino- known to the cultivators of ornamental trees. The noblest of its race, at once the largest and the most graceful of all Hemlocks, Tub Columbian Hemlock (Tsuga Mertensi- ana) of the north-west coast, has not proved hardy here in New England, although there is January 15, 1808.] THE GARDEN. 39 still some hope that plants raised from seeds feathered in the exceedingly cold and compara- tively dry interior regions of Montana, Idaho, or British Columbia, to which this tree extends, may prove more satisfactory here than the plants taken from the warm wet coast region, although a first attempt made in the Arboretum with plants collected by Sereno Watson in Idaho in ISSO has not proved successful. Pattun's Hemlocic (Tsuga Pattoni), the second Western American species, is a tree with pen- dent branches densely clothed with dark green or with glaucous pale blue foliage and elongated liright purple or light green cones, which are usually pendulous, but in Alaska are occasionally erect, owing to the shortness of the much- thickened Ijranchlets, due, no doubt, to the severity of the climate. Patton's Spruce is a tree of high alpine slopes, only reaching the sea-level, so far as is now known, in the neighliourhood of Sitka, of Birches. Of the two species which inhabit Hondo, Tsi'cA DivEKSiFoi.iA is the more northern and the larger tree. It is this tree which grows on the Nikko Mountains above Lake Umoto, and which ranges as far north as the slopes of Mount Hakkoda, near Aomori. The second .Japanese species, TsucA Akaracii (the Tsuga Sieboldi of many authors and the Tsuga Tsuga of others), is a more southern and a smaller tree, growing, as I saw it on Mount Koma-ga-taka, in scattered groves among deciduous-leaved trees and Pinus densi- flora and not in continuous forests. Tsuga di- versifolia, which is frequently SO feet in height, with a trunk 3 feet or 4 feet in diameter, may be distingui.shed from the southern tree by its darker red bark, more slender branchlets, its shorter and narrower leaves and much smaller cones, which are rarely more than half an inch in Cypripediuni leacochiluyn Godse£ianuin. on Baranoff Island, and ranges from about lati- tude 60° north southward along the higli coast mountains, extending eastward ni British Colum- bia to the Selkirks, and in the United States to the Ctt'ur d'Alene and Bitter Root Mountains of Idaho and to Northern Montana, and southward along the Sierra Nevada, where it is rarelj' seen below elevations of 10,000 feet above the sea- level. Patton's Spruce, with its drooping leading shoots and pendent branches clothed with slender waving spray which have strength to withstand the fiercest mountain gales and tlie heaviest burdens of enveloping snow, is certainly the most beautiful of the alpine trees of this continent. In .[apan, Hemlock trees are common at high elevations, and the coniferous forests which cover the mountain ranges of Central Hondo above 5000 feet are chiefly composed of these trees and length ; while the longer, broader, and more lustrous leaves and smooth lustrous orange- brown branchlets of Tsuga Araragi serve to dis- tinguish the southern tree before it begins to bear cones, which are nearly an inch long. The two .Japanese Hemlocks are successfully cultivated by Mr. Hunnewell in his pinotum at Wellesley, where they are both hardy and wliere there are line plants of Tsuga Araragi, the largest being about 16 feet in height, and smaller speci- mens of Tsuga diversifolia. Most of the Japanese Hemlocks in our gardens, however, belong to the northern species, which, although probablj- hardier, is a less attractive tree than Tsuga Araragi. This with its large lustrous leaves and excellent habit is certainly one of the most beau- tiful of the Hemlocks which are hardy in this climate, and if it proves its ability on a longer trial to maintain itself here in good condition, it will doubtless become a popular ornament of American gardens. Tsuga diversifolia is a less beautiful tree than our native Hemlock, and, un- less it develo[is qualities which it has not shown yet in this country, it will probably never be very popular here.— (/(//■(/. /; uiul Foi-rs/. Orchids. CYPRIPEDIUM LEUCOCHILUM GODSEFFIANUM. A liLANGE at the accompanying illustration will show that no ordinary variety of Lady's Sli]3per Orchid is here depicted. Botanically, of course, it i.s a form of the Siamese C. (jJodefroyie, but there is a vast and important diflerencebetweer the botanist's and tlie gardener's point of view when the value of a plant as a beautiful object has to be considered. The actual flower from which the photograph was made was a promi- nent feature in the Royal Diamond Jubilee bouiiuet presented to Her Majesty by Messrs. Sander and Co., of St. Albans. Its mere size alone is sufficient to attract attention, but when it is added tliat the upper arching sepal and the petals are of a lovely creamy white heavily blotched with reddish-purple and maroon, while the large pouch is of a pure and spotless ivory-white, one can readily understand that Mr. R. H. Measures, of The Woodlands, Streathani (to whom the plant belongs), prizes it inuner.sely. Indeed, I am able to state on excellent authority that he has refused 100(1 guineas for this historic and uni(|ue specimen, which he has named in compliment to the able and energetic manager of Mr. Sander's nursery, Mr. .1. Godsett'. Incidentally it may be mentioned that Mr. R. H. Measures, of Streathani, owns one of the choicest collections (if well-grown ( )rchids in the country. JoHX Weathers. Aerides quinquevulnerum. — This species is now in bloom, the spotted flowers being very pretty and long-lasting. It is an old species, liaxing been sent home as far back as 1840 by one of Jlessrs. Loddiges' collectors. It is a strong- growing plant of fine appearance when health}-, the racemes a foot or more in length. Like all this class of plant, it requires a large tropical house and ample room to do it full justice under cultivation. The ]jlant should be grown when small in suspended baskets or pans, but when they are too large for this mode to be convenient, they may be placed in large pots on the stage, a mixture of Sphagnum and charcoal suiting it for compost. Dendrobium lorimulinum. — This pretty and u.seful species I noted iu bloom recently, and I do not remember having seen it so early before. Tliough the flowers lack the rich tints of those of many other Dendrobes, in their soft mauve or rose they are \"ery pleasing, and it is one of the freest blooming kinds. The warmest and lightest house at command should be chosen for it while making its growth, the jjlants thri\'ing well in rather larger pots or baskets than the thinner - bulbed deciduous kinds. After the growths are full}' developed, a cool, dry rest is essential, only enough water to prevent shrivel- ling being allowed after the leaves are off. It is ;i native of Nepaul, and was introduced in 1837. — H. Leelia albida.— The blossoms of this species arc not large, but very delicate and beautiful, and it is a great pity it is not oftener seen in good condition. For a few j-ears after its introduction it seems happy enough, but after this it frequently goes back, the growths becoming smaller yearlj'. It is easily distinguished from all the other 40 THE GARDEK [January 15, 1898. Mexican Lrelias by its roundish pseudo-bulbs and delicately tinted blossoms, these occurrinf; witli great freedom as long as the plants are liealthy. The sepals and broader, wavy petals are whitish, just tinted with pale purplish- rose, the showy lip being lined with yellow and having a deeper tinted Ijlotch in front. As a species it is very- variable, but though many of the varieties have received distinctive names, the}' run in and out of one another, so to speak, and arc not all of them distinct. L. albida may be grown in baskets or suspended pans, and even trellised blocks have been used with capital results when lightly dressed with compost and carefully attended to as to moisture. In any case a light, airy house with abundant atmospheric moisture, a temperature not so high by several degrees as that of the Catt- leya house, and almost full exposure to the sun are needed. Plenty of water at the roots during the growing season and freedom from insect pests are also necessary for its successful culture. Phalaenopsis Schilleriana. — Few Orchids are more beautiful at this season than a well- flowered plant of this grand species, the lovely racemes of warm rosy-tinted blossoms having a remarkably line effect. The foliage, too, on healthy plants is very showy, the greyish irregular marbling showing up well on the deep green ground. As on most Moth Orchids, the flower- spikes occur A-erj' freely, and from now onwards the blooms will be plentiful where there is a good stock of plants. The best plants I have seen for a long time were growing in a low span-roofed house, suspended so that the leaves were almost touching the glass. In such a position the warm air of the house circulates very freely about the roots and foliage, while were the plants arranged ever so thinly upon the stage it would not have the same freedom. There can be no doubt that these Orchids thrive much better in certain posi- tions and localities than others, but I think with a httle care these strong-growing representatives of the genus may be grown in most collections. Constant thin shade, freedom from insect pests, and en.couragement to keep in their proper seasons of growth and rest are all important factors in their well-being. P. Schilleriana was introduceil by the gentleman after whom it is named from Manilla aljout 1860, and it has by more recent importations become one of the most popular kinds. — R. SACOOLABIUM GIGANTEUM. The scent of this fine winter-blooming Orchid is at once noticed when entering the house where it is in bloom. Very beautiful, too, are the blos- soms, the rich clusters vieing with all others now open. The racemes are each about a foot long, the indi\idual blossoms white, spotted on the sepals with magenta, the lip ha\ing a blotch of bright purple in front. A good deal of variation may, however, be seen in these, and out of a dozen or more plants in flower several quite distinct may be picked, while perhaps no two will be exactly similar. S. giganteum is in fact such a beautiful plant, that one wishes it was more amenable to culture and not so liable to go back after a year or two in this country. It usually arrives in rather a rough condition, but after a week or two in a warm, moist liouse, it begins to grow vigorously. If -obtained early in the year the plants often flower well the first season, and if the roots have made good progress and obtained a hold in their new home they may lie allowed to cany the flowers ; if not, they should be pinched oil early so as not to further weaken the plant. The second season should see them thoroughly established, and they then have several years of health in them and should not fail to flower annually. The plants may lie grown in pots or baskets suspended so that they get plenty of liglit. They will stand as much sun, too, as most Orchids, and the more they have without damaging the leaves the better they flower. Sunlight has a very hardening effect upon the gtowtli of this class of plant, rendering it less lialile to be checked by cold or otherwise during winter. Moisture must not be neglected when growth is active, and as little compost is neces- sary, the water may be freely and fretjuently applied to the roots. A steadying of the growth may be observed in autumn, and soon after this the tips of the flower-spikes will be noticed at the base of the leaves not far from the top of the I>Iant. Less moisture, of course, is now required, but it must not be withheld entirely from the roots until after the flowers are past or ha\e been cut. Then a rather sharper resting season than the majority of distichous-leaved Orchids like may be allowed. Keep the night temperature at this season lietween 5.")° and (itl°, the former figure on cold nights only, and let the atmosphere by day be kept drier. Even if the plants shrivel a little it does not matter, but as soon as this is noticed they must again lie well watered, and in all probability will again commence to grow. This is the best time to give the roots a little assistance in the way of a tojj-dressing of Sphag- num and charcoal, but be careful in doing this that the bulk is not too much thickened. Dendrobium cymbidioides. — Although an old species, introduced by Messrs. Rollisson, of Tooting, in 1S52, this is but seldom met with in present-day collections. The flowers are pro- duced on spikes 5 inches to 7 inches long, with from fixe to nine flowers on the spike. The sepals and petals are creamy j-ellow, the lip shorter than the petals, creamy white in front, shading to yellow, and having a blotch of purple in the centre of the disc, the side lobes creamy yellow, heavily suffused with dark brown, with two raised wliite ridges at the base. It is a most interesting and beautiful siiecies, and well worthy of atten- tion. A finely - flowered plant was recently awarded a cultural commendation by the Orchid committee when exhibited at the Drill Hall. Cypripedium insigne Ernesti. — This, with the exception of C. Sandera:, is by far the best of tlie yellow forms of this beautiful species. The upper part and outer margin of the dorsal sepal are pure white, and if held up to the light show the purple spotting as seen in the best forms of C. i. punctatoviolaceum, the basal part pale greenish yellow, with numerous raised warts in [ilace of the spotting seen in the variety just alluded to. The lower sepal is also pale green, \-eined and spotted with a darker shade of green, the petals of fine form and substance, pale lemon- yellow, veined with green. The lip is much brighter yellow than the other segments, and with its highly polished character forms a striking contrast to the other portions of the flower. The original plant, carrying five flowers, is now in lilooin in the Cambridge Lodge collection. — VisiTcm. Cypripedium Harveyanum (Arddarroch variety). — This is a lovely hybrid, the result of crossing C. Stonei and C. Leeanum. The dorsal sepal is 2 inches long, '2J inches across, the ground colour almost wholly white, slightly suflFused with rose, shading to greenish white at the base. It has numerous rich purple longi- tudinal lines, the centre one being much broader, showing the characteristic influence of C. Spiceri- anum, derived in this case through C. Leeanum. Tlie petals, each upwards of 3 inches long, show the twisted characters of C. Stonei, the colour being similar to that seen in C. Leeanum, yellow, suffused and lined with rich brown. The lip is pale purple, shading to greenish yellow. The disc of the column clearly shows the influence of C. Stonei both in shape and colour. The lower sejjal also favours C. Stonei in shajie and colour. It is altogether finer than the original C. Harvey- anum, and has recently flowered in Mr. R. B. White's collection at Arddarroch, from whence the name is deri\'ed. — H. J. C. Lselia rubescens. — This old species, better known as L. acuminata, is seldom met with growing for any length of time in a satisfactory manner. It is, therefore, with some degree of satisfaction one is able to note jilants where the difficulties of its culture ha-ve been overcome. These satisfactory results have been attained in the Burford collection of Sir T. Lawrence, w-here plants ha\-e recently flowered. It is one of the most distinct and beautiful of the small-flowered Mexican Livlias. The sepals, petals, and front lobe of the lip are of a pale lilac shade of colour, which contrasts well w-ith the maroon disc-like throat. It requires a long rest after flowering, but as soon as an active stage is commenced the plants should have an abundance of moisture. They should be grown in baskets suspended from the roof, where they can obtain the maximum amount of light with sufficient shade to prevent burning. It first flowered in Mr. Bakers collec- tion at Birmingham in 1S40.-H. .J. C. Angraecum sesquipedale.— Though not pos- sessing the elegance and grace of many other Orchids, this singular plant has a beauty of its own, the large ivory-white flowers with their long spur being very attractive. Like all of the dis- tichous-leaved race, it likes plenty of heat and elbow room, a good light and plenty of moisture. But it differs from some others in that the atmo- sphere need not be so moist, so if there are dr}- corners in the East India house or even the warmer end of the intermediate house the plants will do well there. The hard glaucous foliage seems almost insect-proof. The plants do best in clean Sphagnum Moss and charcoal, a fairly good thickness of this being allowed so long as the charcoal is in lumps sufficiently large to pre- vent closeness. Pots or baskets may be used for it. If the latter are m.ade shallow and wide, they contain a lot of rooting space, and this is just what the plants like. But in most cases if the plants are left alone on the stage for a little while they will take hold of an3'thing in the way of wood or pottery that they come near to, with the result that growtli is very free and abundant. Cypripedium longifolium. — This grand old species is verj- useful, its fine habit alone making it worthier of a place than manj' newer and more expensive kinds. Fine specimens like those at Cambridge Lodge and in other collections are very beautiful when the long, graceful spikes are carrying their flowers. But too often such plants as these have to make room for present-day favourites, which, although beautiful in their way, have not the fine proportions of the old kind. This individual species is noteworthj-, too, as being one of the parents of many of the finest hjbrids, the number ha\ ing C. longifolium blood being very large and an important section. When in good condition the leaves are each quite 2 feet high, and each flower often 4 inches across and of a pleasing shade of rose, white, and greenish yellow. C. longifolium likes plenty of heat and moisture, and, owing to the vigour of the plant, a much more substantial compost than Orchids generally thrive in may be allowed. All the year round the roots take plenty of water, and given these few simple details, the plants may be easily grown in an ordinary plant stove. C. longifolium, though long before known to botanists, was first sent home in a living state in 1807. It is a native of Chiriqui and other jiarts of Central America. Cypripedium Leeanum. — This is one of the most useful and beautiful of the hybrid Cypripe- diums. It was the first hybrid raised in which the lovely species C. Spicerianum had been used as one of the parents. It is the result of crossing C. insigne and C. Spicerianum, and first flowered in the collection of Sir T. Lawrence at Burford Lodge, Dorking. It was foUow-ed shortly after- wards by C. Leeanum superbum, raised in Messrs. J. Veitch's nursery from C. insigne Maulei and C. Spicerianum. Since that time it has been raised in several collections with considerable variations. There can be no question that the finest forms we have seen are tliose which were raised in the Lake house collection at Cheltenham. I have six separate forms before me now- entirely distinct one from another, sent from Mr. Cypher, Cheltenham. The finest is C. Leeanum giganteum, in which the dorsal sepals in each measure up- wards of 2J inches across and 2^ inches long. Upwards of two-thirds of its whole area is clear white, shading to green, with numerous small January 15, 1898] THE GAPvDEK 41 brown spots at the base. It has the Spicerianum hybrid characteristic of purple up the centre. The petals, each nearly 3 inches long, are pale green, suffused and s|iotted with reddish brown, the finely-shaped lip rich polished brown, shading to green at the base. Many of the other forms were equally worthy of consideration, making up for size in the superior markings and tine substance of the fldwers. This hybrid cannot be too highly recommended. Its easy culture and fine constitu- tion, combined with the fact of its flowering at tlie dullest season of the year, should be sufficient to induce anyone in possession of a greenhouse to cidtivateit in quantity. — H. .1. C. NOTES ON ODONTOGLOSSUMS. Whkke a good selection of these is grown, the cool house will now daily become more interest- ing. Not onl}' are the plants very free flowering when in good health, but the flowers rank among the most beautiful in the whole family. Fore- most, of course, is the ever-popular 0. crispum, and this has been flowering in one or other of its varieties for the past month ; later plants will carry on a tine disphy until midsummer, or even longer. The large spotted forms are not as yet making much show, but the smaller forms are very nice, though not, of course, so valuable. The present is one of the most trying seasons of the year for the cool Orchid grower, though as re- gards this individual genus the plants should by now have made considerable progress with their roots since lieing repotted in autumn. Where these have got well out into the new material the plants are comparatively safe, especially where the plants are properly potte