184 



HORTICULTURE. 



February 17, 1906 



British Horticulture 



1 1 \I1I.IA CULTURE 



The National Dahlia Society have just issued their 

 annual report which is of a highly satisfactory char- 

 acter. They have also published a supplement to their 

 official guide, in which the following revised selection is 

 given of the '.'I best cactus varieties for exhibition: — 

 Alexander, dark crimson, lushed maroon; Clara G. 

 Stredwick, salmon tinted yellow; Columbia, vermilion, 

 tipped white: ( 'mi rail, terra-cotta; Crepuscule, yellow 

 shading to amber; Ella Kraemar, n>-v pink; Fairy, 

 white; F. H. Chapman, apricot; Florence M. Stredwick, 

 pure white ; George < rordon, yellow, shaded orange; Har- 

 bour Light, orange red; II. K. Robertson, dog yellow: 

 Ianthe. yellow-buff, edged pink; J. B. Riding, centre 

 plum; Lady Colin Campbell, pale yellow, shaded orange; 

 Mrs. H. L. Brousson, yellow,, shaded salmon; Mrs. J. 

 J. Crowe, yellow; Pearl, pearly pink, tipped white; 

 Premier, crimson scarlet; Rainbow, light pink: Sirius, 

 bright yellow, striped and speckled crimson; W. E. 

 Dickson, crimson : W. F. Balding, yellow, shaded salmon. 

 There is no cessation in the raising of nrw varieties. 

 The total number of certificates awarded to novelties 

 last year was 32, as compared with 21 in 1904, the 

 i ,K in- \ arieties preponderal ing. 



THE NEW GARDEN OF THE R. II. S. 



During the two years the Royal Horticultural Society 

 have been in possession of their new garden at Wisley, 

 satisfactory progress has been made in getting the place 

 into a thorough working order. About seven acres of 

 the most attractive deciduous flowering and foliage 

 trees have been planted. Five acres are devoted to fruit 

 trees, 3000 trees having been planted. The aim is to 

 sei are a selection of the best varieties. Four acres are 

 allotted i" vegetables, and in the floral section over a 

 thousand roses (teas and hybrid teas) have been planted. 

 The soil i- i"" sandy for hybrid perpetuals. Glass 

 houses have been erected, including three vineries for 

 early, midseason, and late grapes. In one house, 100 x 

 30, is the famous collection of figs, containing over 80 

 varieties, all grown in pots. Visitors to the Society's 

 en are amazed at the quantity of fruit obtained 

 from the trees in small pots, but this is due to the sys- 

 tem of feeding adopted, both natural and artificial 

 manure being applied. There is also a range for 

 peaches. There are ten students at present in training. 

 but it is hoped to increase this number to forty as the 

 garden- get more developed. 



THE SOCIETY'S TRIALS 



The trials which were an important feature of the 

 Society's work at Cheswiek, will be continued, with the 

 advantage of a larger area, and an atmosphere untainted 

 by the terrible London fogs which played sad havoc at 

 irmer headquarters. Last season there was a Large 

 trial of cactus dahlias, to ascertain the best varieties for 

 decorative purposes in the garden. Violas, new and 

 old, wciv also taken in hand, a considerable portion of 

 them obtaining awards. Border carnations were also 

 tried. Imi wciv not a ... . owing to heat and drought. 

 but it lias been arranged to have another trial lliis 

 \ear. Over 180 varieties 'if potatoes were tested, and 

 about a dozen were commended by the fruit and veg- 



etable cutters. Ninety-seven varieties of broccoli were 

 senl in. but this trial will not be complete until May. 

 Seventy varieties of tomatoes were included, but only 

 about six were found first-class. Peas to the number of 

 1 lit were tested, and some of these were found to be old 

 friends with a new name. This year there is to be an 

 important trial of tulips, embracing all sections from 

 the earliest, to the late flowering. Several of the lead- 

 ing continental raisers will assist the committee, more 

 particularly as regards the nomenclature. Trials are 

 also being arranged for narcissi, asters, cannas, straw- 

 berries and cucumbers. 



A NEW HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY 



Of the making of new horticultural societies there 

 appear.- to be no end. This month a proposal will lie 

 considered for forming a winter-flowering carnation 

 societj amongst the growers of this increasingly-popu- 

 lar section. Another new organization has lately been 

 launched under tin.' title of the Horticultural Education 

 Association. Mr. A. E. Brooke, an inspector, and Mr. 

 Walter P. Wright, horticultural superintendent for 

 Kent and editor of "The Gardener,"' will act as hon. 

 secretary and treasurer. The association will com- 

 prise the horticultural instructors now- engaged under 

 the various county councils, and it is intended to hold 

 periodical meetings tit which papers will be read and 

 discussions conducted on the various phases of garden- 

 ing instruction. More attention is now being paid in 

 this country to the teaching of rural subjects. The 

 Government grant allotted for technical education has 

 enabled some useful work to be done in this direction. 

 Hitherto there has been no organization to keep the 

 various instructors in touch, and the supplying of this 

 omission is likely to prove beneficial to all concerned. 



yp^frf, ftM*&. 



London, Eng., Feb. I . '06. 



Primula Stellata. 



The -tar primrose, Primula stellata, which is the 

 subject of on, frontispiece, was sent to America ten or 

 twelve years ago by Messrs. Sutton of Reading, England. 

 When first introduced it was rather disappointing espe- 

 cially in the color of it- [lowers. However, since then 

 great improvements have been produced. With good 

 cultivation and selection we have now good-sized flowers 

 ami more pleasing shades of color. The white variety 

 of this primrose when well grown, in my estimation, is 

 the best of all tin' primroses for a cool greenhouse. 

 Primula stellata i> closely related to the Chinese prim- 

 rose but it is -o far ahead of that primrose in habit and 

 gracefulness thai it is hardly fair to compare them 

 together. The star primrose has got rid of the thick- 

 set ungraceful leave? and flower clusters of the Chinese 

 type ami has attained long graceful sprays of flowers 

 which arc prod need in whorls. 



The flowers are produced very abundantly, are excep- 

 tionally light and graceful and a vigorous plant will 

 bloom from September to April. 



The cultivation is the same as is given to the Chinese 



