March 10, 1900 



HORTICULTURE 



28 I 



the fronds not numerous, sometimes twelve feet long, 

 are long stalked, the stalk thickly covered with long 

 light brown glossy scales. The fronds are of a pleasing, 

 light green color, glaucous underneath. 



Cibotium regale is another big-growing species from 

 Mexico, resembling much the preceding in form. The 

 stalks are slightly hairy and it is slow to make trunks. 



Alsophila australis from Australia is much seen in 

 cultivation. It is a good cold-house fern which grows 

 to quite big proportions. The rough scaly stalks, and 

 leathery texture of the frond distinguish it easily from 

 the others. 



Alsophila excelsa from Norfolk Island is one of 

 the hardiest and biggest-growing, cold-house tree ferns 

 in cultivation. In appearance it looks like A. australis, 

 but bigger and quicker growing. Seedlings grow soon 

 to useful size. 



Alsophila Eebeccas from Queensland is a compara- 

 tively small species. From a smooth trunk the numer- 

 ous fronds grow two to three feet long, are of a glossy 

 dark green color and of heavy texture; the stalks are 

 nearly black. 



Alsophila primata from Jamaica is, like the preced- 

 ing, a small tree fern with very finely divided fronds 

 of a light green color, glaucous underneath. The stalks 

 are covered with woolly scales at the base. The trunk 

 of this fern, which does not. grow more than three to 

 four feet in height, branches out sometimes. 



Hemitelia Smithii (Cyathea Smithii) from New 

 Zealand is a big-growing species. The fronds are very 

 finely divided. The crown and stalks are covered with 

 long hairy scales. 



Lomaria and Blechnum are also represented among 

 the tree ferns. We referred to them in a previous 

 article. 



^^ J^-^^**^ 



Two Valuable Asparagus Species 



ASPARAGUS COMORENSIS 



This variety resembles plumosus but is of a lighter 

 green and grows faster. Christian Eisele of Philadel- 

 phia says it will make three strings for one of the 

 plumosa. There are seeds of this variety in commerce 

 but we hear some complaint as to the vitality of same. 

 For the present it will be safest to depend on plants for 

 stock. 



ASPARAGUS DECUMBENS SCANDENS 



This variety was given to us as decumbens scandens 

 but we suspect the decumbens to be redundant as the 

 specimen fits the description of scandens exactly which 

 is entirely different from decumbens. Asparagus scan- 

 dens is a very desirable subject for hanging baskets and 

 elegant for training over a trellis. Grows about three 

 feet, with much-branched, wavy dark green fronds. A 

 very charming variety, the dark green of the fronds 

 together with their graceful formation making ii partic- 

 ularly desirable. 



British Horticulture 



THE WINTER BLOOMING CARNATION SHOW 



The cult of the winter-blooming carnation has made 

 great strides in Britain, and the leading American intro- 

 ductions are now familiar to the public. There are 

 several market florists who make a specialty of this 

 branch. On the initiative of Mr. Hayward Mat bias 

 arrangements were made for a special show of carna- 

 tions to be given on February 13th in connection with 

 the fortnightly exhibition of the Royal Horticultural 

 Society. In order to meet the arrangements of the 

 society it was necessary to fix the show in February, 

 but this date was found too late by many of the grow- 

 ers to show their blooms to advantage. Several of the 

 leading specialists, however, made a brilliant display. 

 Two Guernsey growers had a splendid lot of the lead- 

 ing varieties, attesting to the high cultural skill which 

 has been reached in this branch of floriculture in the 

 Channel Islands. The Guernsey growers have the 

 advantage of a longer amount of sunshine than is 

 obtained by their English colleagues. As regards the 

 general display, there were very few novelties to be 

 seen. One of the most attractive was a new bloom, 

 Mrs. A. Burnett, raised by II. Burnett, of Guernsey, an 

 improvement on Enchantress, and this received an 

 award of merit from the Royal Horticultural Society. 



A NEW SOCIETY FORMED 



During the show a meeting of the trade was held for 

 the purpose of considering the advisability of forming 

 a winter-flowering carnation society. There is a 

 National Carnation Society in existence, but their 

 efforts are confined to looking after the summer show. 

 Mr. P. Smith advocated the formation of a society on 

 the lines of the one in America. The Society would be 

 able, he argued, to perform useful work in registering 

 new varieties, and in certificating them after being 

 adjudicated by a body of experts. The society would 

 also be able to arrange an annual show each year, about 

 the month of December, and this would be a very suit- 

 able time for the trade. It was the unanimous opinion 

 of the meeting that a society on the lines suggested 

 should be formed. Mr. Brunton was elected chairman 

 and Mr. Hayward Mathias, honorable secretary. A 

 committee was appointed comprising Messrs. S. Morti- 

 mer, Boyes, and Cadman, who were instructed to 

 arrange a meeting to be held in London during the 

 Temple show in May at which arrangements will be 

 made for holding the winter show, drafting the sched- 

 ule, etc., provided the trade take the matter up with 

 enthusiasm. The society should fill a useful place 

 amongst the special societies in existence. As regards 

 effective cohesion florists on this side have a lot to learn 

 from their American colleagues. 



>tr^ ftM*&, 



London. Feb. 11, '06. 



