May 1, 1909 



HORTICULTUHE 



625 



European Horticulture 



IIIPPEASTKUMS AT J. VEITCH & SONS 



Tlie firm of J. Veitch & Sons is famous the world 

 over for the introduction of new plants from almost 

 every jjart of the globe, its travellers having explored 

 almost every country in turn, and succeeded in every 

 instance in introducing meritorious plants to English 

 gardens, whence these have reached continental cultiva- 

 tors. In this connection, their efforts in improving the 

 shapes and tints have been remarkable in the case of 

 Hippeastrums (Amaryllis). At the present date (April 

 10) a fine collection of varieties were to be observed in 

 the new house built for these bulbs. This span-roofed 

 house of 60 feet in length and 32 feet broad, has a 

 brick-built bed 7 feet wide running down the centre, and 

 tlicre are beds Si/o feet wide, built against the ends and 

 sides. These are furnished with hot water pipes, having 

 valves for the regulation of the temperature of the bods 

 in wliieli the bull)S are plunged. Spent tan forms the 

 plunging material of the beds. The progenitors of the 

 race of Hippeastrums grown at this nursery were 

 Leopoldi — a Brazilian hybrid of a creamy white color, 

 the tips of the segments white and the central parts of 

 the flower crimson — and Empress of India, which was 

 raised in Holland, and this cross has resulted in the 

 great variety in color observed in the Hippeastrums of 

 the present day; at the same time there has been an 

 elimination of the green color of the base and medium 

 ribs of the segments. The flowers are more reflected at 

 the points, and the segments broader: so that in some 

 flowers the edge is truly circular, and without indenta- 

 tions. Among the finest of the year, so far — for there 

 are scores to open their flowers — are Marcus, a crimson 

 self; Neila, scarlet, with white bands on two of the 

 segments : Titan, ground of the upper segments lined 

 with crimson, lower ones pure white ; Nevada, a crim- 

 son self; Gamos, orange scarlet; Idothea, a crimson self; 

 Queen Alexandra, white ground flamed with scarlet; 

 Optima, a scarlet bloom with a white band on all the 

 segments, excepting the lowermost; and Eavenna, a 

 royal scarlet. There were many others of almost 

 equally fine quality. The firm is endeavoring to raise a 

 yellow variety, and seeing that some of the newer 

 varieties show faint traces of that color in the basal 

 parts and the middle ribs of the segments, the quest will 

 probably meet with success. 



NOTONIA GEANTII 



A handsome succulent under this name was figured 

 and described in the issue of the "Gardeners' Chronicle" 

 for April 10, 1909. The plant was found in Mozam- 

 bique, during Speke and Grant's expedition to discover 



the source of the river Nile, in 6 deg. 50 min. South 

 latitude; and was by them given the name Kleinia sps. 

 in Speke's "Nile Journal." Colonel Grant described 

 the flower as blood red. The color varies, and the cul- 

 tivated plant has flowers ef an orajige-scarlet tint. The 

 species is identical with Cacalia semperviva, Forsk, a 

 native of tropical Arabia, and was named by Ascherson 

 Notonia semper-viva, a name under which it will prob- 

 ably remain in some Continental gardens. There are 

 several dried specimens at Kew bearing the name of this 

 Notonia, all of which are more robust than the ordmary 

 X. Grantii as introduced by Miss Edith Cole from 

 Somaliland, and first raised from seeds by Mr. J. Lynch, 

 curator of the Cambridge Botanical Garden. Notonia 

 (irantii is an easy plant to grow and flower. 



IMPERIAL INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION, LONDON 



An exhibition will be held at Shepherd's Bush, Lon- 

 don, W., opening in May and closing in October of the 

 present year. Group 8 is devoted to horticulture as 

 follows : Appliances and processes used in horticulture 

 and arboriculture; apparatus and objects used for or- 

 namenting gardens, vases, pots, chairs, garden seats, 

 etc.; garden architecture, kitchen garden plants, fruit 

 and fruit trees; trees, shrubs, ornamental plants and 

 flowers; greenhouse and hothouse plants; horticultural 

 and nursery seeds and stock, grass and other seeds. 



Improvements at Kew 



That Kew Gardens are still a popular institution 

 amongst Britishers was evidenced on Easter Monday, 

 when over 40,000 visitors passed through the gates, to 

 admire the countless floral attractions. Keen interest 

 was taken in the new water garden. This occupies the 

 site of the old medicinal ground to the north of one of 

 the museums. The dimensions of the seven tanks are 

 104 feet by (i3 feet. The centre tank and four corner 

 ones will lie used tor Nymphaas and other aquatics, 

 whilst the two side ones will be set apart for bog plants. 

 This addition will still further add to the value and 

 variety of Kew's unique attractions. This is one de- 

 partment of the Government's activity which is always 

 popular, and no one is found to criticise the outlay in- 

 volved. The Gardens have a world-wide reputation, for 

 representatives come from all quarters to inspect the 

 priceless collection, whilst its value as a training centre 

 is everywhere recognized. Former Kew students occupy 

 po.sitions of importance in all parts of the globe. The 

 training received equips a man for filling the highest 

 posts in the horticultural wofld. 



>t%c dM^xr. 



