THE GARDENERS' MONTHLY 



LJuiy. 



worth growing in pots for conservatory adornment, 

 though we never remember seeing it treated in 

 that way. It is one of the most interesting hardy 

 shrubs in full bloom in the Coombe Wood Nur- 

 sery. Another species belonging to the same sub- 

 genus (Pieris) is also worthy of mention. It is A. 

 calyculata, a North American shrub, with small 

 bronzy foliage and leafy racemes of white blos- 

 soms. — Garden. 



Magnolia stellata. — There are few hardy 

 shrubs more beautiful than the present species, 

 which was exhibited in beautiful condition by 

 Messrs. Veitch two or three years ago. From a 

 specimen furnished by that firm the figure in the 

 Botanical Magazine, tab. 6370, was prepared. A 

 pot-plant is now blooming in the Winter Garden at 

 Kew. The flower has about fifteen narrow petals, 

 white above, and marked with a faint pink central 

 streak externally. In American gardens it is known 

 under the name of M. Halleana, under which 

 name, too, it is figured in our English Floral Maga- 

 zine, tab. 309. Like so many of the beautiful Japan- 

 ese plants now cultivated in English gardens, this 

 species is pretty generally cultivated by the Japan- 

 ese themselves. Accordirg to Franchet and Sava- 

 tier it assumes the proportions of a small tree in 

 woods in Central Niphon. — Gardener s Chronicle. 



SCRAPS AND QUERIES. 



Rhododendrons not Blooming. — "Green- 

 horn" writes: " I have a bed of six or seven Rho- 

 dodendrons planted in a space of about 3 feet by 

 8 feet. They came from a nursery, in March of 

 1882. They bloomed magnificently last May and 

 early June, as they all had buds on when received. 

 The requisite conditions of soil and the preparation 

 were properly attended to previously, the bed being 

 trenched out to depth of over two feet, the old 

 earth removed, and filled with alternate layers of 

 brush and top garden-soil until even with ground, 

 when bed was finished off with fine soil 6 to 8 

 inches higher. This spring nothing but leaf buds 

 pushed, there being only one solitary flower truss 

 in the whole lot, while one of the plants did not 

 even make new growth. Is this condition of things 

 the natural reaction in first year after transplant- 

 ing and only what I have a right to expect, look- 

 ing for better results next spring ? Or is there some 

 fault of my own probable ? Should there be any- 

 thing done in the way of protection during winter? 

 The plants were hardy rhododendrons." 



[Our correspondent's Rhododendrons have not 



bloomed this year because, no doubt, every branch 

 bore flowers last season. When this is the case, 

 they bloom but sparingly the following year. The 

 branches which push from below the corymbs of 

 flowers do not, as a rule, bloom the next year, and 

 this gives a biennial character to the plant, in this 

 respect. If he finds later on, as he probably will, 

 that every branch is capped with a flower bud, 

 and will remove a few of them, the disappointment 

 experienced now will probably not be felt again. 

 Rhododendrons, although hardy, are the better 

 for a slight covering of leaves or brush in winter. 

 They have a better appearance in spring. — Ed. 

 G. M.] 



Spir/EA venusta. — In Mj. Burgevin's paper 

 reference is made to this spiraea, and a suggestion 

 made that it is related to the well-known "Queen 

 of the Prairie" Spiraea lobata. The writer was 

 favored with a plant, through the kindness of Mr. 

 Downing, and it proved to be a case of dimor- 

 phism, known in other plants, but not we believe 

 in this genus of plants. One form has long stamens 

 and short styles — the other longer styles and short 

 stamens. They are both dimorphic forms of Spi- 

 rsa lobata, but well worthy of being kept distinct 

 by cultivators, and for this the specific name in 

 use, venusta, will be as good as any. 



Salvia farinacea. — Mr. Charles E. Parnell 

 writes: "Would you be so kind as to inform me, 

 through the Monthly, if there is any difference 

 between Salvia amabilis and S. farinacea? I 

 purchased them as distinct varieties, but see no 

 distinction. Are my plants true to name, or what 

 is the correct name? 



[Botanists find no difference between the two. 

 Amabilis is regarded as a synonym. Salvia farina- 

 cea is, however, a very variable species, and we 

 are not sure but there may be found differences 

 enough to warrant florists in keeping them apart. — 

 Ed. G. M.] 



Asphalt Walks. — In answer to an inquiry about 

 these, the following is appropriate : "The Cenlral- 

 blatt der Bauzierwalfung describes a patented 

 composition made at a factory in Stargard, Pome- 

 rania, which has for some years past been used 

 with perfect success on the Berlin-Stettin railway 

 for wail copings, water tables, and similar purposes 

 requiring a water-proof coating. The material is 

 composed of coal-tar, to which are added clay, as- 

 phalt, resin, litharge, and sand. It is, in short, a 

 kind of artificial asphalt, with the distinction that 

 it is applied cold, like ordinary cement rendering. 



