January 15, 1910 



HORTICULTURE 



73 



other purposes actually increases and, although prices 

 go away down, the warmth of oncoming spring brings 

 compensation in greatly increased daily crops. The gen- 

 eral impression appears to be that the next four weeks 

 will make a record for hustle and prosperity generally. 

 We hope the confidence will prove not to have been mis- 

 placed and in the meantime the less said about Lent, the 

 better. Each year sees less and less of ashes and sack- 

 cloth. 



"A health unto the happy! 

 A fig for him who frets; ( 



It is not raining rain to me, 

 It is raining violets." 



Thus sings Robert Loveman. Keep it in mind when 

 you see the shadow of Lent approaching. 



Trans-Atlantic Notes 



THE RAISING OF SEEDS OF PRIMULA OBCONIOA 



Some much needed, sensible advice is afforded in an 

 article in the issue of the "Gartenwelt" for December 

 11, 1909, from which we extract the following remarks. 

 In a widely circulated well-managed journal for ama- 

 teurs, it was stated "that those who were frightened at 

 the high prices asked for seeds of Primula obconica 

 should cultivate their own seed bearing parents, and 

 they would then be certain of harvesting seeds of which 

 80 per cent, would germinate." 



This advice will not do. The amateur, equally with 

 the market grower cannot grow good Primula seed. 

 Only the specialist is capable of doing this with Pri- 

 mula obconica, and furnishing all the requirements. It 

 is not sufficient that any one should select from among a 

 relatively small number of plants those which exhibit 

 certain good features, retaining these as seed bearers. 

 When the blooms are not artificially impregnated, it is 

 scarcely possible to avoid the bees, carrying pollen from 

 one plant to another, and in that manner spoiling the 

 purity of the colors of the flowers. The specialist, from 

 years of practice with one and the same species of plants, 

 has a more acute eye for the finest flowers, and the min- 

 ute differences in them, and is enabled to select the most 

 suitable plants as seed bearers. Similarly with other 

 flowering plants and vegetables. One of the first raisers 

 of P. obconica stated to the writer that he had known 

 florists who had saved Primula seeds for one and two 

 years, and were very proud of their achievements, and 

 were of the opinion that their seedlings were superior to 

 those raised by him (the specialist). Wlien, however, 

 in the course of a few years, they had had the opportuni- 

 ty of comparing their plants with those of the special- 

 ists, the result was usually, that they came back to the 

 specialist for their seeds. It may be remarked, here, 

 that the trustworthy specialist, in his own interest sells 

 only seeds that are fresh and of a high vegetative qual- 

 ity, which are calculated to afford not 80 per cent, of 

 plants, but 90-100 per cent.; and when the results are 

 bad, this is usually the fault of the cultivator. Perhaps 

 the soil he employs is too light, or consists partly of leaf 

 mould. In such soil the seeds do not vegetate at all, 

 or very unsatisfactorily. It would appear that the tan- 



nic acid present in such soils, kills the plants as soon as 

 the germ emerges from the envelope. The seeds ap- 

 pear full and healthy, but do not vegetate further. 

 Beside this chemical there may be biological causesln 

 the bacterial-flora of the leaf mold not yet ascertaiued. 

 Certainly, seeds of Primula obconica can be obtained by 

 the gardener and florists at home; but ia the case of 

 these plants, when large flowers finely colored, and of 

 fine form are desired, price should play no role; and to 

 the prudent cultivator, good seed is never too dear in 

 price. 



CATTLEYA ELDORADO ALBA STN C. ELDORADO VIEGINALI8 



What cultivator of orchids has not been charmed by 

 the tender beauty of the Cattleya albinos? Is it their 

 variety, or their blinding whiteness that ensnares him ? 

 Although Cattleya Eldorado alba flowers are of mod- 

 erate size, they are well developed, and 13cm to 15cm 

 in widths is not a rarity. This species opens its flowers 

 at a season when cattleyas are rather scarce — August 

 and September, to the number of 2 to 4 on a spike ; and 

 the bloom is pleasantly fragrant. All parts of the flow- 

 er are white except the throat which is orange. It is a 

 native of the Amazon region, and not difficult to culti- 

 vate. 



ROSE JOHANNESFEUR, ETC. 



There are comparatively few novelties of the ragosa, 

 and lutea classes of the rose. Eeally fine varieties for 

 the general cultivator are R. rugosa C. F. Meyer, and 

 the new clear white Nova Zembla, a sport from the 

 former. E. lutea Soliel d'Or is likewise useful when it 

 remains healthy; but as the foliage is readily spoUed by 

 the sun's rays, the plant commonly dies off. E. Les 

 Rosati is an improvement in this respect. It is stated 

 by some cultivators that this perfectly hardy variety 

 makes but little new wood which may indeed be true ia 

 some soils and positions. The new, hardy variety Jo- 

 hannesfeur raised by crossing Princess de Beam, with 

 Jaune bicolor exhibits the features of the Hybrid Per- 

 petual and E. lutea and, rightly speaking, it belongs to 

 the E. lutea species. There are but few of the rose nov- 

 elties of the last ten years that have any enduring 

 value, and scarcely one which in the smallest degree ap- 

 proaches Johannesfeur. It has great vigor of growth, 

 an erect habit, broad, leathery foliage which is not at- 

 tacked by mildew or rust and is therefore assured of a 

 long existence. The rather large flower is of good 

 shape; full, and the blooms expand in all sorts o£ 

 weather. The buds appear singly and several together 

 on strong shoots. The color is not easily describable. 

 It is bright red on a broad golden ground flooded over 

 with a golden glimmer, not met with on any other rose; 

 The plant like the H. P. blooms twice in the season, 

 even as late as the month of October. — 0. Jacobs in Dit 

 Gartenwelt, 18 December. 



London, Eng. 



