222 



HORTICULTURE 



February 12, 1910 



ppecies of Deutzia, and to D. discolor, var. purpuraseens 

 in jDarticular, Emil Lemoine has in recent years given 

 us a new race of extremely beautiful hybrids. At the 

 present moment there are in cultivation species superior 

 to those the famous French hybridist had to work with 

 and in the near future we shall probably have Deutzias 

 as much superior to the present hybrids as these are to 

 the original forms. Deutzia discolor var. major and D. 

 Wilsoni are two new species having large, corymbs 

 of pure white flowers. The last named is the largest 

 flowered Deutzia known, the individual flowers being 

 more than an inch across. Both are vigorous growing 

 species, 3 to 5 ft. tall. Deutzia globosa is another new 

 species with erect branches and large, thyrsoid panicles 

 of rather small, white flowers. The best and most strik- 

 ing Deutzia of the whole family is, however, D. 

 Veitchii. This is a truly remarkable plant with erect 

 branches, 3 to 5 ft. tall, and large trusses of deep, rosy- 

 lilac colored flowers, each flower being upwards of three- 

 quarters of an inch across. This plant will shortly be 

 in commerce and the writer ventures to predict that it 

 ■will create a sensation when made known. 



These new Deutzias are all native of the thickets of 

 central and western China between 3,000 to 6,000 ft. 

 altitude, are hardier than most of the family and in 

 every sense are useful and desirable acquisitions. 



Hydrangea is a genus ricli in ornamental and free- 

 flowering species. This family abounds in the thickets 

 of central and western China, the individuals forming 

 bushes 6 to 20 ft. tall. The flat corymbs of flowers, 

 usually white, more rarely pink or purple, are often 

 more than a foot across. The genus is in a chaotic state 

 and until some competent botanist takes it in hand the 

 writer prefers not to indicate any by specific names. 



Pliiladelphus is represented in China by several close- 

 ly allied species, all beautiful but none with distinctive 

 merits over the older and well-known species and varie- 

 ties. 



Dipelta is a genus allied to Abelia and entirely new to 

 cultivation .of which the writer has been privileged to 

 introduce two species, D. floribunda and D. ventricosa. 

 These form bushes 5 to 10 ft. high, with bright, rose- 

 pink flowers in size and shape resembling those of Dier- 

 villa. The plants are remarkably free-flowering and 

 once seen not readily forgotten. , 



Lonicera finds its headquarters in China, the writer 

 on his last journey having collected material of forty 

 species. Many of these are shrubby and welcome addi- 

 tions to the family. One of the very best of all is Lon- 

 icera hispida, var. chaetocarpa, a bush 2 to 4 ft. tall, 

 with ovate, hairy leaves and tubular, pale yellow flow- 

 ers, as large as those of Diervilla, borne in the axils of 

 the leaves. The plant is very hardy and free-flowering 

 and the flowers are followed by attractive orange-red 

 fruits. L. prostata is a new species adapted for rock- 

 work with neat, ovate leaves and axillary, pale yellow 

 flowers. L. Maackii, var. podocarpa, forms a large bush 

 8 to 12 ft. tall, with straight, spreading branches and 

 white flowers arising from the axils of the leaves. L. 

 tangutica, L. saccata, L. deflexicalyx, L. szechuanica and 

 several of the species are in cultivation but have not yet 

 had time to prove themselves. 



-i?^ 



^-X^-*^-Vw 



Trans-Atlantic Notes 



NOVELTIES IN DVFAKF SHOW, AND GROUPING DAHLIAS 



The following remarks on Dahlias in Germany may 

 be of interest to cultivators in the United States seeing 

 that the cult of tlie Dahlia, owing to the introduction of 

 new forms in the flowers, the size of the plants, and 

 novel arrangement of the coloring have created an in- 

 crease of interest among the general public. The re- 

 sults of cross-breeding in the genus are most strikingly 

 apparent in the dwarf varieties so suitable for garden 

 decorations and pot culture, and are sure of a future. 

 Some of these still possess certain imperfections, but 

 these will soon be driven out of cultivation by more per- 

 fect varieties. At the same time the cross-breeders 

 must do everything possible to obtain a rich display of 

 color and dwarfness of habit. In Germany the raising 

 of dwarf Dahlias adapted for cultivation as pot plants 

 for market is now extensively carried on. The crosses 

 between tall and dwarf varieties of show Dahlias which 

 unite the good points of each form an ideal class for 

 planting is beds and groups. The following varieties, 

 some in commerce, others not, may be briefly alluded to, 

 viz., Gruppenkonigin — flowers of medium size, bright 

 red; Kolibri (Humming Bird), bears flowers in pro- 

 digious numbers — color described as "Aurora" ; Mat- 

 ador, bright red ; Erica, light salmon pink ; Goldperle 

 is an introduction of last year, canary yellow, petals 

 ray-like, a good plant for pot culture ; Blauer Zwerg is 

 likewise a novelty of 1909, flowers small purple violet 

 with a dash of blue. Cultivators of these dwarf varie- 

 ties should not afford the plants much manure; and 

 when the soil is rich in humus and well cultivated it 

 is advisable to omit doing so for several years running. 



DWARF CHRYSANTHEMUMS 



To insuie the flowering of dwarf plants of chrysanthe- 

 mums at the end of the month of October the cuttings 

 must be taken at the end of August. Naturally the 

 shoots chosen as cuttings should be well set with flower 

 buds, and inserted in pots of a diameter of 2i/o inches, 

 and till rooted be kept on a lukewarm manure bed. In 

 order to maintain a dwarf habit in the plants cool air 

 must be admitted to the frame which is best assured by 

 shading during the bright hours, syringing and ventila- 

 tion at frequent intervals. When the plants begin to 

 make roots through the soil place them in the open air, 

 covering them with the lights in rainy weather. No 

 repotting should be done, but weak manure may be 

 afforded occasionally. The best cuttings are obtained 

 for this purpose from strong plants of the previous year 

 once repotted. Good varieties are Madame Gustave 

 Henry, and Souvenir de Petite Amie. 



NATIONAL CHRYSANTHEMUM SOCIETY 



At the meeting of the executive committee of the 

 Society held on January 17 it was resolved to hold an 

 exhibition in September, one on November 8th and 10th 

 and another on December 14th. The chairman an- 

 nounced that it was the president's wish that the So- 

 ciety sliould make arrangements for an exhibition to be 

 held at the close of the Brussels International Exhibi- 

 tion in the month of October; and the president ap- 

 pealed to members to contribute a representative exhibit, 

 as at the Paris exhibition of 1900. Mr. Harman Payne 

 was nominated as the Society's delegate to the Horticul- 

 tural Congress to be held at Brussels in April next. 



A BOEDER OF AMARYLLIS BELLADONNA VAR. GIGANTEA 



Last year at the Botanic Garden at Kew, visitors en- 

 joyed a rare treat in a border planted with uncommon 



