For March, 1921 



517 



Departments of Foreign Exchange and Book Reviews 



FORMAL ASPECTS 



The treatment of comparatively small spaces enclosed in geo- 

 metrical lines requires care. In such cases, bold, simple combina- 

 tions are preferable to a collection of many plant species, and one 

 genus, for instance, the Iris, may be planted in formal places with- 

 out forming beds of precise design. The latter remark applies 

 equally to herbaceous Paeonies. A simple drift of mauve Iris — 

 of the pallida section — and a breadth of pink Paeonies, planted in 

 adjacent beds, make a pleasing combination when in flower, and 

 later in the season, the Iris leaves accentuate the beautiful coloring 

 of the Paeony foliage. If prominence is given to a central position 

 the universal sundial might give place to an effective bed of 

 Diantlius: a variety of D. Alki'oodii would be eminently suitable. 

 Generally speaking a central grass plot is preferable to structural 

 ornamentation. — The Gardeners' Chronicle (British). 



A NEW STRAIN OF EARLY TULIP 



At the meeting of the Tulip Committee of the Haarlem Bulb 

 Growers' Society, held on January 10, Messrs. E. H. Krelage and 

 Son showed five varieties of forced Tulips in pots. These Tulips 

 are crosses between Due van Thol and Darwin varieties and com- 

 bine the earliness of the former with the colors and the longer 

 stems of the latter. The flowering period out-of-doors is the same 

 as that of the early single Tulips. These varieties may be forced 

 easily to bloom the first week of January, and some varieties have 

 been already flowered in perfect condition, but with shorter sterns, 

 on December 20. The colors of the varieties shown were bright 

 pink, salmon, orange, maroon, cerise and brown with sulphur edge, 

 but we understand that Messrs. Krelage already possess a great 

 many varieties in other shades. The first crosses were made in 

 1909, and have since been continued yearly. These newcomers 

 which, compared with the existing varieties for early forcing, and 

 repeatedly tried, prove to be superior, will doubtless have a 

 splendid future, for a combination of early forcing qualities, new 

 colors and good stems would mean a decided advance on all 

 early forcing Tulips. — IIw Gardeners' Chronicle T British). 



THE DOUBLE WHITE GYPSOPHILA 



Opinions may dift'er as to whether the single or double form of 

 Gypsophila paniculata is the more beautiful, but, growing both, I 

 give my verdict in favor of the double, with its numerous pure 

 white, rosette-like blossoms, borne on spreading panicles. Whether 

 the sprays are required for cutting and mixing with other flowers 

 in Summer and early .\utumn, or for using for Winter arrange- 

 ments of "everlasting" flowers, it will be found that the double 

 Gypsophila will last considerably longer. Anyone contemplating 

 additions to his borders of hardy plants should find room for one 

 or two specimens. In planting it is important to remember that 

 Gypsophilas like a rich and deep soil, as their roots penetrate a 

 long way, that a sunny position is essential, and, equally important, 

 they should be given plenty of room. — Gardeninsi Illustrated. 



ANTIRRHINUMS A SECOND SEASON 



It always seems a pity to treat .Antirrhinums as annuals, as 

 one does not thus get the full benefit of blossoms from them. An 

 instance has come under my notice where, almost up to the end 

 of October, a number of plants bloomed exceedingly well. Trouble 

 had been taken, when they were put out in May, to group them 

 in co'ors, and the result was very charming, and called forth 

 not a little praise from people who passed the garden daily. They 

 were very stocky plants, and gave evidence of being a useful lot 

 another year; but a jobbing gardener received instructions to "put 

 something else in," and so in November they were uprooted in 

 favor of Wallflowers. I have no fault to find with the beauty and 

 fragrance of such delightful Spring flowers, but it seems to me 

 that many who grow .\ntirrhinums overlook the fact that "old 

 plants are the first to flower," and on this account are worth 

 keeping. More than this, if old plants are trimmed of dead wood 

 in Spring and reinvigorated by forking in some manure round the 

 roots, it is surprising how great is the output of bloom. The 

 raising from seed in Spring, pricking off', and planting out after- 

 wards for blooming in Suminer are the recognized modus operandi 

 with a good number of plants which grace the garden ; hut surely 

 it is well to make an exception of a subject like the Antirrhinum. 

 particularly so when a good strain has been secured, and one 

 knows if the plants are encouraged that they will flower well again 

 the following Summer, often longer, indeed, than Spring-raised 

 plants. — Gardening Illustrated. 



STARTING TUBEROUS BEGONIAS 



One of the best growers of Tuberous Begonias I ever knew 

 made a practice of starting the tubers before potting them. He 

 treated them much in the way that seed Potatoes are treated, the 

 difference being that the Begonias were laid on damp material in 

 a temperature of about 56 degrees. Begonia growers are well ac- 

 quainted with the fact that som.etimes a percentage of the tubers 

 either fails to start, or does not go away, freely, but this man said 

 that by his treatment not more than 1 per cent, failed. The appear- 

 ance of his tubers certainly justified this statement, for the eyes 

 were plunip and were pushing out strongly. It is, of course, easy 

 to e.xamine them when treated in this way, a great advantage 

 especially in the case of choice varieties. Should there be any 

 signs of rot it can be promptly dealt with. When fairly started 

 the bulbs can be at once put into the blooming pots, which econ- 

 omizes later, whereas where there is no sign of life it is by no 

 means safe to do so. They must in such case be put into quite 

 small pots and shifted later on. — Gardening Illustrated. 



BUDDLEIA AURICULATA 



This is a dcliciously fragrant shrub. It is evidently much 

 hardier than is usually imagined, since on the coast of the Bristol 

 Channel, it forms huge bushes 15 feet to 20 feet high, bearing in 

 abundance the creamy white flowers which scent the air for some 

 distance. In exceptionally severe Winters it is liable to be cut 

 back by frost, but in Spring it breaks vigorously and soon sends 

 out strong branches which flower in the following Autuinn. Like 

 most Budd'eias, it bears pruiung well, and the cut branches are 

 charming for house decoration. There seems to be considerable 

 confusion between B. aurictilata and B. asiatica, and it was only 

 by submitting specimens of our plants to Kew that we learned the 

 true name. In the catalog of plants grown at La Mortola, the 

 native country of B. auriculata is given as South .\frica. Is this 

 correct ? I have never seen true B. asiatica and should like to 

 know in what way it differs from B. aurictilata. The latter is 

 readily propagated by cuttings, inserted either in a cold frame or 

 in the open border, which form nice young plants in a couple of 

 years. 



Buddleia auriculata is a native of South Africa and B. asiatica 

 widely distributed in Eastern Asia and Java. B. auriculata has 

 broadly lanceolate leaves, those of B. asiatica are much longer and 

 narrower. The blossoms of R. auriculata are cream or primrose, 

 produced in Autumn in niany flowered cymes, those of B. asiatica 

 are pure white, produced in Winter and Spring in slender racemes, 

 clustered into tail-like panicles at the ends of the branches. Both 

 are delicately fragrant. 



BUDDLEIA FORRESTII 



Seeds of this handsome shrub were sent by Mr. Forrest from 

 Western China in 1918. It is a vigorous species belonging to 

 the variabilis group and evidently appreciates rich soil and plenty 

 of space for full development. It forms a fine bushy plant of 

 over Ave feet in height. Its chief feature is the dense white 

 toinentuin on the square stem and en the underside of the leaves. 

 The racemes of flowers are similar to those of the well known 

 B. variabili.'!, but are shorter — at any rate in young plants. The 

 flowers are a light mauve in color and are not so attractive as in 

 the best forms of variabilis; their strong honey-like scent is de- 

 licious, and appeals to the Red Admirals and the Peacock butter- 

 flies as much as it does to the gardener. It should prove a valu- 

 able shrub for grouping on lawns against a background of dark 

 foliage to show up the beautiful white underside of the leaves. It 

 is quite distinct from Buddleia nivea in the shape of the raceme 

 and much paler flowers, and is a finer shrub altogether. Hard 

 pruning in Spring will probably suit B. forrcstii as well as it does 

 B. variabilis varieties. — The Garden. 



[Most readers to whom the G.xRUiiNERs' Chronicle comes would 

 of course have to grow these Buddleias in pots to be taken in for 

 Winter protection or would have to safeguard them very carefully 

 if they were left out in the garden — En.| 



HARDY WINTER-FLOWERING PLANTS 



In most gardens there is a lack of Winter-flowering plants, 

 those grown being limited, as a rule, to Christmas Roses, Helle- 

 borus niger and its varieties, followed by the less well known 

 I.enten Hellebore, H. orientalis, of which there are many named 

 varieties, in varied and quaint colorings. The Winter Jasmine, 



