for September, 1920 



317 



tainty, the other provisionally ; the former, that by Spring spray- 

 ing, Leaf Curl may be abolished from our gardens; the latter, 

 that spraying in late Autumn or Winter after the leaves have 

 fallen may prove to be as effectual and possibly more con- 

 venient than spraying in the Spring. It is to be hoped that 

 experiments on these lines will be made and also that mycologists 

 will complete their inquiry into the life history of this disease 

 by ascertaining in what state the spores rest during the Winter. 

 The Burgundy mixture which was used at Wislcy was com- 

 posed of 'A pound of copper sulphate. 2-54 pounds of sodium car- 

 bonate and 12 gallons of water. — The Gardeners' Chronicle of 

 London. 



THE BULB SCHOOL, LISSE, HOLLAND 



Situated on the outskirts of the village of Lisse, and in the 

 very heart of the bulb-growing district, stands the Government 

 Bulb School, where students receive a very thorough education 

 and technical instruction in the practice and principles of bulb 

 cultivation. The aim of the school is to instruct youths in the 

 very complicated business of bulb growing and also endow them 

 with a sound education. 



Before entering the .school a youth must have had at least 

 six months' experience on a bulb farm to enable him to under- 

 stand the meaning of the technical terms employed in the in- 

 dustry and to bring him into contact with real processes, with 

 men at work, and with the great current of the world's industrial 

 life. Having submitted himself as a candidate, he must then 

 pass an entrance examination and show knowledge of such sub- 

 jects as Dutch grammar, mathematics and geography. The 

 standard required is about equivalent to that needed to pass the 

 Cambridge or Oxford Junior Local Examination. The candi- 

 date, however, must have an clementarv- knowledge of three 

 languages — English, French, and Gerinan — as languages neces- 

 sarily play a very important part in the trade of the bulb grower, 

 since his business is one of exportation to the British Isles, Scan- 

 dinavia, America, France. Russia. Germany and .\ustria. 



The course of study at the school lasts over a period of three 

 successive years. During the flow-ering season of bulbs the 

 students are .given one month's vacation, wherein they have am- 

 ple opportunity to study the flowers and the habits of the 

 varieties, as well as to help with the operations on the farms 

 at that season. Again, in the lifting and planting season they 

 gam further experience in the tield and in the warehouse and 

 office. 



From October to May instruction is given in the school. The 

 subjects are many and varied. Pure and applied botany, with 

 special reference to bulbs, is a principal subject, and instruction 

 is also given in horticultural physics and chemistry. Special 

 teaching is given in bulb cultivation, particularly of Hyacinths. 

 Tulips, Narcissi and Gladioli, while such operations as cross- 

 breeding, planting, lifting and warehouse management receive 

 detailed attention. The student is also trained to recognize the 

 diseases and pests affecting Dutch bulbous crops and the method 

 of controlling them. 



Correspondence, office adininistration. bookkeeping, as applied 

 to a bulb fann and business, surveying and commercial geography 

 are also included in the syllabus and all these subjects are com- 

 pulson,'. The student may also receive additional in.struction in 

 the English, French, Scandinavian, Russian and German lan- 

 guages and correspondence. If he wishes, he may study all these 

 five langu.ages. Typewriting and stenography are optional sub- 

 jects. The school examination is held at the end of each year. 



The Dutch Government has entered heartily into the business 

 of educating youths to take an important standing in a profes- 

 sion which means so much to the country. Holland is regarded 

 as one of the most productive countries in the world and in bulb 

 growing it certainly takes the lead. The bulb growers have 

 much in their favor and can perform cultural operations which 

 are commercially impossible in this country. The degree of 

 proficiency which the best growers have reached is marvelous, 

 but there should be finer results, as the school succeeds in equip- 

 ping youths with sound, practical knowledge, specially adapted 

 to the business they are to enter. 



Not only does Holland possess a special school for bulb cul- 

 ture, but in other parts of the country there are schools where 

 a complete training is given in other branches of cmnmcrcial 

 horticulture. To ihe writer it appears that this system of com- 

 mercial education is admirable and the time may come when 

 the horticultural student in the ITnited Kingdcnn may demand 

 an opportunity, at very little cost, of .gaining a business and scien- 

 tific insight into whatever branch of the huge industry he de- 

 cides to enter. — The Gardeners' Chronicle of London. 



THE DOUBLE WHITE NARCISSUS 



A quarter of a century or more ago its failin.g to flower 

 was much discussed in gardening journals by leading market 

 men and prominent amateurs, who variously attributed it 

 to "late spring frosts," "drying east winds," and things akin 



after the flowering scapes were prominent above ground. 

 These superficial views I never favored. At the time 

 I grew it on a large scale — many thousands of it — and was 

 as much disappointed as the rest at the fewness of good flow^ers 

 which resulted from fairly generous cultivation. Blind flowers, 

 so-called, were abundant, albeit the foliage was healthy, the 

 scapes (flowering stems) strong. These facts set me thinking. 

 The variet>- flowered late, t. c., in May, when conditions of dry- 

 ness and increasing solar heat were but natural. The soil was 

 good, light loam, fifty years old pasture recently brought into 

 cultivation, though much drained by reason of a deep bed of 

 gravel and sand below, which in Summer rendered it dust dry. 

 With such conditions obtaining, it was noticed — and the fact 

 would be obvious to the most casual observer— that leaf maturity 

 in the case of the Double White was much earlier reached 

 than was the case with other sorts flowering weeks in advance 

 of It, and, knowing that in the Narcissi the germ of any season's 

 flowering is virtually laid with the maturing of the leaf growth 

 in the previous year, caused me to decide that 1 had touched 

 the root of the whole matter. In other words, I decided that 

 the late flowering of the variety, the much-drained soil, absence 

 of atmospheric and root moisture, with increasing heat combining 

 to an appreciably shortened period for the maturing of bulb 

 and foliage, were the chief factors of the failing. In fine, that 

 imperfectly-formed flower-buds being laid, blindness was assured 

 practically a year in advance of its becoming apparent. Subse- 

 quent experiments with bulbs in pits sheltered from the weather 

 and treated on a semi-aquatic plan proved the contention right. 

 A year or two later, in a private garden I came upon a few 

 scattered groups of it at a pond-side and in fine flower. Its 

 owner had thoughts of filling in the pond, and I was on the spot 

 professionally with a view to suggesting an alternative. From 

 inquiries I found that the Narcissi had been there for years, 

 and without care or attention came up and flowered well annually. 

 In Winter they were many times under water, and at other tiines 

 always in cool or moist soil. — Gardening Illustrated. 



I'oie Lactee with its large, pure white, single flowers, is prob- 

 ably the finest single white in cultivation, the flowers are power- 

 fully scented, stamens golden-yellow. The variety purpureo- 

 mactiiatus. with its dark patch of rosy-purple in the centre of 

 each flower and its delicious spicy fragrance, is certain to be- 

 come a favorite in time. Virginal is the finest double form of 

 P. Leuwinci in cultivation. It has dense clusters of large, pure 

 white flowers. Even those who do not as a rule care about 

 double flowers are carried away by the great beauty of those 

 of Virginal. .\11 three varieties are very fragrant, the spicy 

 odor of purpureo-macuhitus bein.g very pleasant in the garden 

 in the evening as it is carried about in Summer breezes. The 

 flowers for this year will alas, soon be a thing of the past. As 

 soon as they are over, the old flowering wood will be lightly 

 thinned out. — The Garden. 



Seed pods on Rhododendrons. — It would be greatly to the 

 advantage of Rhododendrons if the fact were more generally 

 recognized that the development of a mass of seed pods inflicts 

 a great strain on the plants. It will be found of great service 

 to the plants if the pods are removed as soon as the blossoms 

 are oyer. This applies even more particularly to the choice 

 varieties, which kre probably obtained in the shape of small 

 plants. — Gardening Illustrated. 



.'Single Roses. — These have a charm of their own. Some of 

 the free growing varieties such as Irish Elegance can be effect- 

 ively cultivated as specimen plants if lightly pruned each year. 

 .\mongst the newest introductions are Isobel and Ulster Gem, 

 both holders of the gold medal of the N.R.S. 



Isobel is fragrant with carmine red petals surrounding a golden 

 heart of pure yellow. 



Ulster Gem is a deep primrose yellow with prominent anthers. 

 The long pointed buds open into flowers sometimes 6 inches 

 across 



Climbers. — A word of warning has to be uttered with regard 

 to "climbing sports" developed from dwarfs, now becoming more 

 numerous every year. On the part of som<? of these there is 

 a sort of unstable quality resulting often in reversion to the 

 dwarf habit. Experience in the cultivation can be the only de- 

 terminating guide as to which are of fixed habit. — South African 

 Gardening and Country Life. 



.Moss Roses. — A pretty posy of Moss Roses in a vase seen 

 recently was a reminder of this old flower's popularity among 

 those who sported "buttonholes" about thirty years ago. Large 

 quantities of blooms and mossy buds came into the flow-er mar- 

 kets in those days, bunches being sold at a few pence apiece. 

 It was a great favorite in .gardens, but of late has become a 

 raritv. displaced no doubt by the numerous fine Roses and other 

 choice plants introduced during the past few years. It deserves 

 a place in the garden and in the public parks like Dulwich and 

 Peckham Rye. where Roses do so beautifully. There are .sev- 

 eral kinds, which vary in color ; but the old common Moss .Rose 

 should never be omitted from a collection. — The Garden. 



