202 



HORTICULTURE. 



August 13, 1910 



Dipladcnia 



Among greenhouse twining, flowering plants the 

 genus Dipladenia is, in my opinion, superior to all 

 others. The brilliant and delicate tints of their flowers 

 are unrivaled. D. s. profusa, for instance, when it 

 opens its flowers, is a delicate pink, and as the flower 

 gets older it deepens until it is a rich carmine and the 

 seedlings of this variety will give a range of color from 

 almost pure white to a much deeper shade than the 

 parent. I have counted as many as thirty-six flowers 

 produced in one season on one spike of the above variety, 

 three and four blossoms being open at a time. At the 

 time of writing, July 18, on a plant trained on a balloon 

 trellis in a twelve-inch pot, I counted about seventy 

 open flowers and it will be better as the season advances 

 a little, as there are more spikes forming and the older 

 ones keep on extending and opening flowers. The 

 flowers of Dipladenia are excellent keepers, and for 

 decorative work are very useful, it being possible to 

 make lovely centre pieces with them; also attached to 

 strings of Asparagus for draping around a mirror or 

 mantle, they can be made into a beautiful decoration. 

 A drop of water inside the funnel shaped flower will 

 make the bloom last for days. 



Dipladenias are easily propagated in a temperature of 

 seventy deg. We find that the prunings which are 

 taken "off the old plants previous to starting them into 

 growth in the spring make good cuttings. Take a piece 

 with two leaves attached, with about an inch of stem, 

 and insert in sand in the above temperature and they 

 will root in from three weeks to a month. When well 

 rooted, pot them off in a mixture of equal parts of the 

 fibre of loam, chopped up fern root, spha.gnum moss and 

 good sharp sand, adding also plenty of broken charcoal 

 to keep the whole compost sweet. In summer, if de- 

 sired, they may be planted out doors; in fact, I think 

 they like this treatment, as I have noticed that when 

 potted in September they make a vigorous growth, and 

 flower well during the fall. 



Dipladenias will stand a few de,2:i-ees of frost, but 

 it is better not to give them any. We find that they 

 winter best in a temperature around fifty degrees. Es- 

 tablished plants should be potted in the spring, when 

 signs of young growths are noticed, in the above men- 

 tioned compost; with about a sixth part of sheep 

 manure and a sprinkling of chicken bone added. A 

 good plan is to take the plant out of the pot, and with 

 the hose wash all the loose dirt from the roots; but if 

 this is done it is desirable after they are potted to 

 put them for a week or two in a temperature around 

 sixty-five degrees. After they are started good plenty 

 of light and air is essential to secure strong growths. 

 In summer they do well in the full sun, but I think 

 slightly better if a very thin shade is over them. 



After the first of November Dipladenias should be 

 rested, by withholding water, but never dried severely. 

 When dormant the weak growths should be pruned out 

 and if any mealy bug is on them, fumigated with 1/2-02- 

 cyanide of potaspium, 1 oz. sulphuric acid. 2 oz. water 

 to the thousand cubic feet. This should be done several 

 times in the course of the winter, taking care that the 

 foliage and plant? in the house operated on are as dry 

 as possible. I may here add that these plants, when 

 in vigorous growth, are greatly benefited by frequent 

 applications of manure water, taking care, however, that 

 it is not too strong. Good varieties to grow are 

 Dipladenia amoena, D. boliviensis (a bush form), D. 



Brearleyana, D. insignis, D. nobilis, D. splendens; pro- 

 fusa and Williamsii, two varieties of splendens. 



West Medford, Mass. 



British Horticulture 



MERITORIOUS NEW ROSES 



As anticipated in a previous note, the annual show of 

 the National Eose Society was in every way a success. 

 The trade growers made an excellent display in various 

 sections. The nurserymen's championship was secured 

 by Alex. Dickson & Sons of Newtonards, Ireland. This 

 year a tent was specially devoted to this section. S. 

 McGredy and Sons, Portadown, Ireland, had three new 

 varieties which received awards. These were Edward 

 Mawley, a H. T., of a maroon crimson tint, somewhat 

 resembling Horace Vernet; Mrs. Joseph H. Welch, 

 rose, shading to silvery pink, and Evelyn Dauntsey, rose 

 pink. B. R. Cant & Co., of Colchester, exhibited St. 

 Helena, a H. T., with a centre of apricot pink, the 

 petals being pale buft', and Colcestria, a H. T. of blush 

 pink. Mrs. Gordon Sloane, a blush-pink H. T., and 

 Mrs. Foley Hobbs, a creamy-white hybrid, were in- 

 cluded amongst tlie exhibits of Messrs. Dickson. Eayon 

 d"Or, raised by Pernet-Ducher, of Lyons, is a rich yel- 

 low H. T. It is stated to be a cross between an un- 

 named seedling of the Perenettiana section and Mdme. 

 Melaine Soupert. The other novelties were Mrs. G. 

 Shawyer, a H. T. of old rose and bright pink and Lady 

 Hillingdon, a new popular yellow Tea, shown by Messrs. 

 Lowe & Shawyer, Uxbridge. 



SUMMER NOVELTIES 



At the summer show of the Royal Horticultural So- 

 ciety, at Holland House, Kensington, the new roses in- 

 cluded Juliet, golden yellow and bright cerise, shown by 

 Messrs. W. Paul & Son, Waltham Cross ; Mary, Countess 

 of Ilchester, crimson-carmine, H. T. and Mrs. Foley 

 Hobbs, the two last named coming from A. Dickson & 

 Sons. A new begonia which attracted considerable 

 notice was Mrs. W. L. Ainslie, a shapely bloom, of 

 cliarming yellow, exhibited by T. S. Ware, of Feltham, 

 and Blackmore & Langdon, of Twerton Hill, Bath. 

 Amos Perry, of Enfield, had two fine new delphiniums 

 — Belladonna semi-plena and Lamartini. Gladiolus 

 King Edward VIT, sent by Mr. F. Lilley, a Guernsey 

 nurseryman, is a bold double-flowered variety of the 

 Colvillei section; the vivid scarlet blooms have a narrow 

 creamy white stripe down the centre of each segment. 



THE CULT OF THE SWEET PEA 



The annual show of the National Sweet Pea Society, 

 held on ,Tulv 12 and 13, was an eloquent proof of the 

 firm hold which this popular flower has taken amongst 

 garden lovers. For the challenge cup given by W. Atlee 

 Burpee, of Philadelphia, for a display of sweet peas 

 arranged on a space 4 ft. by 3 ft., there was an interest- 

 ins: contest. Robert Bolton, of Warton, Comforth, won 

 the cup for the third time, and it now becomes his 

 property. His excellent display included two novelties 

 — Clmrk's Foster, opal blue with rosy edges, and R. F. 

 Felloii. a jii'w lavender. There were some artistic table 

 nis|ilavx. The following varieties on trial at Guildford 

 last year were awarded certificates: Cherry Ripe (Gil- 

 bert & Son. Dyke, Bourne) ; Masterpiece (Dobbie & Co., 

 Rothesay): Stirling Stent (J. Agate, Havant, Hants); 



